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I/32nd I.D Vacform RAAF Canberra B.20


Piprm

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That is so impressive work. Excellent result with the liner - looks perfect second time around. So you leave the blue-tack in there under the liner, if I get it correctly ?

 

After my own vac, I said 'never again', but actually time and stuff like this, makes me think about it again... :-)

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43 minutes ago, Thomas Lund said:

That is so impressive work. Excellent result with the liner - looks perfect second time around. So you leave the blue-tack in there under the liner, if I get it correctly ?

 

After my own vac, I said 'never again', but actually time and stuff like this, makes me think about it again... :-)

 

Hi Thomas,

Thanks mate,

Yes, the Blu-Tack is to hold the liner in place and give it shape and contour, till I make a mould of it for resin copies in the  near-future. The blu-Tack also doesn't effect the curing of the mould. Each side - wall, will be a one-piece copy in resin.

Pip

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20 hours ago, Jack said:

Phil, just "stumbled" onto your thread again, great work, you ARE THE CANBERRA MAN!!!!!!!

 

cheers,

Jack

 

Welcome Back Jack!

Thanks Mate, I have been distracted with 'life' of late (too many distractions) but hopefully, I can give this project a big push towards the finish line... in the coming months

Pip

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VERY nice work! Im definitely going to have to remember to look around the house for things like that for liners. And the dull side of the knife for stitching impressions is awesome.  Ive also seen a ruler and some rivet wheels used in the same way to good effect.

 

Excellent results...................model on!  

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  • 3 weeks later...

COCKPIT FIT-OUT:    (continued)

I've paused the construction of the wall-lining of the cockpit as the main components (Pilots side console , partitions etc) need to be done, so the liners can be built around the main components.... allowing and making mounting points for these parts to be made. 

This phase of build is to construct these master-parts of pilots area of cockpit, with the main focus on sizing and fitment of the shaped parts involved....

These parts are very challenging, as they are - in the main,  concave and half-circles and oblique angles in shape and cross-section... and they must all

'fit' relatively square to each other...

(there is nothing straight and square to deal with here).

 

A study of the pilots compartment of the cockpit.... 

 

HMoX7gs.png

 

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The initial construction of the pilots partition/ back-wall of the pilots compartment 

 

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The work-face partition of the radio/navigators area 

 

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This stripped out Pilots section of cockpit gives a good view of the shapes and sizes of side-console and relative positions of main parts

 

62h2Tlr.jpg

 

I use simple cardboard templates to 'see' in 3D, where and how and each parts 'sits'..

 

kPAecP7.jpg?1

 

 

After I roughly cut a plastic piece for the side-console  I use temporary Blu-tack to check the top of the fuselage and relative points to it...

(This loosely represents the collar-ring for the window demisting and pilots ventilation)  [See 2 photos above]

The parts I'm working on, will be detailed later - the main focus here, is to make the parts roughly to check for size , shape and fitment

....as nothing here is made square flat and straight.. like most cockpits usually are.

 

8XPTzvL.jpg?1

 

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The red-dots highlight the important key areas of the pilots side-console and where each part fits and relates to each other... (I must do this with each part)

You will also notice how the side fuselage stations (vertical T-strips)  - plays a key point in each parts placement... (and construction). 

 

Pip

 

 

 

 

Edited by Piprm
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  • 2 weeks later...

Cockpit:  - Side-console and cockpit floors  (Continued) 

 

 

xTLA41Y.png?1

 

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I have rendered the basic shape of the side-console, which I am pleased with .... the detailing will come later when I know 'everything fits right!"

 

88GlnoT.png?1

 

OK, the console is sitting right for now.... Next, we move to the Instrument panel - which again, is made from a cardboard master ....

again, I'm focused here on shape, size , placement and how to mount the thing.

 

4e3GAeI.png?1

 

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...As you can see, I am feeling my way forward... as I work out shapes - sizes of things and how they fit and sit in a particular place , which also has to sit right with everything else!

I am not going to fall for the trap of spending many hours on one piece and super-detail it but when I move my way to the next parts or area only to find that the first piece that looked right - Isn't!

Mostly because it effects the other parts around it - for reasons that it might be too big / too small - round - flat or something I just didn't anticipate...

