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I have rarely seen a work brought to perfection like that. :(

I'm admiring in the face of finesse and precision of your build.

It is a great time of modelling.

Hats off, sir.

:P

Edited by FrereLeO
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Tim. So there I was thinking that you were going to the States just to see a Crusader. Now that would have been extreme. :angry:

Thank you Phillippe. I have still to get there yet. :bandhead2:

Having removed/not used kit reference fixings for the MGLs to detail gear bays, needed to reform these. Turned out to be quite simple when a little thought was applied! Setting up the aircraft inverted, ensuring the wings were parallel to the board (measured at common points), I set the angle for legs from the front on the board. A card template attached to wing, for the canted forward angle measured relative to cable ducting, was used to align the leg from the side (black lines drawn down centre of leg). Leg ‘set’ in mount with 5 min epoxy using a light smear of grease to leg. I left to harden overnight before removing legs.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/112a.jpg

Initial ideas to remake the scissors links proved to be unfruitful, finally came up with this idea sending myself to sleep at night! Lot of time, but not a lot to show for it.

#1 New scissor links formed from: [a] 0.75mm card, filed out for leg hinge after link built, 0.25mm card, shaped using Waldron punch set, [c] lateral strips to create lightening depressions; 18 pieces to form a complete unit.

#2 ‘Walking joint’ hydraulic pipe from thin steel wire (bendable with tweezers; Cu too soft) and plastic rod; carries Bowden cable still to be fitted.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/111a.jpg

It is time consuming and a bit tedious, but the results are the consolation. Beside, I cannot face ‘x’ hundred more panel screws on each of the wings, just yet.

BFN

John

Edited by John Wolstenholme
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Great work John.

Your scissor link reminds me of the time I scratched a 1/35 scissor mount

for an IDF M48A3 I built years ago.

Parts, parts, and more parts!

I like the idea of lubricating the attachment point of the LG.

What will you use to wash it out when it is time to attach the leg permanently?

Dishwashing soap?

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

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Well my flabber was pretty gasted by the sight of a Lightning in a private garden, but seemingly this must be common place!

While still fresh in my mind I thought I would complete fuselage scribing etc. It was fortuitous that the fit of the F/Path PE ventral fins was so poor. Unaware of the ‘missing’ detail, I would have otherwise fitted these a long time ago and it would then have been a real pain to add.

#1 The panels indicated by the red dots and the semi-circular panel lines to the ventral pack are all that are on the kit. There is a significant amount of missing detail.

#2 To correct the poor fit of the F/Path PE ventral fins, thick card strips were attached, sanded to correct profile and shape for attachment to rear tank.

[a] shows full depth required at the rear shows degree of cross chamfer required for fit at rear.

110a.jpg

So it’s back to the legs.

BFN

John

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What will you use to wash it out when it is time to attach the leg permanently?

Dishwashing soap?

Hi Mark. Washing with soapy water in the finished/painted gear bay is not an option. The first thing to stress is that you are talking about a thin film of grease (restricted application) that you cannot see, so a ‘wash’ is not required. I use pieces of kitchen paper/tweezers wetted with solvent, 2-3x, to degrease. Second, you need a non polar solvent (DO NOT USE aromatic solvents such as XYLENE, BENZENE etc) to degrease. Alcohols (ethyl alcohol etc) are polar solvents. White Spirits is a non polar hydrocarbon, but can be a bit ‘greasy’ itself.

I use a solvent called Petroleum Ether (bp 100-120), but you need to have contact with someone that works in a lab environment. I think (do not know for fact) a similar thing can be obtained from suppliers to car body repairers. In the UK there is a product called Body Wipe which they describe as petroleum distillates. Tried this on some clear styrene and there is a slight fogging, as there is with Petroleum Ether. My sense of smell is non existent, so I cannot use this to check for presence of aromatics. Anybody?

As always try it on scrap plastic/paint before you commit!

Cheers

John

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  • 5 weeks later...

Thanks GL and Marcel, always glad to know there is someone out there. Must give a big thanks to Jim Featherby (LPG) for clearing up some outstanding questions. No the questions weren't outstanding, but the answers were.

Progress is getting even slower as there are a few life issues going on. However, there are a couple of updates which I prepared earlier.

First. Finally got my butt in gear for the x hundred (where x > 7) panel screws to complete stbd wing. A riveting tool just ain’t going to work for this. All of the leading edge is secured with panel screws, with some double rows. Joy of joys, got to do it all again on port wing (Tim, you know where I’m at!).

A little problem which has bugged me for many months is the ‘lens’ for the wing tip nav lights. There is little chance of shaping clear sprue to accurately fit such small curved shapes. I used the following method after having done a proof of concept trial on scrap material.

After filing out notches, using Maskol as a release agent and protecting surrounding area with masking tape, formed lens shape with Milliput. Initially shaped with brush/water then sanding (W&D) until faint demarcation line appeared. Due to use of water for shaping Maskol seemed a good idea, but frustratingly the milliput ‘plugs’ [A] did not come away without coercion i.e. hot water thermal shock and use of a razor blade; probably because there is nothing to get hold of! Cast silicone rubber mould for making lenses [C] in epoxy resin (type used for GRP) which is nearly clear; to be painted with translucent paints.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/113a.jpg

CU

John

Edited by John Wolstenholme
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Thanks Mark, Anthony and Chuck. Your comments and continuing support are appreciated.

