Stokey Pete Posted December 31, 2022 Author Share Posted December 31, 2022 This is where I’m up to currently. The rear fuselage halves are ready to cement together. The nose and joint on the F-15 kits is notorious for leaving a huge gap to fill around the canopy mechanics area, so I did a little creative thinking to come up with a unique solution. Brace yourselves. I started out by cementing the canopy part to the lower fuselage half, lining the part up to ensure there’s no step at the joint. I hacked out the flat area on the upper fuselage, that this part would fix too. Allowing the upper fuselage half to ‘slide’ into position. Slide the two butchered parts together and we have the resulting article from the first photo. The labour above, gave me this join. Neater than a neat thing. A drastic solution to a minor, yet annoying problem that plagued all my previous Eagle builds. johncrow, MikeMaben, red Dog and 12 others 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greif8 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Clever and well executed solution Pete, it looks really good. Ernest Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokey Pete Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Fully committed now. 2 halves have been cemented together. Why haven’t I discovered the joy of using extra thin, quick dry cements before? Now I’m into the ‘office’, getting the ejection seats and aircrew painted up. Greif8, Landrotten Highlander, Rockie Yarwood and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzas Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Looking good! Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg W Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 For sure, looking real good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greif8 Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Continued excellent work Pete! I'm sure the cockpit will be a feast for the eyes. Ernest Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 (edited) 23 hours ago, Stokey Pete said: Why haven’t I discovered the joy of using extra thin, quick dry cements before? Funny thing i discovered quick dry by accident, a LHS was closing, was priced to grab, so i grabbed 2 bottles. I had never seen it before and i really love it Edited January 2, 2023 by Neo Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokey Pete Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Onto the next issue with these kits. the fit of the intakes. Left alone, I had this large gap where the intake meets the fuselage. So I took the sanding sticks out and took some material away from the marked areas. The result……much more pleasing to the eye. The intakes won’t be installed until after I’ve done the paintwork around the nose/cockpit areas that would be hard to reach if they were attached. Alain Gadbois, themongoose, Gazzas and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greif8 Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 NIce (and for once easy!) modification that makes a huge difference Pete. Looking good man! Ernest Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokey Pete Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 Another of those troublesome tasks that nobody likes….. canopy seam removal time. Before and after. and after All done with a set of cheap sanding/polishing sticks, and some Novus plastic polish system. denders, themongoose, chrish and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Dog Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Stokey Pete said: Another of those troublesome tasks that nobody likes….. indeed Nobody like that, and you came out great !! Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alain Gadbois Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 On 1/2/2023 at 4:30 PM, Stokey Pete said: Onto the next issue with these kits. the fit of the intakes. Left alone, I had this large gap where the intake meets the fuselage. So I took the sanding sticks out and took some material away from the marked areas. The result……much more pleasing to the eye. The intakes won’t be installed until after I’ve done the paintwork around the nose/cockpit areas that would be hard to reach if they were attached. Just a bit of careful sanding and ajusting can really improve the fit and avoid filler! Alain Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greif8 Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Excellent work removing the canopy seam and repolishing it to a scratch-free shine Pete! Ernest Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzas Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Very nice improvements! Stokey Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokey Pete Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 Gave myself a little challenge, in the shape of some new exhausts. I want this one to be ‘cruising’ and this, needed closed exhaust petals. Reskit do a wonderful set to accommodate me. But boy is there a whole lotta little fiddly bits, and a bunch of very careful cutting to be done. Check those flame holders…. Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I also started cementing bits together for the Lakenheath ‘C’ that I’ll be doing at the conclusion of this one. A bit of side work to do while cement/paint dries on the GB bird. It’s odd how the fit is slightly better with the cross kitting, than it is if you built just the one. Greg W, Rockie Yarwood, Zola25 and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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