Right now, I am focused on the main components in the general cockpit area... Once i get these close to a correct shape and size and also every major piece in complete cockpit area is sitting right and inter-connected.... then I can start to detail as required...

But right now, the main thing in this phase of construction is walls and floors!

 

Now to the bomb-aimers front compartment... showing the little seen bomb-aimers recess in the floor for the bomb-aiming equipment.

 

ScjkEU5.png

 

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I am relieved to find enough space under the cockpit floor to pack it with lead/ballast... as this model surely needs it!

It is the pink-tinted area.

 

Pip

Edited by Piprm
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The Essential cockpit!:

 

Nothing you see following is simple , the flooring I had to design and make it for resin casting, each part is shaped ( curved shapes with undercuts for curved wall and station ribs etc)

There was a lot (a lot!) of test fit , trim, sand, check , cut etc! and even when i thought it was close , i had to make sure the next part mounted near or next to it would fit against it, as well as sit in it's place without effecting something else - it all is a major jigsaw puzzle!

... And I'm talking about a 3D jigsaw puzzle ... not a regular 2D one!

 

Anyways, some major parts around the cockpit area (though raw and basic in structure - at this stage) ... are now established!

 

Here is a photo for your reference: quite a rare and unique view from bomb-aimers front compartment - looking down the crew Gangway to the rear.

(The entrance door to the left and the pilots cockpit area at the red handle)

 

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Note:

The green area entrance hatch and small crew Floor - Gangway directly in front of it.... Well, this was a real pain... and took a long time to get it to sit right..

Ah Yes!...The joys of modelling!

Pip 

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Top Of the Cockpit:  (continued)

 

Now to the Canopy....

A tricky one but here goes!  Like anything with my approach, I try to put my ideas to paper first to help visualise the next part of the process.

The plans were of some help but not all... So I used a workshop manual to help in the mastering/constuction....

 

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Now that the canopy was getting my complete attention to detail .. I found a little problem... The profile

 

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The canopy profile appears much flatter compared to the old rounded canopy I was using for the mastering of parts.... 

but it didn't matter too much, as the old canopy was the same as the new clear ones I had on hand ..  the new canopies vacuform sheet offered a flatter version - which is what I need!

Thankfully, the base of each version was the same size ... just the top of the canopies were two versions - round and flat ... so it was a simple matter of changing to the flatter-version on completion - later... (no big deal)

 

ioyQLGr.png?1

 

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 I am not going to risk damaging the new canopy I intend to use , so I will continue to punish the old one to make new parts....

 

OK next phase - make sure everything is square.... 

 

 f1Js5wy.jpg?1

 

 

I will let the photos tell the rest of the story...

 

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Edited by Piprm
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Canopy - Continued....

 

75WZre4.jpg?1

 

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Yes, it's rough folks... (rough as guts-actually) but it sits right and accepts the clear canopy easily  and that's a win in my books!....

but ultimately, I plan to get it close as I can - maybe 75% realisation, then copy it in resin and then take that new resin copy, all the way to the finished master!

 

UEW3kg3.png

 

KoxDg4p.jpg?1

 

 

I found a discrepancy with the Scale plan-drawing around the back of the canopy ...  which didn't surprise me much as most plans are viewed as a guide-line only!

I don't follow the plans 'to the tee' but always cross-reference using photos and personal notes... before proceeding with things.

Below is a case in point...

 

V0xAaOt.jpg?1

 

xajVU8j.jpg?1

 

 

Pip

 

 

 

 

Edited by Piprm
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fabulous work Pip, I love this part of building where you need to cross reference & create rather than pulling a part out of the kit box. Your approach looks bang on and having spotted the plan error early you caught it nice and early :)

 

Good luck with it, canopies are my least favourite part of any model - I struggle A LOT, but you look to have it nailed :punk:

 

Peter

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Many Thanks Peter,

Yes, creating is the key  - as you say!... ( not just assembling)

The canopy section of this project was not on my list of favourites either.. but it seems to have gone more smoothy then anticipated.

But the overall cockpit area (and the canopy is connected with this) ... the process seems to be 3 steps forward and work my way back from there...to cover all bases.

Pip

Edited by Piprm
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