Messages

4786

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

« on: January 11, 2011, 07:20:59 AM »

You said the word "faster" regarding my model building, No.1! I enjoyed that as I am one of the slowest modelers I know......

Here's the first vacuformed test-shot roughly fitted to the fuselage. I did the test piece in yellow so I could mark on it for fine tuning. It is pretty close to the correct shape as-is but needs a little shaping. Once I'm fully satisfied with the master it'll be short work to produce the four blisters.

Scott

4787

Combat Warplanes / Re: Douglas A2D Skyshark

« on: January 10, 2011, 06:34:20 PM »

Now I must ask y'all a question--has anyone on the forum any leads to a Dynavector Skyshark kit? I might be able to acquire another Microscale A2D but I'd at least like to entertain the idea of the better kit.

Thanks in advance,
Scott

4788

Combat Warplanes / Re: Douglas A2D Skyshark

« on: January 10, 2011, 05:12:03 PM »

I've always found this to be one of those airplanes I just can't get enough of looking at. It is like a Wyvern, Gannet, or the Barracuda--it grows on you the more you study it!

I was going to refurbish my old Microscale model but now I think I will try to find a Dynavector kit or perhaps another Microscale to do a new-build project. As I look at my old effort I've decided I'll keep it intact so I can remember building it the first time thirty years ago.

The only survivor, BuNo 125485, (never flown) is being restored to static display standard by Pacific Fighters in Idaho.

Great photos, No.1!
Scott

4789

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

« on: January 10, 2011, 04:32:24 AM »

I fine-tuned the gun blister master and I think it's just about ready for me to vacuform a test transparency. It looks like I'll be molding two transparencies per blister so that I can properly model the moving portion. The radio room blister is actually quite different as the shape of the fuselage it fastens to is different, but I can still use the same master to vacuform this part also. It'll just require more trimming to fit the turtledeck.

Scott

4790

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Convair XF-92A

« on: January 10, 2011, 04:25:42 AM »

Now that I've unpacked my Microscale Skyshark and looked at it again I might leave it as I originally built it. Perhaps I will be able to find a Dynavector kit so that I can build another one.

Scott

4791

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Convair XF-92A

« on: January 09, 2011, 07:24:30 PM »

I was going through the older threads and just saw this! I have the Microscale Douglas Skyshark that I built many years ago. I just recently dusted it off from its storage resting place and shook my head at what a poor job I did of building it. It, too has about five or six pieces total but the outline is very accurate. No panel lines just like your XF-92 find.

I believe I'm going to rejuvenate my model by using a Skyraider kit for landing gear and other parts. I've already attempted it once so it isn't a true collectible anymore!

Great find, Nico!
Scott

4792

Warplane Art / Re: Boeing YB17

« on: January 08, 2011, 09:24:54 PM »

Looking good!

One little addition--don't forget to add the tailwheel. Here are three in-flight photos from 1937 when the 2nd Bombardment Group had just gotten their new ships:

Scott

4793

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

« on: January 06, 2011, 08:07:23 AM »

Here are the elevators in the progress of being built up. I wasn't satisfied with the trim tabs after I cut them from the elevators so I made new ones from .010 sheet and styrene tubing.

This photo is a rough idea of the final product. Every YB-17 photo I have shows the tabs drooped at different angles so the model will have them this way also:

And a photo from the Amarillo AAF B-17 mechanic school that shows the empennage of the real machine with the drooped elevators and tabs:

Scott

4794

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

« on: January 04, 2011, 07:07:40 PM »

It was time for a change of pace so a bit of thought was given to the landing gear. The YBs had a small door that covered the lock link/drag brace assembly. It was eliminated with the B-17B and onward, as was the fairing on the lower part of the gear leg. I'd originally thought the opening in the nacelles was the same as the later Fortresses, but when I studied photos I found that the YB opening is quite different. Here is a good shot of the real thing:

Here are the two wings side-by-side, with the modification already done to the nacelle on your right and the marking made on the other one:

And here is the strut door installed with a tire temporarily placed in the gear well for the demonstration:

Scott

4795

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Spad VII (Roden 1/32)

« on: January 03, 2011, 05:28:54 PM »

I agree.... I'm using parts of a Verlinden PE kit on my B-17. The Verlinden bomb bay doors are quite nice but getting even the gentle curve in them that is required is pretty difficult. Your lower panel would have been ten-times as hard to shape!

Great project and thread!
Scott

4796

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

« on: January 03, 2011, 04:40:22 PM »

First the progress on the rudder assembly. The initial step to building the rudder is to reshape it. The YB had a smaller, more tapered, rudder than the B, C or D. This photo shows the initial marking of the area to be trimmed at the top and the marked outline of the YB trim tabs:

I taped the two fuselage halves together while trimming the rudder trailing edge so as to keep the two halves true to one another. After I was satisfied with the overall shape I scribed the rudder free from the vertical fin halves. Next was to carefully file the trailing edges from the inside in order to get a scale thickness. This process is something that the novice vacuform modeler will find somewhat aggravating as vacuform parts are usually thicker at the trailing edge than normal kits. When I was satisfied with the trailing edge I measured and trimmed the tabs from the rudder halves. Filler has been applied to the unused tab outline:

Here are the halves of the rudder with the grey hinge spar made from a sprue tree. The tab spar is from a piece of plastic tubing:

Next is to drill holes into the false spar in the rudder and install corresponding pins into each tab. I make these pins from .020" safety wire. This way I can remove the tabs during the painting process. This is the initlial test-fit to the fuselage, with much more yet to be done:

Scott

4797

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

« on: January 03, 2011, 07:22:44 AM »

I agree with you, I like (I try to) make some parts myself, although I am just on the beginning.

That's the idea! I've always enjoyed the scratchbuilding part of modeling, especially when I can find a part in the spares box that I can adapt to serve another purpose. A bit of time spent hand-making a part that doesn't quite turn out as I'd like it is still time well spent (most of the time, anyway) and makes building the next piece a little easier just from the knowledge gained.

Here's a little flight control update.

Removing/repositioning the rudder and elevators was a given as most photos of the early Forts show the elevators in the nose-down orientation and the rudder is often off to one side or the other. In addition the trim tabs are also offset in all of my photos.

More later,
Scott

4798

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Spad VII (Roden 1/32)

« on: January 03, 2011, 12:08:21 AM »

OK. I've tried. But nerviously, it was too much for me...

Feel better now... 
I will use the kit's part, without any regret: I've verified keeping the PE and the kit's part at eyes level, you see exactly the same.

I've been in that situation before with photoetched material! Compound curves are hard to deal with, especially with the louvers on your cowling.

Scott

4799

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

« on: January 01, 2011, 05:20:32 PM »

Letipapa, the truth is that I am too cheap to use much in the way of "off the shelf" photoetched parts . In this case there aren't any PE parts for the doors, but I'd scratchbuild them anyway. I have always figured that my modeling time is free and buying parts costs money! It is rather relaxing to build these little sub-projects--I turn on some music or the TV and just start whittling.

Happy New Year, everyone!
Scott

4800

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: January 01, 2011, 05:05:49 PM »

Coastal Command was a part of the RAF and completely separate from the Fleet Air Arm. Air Marshall Harris wanted the large bomber aircraft for Bomber Command and "borrowed" many aircraft and crews during the early part of the war. Coastal Command tended to get less capable equipment until early '43, when leadership finally realized that the Command was very effective in the U-Boat campaign.

Scott