Derek B Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Looking forward to seeing your progress Iain - you must be feeling really excited! Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 Not sure excited is the word... Inspired? Yes... Full of dread at what I may have taken on? Very much so... Anyway, I promised some 'start' photos, or it didn't happen, right? Fuselage tail - this was my first experience of cutting into the material - removing the lower section of rudder. I could see there was actually a working gap between the base of the rudder and the fuselage empennage - so I made some cuts along the 'vertical' hinge line - and with very little work I ended up with this: Now, the interesting part of this exercise was discovering how much of this area was hollow - which it is (with internal re-inforcement webbing). It turns out this was a bit of a revelation - it explains the light weight of a lot of the parts - and, I expect, will make some processes I have in mind a lot easier to acheive: I've also found it's worth running a brush of suitable solvent around the cut edges - in this case EMA Plastic Weld. Wish me luck - I may need it! And stay tuned for the next thrilling installment of "I bought an Andover..." Iain Starfighter, Trak-Tor, HerculesPA_2 and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brahman104 Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Looks epic Iain! I was wondering about the "hollowness" of the printed parts when I saw you cut them. The ones I make generally only have a few layers of outer shell, then the rest is web-like infill. Generally they don't like being cut, but in this case it seems to have worked for you! Craig Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 This is really interesting Iain, thanks for your insights! Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 I was really pleased when I found that lots of the parts were hollow - it's going to be really useful for some of the things I want to do - but am aware that I'll need to make any modified areas structurally sound - and I have a few ideas around that as I get used to the material. So, about this cockpit section I'd started on? Well. I've had the sanding sticks and wet and dry out (used wet, of course!): And some more: And an experiment with some Revell Plasto filler - worked a treat! So much so that I've now covered all the other relevant areas of this piece so that I can smooth back tomorrow. 'Eyebrow' windows have been opened out. Here's what the inside looks like - removeable gear doors and ledges to fit the gear bay and cockpit sections - well thought through engineering! I appear to have had another breakthrough with something I was pondering on - more 'news' shortly (perhaps). Iain Anthony in NZ, HerculesPA_2, Starfighter and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Very nice work so far Iain! On 5/18/2020 at 3:33 AM, Iain said: Hi Don, They are wrong I'm afraid - because the tailplanes are high set - and with dihedral, there are very few photos that show this area. In terms of reference photos - I'm sure he had his own, but we also put together a pretty large collection of reference photos - and technical manuals - that were shared with him during the design phase and I know he used these. This is just a detail that was missed - it happens! This is the exact same issue that the Lodela Torp Beau has, as the tail planes come out horizontally, then after that initial section, is where the dihedral starts. scvrobeson, Anthony in NZ, Derek B and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 1 minute ago, Out2gtcha said: This is the exact same issue that the Lodela Torp Beau has, as the tail planes come out horizontally, then after that initial section, is where the dihedral starts. Indeedy - and, if anything, a lot more pronounced on the Andover! It's something I *have* to fix.... Iain Out2gtcha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 So, about these tailplanes... Baldrick: "I have a cunning plan..." Blackadder: "Really, Baldrick? A cunning and subtle one? Baldrick: "Yes, sir." Blackadder: "As cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?" Baldrick: "Absolutely, sir." Blackadder: "Oh go on then, I've got nothing better to do just now..." Baldrick: "Well, you know those expensive parts we got from Japan..." Blackadder: "Yes, and?" Baldrick: "Well, we take some of the bits, and we cut them up..." Blackadder: "Which gives us what, exactly?" Baldrick: "Even more bits, sir!" My attempt at humour aside (and apologies for anyone that isn't a Blackadder fan, or even seen it) - but I bit the bullet tonight. Since I spotted the error with the tail planes last week I've been pondering on finding that 'cunning plan' and, well, which ever way I thought it through I would have to remove the tailplane sections as moulded. Concern was two fold: Cutting as close to the fuselage shape as possible... Not cutting through to the internal structure and damaging it. With the knowledge that the kit had a number of voids in it's structure, I was hoping I'd find some here - rather than having to cut all the way through the thickness of the tailplane. Fresh 10A Scalpel blade and I started scribing along the lower tailplane to fuselage interface - multiple passes taking care to follow the surface of the fuselage as closely as possible. After a few minutes work - we penetrated - there was, indeed, a void at the root of the tailplane. A few more runs with the blade to cut through the internal webs and I could feel the tailplane move. So, now I followed the upper tailplane to fuselage interface with the point of the scalpel - until it was all the way through. This was easily repeated on the other side - I now had separate tailplanes - and two big holes where they once were: May not look it in the photos (black plastic is never flattering) - but the cuts are all pretty neat - and there's been absolutely no intrusion into the interior structural details. Now I can think about bolting it all together properly - this will probably involve lots more cutting, some sheet plastic, some brass tube and some casting resin - in no particular order. Going to have a fruit tea to celebrate! Iain ctayfor, Out2gtcha, Anthony in NZ and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Well done man! Anthony in NZ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 This is a really interesting thread to me....not simply due to it being the Andover, but this medium of modelling. Thanks to putting so much effort into your explanations, photo's, corrections and techniques. Super appreciated!! ctayfor and Derek B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 I'm enjoying it Anthony - and learning all the time - which is why I like trying new things. The material is easier to work with than I expected. The surface prep, whilst it is a chore, is not as difficult as expected. And modifications easier than I thought to perform... Still a lot of work to go - but a fascinating project. Really looking forward to seeing you get your kits and, hopefully, making a start! Still looking for detailed images of the upper tailplane to fuselage interface... Iain Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Grabbing a morning coffee and noticed something else wrong with the fuselage empennage - the rudder should go all the way down to the top of the fuselage - no step as printed: Not a major thing to change at this stage - but I am glad I spotted it now, rather than later! Iain ctayfor, LSP_Kevin, Starfighter and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Good spotting! Almost looks like the bottom of the rudder line should go straight across to the elevators. I cant get in to the Museums example as the soonest they have advised they will start opening those facilities up is 2nd June! Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Looks like it is pretty well a flat fuselage profile at that point Iain, which may make correction a little easier! Derek scvrobeson and Iain 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Indeed - just a little higher - a flat across the top of the fuselage curve. No real biggy - but we will need detailed photos of this area... This is the most fun I've had in ages - and restoring my modelling MoJo - I owe you a few beers Anthony if I ever get over to NZ! Iain Anthony in NZ and Derek B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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