AnthonyWan Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) Hey guys Just went back to finish up some final assembly on a Tam Viper when I noticed a set of odd problems. At first I was test-fitting the front intake/NLG assembly to the fuselage when i took a look down the throat and noticed that there was a significant (at least 1-2mm) mismatch with the front and rear sections (integrated on the MLG bay). I snapped a really quick picture (kinda dark and blurry) but it looks like the front portion of the intake should go higher before meeting the intake part on the MLG part. You can just make out the mismatch right above the 'staples' logo. (its a faint white line here, but in real life its quite noticeable even at quick glance) Then, as I was test fitting the cover that goes on the part between the MLG bay and the NLG bay (its a U-shaped piece that gets a long narrow piece attached to it to form a roughly T-shaped assembly) I noticed a fairly large gap at the front end of the MLG bay. I WAS able to snap a quick photo of this: So, I immediately suspected that something wrong with the way the bay was positioned in the fuselage, so I went back and checked, nothing wrong - it is sitting securely in the 4 indentations it is supposed to be in according to the instructions. Anyone else have a similar problem? or a possible fix? The intake problem should be an easy fix with an intake cover...but the gear bay is another story. TIA, Awan Edited January 11, 2008 by AnthonyWan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Impatient Pete Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Judging from the slot in the lower edge of the bulkhead and the tab on the edge of the fuselage opening, it looks like that may be the rear bulkhead... See how the slot is smaller than the tab? Also, look at the same area on the other end. It looks like the same thing is happening there, but reverse. I don't have the kit, so I don't really know, it just seems like it might be the case. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GA.modelmaker Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 i am working on that part right now. and i am haveing the same problems. but whenm i dry fitted the intake and the mlg cover i got a real tight fit but forgot to assemble it that way. so now i have this small gap right were you are having trouble. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Yeah, looks like the bulkhead pieces are on in reverse to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 From what I can see from my kit and the instructions (I haven't started building it yet) I don't believe he has the bulkheads reversed, unless the instructions have them backwards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) Hmm...well it seems that it might not be just a problem with my own model I think i can fix the intake problem by an intake cover...but the l/g bay is gonna be a problem...that is a HUGE gap. AW Skull: I have double and triple-checked the instructions...I think I can safely say they are on exactly as the instructions say. Edited January 11, 2008 by AnthonyWan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Skull: I have double and triple-checked the instructions...I think I can safely say they are on exactly as the instructions say. I have too. I think that Anthony (and I) have it right. I don't have quite the gap that Anthony does, but I do have a pretty sizeable one. And it looks like it's just about impossible to fix too. So much for a perfect build. Everything else has fit perfectly! And it's not like this part will not be noticeable either. Very much the opposite. Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Josh1971 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) All right- I know what the instructions say, but has anyone tried flipping the piece around just to see if it's in reverse? I'm going to test with mine when I get home. jb Edited January 11, 2008 by Josh1971 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 All right- I know what the instructions say, but has anyone tried flipping the piece around just to see if it's in reverse? I'm going to test with mine when I get home.jb Yes, if you could do that...that'd be great. Also Strikeeagle801 - I am just holding those parts together...they are a bit loose...when i squeeze them together tighter, theres approx a 1-2mm gap. Not AS big...but its still noticeable. I think I might just add a styrene shim to the top of the bulkhead to touch the edge of the fuselage piece. Then just fit it like that. Intake will probably get a cover...so that I can live with i guess... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I think I my get some self-hardening clay and shove it in the gap, then smooth it over and re-paint that part of the well. I don't think that the part is on backwards. That would put the battery on the wrong side, parts C4 and C7 would be at the front and not the back, and I think the intake would not fit together right. Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 This is a shot I just took and the parts are just sitting there pretty tight. Hope this helps. Larry McCarley 21045 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) Thanks for the pic Larry :) Now, I'm talking with someone else here who has made the kit, and he says that the rear bulkhead should cant inward ever so slightly...can you confirm this? AW Edited January 11, 2008 by AnthonyWan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 When I assembled the MLG bay I assembled it while it was sitting in the lower fuselage in it's final resting spot so all the bulkheads would sit where they were suppose too... Wait one I'll take another shot of the other end to see if it looks canted or not... I don't know...you be the judge but it looks pretty straight to me... again they aren't attached permanent yet. Hope that helps. Larry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TomcatFanatic123 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) Dude! What in the name of God did you do? I've studied this pic, went and looked at my finished model, went back and looked at my in-progress pics, and studied the instructions, and I can't see why that thing wont fit :blink:. I've got that assembly lying around in my other Tamiya viper box. I'm going to print out these pics and dry fit that thing on my kit tomorrow and get back to you. This is now driving me crazy :). As far as that step inside the intake goes, I just said "screw it" and left it alone. It seems to be worse on the one I'm working on now than it was on the first go-round. Edited January 11, 2008 by TomcatFanatic123 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 As far as the step in the intake goes I solved that problem buy assembling the entire bottom and top separate and then assembled to entire unit to be stuck in as one piece. Cleaning up the sides seams looks easier than trying to do it where the step is. I can't bare the thought of closing up the intake so a little extra fitting and sanding the side seams looked like the best approach. Again to each their own but that's what I've done. The entire assembly can be attached to the lower fuselage half easily. Hope that kinda helps. Larry McCarley 21045 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 Interesting solution there Larry...I'll definitely keep that in mind on my next build of the kit Thanks for sharing. AWan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin_sam_2000 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Right up front i will apologise for useing other peoples pics form this post. i think it might have been a mold issue with you kit AW. there is no way to have the forward and rear bulkheads reversed as they look completly different. if you look at the two picture below, the red shows where the opening needs to be to fit properly, and where that same opening should be on yours. if you remove the green shaded area, i think everything should fall right into place. just my $0.02. hope it helps sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 That's a good observation however that shaded area is suppose to be there and piece F-23 is suppose to fit down over the top of it, kinda making a snap fit. Then you apply cement and viola it's happy. It kinda looks as though piece F-23 was assembled first? That may be a solution for Anthony's Viper but that doesn't explain why it's necessary to alter the kit part "that much" to get everything to fit. Anything to get it together at this point is what's important though, great tip! Cheers, Larry McCarley 21045 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Yep. That's the same thing with me. Wonder if we just got a bad batch or something, as it seems like many people have gotten it just fine. I know that the first batch had the crack in the canopy, maybe ours have the mounting pins for the LG bay a little long in front or something? Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Impatient Pete Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Yep. That's the same thing with me. Wonder if we just got a bad batch or something, as it seems like many people have gotten it just fine. I know that the first batch had the crack in the canopy, maybe ours have the mounting pins for the LG bay a little long in front or something? Aaron nahh..stuff like that doesn't happen with molds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 nahh..stuff like that doesn't happen with molds. Okay, not knowing much about molds (or your sense of humor) are you being serious? Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) No, I suspect he's being serious. They'd have to be using all new molds for the parts to be off by that much. I'd think it would be too soon in the production run to need new molds. Unless they're running multiple molds and there's one that's wrong. Edited January 12, 2008 by David Walker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Impatient Pete Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Okay, not knowing much about molds (or your sense of humor) are you being serious? Aaron Yah, sorry about not being clear on my tone. What Dave said- It's only natural to attribute problems like this to manufacturing problems, but it's most likely (well, actually, certainly) an assembly error. It's no big deal, it happens to the best modellers, but sometimes on a kit like this, there are many things to line up and it's easy for something to get out of whack and cause problems like this. I might not even call it an error- in a complex kit like this, sometimes it's tricky to see what the manufacturer intended when they designed the parts and so we don't always assemble them the way the designers intended... Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CW4 Erick Swanberg Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Tamiya got something wrong stop the presses. I dont think the Academy kit has that problem at all. Erick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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