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1/18 P51C Mustang "Lopes Hope the 3rd"


airscale

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You are absolutely nailing this Peter! I've just been re-reading your Spitfire book and I've got to say this is next level again! If that's even possible :) I was just thinking about your leading edge today and that's exactly how I would have approached it...... I think it will nail the look 100%

 

11 hours ago, JayW said:

Man - I am sooo impressed with the wing skins Peter.  Question - what are you going to do about the tires?

 

 

 

Well Jay, I may have had a sneak preview of the tyres and I gotta say they're nothing short of spectacular! Can't steal Peter's thunder though!!!! ;)

 

Craig

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4 hours ago, williamj said:

I'm almost certain Peter does crossword puzzles with a ballpoint pen.

 This will be a great book.A Mustang must have.:wub::bow:

 

Who doesn't do crossword puzzles with a ballpoint? :whistle:

 

Totally agree with you regarding the book, consider this post my pre-order!!

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morning folks :)

 

On 4/19/2019 at 11:18 PM, JayW said:

Man - I am sooo impressed with the wing skins Peter.  Question - what are you going to do about the tires?

 

 

 

Hi Jay - the wheels & tyres are 3D modelled already, just tweaking the design with some help as the treads and the flat spot are a bit too complex for my limited knowledge :)

 

On 4/20/2019 at 3:24 PM, KUROK said:

Your patience is an example to us all!

I see how you get the rivets flush with the burnishing.

How do you do the larger fasteners with the flat head screws? 

 

 

..thanks KUROK - the Awl set I have has about 25 sizes from a pinprick to about 1.5mm in diameter - the slot for the screw is then added with  a scalpel blade point ground down to a tiny flat blade..

 

..I set myself a target of getting the wings skinned before I go back to work tomorrow, and it is pretty much done..

 

..I went by this factory photo of where the filler was used on the leading edge (posted under fair use) and as can be seen, it does not extend to the wingtip so that panel was left detailed..

 

WIP721_zpsphjwohfm.jpg

 

..a tape template for the main panel..

 

WIP719_zpsubzds4hy.jpg

 

..and after annealing the leading edge and some fine fettling to fit all the rear panels the skin is added...

 

WIP720_zps3jhsbwe6.jpg

 

..a piano hinge was added to the forward gun door by scoring lines on a sheet of litho and bending it double so the edge is upright - this was let into a slot in the wing..

 

WIP723_zps5fwhsgci.jpg

 

..the gear leg mount access panel & gun ports..

 

WIP724_zpsvcdudlqw.jpg

 

WIP722_zpsurslho9h.jpg

 

..and the basis of the wings is done..

 

WIP728_zpsblkhbvb3.jpg

 

WIP729_zpsy0townrt.jpg

 

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WIP727_zpsnxmwdj9y.jpg

 

WIP730_zps8qfv8h8p.jpg

 

WIP725_zpsotxyocu5.jpg

 

..getting there...

 

TTFN
Peter

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I'm convinced you have an engineering degree!  The tolerances on the joins between the panels alone is just incredible.  I can't wrap my mind around how you do that, especially on a complex 3D shape like the spinner.  

 

Do you have a special process on how to bend the metal pipes to shape?  I struggle with this no matter what type of metal I use.  I can use soldering wire as it is easy to bend but I sometimes will end up damaging them with my tweezers if I need to reshape.  I don't have much luck using stronger wire because if I don't get the angles perfect, it becomes nearly impossible to reshape.  I don't see any of these issues on all the piping you have done.  Any advice would be appreciated and sorry if you have already explained it previously. 

 

I always look forward to your updates...

 

Bryan

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major applause!!!!   The wings look like factory wing assemblies done in by a shrink ray!  Now - make sure the dihedral is right (5 deg I seem to recall).  For Miss Velma, I had to do a difficult modification to get that dihedral,  which was wrong on the toy.  I cannot tell by your pics.

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  • 2 weeks later...

evening ladies :)

 

On 4/22/2019 at 10:52 AM, dodgem37 said:

'the filler was used on the leading edge (posted under fair use) and as can be seen, it does not extend to the wingtip so that panel was left detailed..'

WIP685_zpsamyqi4y4.jpg

AirCorps, from Page 44, shows otherwise.

 

Good show, Peter.

