LetLetLet ~ Warplanes

Let Let Let - Warplanes => Aircraft Modeling => Topic started by: Second Air Force on January 01, 2017, 04:22:33 AM

Title: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on January 01, 2017, 04:22:33 AM
Here is the final start of the old year from my desk, the Special Hobby Firefly Mk.1. Not a bad kit so far, nice detail and the fit is not bad at all!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF108/IMG_4135_zpsej3kd8eh.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF108/IMG_4135_zpsej3kd8eh.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF109/IMG_4136_zpsabfthivn.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF109/IMG_4136_zpsabfthivn.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF109/IMG_4137_zpsxry7siev.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF109/IMG_4137_zpsxry7siev.jpg.html)

Happy New Year to all!
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: No.1 on January 01, 2017, 07:29:50 AM
Good, go ahead :))
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: draken35 on January 01, 2017, 09:43:46 AM
Great! :-ok
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: modellius on January 01, 2017, 03:41:13 PM
excellent; looking forward to see it done !
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on January 03, 2017, 03:10:52 PM
Here is a bit of progress from the last few days. Everything you see here is directly from the kit box with only seatbelts added.

Several trial fittings of the two cockpit tubs were attempted before assembling and revealed that the only trimming needed was to narrow the floor of the aft cockpit just a little to allow a tight joint of the fuselage halves. There are five parts that must be glued to one half of the fuselage before gluing together--the radiator outlet bath, exhaust, forward cockpit, aft cockpit and tailwheel well. Don't forget to add the exhaust to the other half (I know this from experience.....and you can't reach it after gluing!).
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF110/IMG_4138_zpsovdjfagj.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF110/IMG_4138_zpsovdjfagj.jpg.html)
I must comment on the exhaust assemblies--these are resin parts and are quite wonderful! You'll notice too that I painted the area around each exhaust to make masking a little easier later.

After filling and smoothing the seams on the fuselage halves it was time to install the wing. I followed a different method here since trial fitting indicated that the upper wings would need some extra work to fit properly. So, the excellent wheel well resin part was glued firmly into the lower wing and allowed to cure. Next the lower wing was glued carefully onto the fuselage making absolutely certain to keep the centerline of wing and fuselage correctly aligned. After the glue was dry each upper wing half was fitted and some sanding needed on the wing-to-wing root joint. When this was satisfactory each upper half was glued in place and the next step will be some filling and sanding, mostly around the wing root.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF110/IMG_4139_zpstkn7rfxy.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF110/IMG_4139_zpstkn7rfxy.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: No.1 on January 03, 2017, 03:26:44 PM
It is very good detailed, result will be great!!
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on January 03, 2017, 03:42:02 PM
Yes, the surface detail is nice--fine and not too deep. The inside of the cockpits are also nicely done and would really be excellent with addition of a PE set. I'm very happy with the appearance of this one, even straight from the box!
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: draken35 on January 03, 2017, 06:48:23 PM
Excellent work my friend and nice progress!
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on January 04, 2017, 01:25:10 AM
Thank you!

First primer, then a little more touching-up:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF111/IMG_4142_zps8augxaac.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF111/IMG_4142_zps8augxaac.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: modellius on January 05, 2017, 12:11:42 PM
Looking excellent !
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on January 06, 2017, 04:13:41 PM
Really not much left to do on the airframe, it became time to attach the clear parts. The aircraft I'm building has the early style windscreen (both early and later are provided in the kit) so my new Barracuda vacuform set doesn't help me in that area. So, I vacuformed my own new pilot's canopy and then carefully cut the windscreen from the kit part and attached it. One thing to note if you build one of these is that the fuselage opening is designed for the later type part and requires some shimming and extra fitting to use the early screen. Sorry to say I didn't take any photos of that process.... Next was to mask and apply the navigator's transparency and spray some interior green. While I was at it I sprayed the opening transparencies in their final scheme:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF112/IMG_4143_zpshjzcho6b.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF112/IMG_4143_zpshjzcho6b.jpg.html)

Then filler and a little more paint to test:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF112/IMG_4144_zpsfypfxdsf.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF112/IMG_4144_zpsfypfxdsf.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF113/IMG_4145_zpsrvw51vom.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF113/IMG_4145_zpsrvw51vom.jpg.html)

Next will be a little more filler and some primer, then begins camo painting.
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: No.1 on January 06, 2017, 05:47:27 PM
Smart man do frames first... :-ok
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: draken35 on January 06, 2017, 06:31:32 PM
:-ok
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on March 06, 2017, 01:20:27 AM
Well, two months have passed and only today did I finally complete the camouflage on this Firefly. Feels good to finally get back to the model table!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF118/IMG_4205_zpsitiv19tn.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF118/IMG_4205_zpsitiv19tn.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: No.1 on March 06, 2017, 05:07:17 AM
Welcome mate :-ok
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: draken35 on March 06, 2017, 05:36:18 PM
Very nice!
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: modellius on March 08, 2017, 06:14:35 PM
Looks great ! Nice job mate !
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: Second Air Force on May 03, 2017, 12:25:27 AM
I'll wager you all thought I had given up building models. This certainly took a lot longer to get photos of than it should have, but here it is nonetheless........
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4281_zpscwmpfcib.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4281_zpscwmpfcib.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4278_zpsshgzrq0w.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4278_zpsshgzrq0w.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4282_zps7slfpnyh.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4282_zps7slfpnyh.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4279_zpsoeevveht.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4279_zpsoeevveht.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4284_zpsqjubedde.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4284_zpsqjubedde.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF120/IMG_4280_zpsvjoidxmy.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF120/IMG_4280_zpsvjoidxmy.jpg.html)

I've decided to mark this one as the first production Firefly Mk.1. The airplane was assigned to H.M.S. Indefatigable and flew during Operation Mascot, one of the attacks on the Tirpitz. Everything here is from the Special Hobby kit with the exception of my own vacuformed pilot's canopy and SAC landing gear struts.
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: draken35 on May 03, 2017, 06:07:18 PM
:-ok
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: No.1 on May 03, 2017, 06:31:55 PM
Great  :-clap :-clap :-clap
Title: Re: 1/48 Fairey Firefly
Post by: modellius on May 08, 2017, 09:40:12 AM
Great !