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KH T-6/Harvard Kicked Up A Notch: Apr 14/20: Finished!


chuck540z3

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Thanks Guys.  Live and learn.....

 

While vacu-forming new canopy parts is a good idea, it isn't for me because:

 

1)  I don't have the equipment or have a clue how to do it.  I'm sure I could learn, but I don't have the desire.

 

2)  My builds are directed at the average modeler and I try to do things that anybody can do with kit parts, aftermarket parts and the odd scratch made stuff with readily available materials.  That's why I write articles for FineScale Modeler magazine, which is directed to mainstream beginner and intermediate modelers who are more interested in how you built a model, rather than the final product.

 

Thanks to John (jgrease) I have a line on Kitty Hawk parts, so I will try to buy two more sprues with the clear parts.  With my new kit coming, I will have two spares to play with some more.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

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6 minutes ago, ChuckT said:

Ouch!

Any idea on what your going to do with the new canopies to get them to fit when they arrive?

 

Sort of.  The  middle and rear canopies will be mostly hidden within/under the front canopy section in the middle, so from the side you won't notice anything weird.  From the direct front and rear, however, they will look too thick, but I can't help that.  I am going to be creating some sliding tracks for the canopies on the sill of the cockpit similar to the real deal, which will add some semi-realistic detail, but also might take your eye away from the fact there's no way in heck the rear canopy can slide on it.  If you check around the 'net for other builds of this kit with both of the canopies opened, most of them look like a train derailment, so I hope this will look better than that!

 

Cheers,

Chuck

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Hey Chuck sorry to hear about your set back regarding the clear parts

 

Can I suggest making them from scratch? making a frame inside first then add a clear sheet cut from packaging materials and then add a thin outer shelf with styrene? that way you would have full control on the way the need to overlap and take care of any width issues you had making them fit properly .

 

just a thought but looking at the shapes they are not oddly curved just bend at the top so IMHO quite doable

 

Cheers

Frederick Jacobs

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Hey chuck- I have been thinking about this canopy thing. What about sanding some off of the smaller 2 canopies bottom edge and replacing the clear with a styrene strip? That would maintain the same basic shape and you would only have to take off enough for them to fit.  If you had to use a bit of strip on the canopy rails it would not be drastically obvious. I have this kit in the stash so I'll be dealing with this myself some day. Plunge forming is not hard and the average modeler can pull it off especcialy on a flat sided glass like these. The plastic sheet would cost a lot less than more kits. Just polish the framing off the existing canopy and use it as mold to pull new strip of plastic over. I have done it with clear boxes you get baked goods in. Good luck.

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Feb 9/20

 

Thanks for all the tips and encouragement guys!  I looked into vacuforming, plunge forming and other ways of recreating the canopies, but it just looks like way too much work and I doubt I will be using it often enough to justify the expense and extra equipment and materials.  This is the very first time I have had a reason to recreate canopy parts and I hope it’s the last, so a kit part solution is the way I’m going, even if the final result is less than optimal.

 

On to the build!  The ailerons have big ribs on them just like the rudder and elevators, but this time simple sanding is all that is required to knock them down to barely noticeable.  They also have fastener detail under each rib, but at 1/32 scale you’d never see any of it, so Archer rivets are not necessary.

 

 

VuNFds.jpg

 

 

The wings and control surfaces are all on now!  I had no idea how long the wings are on this aircraft, but I guess if you have rookie pilots operating the controls, you need all the lift you can get.  Normally I leave control surfaces off the model until the end, but none of these move, so it will be easier to paint them glued on.

 

 

sSOxyg.jpg

 

UuDDN0.jpg

 

 

Again, all panel lines were re-scribed and every rivet re-punched, although this was less necessary on the wings than the fuselage, because the kit detail was already excellent.

 

 

9yV9v0.jpg

 

 

I noticed in other builds of this kit that many had large gaps at the wing to wing join where putty was used.  Filler is almost unnecessary if you carefully sand and dry fit the wing repeatedly until it comes together like this, where I used a very small amount of CA glue to close the minor gap.

 

 

 

EykfQf.jpg

 

 

For some reason there are several “smile” shaped imperfections in the plastic parts, but they won’t be visible after paint.

 

 

TNZBKR.jpg

 

 

On the bottom, I didn’t rescribe all panel lines and repunch every rivet, since it’s pretty good to begin with and it will rarely be seen.  Note that the wings above the landing flaps are sanded down to prep them for the Eduard PE parts.

 

 

J8uLiL.jpg

 

 

A few panel lines should wrap around the front of the wing as shown near the landing lights and the outer tip of the wing should have a single straight line both top and bottom, along with fastener detail.

 

 

F6iq5J.jpg

 

 

The tail area has so many new panel lines and fasteners added that it’s hard to point them all out, so I’ll just let these pics show you where they should be.  Be careful to glue the correct elevator to each side, since these can be mixed up.  The left/port side has the trim tab control on the top, while the right side is on the bottom.

 

 

ICiVg6.jpg

 

Another "smile" in the plastic....

 

PERu40.jpg

 

 

I am going to be using the Eduard PE for the rudder and aileron control arms, but these will be left off until the end of the build to avoid damage.  I added a small anchor point to the end of the arm where it attaches to the rudder, since the Eduard kit had nothing to attach it to.  From this angle the trim tab on the rudder doesn't show that there is gap at the top and bottom that I cut earlier.  That little black dot isn't a rivet, but an imperfection in the plastic.

 

 

4ANd3I.jpg

 

 

Next up I will be attaching the windscreen and rear canopy parts, closing up the cockpit and start painting, which I generally love to do.  I usually start with a gloss black lacquer base, but this time I will be using gloss white which will be much better for my gloss yellow final color.  By the time I have finished painting, my new kit and canopy parts will have arrived to challenge me once more!

 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited by chuck540z3
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6 hours ago, 1to1scale said:

 

Thanks, Yes, a lot.  A few things which I will keep brief.

 

1) I ordered the rear Harvard canopy part (AC32031C) on September 18th.  After 2 emails to the vendor, it was finally mailed 60 days later sometime in late November.  It never arrived.

 

2)  The full canopy set (AC32033C) is no longer listed for sale.

 

Alleycat Models

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited by chuck540z3
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Knowing your love of getting things right Chuck, I'm surprised you haven't addressed the fuel filler issue:

 

1TDijZ.jpg

 

The KH ones are pretty much flush with the wing and not really that representational in my opinion.

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