Sincerely,

Mark

 

Hi Mark - interesting spot - I hadn't noticed that - the factory picture shows this as being unfilled so rightly or wrongly thats how it is going to be :)

 

On 4/22/2019 at 1:58 PM, Out2gtcha said:

Wow! How are you going to tackle the wingtips?

 

Hi Brian - well, I cover that in a moment, but I also did a whole compound curve tutorial that shows wingtips being done too (bless that old F7F..)

 

On 4/23/2019 at 5:28 PM, Durangokid said:

I'm convinced you have an engineering degree!  The tolerances on the joins between the panels alone is just incredible.  I can't wrap my mind around how you do that, especially on a complex 3D shape like the spinner.  

 

Do you have a special process on how to bend the metal pipes to shape?  I struggle with this no matter what type of metal I use.  I can use soldering wire as it is easy to bend but I sometimes will end up damaging them with my tweezers if I need to reshape.  I don't have much luck using stronger wire because if I don't get the angles perfect, it becomes nearly impossible to reshape.  I don't see any of these issues on all the piping you have done.  Any advice would be appreciated and sorry if you have already explained it previously. 

 

I always look forward to your updates...

 

Bryan

 

Hi Bryan - I use solder in 0.6 & 0.8mm and found by rolling it straight (using a steel ruler on a sheet of glass), the best way to bend it is to slide tube over the bit you want to bend up to the bend itself and then holding the 'pipe', pull the tube in whatever direction and you keep the thing straight (well straighter anyway..)

 

seems the last few weeks has been a bit slow, but to be honest I have been hard at things, learning from a few mistakes on the way and redoing stuff I wasn't happy with..

 

..the first thing was to finish skinning the leading edge of the wings at the underside wing root - I needed a smooth surface to skin onto as this had all been chopped about to add in the frames & ribs in the landing gear well..

 

here, at the top you can see the curved sub-skin added...

 

WIP731_zpso49itmy4.jpg

 

..there is a lip / ledge the gear door sits on so a jig was made and some annealed 'L' shaped litho bent to shape and painted..

 

WIP732_zpsz5ktoqbg.jpg

 

..these were then added and filled flush with the new skin so I can put soft annealed litho on top of both without it picking up the uneven surfaces below - here before filling..

 

WIP733_zpsdnqlxi8p.jpg

 

..then the panel itself was made by getting a tape template of the shape and cutting it short at the curved edge to get the lip..

 

WIP734_zpsdpgosiqo.jpg

 

.. I then forgot to take a picture of the finished panel, so onto the wingtip :)

 

..I started by cutting the straight edges where the wingtip panel meets the other panels, then this join was taped down and the shape burnished to follow the curves. Once this was done a straight edge was added at the very tip where it will meet the underside tip skin.. once I had the main shape, the fastening rivets were added and here it is seen hinged upwards before adding the impact cement to fix it..

 

WIP735_zpsb3aq6xh4.jpg

 

..before sanding smooth, the shape is pretty good anyway..

 

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..and the final wingtip - as it is going to be being painted, any tiny blemishes can be dealt with using primer or filler..

 

WIP737_zpsxgvjskja.jpg

 

 

 

..the bulk of the last couple of weeks was spent prepping for priming as I know alclad is so unforgiving.. I also replaced the landing light panel three times as I just couldn't get it to blend properly with the surrounding panels and actually found when I fitted the main skin as I rolled the leading edge skin over the edge, it was not all stuck right onto the surface so I had this hollow area that kept crushing and denting - it was all pretty frustrating..

 

..to add to that, after finally etch priming both wings, I found the primer easily coming off - so after a bit of research it turns out etch primer has a best before date - if it is not fresh, the acid in it goes off and it is basically like paint rather than etching and grabbing onto the surface

 

that all needed stripping, the rivet depressions cleaning out and the whole prep process done again...

 

anyways, I got some proper single pack etch primer from Phoenix Precision and have just painted the first coat - I am impressed when thinned 50/50 it goes on well and preserves much more detail than my old primer..

 

..you be the judge :)

 

WIP738_zpsmfbveb7m.jpg

 

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..that stuff needs 36hrs to etch the surface so after that I can get a look at further prep for an alclad finish - though that stuff is pretty fragile so not sure what stage to paint it as I don't want to damage it and even taping up the wings is a risk as I have had it come off with masking tape..

 

more next time

 

TTFN

Peter

 

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