I’m the urban spaceman, baby, here comes the twist,

I don’t exist.

You may recall the variations in the markings considered for this model. I particularly wanted to do the black spine/fin aircraft XS903, but it never flew with owts in RAF service. The solution/compromise which finally came to me was to do a combined real deal and a ‘whifer’ - hence my previously mentioning a twist in the tale. The problem was then to devise a means of attaching the tanks so they looked as if there were fixed, but be able to remove them with minimum signs when done so. To get the best dry fit of the tank pylon with the wing surface, I drilled through the lower surface and used plastic rod to ‘adjust’ the top surface; it also removes the springiness of the top surface.

#1 The ‘stepped pegs’ to the tank pylon provides a no-movement fit of the wider rod in the top surface and the narrower rod fitting into tubing glued to the bottom inside surface, after drilling through the corrugated reinforcement sections in the wings. Not totally straightforward when the holes fall on the angle.

#2 ‘Panel plugs’ were formed in a similar fashion to fill the voids when the tanks are removed #3. The narrower rod reaches the bottom with the larger rod finished in-situ to be flush with the top surface.

#4 Leading edge fixing exhibits numero panel screws.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/114a.jpg

CU as&when

John

Edited by John Wolstenholme
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Amazing, simply amazing! There are loads of advice in this WIP, I think we all can learn a great deal for future builds here. I know at least I have taken a few of the advice into practise, trying to rescribe a Heller 1/72 scale Viggen. Thanks for the scribing article, John, it really is useful!

Keep up the great work, this one will be a winner, I'm sure!

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Well John,

what can I say after the words the guys told...congratulations. :thumbsup:

I am waiting the end of your build until that moment I am picking up the informations you gave in this thread.

One of my favourite plane is the EE Lightning,I've got some on my shelf:a Matchbox F2A/F6,a Revell F6 and a Trumpeter F1A/F2 un-built and an early Frog/Revell F6 one which was built and backdated to an F2,all panel lines rescribed+riveted+scratchbuilt cockpit I was happy how it turned out but after your job done I can clearly see that it is not good enough...

Anyway thank you for the rescribing article it helped a lot to me nowadays when I am working on an Italeri F-84F Thunderstreak (1/72). :worship:

Greetings from Hungary,

Lazlo

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John,

I see where you are at! Excellent as always. I'm moving along to. Rear wheelwells are done ;-)

As I mentioned before: a book in the Osprey series would not be a bad thing for the community.

Best,

Tim

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  • 4 weeks later...

G’day all. Thanks Niklas, Lazlo, Tim and Marcel, ‘preciate your comments. Makes it all worth while. I am thinking of updating the ARC article on my Circumferential Scriber. Drop me a PM if of any interest. Never heard whether anybody has actually built one of these things!!

Finally completed port wing wrt panel screws – didn’t turn out to be that bad when you have got the methodology and circular panel templates from the first wing. Still, glad to see the back of that task.

To mark the 2nd anniversary :thumbsup: here are some details for the Red Top missiles, which I hope you find of interest.

The Red Top missiles are most prominent on the Lightning, not tucked away under the wings, so I want some detail here. The kit missiles [A] lack detail and have an integrated missile pylon and rail, whilst the F/Path resin missiles are poor due to: missile body too short and noticeably ‘oval’, inaccurate detail, solid nose, wings/fins too small. As it turned out the fwd wings are not required – the photos I have of XS903 show it with Red Tops without fwd wings fitted - a reminder to constantly check your references!!

I first extended the body [C] using a section from the Firestreak missiles, which I wouldn’t be using. The resin bodies are slightly oversized in dia., so I sanded until round and slightly reducing the diameter.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/115a.jpg

Missiles re-scribed using adaptors, as shown below, for my circumferential scriber – the small ‘turning’ holes will be removed by later construction (or filling if appropriate).

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/116a.jpg

#1 Nose protective caps formed from spare vac-form plastic, as per wheel well for NLG bay. I first tried it with some spare materials before risking the resin missile in hot/soft vac-form plastic, just in case!

#2 New rear fins from 0.5mm card allowed sanding to form a section, rather than a flat plate, and 0.5mm brass rod provided the mounting pivot. It will be easier to paint them separately and fix after body is painted.

#3 There are distinctive fairings/fixings to the fwd wings. Master made from plastic square stock and then cast 8 No from silicone mould #4 using epoxy resin and filaments from glass cloth.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/117a.jpg

#1 Missile rail formed from shallow U section and square stock.

#2 Plastic rod accurately locates missile to rail, rather than rely on a glob of 5 min epoxy or Super ‘didn’t quite want it there’ Glue.

#3 Front fairing/rear fixing present when fwd fins are not fitted.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/jwolst/Lightning/118a.jpg

So, now to try and create some detector and nose glass detail – then painting :)

CUaz&wen

John

Edited by John Wolstenholme
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Hi John,

I always enjoy reading your updates. I learn something every time. Thanks for sharing your expertise and techniques.

The Red Tops look splendid with all of the extra work that you're lavishing on them. I wonder if any of the resin manufacturers would be interested in producing copies, what with the 1/32nd scale Trumpeter Lightning readily available now? Have you considered offering your masters to the aftermarket community?

I eagerly await your next instalment John, cheers.

:wave:

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