EE Lightning - Echelon vacuform

[mozart]

So this was my little conundrum, I could not for the life of me understand what I was supposed to do with the leading edge slot (though like most things it seems simple enough when you know!):

 

I consulted Ted Taylor's build:

 

 

and John Wolstenholme's:

 

neither of which seemed much like Frank Brown's instructions at the top.  

 

This is what I'm trying to achieve:

 

 

The vital thing was I had missed seeing the (faintly) engraved lines but all you do is carefully cut along the upper wing slot lines, shorten by 2mm then bend the "tab" down to  meet the gap left in the lower wing once the engraved section was removed there:

 

 

Simples when you know how.....a picture's worth a thousand words, but they are best when they go together!  John Wolstenholme's solution in particular is more sophisticated but protracted, I think the basic approach I've adopted will suffice when complete and cleaned up.  Onwards and Upwards!! 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by mozart

[monthebiff]

Just catching up Max, absolutely exquisite work as ever, those wheel wells are excellent. 

 

Loving your work on this big scary vac

 

Regards Andy 

[mozart]

Cheers Andy!  I swing between thinking "Yeah, it's just a couple of wings and a fuselage" to giving it a bit more thought and thinking "OMG, what have I taken on!"  Hopefully the truth is somewhere between the two, but I do know it's awfully easy to make a **** up! 

[monthebiff]

6 minutes ago, mozart said:

Cheers Andy!  I swing between thinking "Yeah, it's just a couple of wings and a fuselage" to giving it a bit more thought and thinking "OMG, what have I taken on!"  Hopefully the truth is somewhere between the two, but I do know it's awfully easy to make a **** up! 

 

Funnily enough I have this stupid idea in my head to buy a vac Dornier DO-217N, probably my most favourite german twin thinking this would be so cool and then thinking not to be so stupid !!

 

Keep going Max as this will be an absolute masterpiece the way you are going with this.

 

Stay safe and enjoy your extended modelling sessions wont you

 

Regards Andy 

 

 

[mozart]

Absolutely delighted that the first wing has gone so well together, a real tribute to the way Frank Brown has engineered the kit, augurs well for the future one hopes:

 

 

 

Cracking on with the port wing now, a relaxing day off from gardening!!  (Just completed a long bike ride though!  )

 

[stusbke]

 Currently doing the same job on my wings albeit not vac formed ones..it is indeed a tricky job to do

 

Lovely work so far and hoping for more update soon

 

Cheers

Frederick Jacobs

[mozart]

1 hour ago, stusbke said:

 Currently doing the same job on my wings albeit not vac formed ones..it is indeed a tricky job to do

 

Lovely work so far and hoping for more update soon

 

Cheers

Frederick Jacobs

Thanks Frederick, I'm keeping an eye on your Lightning - we all know the Trumpeter one has many flaws, some of which you're addressing excellently, but it's still an impressive looking kit of an iconic aeroplane.

 

This update is a bit sooner than intended, and perhaps should be called a "downdate".  Having congratulated myself earlier about the wing assembly, I suddenly realised this afternoon that I had made a fatal error.........shock horror .....forgot to fit the Echelon white metal seat for the main undercarriage leg.  I tried squeezing it in from every angle but it wouldn't fit so I had no alternative other than to cut out a section of the underwing. 

 

 

The patch fitted back in nicely, a bit of filler on it and should be as good as new once sanded.  The only good point about this "lesson" is that I discovered it at this point so only had one to do! 

 

 

It's no fun being old and stupid at times! 

[themongoose]

Nice save tho! You’ll never see that.

[chrish]

I’m sure we’ve all been there and feel that burn as well

[mozart]

44 minutes ago, themongoose said:

Nice save tho! You’ll never see that.

Yep, it's worked out alright.......phew!!! Taught me a lesson, read and inwardly digest the instructions carefully.

[thierry laurent]

Well Max, this is a typical problem when you do not blindly follow the instructions to assemble a kit OOTB. As soon as you mix and match kits and parts, this is a common issue. As far as a solution is possible, this is part of the game (or should I say the fun?) 

[mozart]

3 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

Well Max, this is a typical problem when you do not blindly follow the instructions to assemble a kit OOTB. As soon as you mix and match kits and parts, this is a common issue. As far as a solution is possible, this is part of the game (or should I say the fun?) 

Yes you’re absolutely right Thierry in every respect. I’m finding the “assembly drawing” (just the one for the whole kit!) and some of the instructions “challenging”, I’m almost tempted to do a cut and paste exercise with the text glued by the relevant part of the drawing, it’s so easy to overlook things. Ah well, live and learn. 

[Rick Griewski]

On 4/4/2020 at 6:18 AM, mozart said:

Yes you’re absolutely right Thierry in every respect. I’m finding the “assembly drawing” (just the one for the whole kit!) and some of the instructions “challenging”, I’m almost tempted to do a cut and paste exercise with the text glued by the relevant part of the drawing, it’s so easy to overlook things. Ah well, live and learn. 

 

I did exactly as you describe for my build process.  I put together a spiral book with multiple document views with text.  Each task or group of tasks pointed to other pages to see the next steps so I would not box myself in.  One has to play the build like billiards;  plan ahead where the white ball will end up after the shot. Now Add the pick and choose process using the Flightpath detail set and brain melt starts to set in.  All looks great so far.

 

Rick
 

 

[mozart]

Well that's worth knowing Rick, my old brain isn't too addled then so perhaps that's the way to go.  I like your analogy with billiards, it's a good one! 

[thierry laurent]

For the Spitfire Mk.I I'm building, I made a two pages list of all the modifications and corrections I had to do. I did globally 80% of them and finally I lost it!

 

It is probably somewhere between two books but I feel plain stupid!

 

I should have chosen a more formal approach but I've difficulties to do it with the hobby. My job asks me to be VERY compliant with strict processes, so chosing a more casual route with my hobby is somewhat refreshing even if this may lead to some stupid side-effects...