KiwiZac Posted July 24, 2022 Share Posted July 24, 2022 (edited) On 7/19/2022 at 7:29 AM, airscale said: I had a fantastic day on Sunday, having spent the morning crawling all over The Fighter Collection's P40C G-CIIO. The team were really helpful, taking the covers off, opening the cockpit and even dropping the flaps! I took 300 pictures of every inch of the airframe and cleared up many mysteries in realtion to what a drawing says and what real life looks like.. I'm so very happy you had that opportunity, Peter! How wonderful! On 7/19/2022 at 7:36 AM, JayW said: Awesome work Peter. Nobody will have a P-40 like this . Not even close. Over on Wings Over New Zealand we have someone doing a David Glen-style 1/6 P-40N! Edited July 24, 2022 by KiwiZac airscale and KUROK 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted July 25, 2022 Author Share Posted July 25, 2022 Hi folks On 7/19/2022 at 3:34 PM, KUROK said: Sweet! Yes, I'd like a copy of your Duxford photos for reference if possible. One comment: The landing gear fairing on the inboard side, there is no hard edge as it comes to the wheel well. It tapers all the way down to the wing by the time it gets to the wheel well hole. thanks Kurok, will PM you & have started to make adjustmenst to the fairings On 7/24/2022 at 3:26 AM, KiwiZac said: I'm so very happy you had that opportunity, Peter! How wonderful! Over on Wings Over New Zealand we have someone doing a David Glen-style 1/6 P-40N! Wow KiwiZac, that is some build - I know many of those drawings and parts now, but the idea of basically making every part individually and then assembling the airframe from them is mind blowing! I used a slitting disc to cut free the ailerons - they have a rounded nose and the cutout in the wing is much shorter at the topside vs the bottom. Once cut away a false triling edge was added from cut down brass 'L' stock and the fairing shape carefully rolled from ali - then the hinge & other cutouts added.. ..then the first skin panel was prepared - drawing first, then that is stuck onto litho, any holes for access panels done first, then the edges scored & cut and an awl used to add each rivet.. ..the rear row of rivets are raised, so these are embossed from the backside.. ..the panel is added with contact adhesive both sides, and a tape rubbing used to determine the outline of the access panel.. ..both wings are done simultaneously with about 20 mins work on each panel then rotate to the other until both are complete - avoids fatigue & boredom - I hate repeating a lengthy task having completed it.. ..decided to do the panel above the last one as one long continuous panel (it is two) and added cutouts for gun ejection chute hatches, lending light (one side) and an inspection panel.. ..the landing light was dremelled out and a recess created for some glazing (still with protective wrap).. ..the landing light itself was made from a bit of an old pen, some bobbins, a dome from ali shaped over a ball, and the PE cover plate.. ..the ammo chute panels look like this on the real bird.. ..so these were made up using PE panels etc.. ..same deal, both panels worked on at the same time, so once complete, these were laid down.. ..and the other side.. ..and this is where its at on both wings... ..still about 20,000 rivets to go... probably do topside & leading edge so I can get to the U/C fairings and stop short of the wing/fuselage join. I tried to do the fillet shaping, but it's impossible before the wings are on the fuselage, and for that to happen the cockpit needs to be closed up.. will plod on with skinning the wings and see how the phasing goes... might be a bit dry in terms of variety for a bit TTFN Peter brahman104, scvrobeson, LSP_Kevin and 31 others 34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themongoose Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 The precision of the landing light install is insane. Really exemplary work across the board! airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockie Yarwood Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Brilliant work, Peter! airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaxos345 Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 What a beauty!!!!!!!! John airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brahman104 Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Lovely work Peter! The raised rivets look really neat . I certainly wouldn't call updates showing the skinning process "dry" at all! Always a pleasure to watch the progress. Craig airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 I read every update and devour every picture, and yet I still have no clue how you're doing any of this. Staggering brilliance. Kev Derek B, KiwiZac and airscale 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayW Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 (edited) Another fine skinning effort Peter. Am so thankful you have taken me in under your wing so to speak, helping me with that skill. And the ammo chutes - magical. Shrink ray! Oh, and the landing light - just gotta shake my head. It looks real. Edited July 31, 2022 by JayW airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiZac Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 I have no words. airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha As Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Great job!!! airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted August 2, 2022 Author Share Posted August 2, 2022 (edited) thanks chaps - very kind still adding skins to the wings, so here is where it's at.. along the spar on the upper wing is this long pair of panels which includes two access doors to the guns.. this is then added with a tape hinge & contact cement.. the panel above the aileron has already been added with a cutout for the inspection hatch.. ..hatch added with scored ali tube for a hinge.. ..tape used to derive the shape of the leading edge panel - a pencil is used with tape to determine the rivet lines and once this is removed represents the real world shape that is needed to skin this area.. ..the tape is carefully removed and used to create the wraparound panels.. ..that panel is then added to both wings.. ..more panels & hatches added to the top wings.. ..same for the bottoms, the panel around the U/C fairing is the precursor to the compound panels that will cover it, plus the ammo doors have been added.. ..its getting close to the point where the wings are added to be able to skin the U/C areas so I may move onto fuselage skins at the tail & nose while they are seperate parts as they are easier to handle - the upshot is I want to get as much skin on as I can without putting it in danger areas for filling / sanding etc until next time TTFN Peter Edited August 2, 2022 by airscale chukw, Landrotten Highlander, allthumbs and 31 others 34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldbaldguy Posted August 2, 2022 Share Posted August 2, 2022 Not even going to bother with telling you how mind expanding all this is because you’ve heard it countless times. However, I have a couple of questions: How close are the tape you make patterns with and the metal in thickness? Pretty close? Not close at all? If one is noticeably thinner than the other, do you have to make allowances or is that irrelevant? And, sorry to ask you to repeat yourself, but what exactly is the material you are using and how do we mortals get our hands on some? airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Staggeringly skilful Peter. Hat’s off... She’ coming together beautifully. Torben airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Absurdly talented! IainM and airscale 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggTim Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 I ran out of good stuff to say about your work a long time ago. So I'll say you are an A$$hole for being so much better than I am!!! I damn thee!! TAG, rigor, IainM and 1 other 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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