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Tamiya /32nd scale F-14A Black Knights edition


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Great progress so far geedub. I was thinking for the intake tubes, if you cut a series of 'holes' in thick plasticard, in the shape of the cross section of the intake (going from circular to square), cut them out and then insert your rolled plasticard through them, glueing the backside of the plasticard to the inside edge of the plastic cross sections.

It's just a quick idea but this would help hold the shape of the intake trunking.

Also, like you have done so far, create the intake trunking in 2, 3 or even 4 sections. Each section can slowly form into the correct shape (e.g. section closest to the turbine blades is perfectly circular, section 2 is slightly more square) and then use milliput/greenstuff/filler to blend each section into the other hopefully creating a seamless intake trunking that goes from a square to circular cross section.

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You do Amazing details - you never cease to amaze how far you can go, yet still finish!

:monkeydance:

I look forward to seeing more and more of this thing! I love what you have done so far - great job on a classic kit!

Frank

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Hi folks, thanks so much for your encouragement.

I have to admit to being somewhat daunted by the intakes and I'm not convinced that the direction I'm taking is the best solution.

Great progress so far geedub. I was thinking for the intake tubes, if you cut a series of 'holes' in thick plasticard, in the shape of the cross section of the intake (going from circular to square), cut them out and then insert your rolled plasticard through them, glueing the backside of the plasticard to the inside edge of the plastic cross sections.

It's just a quick idea but this would help hold the shape of the intake trunking.

Also, like you have done so far, create the intake trunking in 2, 3 or even 4 sections. Each section can slowly form into the correct shape (e.g. section closest to the turbine blades is perfectly circular, section 2 is slightly more square) and then use milliput/greenstuff/filler to blend each section into the other hopefully creating a seamless intake trunking that goes from a square to circular cross section.

Hi Jake, this is a great idea. It would certainly give me the profile I'm looking for. If I can't get reasonable results doing what I'm doing, I'll be looking carefully at this option. Thanks for taking the time to post your suggestion mate, I appreciate your help :thumbsup:

Hi!

Maybe you will find this thread interesting:

http://www.flugzeugforum.de/forum/showthread.php?t=47390

It is in german, but there are many interesting pictures.

On pages 28-30 the builder makes the intakes.

Greetings

Markus

Hi Markus, thank you for the link. What a remarkable build. I signed up, read all 76 pages and got a few good ideas. I was pleasantly surprised to see the builder tackle many of the issues that I've addressed here. He is a few steps ahead of this build but it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who's so daft :whistle:

The intakes (p58 onwards) look very good. Add this to the Massa Narita build and images supplied to me by Mike (Youngtiger) of another build and I'm less enthusiastic about the path I'm walking with these intakes. :cheers:

I got some more putty today so I'll plod on for now but if things don't improve to my satisfaction, I'll rip the whole lot out and try something new.

Watch this space......... :rolleyes:

:cheers:

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Guy, regardless which path you choose for the intakes I am confident that they will turn out great.

Hi!

Maybe you will find this thread interesting:

http://www.flugzeugforum.de/forum/showthread.php?t=47390

It is in german, but there are many interesting pictures.

On pages 28-30 the builder makes the intakes.

Greetings

Markus

Thanks Markus for posting the link, I can't think of a better way get both inspiration as well as brush up on my German! :(

I can only agree with Guy, that is one amazing build Sven has going.

Having just finished the NLG bay on my Tomcat I have an idea of how much work Sven has put into this area, he really went all out on that one.

Very impressive detailing and painting!

Cheers,

Anders

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Interesting approach to your intakes Guy. Is that an epoxy putty you are using? If you use a wet finger you can do a lot of smoothing before hand and save some sanding. I'm not sure if I would have squidged it or smooshed it though. Depends on the application I guess. I prefer smooshing as I've found I have better control than squidging, or perhaps my squidger is of poor quality and doesn't give the same results as yours. In any event it looks like it's working well for you Guy.

And yes I have plans for a future jet... Just haven't made up my mind yet. Would a Turbo-prop count? I have a Micro-Scale 48th scale Skyshark that would be an intersting build...

Cheers

Mike

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JMan, Anders, many thanks for stopping by. I'm grateful for your support, I need it!

Interesting approach to your intakes Guy. Is that an epoxy putty you are using? If you use a wet finger you can do a lot of smoothing before hand and save some sanding. I'm not sure if I would have squidged it or smooshed it though. Depends on the application I guess. I prefer smooshing as I've found I have better control than squidging, or perhaps my squidger is of poor quality and doesn't give the same results as yours. In any event it looks like it's working well for you Guy.

