ruzlkampf Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 Took me awhile to get the seat height and stuff correct to get the pilot positioned the way I wanted, but it came out OK I think. A drop-in cockpit made this a much easier task. Here's what the spud looks like with the fuse flipped right-side up. More of a profile view. I can now install all the radios, get this painted, and button up the fuse. Next step is the mods to the wing! More pics as things progress. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vvwse4 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Hi Russ, Good to see you back on this one. Please tell me you are going to make Mrs Virginia. Love that one and when I get my hands on a P51A that is the one it is going too be. Rick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 Bwhahah!!! For you Rick, my Friend....no problem! That pic at the bottom is EXACTLY the load-out and pic that inspired me. I read where the wing on the 'A' was stressed for 500 pound bombs/drop tanks, don't know what duh heck they're doing with 1000 pdrs., AND bazooka tubes on that sucker. That 1st Commando Group camo is the one I'm going for. Because I didn't put my 'Goat Whore' decals on the P-38, I wuz kinda thinking about sliding those over to this build. Hmmmm, maybe 'Miss Virginia' would be more plausible? Good thing ya caught me before I goofed buddy. heh heh. Anywho, pulled a 3 hr. flog on the cockpit and some of the landing gear bay stuff tonight to get a bit of a go on this build. Here's some of the pieces laying around waiting for some final touch-ups. Just had to take a pic whilst I was paused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 Here's what the 'punkin-headed' pilot morphed into. Generic American pilot. Hmmm, maybe I should hang a cigar in his mouth and give him a bit of a 5 oclock shadow? I'll reflect on that for a bit. Here he is zipped up in the fuse. Ha ha, what a slacker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 I'm still trying in vain to get a decent pic of an assembled cockpit I've built. I should just give up. No mega-scale stuff here, just an approximation. Canopy will be closed so most of this will be hidden. Starting to work on the nose now. The air intake is a bit wider than it comes on the kit for a Mk.1A. That's because it had an air cleaner built into it that coud be accessed without opening the cowl. (so I hear) This thing is really starting to look nice and sleek. What a cool plane! Tip of the vertical fin is a bit thick, so I'm going to be whittling on that too. More pics as things move on. Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Project For The Day; Working on the 'snozzle' of this bird. I might've messed things up royally, cuz I just didn't like the 'step' that is on top of the engine cowling. Just thought it needed to be a bit more refined? Whuh oh. Here's a pic of the nose as it comes in the kit before I started sanding and re-scribing.(I already burned my bridges...cuz I've already modded the other side. ) This little 'step' is only on the top-side around where the valve-train covers would be on the Allison engine. I'm going to be calling on Mr. Dremel to oval out that scoop today also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Post-mod. I faired it in a bit, and re-scribed some of the finer details back in. (the scribing on this kit is gorgeous) Not sure if this is correct, but it works for me. Also starting to re-profile my air intake. Whoohoo! Nuther view with a different angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 View with the engine tacked on to see if it profiles OK. Hmmmm. I'm going to be stepping back to post pics like this thru-out the build, so those who don't have the kit, or haven't built it yet can see what it looks like mocked up. Sure is swoopy looking. I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Another view from an upper perspective. I was just checking out the profile for my new air intake. Getting ready to hack the other side and start putting some putty on this thing, sooo...I'm off! More pics as things develop. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Update! Things came to a screeching halt when I tried fitting my canopy. Next to the engine, the canopy makes or breaks this build as it's the first thing I focus on. Now, I noticed it was a LITTLE off when mocking up....by just a 'munchkin hair'...and couldn't quite put my pudgy finger on what was wrong. Had to scrape down the cockpit sill by a nano-amount to put the thinnest piece of styrene I have on it to buid it up a bit. If the canopy is the least bit crooked, it doesn't line up at the rear of the fuse, or the top of the front windscreen. Hmmm, maybe I ought to try out the rear 1/4 glass before I go much further? It has to line up in the opening, AND fit the curvature of the hood. Got this part lining up pretty good now. WHEW! For those who wonder what the canopy looks like; Different view. I'll be cutting off that styrene strip when it dries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Profile. Tolerances on this are real tight. Hobbycraft did REAL good!!! (hmmm, I'd better check those rear windows, they might require some 'shuffling too?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 OK, back to getting the nose-job whupped out. Pic of the canopy on with my new intake profile. Still need to chew on the rudder tip a bit, but it's starting to look the part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Blast!!! Whups, got the wrong pic. Wanted to show what it looks like with the exhaust stacks put on. Here ya go! Gotta get back to putting some putty on that intake. Later! Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesMetz Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I thought you might like this photo: which doesn't show any step on the nose that I can see: Charles Metz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Muchos Gracias Charles!!! Exactly what I was looking for! I was just at Chino yesterday looking at this AC, and I was so intent on looking at the Kellet KD-1A that I didn't take any pics. Dooooh. Nice view, also shows me that I've got the taper wrong on the front of my intake. The plans in the book I have are now considered bunk. Also good view on how the intake transitions into the cowl top. Excellent pic! Thanks again! Oooooh yes, now I can putty with confidence. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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