ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Behind door#-2, This is a 'Kevin inspired' choice. After going off on an epic tangent of research and parts shopping, I have acquired an A-4, and a plethora of decals I can hack into some resemblance to this. I'm pretty sure it's 805 sq. flying off the (edit;) HMAS Melbourne. Fascinating story and history for these A-4 aircraft and this carrier. I believe there were only 17 A-4G's at any one time, and finding pics is difficult. Can't decide which of these 2 to do next, as they both have the same 'coolness' factor to me. Prob end up making them both for this GB if time permits, but can't decide which to start first. Pics of the skinning process on the pancake tomorrow night. Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJ Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Welcome back Russ! I'd love to build an A-4 in 1/32 but can't bring myself to think about re-scribing that old Hasegawa kit. I'm holding out for a new-tooled version... Besides, you can't ever go wrong with a Phantom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Well, you know my vote Russ! Oh, don't forget that it's HMAS Melbourne: Her/His Majesty's Australian Ship. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Uh oh! Thought SOMETHING didn't look right with that, Kevin. Got an edit up above to fix that....whups! Soo..the A-4 kit will require scribing? Eeeeeerf, I hadn't opened the box yet so I wouldn't get distracted yet again, so I haven't looked. Maybe I should take one small little peep? Nope, 'dung beetle' is on deck and ready for finishing. Must...resist....temptation. P.S. If anybody has a sweet link to any Australian A-4G pics, I'd be much obliged for any good info leads. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJ Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Uh oh! Thought SOMETHING didn't look right with that, Kevin. Got an edit up above to fix that....whups! Soo..the A-4 kit will require scribing? Eeeeeerf, I hadn't opened the box yet so I wouldn't get distracted yet again, so I haven't looked. Maybe I should take one small little peep? Nope, 'dung beetle' is on deck and ready for finishing. Must...resist....temptation. P.S. If anybody has a sweet link to any Australian A-4K pics, I'd be much obliged for any good info leads. Russ You could try Skyhawk.org for some pics. Not sure if there are any Aussie birds there but they have a pretty extensive library of pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Gadzooks Dave!, What a coincidence; I just found this site thru the 'back-door' looking for some RAN decals. Oh yeah,... just went from 4 pics of the A-4G, to about a zillion! BINGO. History, squadron markings, pics of the carrier,...That's THE place. Muchos gracious, Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Well, just had to pick it up and fondle the flapjack tonight and get used to handling it again. Really been wanting to show a pic of it sitting on it's gear since I started it...so here's some shots as I was checking out it's 'stance' and prop clearances one last time before taking it all apart for skinning. (oh yes, it's time for that!) Already had the tailwheel strut taken off(you can see it laying out front) so I stuck something the correct height under the tail to get the angle correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Dummy props put back on to make sure they are correctly sized....uh, not hitting the ground-or the (gulp) 'pilot pod'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Profile shot. If I were to level this shape(fuselage/wing?) out horizontal to the deck, the props would hit the ground. Bizarre. I also don't have the main gear retraction assembly installed, as this is only a test fit. It looks a lot like the BF-110 set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Basically an eye-level view from the ground. Landing gear is now uninstalled, and I'm going to start skinning the bottom tomorrow when I get up. This model has already been claimed by a local hobby store for display. Because it will spend the rest of it's life in 'model heaven' inside a glass case...I've been requested to not have the engine bays opened. Therefore no detailed engines. But!, now it won't take nearly as long to build...whoohoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Another view. I should have some skin on the undersides by tomorrow night. More pics as things progress! Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loic Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hi dude! I have been missing my daily fix of strange flying stuff ... I am glad you are back with us Cheers, Loic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Hey buddy! Yeah, it's good to get back to the white plastic sheets again! Started sheeting the 'dung bug' today, and got the 1st skin down. After laying different thicknesses of sheet on it, I've decided to do a 'laminate' of (2)-020"/0.5mm sheets. I'm engineering this as I go along....and this just seems to be the path to take. One sheet(layer) thick enough to scribe my panel lines on is a wee bit too much, so I'm gonna put a 'base' skin on....then put scribed panels over that. After I 'framed' up all my ribs/formers with 2mm styrene square stock, and gave it a quick sand job to smooth it all down...I started sheeting. Got one seam in the middle, but that will be over-lapped by the top scribed layer. Trick is to have the seams for the bottom layer, where the panel lines for the top---AREN'T! Lots of complex curves going on with this shape, and 2 thin layers 'swoop' over these much more elegantly than 1 thick one. Because I already have a bottom layer, my top scribed sheet can be much thinner as it isn't 'structural'.(a scribed line will snap the plastic going over too much of a curve) So...the 'dung beetle' is now morphing into a 'turtle' of sorts as I skin it.(it sure looked like a turtle up-side-down that couldn't get flipped over while I was working on it ) Here's the start of my skinning process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Looks kinda like a balsa wood plane with the ribs/formers showing thru, huh? It's actually quite robust. The 'shape' looks pretty flat in the pics, but there's a lot of 'swooping' going on with the aerofoil shape and pinching at the waist towards the outside edges. Cut out the tail-wheel well, and started 'planking' up around the main-wheel wells. Blue tape seam is where no panel line is going to be on top layer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Next step is to sheet the wood prop extensions, and build up the front airfoil. Flip, and do the same for the top. Fun, fun, fun. More pics as things progress. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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