Hawker Demon.....finished!

[williamj]

   Lovely work.   I want one now.

[Kagemusha]

Hi Max, I hope you're sitting down, maybe with a nice glass of something relaxing? The pattern on the top wing is different, from the build thread on Britmodeller

 

 

I feel terrible, think I need a glass of something.

[Alain Gadbois]

58 minutes ago, Kagemusha said:

Hi Max, I hope you're sitting down, maybe with a nice glass of something relaxing? The pattern on the top wing is different, from the build thread on Britmodeller

 

 

I feel terrible, think I need a glass of something.

The photo on page 4, shows well the 5 triangles on top.

It’s a bit too blurry to discern the exact  position of the markings, but more photos may exist and help, plus that thread also.

After fixing the markings on the fuselage sides and the top wing with brio, I don’t doubt a second that Max can fix this!

Better to know now than when the wing is glued in place!

Max, making mistakes is just human, but fixing them as well as you do, ,when it could discourage many, is the truly admirable part!

 

Alain

[mozart]

Oh dear, and there was I talking about crass stupidity only seconds ago! 

As an experienced aviation researcher I should have remembered the golden rule of always checking your primary sources:

 

 

It's no big deal and is easily fixed, I think the larger, fewer triangles will actually be easier to do, and it gives me an excuse to spray that beautiful eau de nil colour which goes down so well!  Thanks Andy (I think!) and Alain.  Watch this space. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by mozart

[MikeC]

On 5/21/2023 at 2:49 PM, europapete said:

Another thought.....if one were to give the Shuttleworth Trust a reasonably good "donation", would they thank you with a back seat ride on the next test flight?

 

On 5/21/2023 at 4:46 PM, mozart said:

Sadly not Pete, they are not allowed to carry passengers I am told, doubtless insurance costs would skyrocket!  

 

On 5/22/2023 at 6:55 AM, MikeMaben said:

                Just sign a waiver Max ... problem solved 

 

On 5/22/2023 at 7:38 AM, mozart said:

I’d do it in the blink of an eye Mike! 

I might mention there's a queue (pointing behind me)

 

Coming along nicely Max, nice to see how you're dealing with setbacks and new information.

 

[mozart]

Cheers Mike, all grist to the modeller’s mill my friend as I’m sure you know. 

[mozart]

Hopefully....the correct wing pattern!  Although the design is simple, all straight lines, no awkward curvy bits etc., it's actually the devil to mask and get lined up perfectly*  The assembled wing is surprisingly long!

 

* It isn't perfect but it's close enough for my standards! 

 

There are a number of small jobs to be done on the fuselage and underside before I put the top wing on including the long exhaust pipes, but I have started looking at the struts, which are not straightforward especially given Silver Wings' lack of part numbers or any semblance of "what goes where".

 

 

The under-tailplane struts are easy; one longer, one shorter.  The others though appear to be handed, based on the aerofoil section and the shape of the strut top and bottom.  So it took a while to sort out what I think is the intended arrangement, though time will tell.  The copper wire running through the resin will be cut shorter but keeping some gives a good attachment point...most of them will move within the resin "sheath" so it's easy enough to cut one end at installation.  

 

SO hopefully by the weekend the top wing will be on and rigging can be started.

[Derek B]

Scary bit coming up! Good luck Max.

Derek

[Kagemusha]

Looks great Max.

[mozart]

I've been working on the long exhausts that run down the side of the Demon, trying to get this look:

 

 

I had already primed them in black, then laid down a chrome base coat using the marker pen.  The sequence is shown below in an attempt to get the "hot, burnt, blued" effect.

 

 

Could be a bit darker in places maybe.  I've fitted the front exhaust cover on the port side having drilled out the ends  and inserted a piece of wire so that I can adjust the alignment when it comes to installing the pipes.  
 

 

My next decision is how to fix the pipes in place, SW provide some PE to simulate the thin metal supports shown here:

 

 

but I'm not convinced this is the best way to go.  Either metal or plastic strip I think, time to play and see what works!

Edited June 1, 2023 by mozart

[thierry laurent]

Hi Max.

 

This model is really going to be exquisite!

Personally, with regard to the muffler fixtures, I would use thin metal rods. I cannot see precisely if they are somewhat flat but in that case a hammer will quickly solve that if you use copper wire. Photoetched strips are only relevant if their thickness ensures a sufficient rigidity but this is far from being often the case. The only company I know that had the good idea to give different frets with different thicknesses in a kit was Verlinden. It is a pity others did not learn that lesson!

 

Thierry 

[mozart]

That’s pretty much the conclusion I came to Thierry, I have some thin metal rod which fits the holes I’ve drilled in the fuselage sides, then I can flatten the “wrap around” sections hopefully. 

[MikeMaben]

Wow ! , nice Max .

[LSP_Kevin]

Lovely work, Max! She's looking very nice indeed.

 

Kev

[mozart]

Time to bite the bullet with installing struts, so as usual with my biplanes I started with the cabane struts. To get everything as square as possible I measured the fixing points on the underside of the top wing centre section, transferred the measurements (57mm and 29mm) to a piece of card and made holes at those points.

 

The longer forward struts locate near the gun trough, it was simple to drill a good strong locating hole for the wire insert to fit into. The shorter rear struts were difficult-near impossible to drill similar holes. So I started with the stronger front struts using 5 minute Devcon epoxy to give me plenty of adjustment time. When firmly set, I added the rear struts:

 

 

and it seems to have turned out reasonably well:

 

 

 

I can see from this picture that I’m heading for trouble with the fit of the exhausts!