Messages

4771

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 06, 2011, 08:06:52 AM »

I have gotten a good start on my first Il 2. This is the second Accurate Miniatures model I've built (the SBD/A-24 was the first) and it is certainly engineered differently than other kits. You build this in some interesting sub-sections that don't seem to make sense at first glance, but if you follow the instructions it goes together quite nicely.

I started by painting the cockpit and fuel cell assembly and setting it aside to dry. Next is to glue the two main fuselage halves together.

The next steps are to assemble the radiator and spars to the lower wing center section. I found that the center section skin was molded rather flat and I used CA glue to fasten the spars tightly. The spars have the correct dihedral and are able to help give the center section the correct shape. The last step here is to glue the cockpit assembly to the center section assembly. Next was to assemble the engine cowling halves and the oil cooler inlet duct. This is one of the interesting designs of this kit but it does need a tiny bit of filler to fair all of the cowling parts correctly.

Just for fun I slid the upper wing panels and horizontal stabilizers into the assembled fuselage to check the fit. This, too, looks like it will fit quite well.

This is proving to be an easy and quick build so far. Not counting waiting for paint to dry I've only spent a couple of hours on it to this point.

4772

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 06, 2011, 04:21:53 AM »

Outstanding result, however I hope that your contact will tell that you should add some weathering on this model.
I am certain it would be even more attractive and eye catching  

I'm pretty certain that I'll be doing something more to the finish, samuraj. This airplane was "inherited" by the 8th Squadron after having flown in combat with the 27th Bomb Group (L). The model depicts the airplane at Charter Towers airstrip in March/April of '42, and it had been in the SWPA for around three months.

I'm working on the Ilyushin, No.1! 

4773

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 05, 2011, 11:13:21 PM »

The A-24 is essentially done and it's time to start on the next Group project, the Il-2. I'm still uncertain about the weathering on this airplane so I've decided to wait until I have good information from my 8th Attack Squadron contact.

I wasn't too happy when the silvering showed up on the wing roundel. I used the kit decal (trimmed most of the film from the edges) and it looked O.K. until I applied the flat clear. Perhaps, if we decide that the airplane needs a lot of weathering, I will be able to repair it.

Scott

4774

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 04, 2011, 07:11:55 PM »

The A-24 is finally up on the landing gear and final assembly is almost complete. I hope to have this done this weekend so I can get a start on the Shturmovik.

4775

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Zvezda MiG-21Bis 1/72 + BalkanModels

« on: March 03, 2011, 07:21:39 AM »

  

4776

Aircraft Modeling / Re: F-106 Delta Dart

« on: March 01, 2011, 07:15:49 AM »

A quick statistic on 59-0074. This airplane was assigned to the 49th FIS in September of 1968 and retired from the same unit in January of 1987. It must have felt like losing a member of the family when the F-106s left Griffis AFB after so many years of service.

4777

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 01, 2011, 07:11:27 AM »

We can start the next one on top of this one as far as I'm concerned. I confess I could have gotten the A-24 done by the end of the month if I hadn't wasted time on finding the clearcoat.......

4778

Aircraft Modeling / F-106 Delta Dart

« on: February 28, 2011, 08:41:42 PM »

Recently I was visiting with a friend at work and we spent some time talking about his time as an F-106 mechanic and crew chief. I decided to build a model of his last 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Dart, 59-0074, that was his airplane until she was flown to storage in the late eighties. She was eventually refurbished/configured as a QF-106A drone and shot down.

The decals are spot-on for Mike's bird with the exception of the serial number.

More as I get time to work on the project,
Scott

4779

Combat Warplanes / Re: Liberator engine tst

« on: February 27, 2011, 07:20:55 PM »

I spent much time researching the early Liberators before and during the time I worked on AM927. We were trying to compile all the available material so that we could someday reconfigure the airplane to (close as possible) the bomber configuration. One of the photos we came across was the one you posted here. Consolidated photographed almost all aspects of the Liberator I/LB-30/XB-24 etc. and we examined everything we could find.

That's why I always get a little excited when I see early Liberator material--even though I'll never be able to see my project through on the real airplane I still enjoy thinking about what could have been.......and the fun we had during Phase I of the reconfiguration.

Scott

4780

Combat Warplanes / Re: Liberator engine tst

« on: February 27, 2011, 06:11:09 PM »

That photo shows some of the experimental work being done with different intake configurations. The box or duct inside the nacelle appear to be a new design oil cooler or possibly an intercooler. It may be that this is the initial installation of the turbosupercharger that was part of later Liberators. This engine also has an early Curtiss Electric propeller installed.

Scott

4781

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: February 27, 2011, 05:17:10 PM »

I like the overall look of the model even though you started with a most basic kit. I got my start in this hobby by building Renwal, Pyro, and other basic models forty some years ago. It brings back some good memories to see you build a "starter" kit!

Scott

4782

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: February 27, 2011, 05:57:34 AM »

I finally found some clear flat, but I couldn't find any Gunze Sangyo in Tulsa. I ended up using Testors gloss and flat and it seems to work quite well. I was concerned a little that the clear is a lacquer that I was spraying over enamel but it worked just fine.

I'm still doing a little research with the son of an 8th Squadron gunner to see how heavily weathered the airplane should be. I have a photo of the airplane after less than a month of combat use and it still looks pretty clean.

4783

Ground Forces / Re: Inside At At

« on: February 24, 2011, 06:48:44 PM »

I'm glad I am NOT an Imperial At At mechanic! Those legs are WAY too complicated to be maintenance-free!!!!!!!!

On the other hand, I suppose that is what maintenance droids are for!

4784

Combat Warplanes / Re: Blimp see everything

« on: February 24, 2011, 05:00:28 PM »

Yes, I wonder that too. It could be just like the airplane versus observation balloon situation in the First World War, except the "sausage" is unmanned now.

4785

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Boeing Y1B-17 Project--1/48th Scale

« on: February 23, 2011, 08:29:06 PM »

My machine is a Mattel Vacuform that I found in an antique shop. It had been used very, very little and still has all the accessories and molds that came with it when it was new in the early 1960s. I bought it for less than $50 U.S., and that turned out to be a bargain as they are collectors items now. The big drawback with the Mattel is that the sheets are only 3x4 inches so you can only form relatively small parts such as canopies.