Delta Dart

[Dandiego]

1 hour ago, themongoose said:

Awesome work here Dan. I think i can envision how you formed that part in cad based on your description. Really glad you shared. So the step on the dryfitted part will mate against the ragged part on the fuselage, then you’ll blend it all together?

 

Yes but it will need to be more than that. Because the plastic is so thin I will be reinforcing from the inside by adding another layer of thin plastic epoxied to the kit plastic. When you have a deep pull, as there is in this area, you will have a very thin shell. Not the fault of the manufacturer,  but rather a limitation of the process. 

 

The shape of the kit is very accurate. The downside is a very thin shell. Most of my time is being spent working on how to preserve the shape while strengthening the structural integrity. 

 

All in all quite a challenge. 

 

Dan

[Dandiego]

More basic construction.

 

Exhaust assembly. Painted and with the interior parts added.

 

 

End plug with slot added to glue into the keel.

 

 

Additional tail support. A popsicle stick.

 

 

Kit intake with a second layer of plastic to add strength.

 

 

Interior of fuselage/intake area with additional plastic sheet glued in for rigidity.

 

 

Iteration 3 of the weapons bay. I have added many internal details to the 3d print.

 

 

Main landing gear bay.

 

 

Dan

[Jack]

Great progress Dan, very great progress, love your way of getting this "beast" to fruition......anxious to see your end result!!

Have fun building.....

 

Jack.

[Dandiego]

Small progress.

 

Here are the things I have been working on in order to get the fuselage sides ready to glue to the keel.

 

Pennies are being glued onto the keel so that I do not have a tail-sitter.

 

 

I am printing some flanges that will slide onto the keel and that flare out, either straight or with a curve, to give me more gluing area.

 

 

 

Change of direction on the intakes. The 3d printed intake inserts proved to be to problematic, they were the wrong shape and too rigid. So I have just added a protruding piece of plastic that will slide into the fuselage intake shoulder. And to get a smooth transition, just a smear of putty on the interior.

 

 

 

And an overall look at the main components that have been attached to the keel.

 

 

 

Thats all, Dan

 

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Dandiego

[Out2gtcha]

Cool stuff Dan

[Dandiego]

If you ever thought that Vacs weren't for you, this is the stage where you would pull your hair out.

 

After a months worth of work it is time to glue the first fuselage half to the keel. 

        1. You have cut lots of holes and openings into an already thin and flimsy shell.

        2. You have added many components and have glued them onto the keel and some into the fuselage halves. Cross your fingers that everything fits.

        3. Rats......it doesn't fit. Anywhere!

        4. Start filing, cutting, cursing, pleading and begging that you haven't screwed it up beyond any hope of actually getting it to line up.

        5. I have added some spray foam into cavities in the front and near the rear to "firm" everything up.

 

Anyway here is where I am.

 

Foam and nails. Foam for rigidity and nails for weight. Foam is difficult to work with. Very messy and sticky. I applied it to the open fuselage halves so that when it expanded it could just foam up without popping any glued together joints. When dry just saw it off level.

 

 

 

Intake interiors. Not very sexy but the glue and tape will hold it just fine. Just barely clears the edges of the weapons bay.

 

 

Overall fuselage sides. Port side has been glued to the keel. Looks OK, but not perfect. I will strive to get the best fit on the topside, making any needed adjustments on the bottom. Wheel wells are yet to be fitted. Cockpit will need to be completed and installed before I can close everything up.

 

 

And last for now. I have glued in a hollow tube that the nose needle will slide into. And it actually is a needle. I have cut down an old airbrush needle, with a little work it will be exactly right.

 

 

Toodles, Dan

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by Dandiego

[CShanne]

That is amazing work,  for the record though, I would have pulled my hair out with the drop tanks, that you started with :-) I cannot wait to see this done, you are doing a delightful job

 

[levier]

I have a Combat Models F-82... this project is helping me get more excited about vac-ing!

[allthumbs]

Lots of skill, creativity and cleverness on display here!

[Dandiego]

40 minutes ago, levier said:

I have a Combat Models F-82... this project is helping me get more excited about vac-ing!

 

F-82 !!!!! Yeah.

 

I have 2 Revell P-51's that I hope to "nail" together. 

 

Last thing I need is another project right now.

 

Dan

[Dandiego]

Next is getting the cockpit taken care of. This is the next step as all of this will need to be done before I can close up the fuselage.

 

Here is my white IP blank along with some old instrument panels from other kits. I may sand some of these down to wafer thinness or I will use some Airscale instrument decals and PE bezels.

 

 

 

Here are the  basic components. The cowl came from the spares box, never throw anything away.

 

 

And last the windscreen. The kit provides 2 vacform items. However I am trying to make my own. Why?? Well the vacform items are not very clear, they have a cloudy appearance. The windscreen in the foreground is just a piece of clear plastic from a food container, cheaper than buying clear plastic and the Brownies tasted great. The clear plastic is cut to size and folded. The F-106 had basically flat panels on both the windscreen and canopy, how thoughtful of General Dynamics.

 

 

Toodles, Dan

Edited February 17, 2021 by Dandiego

[Dandiego]

I have been working on the cockpit.

 

I have had to cobble together everything that you see here from several different sources. Once the pilot/seat combo is installed very little of this will be seen.

 

 

 

 

And a shelf behind the actual cockpit.

 

 

Thats it, Dan

[MikeMaben]

[Dandiego]

Today was a big day. After much fussing and fiddling with the fuselage halves and all of the components I have glued the fuselage together.

 

I strove to have a clean joint on the top and I have been successful. The bottom joint did not line up quite as well, as I expected, and this will need more attention as I go forward.  

 

Here are some pics. Be advised some of these images are graphic, you have been warned.

 

 

Wooden wing supports and the installed main wheel wells.

 

 

 

Wing top laid on top of the supports.

 

 

 

So far so good. This completes the totally bonkers part of the build, now onto normal construction of remaining components and detailing of all the open compartments. Piece of pie, easy as cake.

 

Dan

Edited February 22, 2021 by Dandiego

[Panzerwomble]

Outstanding work , it completely looks the part . Your perseverance is admirable, that for me would have been a lawn dart about 4 pages ago , 

Edited February 22, 2021 by Panzerwomble