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1:32 F-90 Superstar


Dandiego

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Hey everyone.

 

When I heard the the 2018 IPMS National Convention will be in Phoenix I knew that I would be going. Only a 5 hour drive and who could pass up Arizona in July.

 

Started thinking what should I build. Better start planning now. I have been looking for a challenging project and thought that I would like to do something a little different. So.....I thought that an F-90 would fill the bill.

 

Sleek and sexy, smooth lines, Natural metal finish, what could go wrong.

 

Anyway I have actually cut some plastic. Photos to follow.

 

Dan

Edited by Dandiego
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Ok here we go.

 

First there isn't a lot of reference material out there. Here is what I have. A couple of magazine articles and of course the internet. However most of the photos on the net are in the magazine articles. As you may notice I have 2 different 1/48 scale kits to use as reference. A very old Hawk kit and a not so old Vacwings kit. In fact the 2 old kits will be a life saver because I could not find any cross-section drawings any where an these will be crucial to a build of this type.

e.011_zpsok0np1xx.jpg

 

Because I will be cutting the vac kit into sections so that I can create my own cross sections.

 

014_zps5ctwb9pw.jpg

 

As you can see I am using the 1/48 scale plans that came with the vac kit, drawing referene lines and then slicing the fuselage to produce cross sections in 1/48 scale.

 

015_zpsuhjwfasu.jpg

 

Then a quick trip to the copy store to resize the drawings to 1/32.

 

016_zps8yrejcal.jpg

 

The drawings are pretty good, I think, except the wing dihedral is flat and it should have some dihedral. I will add that change later.

 

This will be a large model when completed. Here is an F-5N on the drawing that I am currently working on. I think the navy calls this scheme "Rotten Banana".

 

019_zpszvn5yojb.jpg

 

Anyway this is as far as I am.

 

Dan

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Thanks for the comments.

 

Never heard " Steely eyed missile man" before...is it a good thing?

 

Also Paul thank you for your encouragement. I am in awe of the kits that you produce. Looking forward to someday buying a "Ford" from you.

 

Don't fire up your car just yet. I am sure that it will take me the better part of a year to complete this.

 

Dan

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Ok I'm back.

 

Here is the 1:32 scale drawings with the cross sections. On one section you can see a double outline. The inner line accounts for the thickness of the plastic that will form the skin.

 

017_zpscoe1orgi.jpg

 

From here I have transferred the half section to papaer and have cut it out. Next trace the half section onto a folded paper, cut out and you have a symetrical full section.

 

020_zps3eyxsstp.jpg

 

Transfer these to plastic and start cutting out the ribs.

 

Here is the spine in cardboard. This will be used to cut out the models spine in 60 thou plastic sheet.

 

021_zpsqfoo2lwy.jpg

 

An interesting historical note. One of the F-90's was used to test nuclear shock wave effects on aircraft in the late 50's. It was signifcantly damaged and sat for 50 years in the Nevada desert.  A couple of years ago it was decomtaminated and taken to the USAF museum in Dayton. If you search you can find quite a few pictures of it sitting in the desert, the decontamination process, and how it looks sitting at the museum.

 

Dan

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Ok cutiing plastic.

 

First you can see the spine and the ribs.

 

DSCN3199_zpswoqfx2ky.jpg

 

DSCN3201_zpsvttwujfd.jpg

 

Next cut out openings for the intakes.

 

DSCN3203_zpsclksjd8q.jpg

 

DSCN3206_zpsnzxugszp.jpg

 

Begin adding ribs to spine. This will be a slow process, as much trimming and fiddleing will be required to make sure everything fits. Especially interior structures. First up is the nose. Here I have used a vertical and horizontal rib. Onto this a cut-up and modified F-104 nose cone.

 

DSCN3202_zpspg5lpcdp.jpg

 

And an overall shot on how things are progressing. I have epoxied some cut up solder into the nose cone.

 

DSCN3207_zpsfom4plad.jpg

 

DSCN3208_zpsix2at7jq.jpg

 

Later, Dan

 

 

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Ok I'm back.

 

As I work my way through this build I realize how unsophisticated my build is. Compared to other scratchbuilds here in this forum mine seems prehistoric...at best.

 

The skills and patience being displayed on this forum are amazing. If only I had the skill, and the time, and the techniques....

 

Oh well, I will say that I am having fun and that is the ultimate goal.

 

My build, I have discovered, has been hampered by 3 factors. Some of my own making, some not. First there is little reference material and I sometimes have to "fill in the gaps". Second with no correct cross sections I have had to make my own, they leave much to be desired. Third my "full speed ahead" building style sometimes gets in the way.

 

I have been adding more cross sections both fore and aft. I am finding that my ribs leave much to be desired in terms of accuracy. Many ribs are in need of serious reshaping. I need to remove material in some areas and add in others. However things are progressing.

 

A few shots of the nose. A few more ribs have been added. Shape issues yet to be rectified.

 

DSCN3210_zpsikp87pvw.jpg

 

DSCN3209_zpsjuyuxjbu.jpg

 

I have cut out the spine where the nose wheel bay will sit.

 

DSCN3213_zps6izxwuft.jpg

 

And some work at the aft end. You can see an exhaust that I got from the spares bin.

DSCN3212_zpshpi3gcfy.jpg

 

And last for tonight is a piece of square stock that I glued onto both sides to stiffen up the whole structure. In addition several round pieces of sprue to add more rigidity. Not pretty, but it works.

 

DSCN3211_zpskvw4q0jy.jpg

 

Later, Dan

Edited by Dandiego
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As I work my way through this build I realize how unsophisticated my build is. Compared to other scratchbuilds here in this forum mine seems prehistoric...at best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dude,you wrestled a Skyraider into a friggin' Skyshark. Don't sell yourself short.

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Dan,

 

in my builds I don't put much effort into internal parts of the model that will never be seen. It may look crude, but who cares? All that counts is the finished model.

 

Anyway, it's a great project and I'm looking forward to see more progress.

 

I wonder how you will tackle the air intakes. Have you any ideas yet?

 

Cheers

Rainer

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