Henschel Hs 129B-2: DONE!!! (Now with more pics!)

[mywifehatesmodels]

Thanks again for all the encouragement, guys.

 

Another quick update. I got the cannon fairing worked into shape. Wouldn't you know that I got it on the first try? Of course, if I had not made some backups, we all know what would have happened!

 

I think I'm just going to tack the fairing in place when I paint, then remove it before installing the cannon. I managed to get the gun pretty much finished. I think the barrel is a tad too long (about 5mm), but that will be an easy fix. Here's what it will look like:

 

 

Now, I just need to double check everything, make sure I'm not forgetting anything else that needs to be on before painting, and I can start with the white for the wingtip undersides, code letter and fuselage band. Then, some aluminum to prime the rest of the airframe.

 

John

[LSP_Kevin]

Wow, nice work John! Impressive stuff.

 

Kev

[clarkis]

John, before you pour your next crankcase casting, take some of the resin and paint it with a small brush into the bolt depressions in the mold...scrub it around until you get all the air out of the bolt depressions...I think you'll find that the air bubbles will be eliminated.

Clark

[mywifehatesmodels]

Thanks, guys.

 

Clark,

 

The first mold I made had a casting block of sorts that was formed by the lump of clay that I used to fix it to the clipboard. This block was smaller in diameter than the back plate of the crankcase master, so the mold kind of enclosed the whole thing. For the new mold, I did it the opposite way. Instead of attaching the master to the bottom, I filled the mold box in with rubber, then pushed the crankcase into it, face first, so that the top of the mold is level with the backplate and there's no block. This should allow better movement of any air bubbles. However, I'm probably going to do exactly as you have suggested when I mold them, just to be sure. Thanks for the tip!

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

Well, I made more copies of the crankcase with the new mold. I used a toothpick to push the resin into the bolts and it worked like a charm (sorry, no pictures, yet. My phone is dead and my wife has the cord.). After that, I drilled them out to accommodate prop shafts, with hopes of having the props turn on this model. So far, so good.

 

Next, I started to make a list of everything else I need/want to do before painting. It turned out to be a longer list than I had anticipated. As anxious as I am to get this plane painted, I think I'm going to slow down a bit and make sure everything is how I want it, first. One area that I really want to focus on is the canopy. The vac canopy that comes with the kit seems to have the lines on the inside. I also wanted to add rivets and panel lines to it and thought about making the side windows slide like the real thing. If I'm going to do all of that, I think another resin casting adventure may be required in order to get what I'm after. I'm still debating on that, however. If I use the kit canopy as a master for a resin part, I'll have to be extremely careful not to damage it, in case it doesn't work out, so I can still use the vac part.  I'll probably take the weekend to think it all over before I go any further.

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

A couple of quick pics before I head to the lake.

 

Here are the crankcases I made. I countersunk the back of them to allow another tube to be used on the prop shaft tube, to hold them in place, but still allow them to turn.

 

 

Here you can see the shafts. Also, I worked on the spinners, as well. I started by drilling out the prop collars with a small bit in a pin vise, to get the holes centered. Then, I switched to a bit large enough to accommodate the prop blades and drilled them deep. Then, I switched to my drill press again and countersunk them to just below the outside of the spinner, so now the collars don't stick out anymore.

 

 

I've also done a mock-up with the engine, crankcase, spinner and cowl, but forgot to take a pic. everything looks to fit great, so far. Let's hope it goes that way when it's time to glue it all together!

 

Have a great weekend, a happy Memorial Day and don't forget what it's all about!

 

John

Edited May 23, 2014 by mywifehatesmodels

[mywifehatesmodels]

Finally able to get back to the bench after a very relaxing weekend and a terrifying trip home (lost a wheel off my truck at 60 mph while going around a curve!).

 

I have completed the engines. They're far from perfect, but look more like the Gnome Rhone 14M than that stock kit parts, which is satisfying enough for me. Here's a shot of the completed engine before paint, next to the kit front half:

 

 

And how they should look in the cowls:

 

 

After painting:

 

 

Before painting the airframe, I had to do some work on the canopy and windscreen to be sure they were going to fit. I attached the PE screw heads to the windscreen. However, after painting it with RLM 66 it became apparent that they were much too proud. I could have countersunk them, but didn't want to risk damaging the clear resin windscreen, so I just removed them and smoothed it out again. I may have a go at it with the jeweler's punch, though. For the canopy, I actually made a mold of it, but the couple of test shots that I did of it turned out to be too fragile and it was very difficult to get an example without any warping or cracking. I wanted to be able to add some detail to the canopy without risking damage to the vac part. However, I ended up going back to the vac part in the end. I cut out the windows on the port side and made new ones that will be installed with the front half slid open part of the way. I thought about doing it on both sides, but again was worried that I may be pushing my luck a little too far, so I'll keep it as is, for now:

 

 

Next up was to get the "Purple X" painted on before doing the primary colors. This was another area where I debated about whether or not I should do it before, or after the primary painting. I thought that I would have a higher probability of damaging the finish if I tried to do it after, so I started with the letters, first. I laid down a base of white, first. Then, I mixed up a blood red, purplish color and sprayed it on using a mask cut from frisket paper. After that, I cut another, slightly bigger "X" mask and applied it before painting the undersides with RLM 65 (forgot to get a pic of that, but more will be coming in the next day or two).

