easixpedro Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 Brilliant. Thanks for showing us the anemic Trumpeter offering and the real deal. I think you've fairly nailed it. And a huge improvement too! Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 That's amazing work, Derek! Kev Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 The fuselage halves are now glued together; I almost got excited! Derek Starfighter, Landrotten Highlander, Scotsman and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotsman Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 I tried extending my spare fusalage half (Don't ask) and it's a lot harder than you made it seem - a tribute to your abilities I guess Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 epic build, Derek! Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) 29 minutes ago, Scotsman said: I tried extending my spare fusalage half (Don't ask) and it's a lot harder than you made it seem - a tribute to your abilities I guess Don't give up! The secret, regardless of what type of plug you make, is making sure that both front and back parts of the fuselage are square and flat when you join them to the plug. You may find that a long weighted straight edge to work with helps, and a flat surface. if you are not too worried about fuselage location pins, remove them, then you should have two flat fuselage halves to work with. Use the straight edge to keep the parts square and correctly aligned (top of spine aft of the canopy) and the flat surface to ensure that the fuselage if flat along its length. I relied entirely on accurate cuts, very careful end sanding and accurate width of the plug in order to make everything square! HTH Derek Edited January 18, 2023 by Derek B Scotsman and phasephantomphixer 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 13 minutes ago, blackbetty said: epic build, Derek! Thank you Karl! Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Go, Derek, go! Kev Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 Small update after a couple of weeks break. Work continues on cleaning up the fuselage seam joints, followed by reinstating details and adding further vents, intakes, etc. Meanwhile, I have tapered the fuselage spine to make it look more accurate. It only requires approximately 1 mm reduction towards the fin, but it does make a noticeable difference. Derek easixpedro, geedubelyer, Starfighter and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted February 8, 2023 Author Share Posted February 8, 2023 Fin assembly. The intake at the base of the fin is solid, incorrect in shape and over-sized. My solution to the issue is to build the correct internal intake shape from a strip of plastic to use as a mould tool. The kit intake is opened and prepared, Milliput epoxy putty is mixed and inserted between the fin halves, which are glued together. The intake shape tool is then smeared with Vaseline and inserted into the fin. Once dry/hardened, the tool will be removed and the Milliput around the intake sanded to leave an accurate shaped and sized intake. Derek BLACK MAMBA, KiwiZac, Starfighter and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 Fantastic work, Derek! I'm constantly amazed at how inventive and inspired your fixes and solutions are. Kev Derek B and KiwiZac 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted February 8, 2023 Author Share Posted February 8, 2023 Fin intake completed, which I think looks better (although new scribing will be required around it later). You can see both the modified and unmodified fins together. Derek Starfighter, Victor K2, Landrotten Highlander and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 Brilliant craftsmanship as ever Derek! Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 I love that idea to replicate the air intake!!! Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted February 26, 2023 Author Share Posted February 26, 2023 It feels like I have been riveting this model forever! The tricky job of reinstating all of the nose detail, top hatch and nose ring has now been completed. Working backward on the underside of the model, more rivets were added, the nose leg wheel well edges filled and finally, the missile pack intake and vent added. Trumpeter does not supply these intake and vent parts, but do have the locations of the panels moulded on the underside of the kit just forward of the ventral tank area - unfortunately, they are incorrect! (They both face forward instead of the right intake facing forward, and the left vent facing aft as per the full size aircraft). So, the first job was to alter the left moulding to have the vent facing aft. The second job was to fabricate two new (identical) intake/vent parts. This is what the corrected intake and vent look like compared with the kit representation beforehand. Now on to further detail work at the back end (underside first, then around the fin area). Derek phasephantomphixer, blackbetty, mozart and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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