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1/18 SBD-5 Dauntless - update 18/11/16 - FINISHED!!


richdlc

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More matal mania, yeah! Great work, Rich.

 

May I ask where you got the pewter from? I bought some from a dental supply shop, it's 99,8% pure, but hellishly expensive. I could as well use gold... I would be very interested in a cheaper source fpor that stuff.

 

Cheers

Rainer

 

 

Read this:

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=58310&page=2&do=findComment&comment=718015

 

I don't know if they sell for Germany, but you can ask them.

 

Regards

 

JL

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thanks peter. my wallet took a hit, but it's the only real way to do it in my opinion...

 

 

thanks Rob - Ive already scratch built the rear twin 0.50 cals and used brass barrels:

 

IMG_4182_zpsy004jxv3.jpg

 

 

many thanks Harv!!

 

 

Thanks Tim. That's the beauty of working with thin metal, although it can be overdone. Pewter is very soft, and I think I've gone a little overboard in places - but under a coat of paint the effect will diminish somewhat. It's not entirely appropriate over the whole airframe so I must be careful.

 

 

Did you turn the brass yourself or did you obtain them somewhere?

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Read this:

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=58310&page=2&do=findComment&comment=718015

 

I don't know if they sell for Germany, but you can ask them.

 

Regards

 

JL

 

Thanks JL,

 

I've seen this, however, it seems to me that that stuff is aluminium, not pewter. Aluminium comes in soft, semi hard and hard varieties. But even the soft aluminium is not as mlleable as real pewter.

 

Cheers

Rainer

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Many thanks everyone for your kind words...wow, over a year into this build now  :deadhorse:

 

 

Read this:

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=58310&page=2&do=findComment&comment=718015

 

I don't know if they sell for Germany, but you can ask them.

 

Regards

 

JL

 

I get mine in the UK from Sylmasta

 

www.sylmasta.com

 

Did you turn the brass yourself or did you obtain them somewhere?

 

 

They are shop bought - I believe they are made by Aber. The bodies were based on the OOP Verlinden 120mm scale 0.50 cal

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Thanks JL,

 

I've seen this, however, it seems to me that that stuff is aluminium, not pewter. Aluminium comes in soft, semi hard and hard varieties. But even the soft aluminium is not as mlleable as real pewter.

 

Cheers

Rainer

 

 

It is not aluminium, it is tin and pewter is basically tin (around 98%).

 

Ask Peter (Airscale). I sent him some of that material and he tried it.

 

Regards

 

JL

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  • 1 month later...

*update 27/3/16*

 

Hi guys, Happy Easter!

 

It's been a while since my last update, and I have been concentrating on the wings. A huge job, with many compicated facets, but one which I couldn't put off any longer

 

First up, the wing ‘mailbox slots' names for their similarity to, er, mailbox slots at the time. They were designed to improve airflow and aileron control at slow speeds. Unfortunately, the kit is badly let down in this area with the openings moulded closed - really a poor design and totally unacceptable in this scale:

 

top

 

IMG_1880_zpskph2niii.jpg

 

 

bottom

 

IMG_1881_zpsy8jgwbpo.jpg

 

Here's the real thing to give you some idea of what it looks like:

 

Screen%20Shot%202016-02-12%20at%2015.26.

 

The easiest way to emulate it was to chop out the offending sections completely in both the top and bottom wing halves. I then built up the inside curves and sides using plastic sheet, strip and rod. The two dividing strengtheners were shoehorned in, and any resulting gaps filled so everything ‘flows'. 

Here's the internal structure attached to the inside of the bottom wing half:

 

IMG_1883_zpsgbi74gyr.jpg

 

Here's what it looks like with the top wing half on:

 

IMG_1884_zps3p26hkzi.jpg

 

and from underneath again:

 

IMG_1885_zps5iff8sli.jpg

 

By the time the pewter skin panels are cut to shape, riveted and attached, you end up with this:

 

bottom:

 

IMG_1887_zpsyas3fg7r.jpg

 

top:

 

IMG_2409_zps22j2mncz.jpg

 

Daylight from bottom to top - as it should be!

 

IMG_2403_zpsgytlhu4q.jpg

 

Next up, the main gear legs.  I did have the scale aircraft conversions white metal ones to replace the kit parts. Unfortunately they are a direct copy, the problem being that the oleo struts are completely extended. As I want to give my plane a full bomb load for a change, this wasn't good. Anther problem arose when I checked my ref pics. Here's the real thing. Notice how the top of the leg is reinforced and bulked out with two adjoining sections, and how that section sticks out below the level of the wheel well:

 

Screen%20Shot%202016-02-12%20at%2015.30.

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The kit part is a 50% accurate representation, which sacrifices authenticity for rigidity and, to an extent, workability.  The gear legs are designed to be pinned in place and movable. Also, when in place, the gear legs sit too high up into the wheel well, and lack lots of detail. Here's hwat I mean - compare to the above picture:


 


IMG_2111_zpslfrzxfpn.jpg


 


A metal rod goes from back to front through the visible hole and pins the gear legs in place, whilst leaving them free to retract - no good for me as I meed stability and strength.


 


IMG_2112_zpsrd4na6ek.jpg


 


A butt-load of details were added to the kit parts.  Entombed within each one is an old drill bit for added strangth.  I also shortened the oleo struts by removing about half of their length. This may prove to be a weak point sometime in the future, but I glued everything back together with the strongest two-part epoxy I could find, so fingers crossed:


 


IMG_2399_zps99pus4ay.jpg


 


In order to glue the wing halves together, it was first necessary to glue int the finished wheel struts, which I duly did, again with two-part epoxy. Is it a 100% accurate representation of the original? No. I had to sacfifice some accuracy for overall strength, but I am happy with the result. The gear struts now sit lower down in the gear bays and are as strong as I could make them. Oh yes - I totally forgot to take pics of the gear bays themselves before shooting a coat of Halfords white primer over them, but rest assured there are many added details.


 


IMG_2405_zpstpioniqi.jpg


 


The undersides will be USN Non-specular white, hence the need to undercoat them before assembling the wings..


 


IMG_2404_zps0zlhg7tw.jpg


 


Finally, for now, undercarriage doors. Here's the real thing - note how chunky they are:


 


SBD%20043_zpsozbgcsfc.jpg


 


Here is one of the kit parts with my replacements, with which I am much happier:


 


IMG_2412_zpsmvlbhdjk.jpg


 


 


That's it for now! State of play currently is:


 


wings assembled, skinning started, main undercart legs attached. Next up is the huge task of making the dive brakes / flaps…..*sigh*


 


I decided it would be much easier to chop out the section where the wing dive flaps go as I had to get on and get the wings glued together. I'll add the completed flap sections nearer the end of the build as they will be fragile, heavy and prone to breaking.


 


IMG_2410_zpsrnwlmpbg.jpg


 


Till next time..

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