 

 

 

 

There's just a couple of small things to do before the main painting stage begins. I have to double check the location of the reflector sight and attach the windscreen, as well as the landing gear position indicators. Otherwise, everything is looking pretty good and I have to say that most parts actually look better than I had anticipated. Can't wait to get some top colors on this bird!

 

Thanks for checking in,

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

So, I've been a busy little bee, today.

 

[Guest]

Busy is right. And it looks fantastic John !!.........Harv

[Out2gtcha]

Love it!!!!!

[mywifehatesmodels]

Thanks, guys!

 

So, I've been cracking away on this for the last couple days. It's very near completion, actually. I don't want to give away too much, but have to say that I'm absolutely thrilled with the way it's turning out and it doesn't even look like the same model shown in the pics above. I will post some more progress pics on some of the smaller details, though (and maybe a teaser or two).

 

Here's the completed canopy. This is really the only thing so far that I wish could have been better and it's my own fault. When I applied the decal for the dive angle indicators, I managed to screw it up by putting it on backwards. I didn't realize this until I had applied the Future and then it was too late. To attach the windows that I had cut, I tacked in the rear plate with CA glue, then put the front plate (in the "slid back" position) to it with Future. Unfortunately, when everything dried, there was a bubble between the two panes. It's not really bad, but you can certainly see it if you look close. I still like the canopy, overall and if I can ever figure out a way to do the glass plates/diver indicator lines over again, I may fix it in the future.

 

 

Next up is the gun sight. I cut the reflector plate from clear sheet and added a cut down hypodermic needle for tube that sticks out of the front. I also used a piece of stretched sprue for the bead sight at the rear.

 

 

Here are the props for one side, after cleaning them up and applying a coat of Mr. Surfacer 500 (a product that I've only recently tried, but am really growing to like). The prop blades are somewhat fragile, but actually stronger than I thought they would be. There were only a few surface blemishes and one air bubble out of the six blades in the kit, so cleaning them up wasn't too bad.

 

 

Next up was the landing gear. This is probably one of the most challenging parts of the entire kit. The main struts are white metal and the smaller parts are resin. I decided that I wanted to add a few details to them, but also strengthen a couple points and I had to add some length to the retraction arms. To do that, I cut off the rear halves and replaced them wtih brass tube after having drilled holes for pins to connect them. I did something similar to the gear legs. However, this was so that I could add the dust boots, which I cut from "bendy straws". I cut the axles off, then reattached them in the same manner, using small sections of pins that I had cut for reinforcements. After all that was done and all the parts were assembled, I added brake lines made from wire and bent to shape, using photos and diagrams in my reference books as a guide. I glued them to the gear legs, then wrapped them with strips of aluminum foil at the appropriate points.

 

 

I spent this evening painting and attaching all of the gun barrels and the cannon. I used aluminum tube for the MG 151/20 muzzles and spares from the Eduard 109E kit for the MG-17s. I also got the exhaust pipes done for one side and the engine/cowl attached for that side, as well. The landing gear/wheels are already painted and attached, as well. I also made an antenna mast from sprue that I sanded to the correct profile and a pitot tube from stretched sprue and a hypodermic needle. So, basically, I just have one engine and and exhaust set to do, make the Ratier prop logo decals and figure out how I'm going to make the ETC 50 bomb racks for the wings. I'll be using bombs from the Eduard set designed for the Bf 109E. Most of the weathering is done, so I just need to make a few additions/touch-ups in that department and apply a final flat coat before attaching the rest of the small parts and she'll be finished. Oh, and I have to make the wingtip lights, as well. There may be a couple other things, too (seems like every time I look at it I think of something else I need to add, or think I can improve!), but it's pretty close to done. 

 

Thanks again for watching.

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

Here's a couple more teaser pics. The paint has really transformed on this plane. These pictures absolutely suck and don't do it any justice, but gives you an idea. The mottled scheme with the addition of the field applied, brush painted camo, really gives a cool effect. At first, this is what kind of turned me away from doing this particular plane. However, I'm glad I changed my mind and I think I've done a decent job at representing it. Can't wait to finish and get her outdoors for some photos. My neighbors gravel pit is going to have to work for my "Tunisian" backdrop.

 

[Guest]

Looks wicked to me ! Good show.....Harv

[Loic]

First class job

[EmperorKai]

Wow John- you nailed that camo!  This is coming together really nice!  

 

Kai