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1/18 Fairey Firefly VX376


airscale

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Lego.... Genius. If it works mate, go for it.

 

Regarding gluing the perspex, in the film industry... they used chloroform and I'm certain it also sticks other plastic to it too. I did have a 'large' bottle of it, but it's all gone now and I've never been able to get more.... I actually think you need a license now to hold it. But if you can get it, it's great....

 

PS: Will reply to the message shortly, been really busy..... ;)

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Great project and start!

 

So, my Dora 9 could not be placed in the Telford competion because it doesn't has plastic parts?

 

Bye for now,

 

Bernd.

 

Thanks Bernd,

 

Well this is what the entry rules state:

 

Scratch built (S)

· A model constructed where the main body parts (50 percent or more) and/or flying

surfaces are home-made or vac-formed plastic, other than of a commercial nature.

· The basic structure should be of plastic although a supporting (wooden) core is

permitted.

· A scratch built model may be detailed to any level desired by the modeller.

 

All models are to be constructed as stated and defined. Metal foil, wood, veneer,

paper, cloth, decal or any other material may be used to cover the model to

represent a particular finish or to construct detail items. Such coverings or details

must be cosmetic and not structural.

 

 

The Spitfire I did was ok as the airframe is GRP and it was from a kit originally, but it seems clear that plastic needs to figure strongly as it is the IPMS - International PLASTIC Modellers Society, rather than model engineering where any medium would be acceptable

 

HTH

Peter

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As I recall, IPMS USA contest rules used to stipulate that models be predominantly composed of plastic. But the current requirements are very liberal and only "encourage" the use of plastic.

 

From the 2017 IPMS/USA National Contest Rules Book http://www.ipmsusa2017.com/index.cfm?mode=rules ...

 

2. Composition. The use of plastic is encouraged; however, the use of other modeling materials is allowed as the builder sees fit. Judging standards of finish, attention to detail, and authenticity will be the same, regardless of the materials used.

Edited by allthumbs
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evening folks :)

 

 

Great idea, but it'll become extremely heavy if filled with Lego, won't it? I always add a horizontal former to my fuselage skeletons and the whole thing becomes extremely rigid. The advantage is that it saves weight! 

 

img_17344msgp.jpg

 

 

Thanks Ben - brilliant counsel as usual - I wish I had thought of die cut formers like that!

 

I have scrapped the lego idea as even if I had used it I was concerned about the rigidity and while I make brass U/C so weight is not a major issue, it did seem a lot of hassle and maybe not the best way

 

the worst danger point is below the observers cockpit, there is not too much fuselage so flexing would be a problem. I decided to go fully agricultural on it and JB Welded a big length of hexagonal pbrass stock I bought when I bought my lathe - it is way too big for the scales I work in so it was sacrificed to add a good rigid structure along the fuselage length..

 

before that though I had to think about wing fixings - I had great success with my F7F using square brass tube so I looked up in the manual and found the dihedral to be 3 degrees 3 minutes - I got an online protractor and set out the angle & printed it so I could bend the mounts to the right angle - I have no tools for this so it was done by eye clamped to a fireplace!

 

The sliding tubes that will be set in the wing are also used so you get a good view of the entire angle created..

 

WIP27_zpsl38r9jze.jpg

 

..then it was some heath robinson lash up on my bench to get the angle right in the fuselage...

 

WIP28_zpsfavzwflh.jpg

 

..I did use some lego around the spars to add strength and the whole area is washed with CA so likely the wings break before the joints do..

 

..it is starting to take shape - the key here is strength & dimensional accuracy..

 

WIP32_zpskpwo9jpp.jpg

 

WIP29_zpsqnsxr0ac.jpg

 

WIP30_zpsxy9npa2c.jpg

 

WIP31_zpsr5miim05.jpg

 

WIP33_zpsazuc6tn2.jpg

 

WIP35_zpso5reybbv.jpg

 

WIP34_zps9vaptriv.jpg

 

..also been using printouts of the PE to make sure that it fits the model when it arrives.. I think I might skin it and fill with foam, or maybe balsa & skin not sure yet.. making this up as I go along :)

 

TTFN

Peter

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DO NOT overlook opening up those cooling intakes on the upper corners frame 3 Peter!

 

I never succeeded in making them look great in 72 scale, but there should be room in 18 scale,

 

 

 

 

WIP34_zps9vaptriv.jpg

 

..also been using printouts of the PE to make sure that it fits the model when it arrives.. I think I might skin it and fill with foam, or maybe balsa & skin not sure yet.. making this up as I go along :)

 

TTFN

Peter

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