A.Wolf Grant Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I've just caught up on here from October (!) and I can't believe how far this has come. Extraordinary work and ambition. Those ejection seat renderings are outstanding which lends me to believe you've got a very, very powerful computer and I echo what was said earlier - nothing replicates metal like metal. Coincidentally - there was the third part of a documentary screened last night charting the history of the RAF and the 1st third dealt with the Jaguar. Amazing footage of it landing on grass runways courtesy of its rugged undercarriage and low pressure tyres. Even crossways on an airfield, grass to Tarmac then back to grass etc. Amazing aircraft and probably much under appreciated. Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiyudsai Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I am totally inspired by your work..... and speechless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 ... lends me to believe you've got a very, very powerful computer... Grant. Grant, Welcome back and thanks for dropping a note! It's not a powerful computer just good programs and a good deal of time spent to learn them. Oh and the metal is going on be cause I hate scribing panel lines! The Christmas break was rather busy with social events and modeling time was scarce, but I did get a little done. The aluminum work continues. Although it started by the ripping off the panels fwd of the windscreen. Turns out the skin was is not symmetrical (from left to right) on the prototype, as I assumed is was when I drew up the pattern in the computer. So as is so often the case with scratchbuilding a "do over" was in order. Most of rest of the panels, applied so far, needed some a good bit of fussing, planing and tweaking to fit to with model with proper joints. There are few flat surfaces that allow panel sections to be taken directly from the plans. Some follow up work at the joints is still needed in order to differentiate hatches and doors from skin to skin joints. I probably run some paint it the skin to skin joints to fill and unify them a bit. I know this the will doom the model's chances at an IPMS event for uneven panel lines but it will look more like the real thing. Also note the triangular holes that will receive NACA ducts, which have been built just not photos for proof just yet. Here's a shot of some of the pattern work completed on the computer (note wing structure patterns a done). That's it for now more in a couple of weeks. Timmy! HerculesPA_2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Hi Timmy!, Happy New Year to you. The latest update looks superb as usual. Nothing replicates metal better than metal. The panels look so realistic and will look even better under a coat of paint. Now a plea.......please, please, please don't smooth and fill the panels. The bumps and ripples, dents and other surface irregularities are all visible on full sized airframes and add to the authentic feel of your model. I have long wished to create a true representation of an aircraft's skin in model form and you are well on the way to achieving it. Keep up your incredible journey. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 GW, Not to worry the panels will keep the skin look with all the natural imperfections. That is the genuine intent of the metal work - to make the model looked skinned, not scribed. Timmy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Great news Timmy!,.....thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 It is hard to believe what is being built in front of me here....you are indeed a craftsman! Yes indeed geedubelyer is right, but I know you know that. Even on my T7 rebuild the hangar rash aircraft get is suprising when you look at old skins that need replacing etc. Sometimes you wonder...do I replace a skin because of the little dings and nicks it has, or do I leave it on? Each I am sure has a story in service...... Anyway, I digress. Beautiful work indeed!!! Thanks for the update Cheers Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Here's an update...more computer work while I'm away from the bench. I am still surprised how accurate the method of relative scaling works; that is the process of guessing the size of smaller parts by judging their relative size from larger known ones. For example, I found the actual tire and rim sizes online, fed them into the computer model and they were almost dead on to the size I guessed! Yea Me! This is empirical proof that if it looks right it is right! Anyway on to the update. I drew up the nose gear and forward doors. Through a bit of trial and error and a little geometry I have managed to make the gear "retract." The trick was to find all the pivot points and the right lengths of the arms on the main leg and doors. I was initially approaching the retract experiment just to see if I could do it, but the process also helped make the gear more accurate. I found that the gear doors were slightly misplaced when retracted. (Good thing I didn't get those in place on the model yet). Now wether I build them to be retractable remains to be seen. On to the photos...er renders. Gear Down Gear Up. Timmy! HerculesPA_2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Today's update is more foil work plus some detail work. Let's start with the detail work. This is the external canopy jettison handle and it's enclosure. The hardest part was the clear frangible panel. This was made from 0.030" acrylic sheet scribed, rounded slightly and polished. The shots show the first two reject parts. A "bezel was made from a few layers of clear 0.015" sheet that were cut such that the frangible clear part snaps in. Finally a layer of aluminum was fit on to get the fastener detail. These two parts will be permanently joined and cast in clear resin later. The rest of the assembly is a square oval tub that holds some interior detail, that represents the cable and pulley system that activates the canopy jettison system. Finally the "D" ring. All these parts will be cast as separate pieces and used on the left and right sides of the model. Some panel shots - they speak for themselves - note the hole started on the left side. More soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn M Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 as usual, stellar work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Awesome work Timmy! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Not from this world! Very inspirational. Please keep the pics coming! Rainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Quick update. I have exhausted my on hand supply of aluminum sheet so on with other details. I constructed a vacuum form master from sheet, balsa and filler and pulled the instrument coaming. The master, it did have "padding" of balsa on the ends and bottom to get a smooth pull and ensure even thickness at the trimmed edges. The padding was removed and used to trim the coaming. Here is the trimmed coaming with some bumps added at the sides. The first layer of detail applied. Timmy! HerculesPA_2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Wolf Grant Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Woah, somehow your fabulous build dropped off my radar Timmy. Have read everything since my last visit and I am still amazed by your work. Completely outstanding detail. Have made sure you're back on my watch list ! Cheers Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy! Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Today's progress. Another layer of detail on the instrument coaming. Also started on the "boxes" that sit on top. Starting with the Sky Guardian RWR Display. More soon. Timmy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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