Iain Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Another placeholder for me - and yet another project. I've wanted to do this version of the Invader since I was a teenager - there's something about the re-built Vietnam era Invaders - good looking yet deadly purposeful. Back in the early '90s I started on the ID Models kit - but that needed soo much work it would have ended up almost totally scratch-built. Somewhere, it's sat in a box with some modification work done - and the 8 gun nose shape done; with vac shells and a resin core. Can't find it at present - I've either binned it at some point, or it's upstairs in one of the garages... Anyhow - was really excited to see the HobbyBoss kit on it's way, but less impressed the more we saw of it. However, it's the only game in town - and will be a far easier starting point than the old ID Vac in my humble opinion! This will be an absolutely glacial build - but it now lives at work, so will get a few hours work on it each week when I'm actually in the office. Initial look at fuselage: This is the first area I'll be looking at - the wing root: This is too low on the fuselage - and the wing cross section is incorrect - so I'll be cutting this out around the edge of the root fairing area and replacing with styrene sheet to make the surface flat along the fuselage, before the next stage, which will be re-profiling the cross-sectional shape of the fuselage to fix some of the other fuselage related issues in the kit. I'll be doing a review of the HobbyBoss kit for the website in the near future - everything is now photographed as it comes in the kit - I just need to pluck up the courage to pull it all together, with an initial 'tweaks-list'. I'm approaching this as I would a vac-form of unknown accuracy, rather than a model kit. I think that taking that mental approach will help me keep what little sanity I have left! Fortunately I have the resources here to be able to 'bench sand', vacuum form and cast - I'm going to need all the tools in the arsenal on this one I suspect! Have FUN! Iain Greg W, blackbetty, Francis and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 It’s about time that dedicated, fearless modellers come out of the woods. It’s a brave, new world! Will be following your build with anticipation. Cheers, Quang Iain, patricksparks and Daniel Leduc 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Leduc Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Oh YES, I'm all in for that one.... Dan. Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alain Gadbois Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 That's a mighty task you're taking on, Iain! Watching you do all the necessary corrections will be highly interesting! The Vietman Invaders are ideed the more appealing ones of all. Alain Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Hi iain, Do not hesitate asking as I've tons of information about the B-26K. I hoped some aftermarket company would make good use of that but in the meanwhile, let me know if there are gaps to fill... The B-26K is one of my all times favorite twin-engined planes. So, at some step, I will have to jump in a similar project... Cheers Thierry patricksparks, Iain, Daniel Leduc and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share Posted October 15, 2020 Firstly, it's brilliant to see the start Patrick has made on his - hopefully there will be a few others too and we can pool findings/fixes - I suspect this subject will interest quite a few of us! 1 hour ago, quang said: It’s about time that dedicated, fearless modellers come out of the woods. It’s a brave, new world! Will be following your build with anticipation. Cheers, Quang Or, in my case, blind stupidity! 32 minutes ago, thierry laurent said: Hi iain, Do not hesitate asking as I've tons of information about the B-26K. I hoped some aftermarket company would make good use of that but in the meanwhile, let me know if there are gaps to fill... The B-26K is one of my all times favorite twin-engined planes. So, at some step, I will have to jump in a similar project... Cheers Thierry You're on Thierry - any and all info gratefully received! We'll all need as much info as possible - I'd like to have this thread follow on in a similar way to the He219 build I did a few years back - with people chipping in info and ideas. Like that build, my aim is to create something that 'looks right' - I'll make no claim to extreme accuracy - but, hopefully, a vast improvement over what comes in the box. I do think there's an Invader hiding away in there - but it will take a lot of work to bring it out. At least the plastic is quite thick - which should make modifications easier! Marked up starboard side for first cut: Will cut out and replace with 2mm HIPS sheet (I had to do something similar as a first step on the ID Vac). This is one of those areas that's just screaming 'wrong' at me and will be nice to take it to bare fuselage skin, so that we can take a better look at the shapes. The removed root sections will be bonded to the wings when I get the the stage of thinning and re-profiling those - but that will be a long way off... Iain LSP_Kevin, Nailcreek, johncrow and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 Little bit of progress before I fired up the work computer this morning... Starboard wing root section removed. Multiple passes with a fresh 10A scalpel blade - tip: the plastic is thick and cutting is hardgoing, but reverse the scalpel and drag the blunt side of the blade along the pre-cut lines. The blade then acts as a scriber and removes more material, faster! Kit included