Echelon Hawker Hunter

[geedubelyer]

19 minutes ago, mozart said:

........I think every modeller half inclined should have a stab at a vac kit and they’ll probably find out that with thought and patience vacuform doesn’t hold too many

terrors.....

 

Hi. My name's Guy and I'm a model kit assembler.

 

Max, I admire what guys like you, Tom and others do with vac-form kits but I'm content to watch from the sidelines.

 

You keep up the good work. This will be another gem when you're done. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by geedubelyer

[mozart]

 Guy……and of course we all know that “assembling” a kit is so much more than that. It always involves a lot of skill, thought, patience and God knows what else, especially when you take into consideration the painting and weathering, or not, stage. I guess it’s just that those of us who want a particular aeroplane model ( I really must get back to my Fairchild Cornell and Avro Anson) or are masochists…..probably a measure of each, have little alternative than vac. 

[mozart]

Stage 1 of the starboard side nearing completion, there’s another triangular shaped vent to do below the wing:

 

 

These will need an internal surface to be added, and the 4 and 8 slotted panels will be dropped in place then lightly sanded. 

[mozart]

 

Work in progress!

 

 

 

[Derek B]

I like it Max!   

 

Derek

[MikeMaben]

Hi Max, when you cut those slotted vents, did you have to push the openings thru or were

the openings cut on both sides ? Looks like a good idea.

[mozart]

They cut through Mike, especially the 8 slot ones which I drew in a different way to the 4 slots. I may go back and redo the latter.

[quang]

That Cameo apparatus works wonder! Most of all when you find new use for it 

[mozart]

1 hour ago, quang said:

That Cameo apparatus works wonder! Most of all when you find new use for it 

The idea kind of evolved Quang! My initial intention was to cut a vinyl mask/template to stick on temporarily so that I could scribe the panels but then I decided to use 0.25 plasticard because it was thicker. I added the slots (an old man’s whim! ) but when they cut so well decided to use them as panels. Serendipity happens! 

Edited August 14, 2023 by mozart

[quang]

8 minutes ago, mozart said:

Serendipity happens! 

This is why this hobby is so much more than sticking plastic… although some of us have the secret pleasure of letting the unsuspecting world believe that it’s otherwise 

[mozart]

More internals! Jet pipe bits, little of which will be visible but what the heck:

 

 

[mozart]

The 4 triangular “scoops” on the fuselage need “liners”, so I carved a piece of resin to roughly the shape needed, then used my favourite modelling medium (lead foil…..so adaptable) to form around it:

 

 

Within minutes all were done a glued in place:

 

 

Inside, outside:

 

 

I’m about ready for closing the fuselage up once the cockpit parts are in place, think I’ll be doing this in at least two stages for accuracy’s sake.

[Archimedes]

Really nice work Max!

 

Kind regards,

Paul

[Derek B]

Nice solution Max! 

 

Derek

[mozart]

The final (I hope, but there's bound to be tweaking downstream!) stage of building before closing the fuselage is doing what Frank Brown calls the "boundary intakes", essentially the main intakes for the engine.  Getting this right is critical because it could affect the wing location , angles, dihedral etc etc.

 

So, six (two are hidden top and bottom reverse side of the largest piece) little pieces of 20 thou plastic:

 

 

which when glued in place look like this:

 

 

The intake ducting fits in one side thus:

 

 

and then with a trial fit:

 

 

All's looking rosy so far....watch this space!