blackbetty Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 me too, it just schows problem solving and good old school modelling. it floats my boat more than the umpteenth tamiya F-? stuck together with a ton of aftermarket (no disrespect - to each his own) tomprobert, Lothar, thierry laurent and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Well it's been a while but here's an update........not a terribly exciting update, but an update nonetheless! The nose wheelbay/radar bullet is finished and painted, I may do a little weathering on the cone later but it's OK for now. At at the rear end the pipes and exhausts are just about ready to be installed. No golf and no gardening tomorrow, I'm having a day off, so more progress with both Lightnings I hope! Alain Gadbois, Cheetah11, Chek and 12 others 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 (edited) Some work yesterday on the cockpit; detail painting. I’m amazed at how accurate the Aires cockpit is, every detail is identifiable using the Daco reference photos. Very reassuring. Pictures later. I’m hoping to get the fuselage closed up before too long. Edited May 27, 2020 by mozart Scotsman, blackbetty, Shawn M and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chek Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 One of those brass bristle suede brushes is great for polishing up those white metal bits that wire wool can't easily get to. Astro32 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, Chek said: One of those brass bristle suede brushes is great for polishing up those white metal bits that wire wool can't easily get to. Thanks for that tip Chek. I’ve got a pen-type of thing with a fibre core that railway modellers use, but the bristles of a suede brush will get into awkward corners for sure! Too hot to be outside today so planning a bit more bench time later! Chek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) I've been working on the cockpit area for a few days, odd moments here and there. I've come to the conclusion that I've massively over-thought the seat belts in particular, trying to get them looking as natural as possible (still not finished!) but really not succeeding that well, so given the limited view into the cockpit some kind of compromise is necessary, and with that decision made I've been able to move to the next step......seeing if the Aires tub fits into the Echelon fuselage. Well I suppose it was naive, if not downright stupid of me to expect it to, and it doesn't! My fault of course, not Aires, because it is designed for the Trumpeter kit! So a little sculpting is needed but it's one of those "pat your head and rub your tummy" situations. We'll see......onwards!!! Edited June 5, 2020 by mozart MikeC, blackbetty, BradG and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrish Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 That does look like a round peg in a square hole kind of fit all right....I have faith! mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Hi Max, I had a similar issue when I put the Aires LG wells intended for the Trumpeter MiG-23 in my resin MiG-27 fuselage. As far as the fuselage is larger than the pit, this is not a terrible problem. Use strips of plastic to make shims on the fuselage sides, dry fit at each step, glue with CA and fill the creases with epoxy putty. This is a little bit lengthy process but not that difficult. Hth Thierry mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) Thanks Thierry, I'm making progress but I used the wrong analogy earlier, though the right one is still anatomical! "The thigh bones connected to the hip bone, the hip bones connected to the back bone......etc." So I started off investigating the fit of the rear of the cockpit but everything's relative to everything thing else. So before I could go too much further (after thinning down the fuselage sides as much as I dare) I had to consider the fit of the canopy in the open position since its success is determined by the hinges 'twixt canopy and aft cockpit wall. But the position of the whole tub had to be "in tune" with the intake trunking on which it sits, but that was affected by the bullet and nose wheel, and then of course there's the intake ring fitment to consider! So I've had a worthwhile day, doesn't look like I've done too much because it was mostly problem solving and head scratching but I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel for this part of the build anyway! This is the cockpit build started by the original owner: which I vandalised to get the back upper wall shape: State of play right now after much fiddling and a little butchery. Everything is still a little out of position so the plan is to grid more resin off the lower front lump of the tub which should then make everything sit together nicely! Otherwise it's the naughty corner! Edited June 5, 2020 by mozart Fanes, Alain Gadbois, MikeC and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 59 minutes ago, chrish said: That does look like a round peg in a square hole kind of fit all right....I have faith! What's life without its challenges Chris? Thank you for your faith, I'll borrow some if I may? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) This little experiment made me very happy! Trial fit of one of Iain O's resin intake rings with the nose cone/bullet and trunking, pretty good. The "fin" on the bullet isn't in the right place, and the front end of the whole assembly is floating, just the back end fan is lightly glued to the fuselage former. This is to ensure downstream that the nose cone can be centred (hopefully!). Edited June 5, 2020 by mozart MikeC, Kagemusha, johncrow and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Given that I'd made the pattern to correct the Trumpeter part - I'm quite pleased to see that it looks like it will work with the Echelon kit. And those were 'test shots' - before I had a vacuum tank, using a mould I've now scrapped. I took the outer depth measurements off a Lightning at Coventry - so they should be spot on - the extra 'internal' section was to extend it back to reach the Trumpeter intake assembly . There's a very distinct gap between the intake ring and intake ducts if you assemble it using the kit parts! No closer to getting over to the office yet, so that I can do some work with the canopy - so you may have to wait a while still. Iain mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 No worries Iain! Colin (Scotsman) sent me a spare Trumpeter canopy that he had, I can see that it's slightly wider than the kit's cockpit width and certainly wouldn't fit when closed up, but if open as I intend I can't see that it would be that noticeable. That said, I'd still be very grateful for one of yours when the lurgy has gone away!! After a "bit" of sawing and grinding: Don't tell anyone the rudder pedals have gone awol! Looking promising! Alain Gadbois, MikeC, BradG and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 If you can wait for a canopy I think it'll look vastly superior to the Trumpeter one - it's one of the most noticeable problems with that kit and there is a very big difference when you see them side-by-side. The whole thing is very wrong... Thinking about it - that's the very first casting from the project I started a really long time ago, that I've kept putting on the back burner for fear of getting it wrong, and it's quite encouraging to see something I 'mastered' being 'used in action' at long last! Iain Kagemusha and mozart 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) It fits supremely well Iain, so that's a job masterfully done (pun intended! ). I trimmed the internal sheath off the other one that you sent just incase this way didn't work, but of course I needed to have no worries! And Yes, I can wait for a canopy! And suddenly............. It looks like a Lightning! Woohoo! Couldn't resist it: Edited June 5, 2020 by mozart thierry laurent, BradG, johncrow and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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