bomb-bay inner walls - I make no comment about accuracy at this stage, but they may help preserve stiffness... Next up, cutting out the 'plug' from 2mm HIPS sheet. I'll then bond in position and tape up fuselage halves whilst the starboard side dries, before making a start on cutting out the port side wing root. This should help prevent any induced twist - just like welding a car body, best to do in sections, one weld at a time! Iain GMK, Landrotten Highlander, johncrow and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 And a little lunch-time fettling: This will be left a few days to dry now, before I do the same on the other side. Once both sides are done I'll address the cross-sectional issues with the spine - I have a plan. But it *will* require new canopies - that are pretty much required anyway... Iain Anthony in NZ, Daniel Leduc, LSP_Kevin and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 They say a photo can speak a thousand words, so I'll leave this here: Wish I'd taken a starboard image of the fuselage before marking up and cutting, but you get the idea. And accurate panel lines don't figure in the scheme of things at present - just trying to get some basic shapes that work before worrying about any of that... Iain LSP_Kevin, Anthony in NZ, Daniel Leduc and 12 others 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nailcreek Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 3 minutes ago, Iain said: They say a photo can speak a thousand words, so I'll leave this here: Wish I'd taken a starboard image of the fuselage before marking up and cutting, but you get the idea. And accurate panel lines don't figure in the scheme of things at present - just trying to get some basic shapes that work before worrying about any of that... Iain Iain Geez, that's not even remotely close ... way off. Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis7423 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 I wasn't sure how far off it was, until I saw your photo. Yikes. Pretty much made me want to do the same switch for mine, which I will indeed do. Gotta figure this is going to adjust the sit of the finished model quite a bit, which didn't seem too terribly off when looking at completed models. Which begs the question... are the kit landing gear main legs long enough? I don't intend to fix the spine in my example, mostly because I don't want to fettle with making new canopies. And I plan to take the kit canopies and mess with the framing to "create" the early forward-opening canopy. I've already started modifying the nose into the earlier 6-gnu configuration. And plan to add a belly turret. At the end, I hope to have something that looks like an A-26B. Hopefully. - Dennis S. Thornton, CO USA Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrotten Highlander Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 Is it me, or has the fuselage been shortened in front of the wing? Looks to me like the wings on the kit are too short in wing-chord otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 15 minutes ago, Dennis7423 said: I wasn't sure how far off it was, until I saw your photo. Yikes. Pretty much made me want to do the same switch for mine, which I will indeed do. Gotta figure this is going to adjust the sit of the finished model quite a bit, which didn't seem too terribly off when looking at completed models. Which begs the question... are the kit landing gear main legs long enough? I don't intend to fix the spine in my example, mostly because I don't want to fettle with making new canopies. And I plan to take the kit canopies and mess with the framing to "create" the early forward-opening canopy. I've already started modifying the nose into the earlier 6-gnu configuration. And plan to add a belly turret. At the end, I hope to have something that looks like an A-26B. Hopefully. - Dennis S. Thornton, CO USA There are a whole raft of knock-ons from this Dennis - but, for the sake of my already tattered sanity I'm going to address them one at a time on this! On a positive note I found this - 1:48th project from the Monogram kit - some good inspiration! Iain Dennis7423 and Daniel Leduc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis7423 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 1 minute ago, Landrotten Highlander said: Is it me, or has the fuselage been shortened in front of the wing? Looks to me like the wings on the kit are too short in wing-chord otherwise. I think you are right. And the canopy on the port side is shorter than on the starboard side, so this would be the "long" canopy side. If you look at the rear fairing, it sound extend under the rear window just a tad. And the front one is right in line with the rear line of the clam shell canopy on this side of the aircraft. That one might be harder to fix. - Dennis S. Thornton, CO USA Landrotten Highlander 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 1 minute ago, Landrotten Highlander said: Is it me, or has the fuselage been shortened in front of the wing? Looks to me like the wings on the kit are too short in wing-chord otherwise. Ignore those views at the moment - the rear of the canopy is in different positions on each side... But I will investigate the wings at a later stage - they, and the way they blend with the nacelles, will need a 'little' work from what I've noted so far. The wings themselves will have a session on the bench sander to thin them and give the correct airfoil. Iain Landrotten Highlander, Greg W and Dennis7423 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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