Radub Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Thanks Kagemusha. My father is a fairly skilled craftsman (it must be in the genes) and did a good job on the wooden moulds. I was wondering if you new anything about this 1/24th IAR kit.http://www.modelism.ro/html/aviation_models.htm GSNeil, I have that kit (I actually have two). It is a mixed bag. It is a IAR81C Series 301-450, the same as the one I am building here. The main parts are vacformed and the detail parts are in resin. The cockpit is not 100% accurate - for example it has a flat floor, but the IAR80 had a rounded bottom like the Spitfire. The instrument panel is a bizarre photo-etched part that just makes no sense - it is accurate in detail and dimensions but it is poorly executed. The engine is OK but can be improved. The decals (at least in my examples) are printed with a laser printer onto white paper label paper. You need to cut them off the sheet and stick them on - it is just not right. It is a great starting point. If I were to build it someday, I would scratchbuild a new interior and engine and detail some of the rest. I like it, but I like the IAR80 anyway and this one is not too bad. Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSNeil Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Thanx - I think I'll wait for yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 I have been working on the fuselage halves for the last few days. I still have a good bit to go. Here are some photos in the meantime. I had to do a bit of shimmying to make the fuselage halves meet properly and get the right width (the parts were vacformed slighly short). The engine mount ring was turned on my lathe and inserted at the front. It will have to faired in with miliput. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 View from the back. The cockpit needs to be opened and I need to refine the spine a bit. Also, the bulges at the tailplane roots need to be refined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 And a view from below. The small depressions for the exhausts on the nose are in the wrong place and need to be a bit higher by about 4mm. Miliput again. More photos soon. Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyromania Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 excellent work radu. but i was wondering how did you and your father make the master for vacuforming. did you just sand down a block of wood and then split it in two? and the wings and tail ? i'm just trying to understand the process of making a vacuformed kit and i would appreciate any enlightenment. regards, chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 Salut Chris, The masters were made by carving the "male" parts from wood. We used pine, but it was not a good idea because the grain was too coarse and it eventually showed through during vacuforming. These were carved using chisels, knives, planes and a lot of sandpaper. It was very dusty work. It took two weeks of hard work for my father to make them. Then, the parts were vacuformed in plastic using one of these machines: http://www.warmplastic.com/avf.html I have the Kingston Junior. It is OK, but I would really like to get a proper vacuforming machine someday. I also have a Mattel Vac-U-Form that works beautifully but it was too small for this. That is all there is to it. Here are some pictures of the masters. There are also some smaller parts for the tailpanes and the engine cowl, but these are the main parts. Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Love 'watching' you work, Radu!!! Will be following this one intently!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcauchi Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Looking good Radu, still needs lots of work but looking a lot like the IAR 80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyromania Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 mersi radu. so he made each half individually, always checking to see the fit with the other one. maaaan ... he must be a patient man. what do you think he should've used instead?? what kind of wood is good for making a master?/ would balsa work?? HAI ROMANIA!!!! ROMANIAAAAA !!!! ROOOOMANIA!!! ROMANIA - FRANCE 1-0 chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks lads. Spyromania, balsa wood may work better, but it needs to be sealed. Any relatively soft wood with fine grain should work. Romania to beat France? I guess it is soccer. I have to admit I am not watching and did not even know they were playing. (I am more of a rugby man). Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Radu, Glad to see some progress again! Will this kit be a vacuform, or resin like the Ki61 and Ar324? Cheers, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 I did a bit of work on the tail and rudder. Here are some photos. Tail parts were removed from the sheet - they are rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 The inside was filled with resin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Then, the halves were glued together, shaped and polished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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