Starfighter Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 Thanks Fred and Kevin, I am glad you like it! Fred, I think this canopy is too big to be crash moulded. And if I split it up, assembly will probably be horror due to the material thickness. I think I will either have to build a big vacuum box or buy a small dental vacuform machine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Looking really good, and I bet I'm not the only guy thinking it from the UK... hope we see this at SMW one day! Sorry if it's been covered, but I can't find it.. What's the rough patch on the front, both sides? (the square just aft of the nose corner) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberto Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 This is incredible, Starfighter! An awesome build, I ´ll keep an eye on you! ...and will take notes for my 1/48 (dwarf) Viking Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vidar_710 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Incredible work!Vacuum form machine suggestion... Eliot Brown's, "Warmplastics dot com". He has affordable boxes that will easily accomodate a single canopy master. I'm using mine for large Trek Starship hulls and parts.I have been begging for a large Viking kit for years. Wish you were molding yours! I'm a retired Viking SENSO.A tid bit about the rear canopies. I have seen modelers paint them incorrectly for decades. They are actually clear with a paper backing from the inside surface. The backing is flat light gull gray and we're not changed out when the entire Viking fleet went to a TPS Ghost/Compass Gray low-vis paint scheme. So, they had the appearance of a deep gloss slightly darker light gull gray due to being paper backed from the inside.Looking forward to watching you progress!Tracy Lee White 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aluxe Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 wow.. promised excellent work, I like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Thank you all for your kind comments! Incredible work!Vacuum form machine suggestion... Eliot Brown's, "Warmplastics dot com". He has affordable boxes that will easily accomodate a single canopy master. I'm using mine for large Trek Starship hulls and parts.I have been begging for a large Viking kit for years. Wish you were molding yours! I'm a retired Viking SENSO.A tid bit about the rear canopies. I have seen modelers paint them incorrectly for decades. They are actually clear with a paper backing from the inside surface. The backing is flat light gull gray and we're not changed out when the entire Viking fleet went to a TPS Ghost/Compass Gray low-vis paint scheme. So, they had the appearance of a deep gloss slightly darker light gull gray due to being paper backed from the inside.Looking forward to watching you progress!Tracy Tracy, thanks a lot for the hint about the vacuform machine, but the domain you mentioned seems not to be active anymore? Regarding what you call the rear canopies - do you mean the breakable 'roof' portion above the SENSO and TACCO seats? I already noticed these areas looked more brownish and quite heavily weathered. Thanks a lot for that hint as well, painting them light gull grey will sureliy b a good base to give them the right appearance. I hope you keep following this thread - please don't hesitate to let me know if I make any big errors, your (and everybody else's!) input is warmly welcome! Moulding this one might exceed my skills, but we will see. I would love to build an ES-3A as well, so I might think about trying it. But I don't think I'd be able to produce parts that could be sold - having worked as a project engineer for a model car manufacturer for several years, I have high quality expectations and I am not really willing to ask money for parts which don't match these expectations. But as I said, we will see! I also have another small update for you. Yesterday, I have finished the inner wingfolds which are currently being 3D printed. The parts should be ready by end of the month. The brackets will again be lasercut. Getting these more or less right is a real pain in the a**... blackbetty, stusbke and HerculesPA_2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Looking really good, and I bet I'm not the only guy thinking it from the UK... hope we see this at SMW one day! Sorry if it's been covered, but I can't find it.. What's the rough patch on the front, both sides? (the square just aft of the nose corner) Almost forgot to answer your question, sorry! Mechanics were often standing on these opened hatches to clean the canopy, so quite a few aircraft had anti slip paint applied onto them. Have a look at the following pics (US Navy photographs): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Lund Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Jeeezzzz - I just found this build now and I'm completely knocked out ! I often see people comment on Vac builds being just as good as an injection moulded. Seeing you scribing and detailing I'd say it has never been more true than here. :bow: :bow: Respect !! Troy Molitor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vidar_710 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Sorry, I added an 'S' where there shouldn't be. The site works fine. I can't paste a link so here it is typed in. He supplies the plastic cut to size for each table he makes. He does all kinds of custom works as well, such as custom photo etch brass to your specifications and even add alternatives to what you send him. http://www.warmplastic.com Yes, they are called canopies. They can be jettisoned and the rear crew do eject through them - just like the forward canopies. The weathered look is due to the clear canopy with the interior paper backing. The paper backing is scored with 1" circles throughout its surface. Sunlight sneaks through these scorings. The whole reason for the paper is direct sunlight completely obliterates the view-ability of the rear crew display monitors. Hope this typed in link works. A 1/48 scale commission build I did for a squadron-mate. note the aft canopies. http://s676.photobucket.com/user/Tracy_Mann/media/Aircraft/Vikings/48scaleViking2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2 When you do the scribing for your forward canopy frame, you'll find 2 'D' shaped panels in the frame on either side of the refueling door panel. These are spring loaded retractable hand hold covers for the Plane Captains to use as the climb the non-skid covered avionics doors you explained earlier. They hold on to those while they polish the windscreens and canopies. Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I can't paste a link so here it is typed in. Tracy, firstly, welcome aboard! Secondly, if you're having trouble pasting into the edit window, then you're most likely using IE 11, which has issues with our forum software. Using a better, more compatible browser (Chrome, Firefox) solves the issue. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vidar_710 Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Thank you! I do have both. Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Cross Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 You scratch builders MAKE ME SICK. With envy. Sheesh, why bother when there are guys this good out there. I'm going to sell off my stash and then just kill myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Garn Bill, have a go! They only got that good by making loads of mistakes, then having another go. Expect to make mistakes, but keep going. Tim Lee White and Bill Cross 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Excellent, shows just what can be done by combining the best of the new technologies, with good old fashioned skill and application! Crack on! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) You scratch builders MAKE ME SICK. With envy. Sheesh, why bother when there are guys this good out there. I'm going to sell off my stash and then just kill myself. Well, if that's your decision, just GIVE the stash away to brothers-in-need ... Muhahahaha ! Hubert, PMing his addy to receive your generous offer :-D Edited November 20, 2014 by MostlyRacers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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