And yes I have plans for a future jet... Just haven't made up my mind yet. Would a Turbo-prop count? I have a Micro-Scale 48th scale Skyshark that would be an intersting build...

Cheers

Mike

Hi Mike,...... :rofl:ha,ha....reading your post just made my day. I think you're right, I should have smooshed the putty but instead I squidged it :lol: And no-one is questioning the quality of your squidger....... :whistle:

In answer to your question, the putty is two-pack modelling clay offered in the Games Workshop range.

"Take a look here"

It mixes quickly and easily then remains workable for some time before going hard. Leave it a couple of days and it can be sanded and smoothed with wet 'n' dry, etc.

As for the Shyshark, go for it! Baby steps my friend, baby steps. You'll be well on your way to building your first kerosene burner..........

I confess, I've ripped out the intake inners. :woot.gif:

I applied some filler and began to smooth things out but to be brutally honest, it looked appalling. The builds by Massa Narita, Sven in Markus' link above and the photos that Mike supplied looked so much better. I'm back to the drawing board.

I believe my plan was sound but there is something fundamentally wrong with the intakes as modelled by Tamiya.

In my opinion (and of course, I am open to correction) I think the engine turbine blades are too small. Comparing reference pics of the real aircraft with a look into the kit intake shows the difference.

On the full sized item, the diameter is only marginally smaller than the walls of the intake. In the kit, there is alot of air around the edge of the turbine blades before they come anywhere near the intake trunking. In addition to the visual cues, the kit fans are much smaller than the afterburner section of the engine. Since the jet engine is basically a tube stuffed with many twirling bits, the front end would n't/ should n't be so much smaller than the rear bits.Looking at images on p146 of the DACO book confirms this (at least to my eyes)

Now, what to do?

Do I stick with the kit part, add a tube of thin plasticard and be done with it? After all, I can't remember the last time I ever looked inside the intakes of any of my other models. Or, do I attempt to re-create the larger diameter turbine face and hope that that corrects the proportion issues of the kit intakes........?

Hmm,...decisions, decisions

I'll keep you all posted......

Cheers for now.

:cheers:

Edited by geedubelyer
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OK you guys I need your help. I've been trying to get to that German site to look at the Tomcat. I can get to the site. I use a translated page to get there as I don't speak German (although I am 1/2 German). I can't open the pictures as I am not registered. I try to register and keep getting errors.

I would love to look at some of the other jets (1/32 Hornet and Tomcats) but can't.

HELP!!! :wub: :thumbsup::explode::angry::pray:

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Hi Robert, did you manage to register on the German language forum? Some of the builds on there are awseome.

Peter Doll has posted another BMF "Hun" and it is absolutely superb!!! Once again the photos look like the real thing.

Just perfect <_<

As for this build, the intakes have got me crying "Uncle!!"

Enough is enough,.......I've given up trying anything fancy. I was checking out the gallery here on ARC and revisited Douglas Chans' build. The results of his labours look gorgeous and convinced me that a tube of thin plastic-card is the way to go for the trunking.

For the time being I've been busying myself by working on the engine face. I still think the kit part is undersized so I've fabricated a new one. This version is the same diameter as the backplate of the kit part (about 2mm larger than the blades of the stock item)

As you can see, I've also attempted to re-create the vanes at the mouth of the engine. All of this still needs painting yet and don't worry about the intake trunking.....at this stage it's only a paper template ;)

tn_Intakes024.jpg

Incidentally, for anyone that is interested, I counted 28 turbine blades at the front of the engine and 23 vanes.

It would appear that there is quite alot of work to do in the main wheel bays too. Not just the pipework but some re-modelling.

The rearmost portion of the sidewall is flat in the kit but appears to be formed from the intake trunking on the full sized aircraft. Once I've got the trunking settled I'll see about doing something with that area.

This is taking alot of working out B)

I've also got the bypass spill duct to titivate and try to line up neatly with the top of the intake.........

Cheers for now.

:)

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  • 3 weeks later...
Good luck Guy. I'm facing the same stuff very soon, but if your other work is any indication, you'll do a terrific job!

Hi Chuck, I hope you find an easy way to make the intakes better. I've left mine for now and begun work on the main gear bays instead.

It would appear that there is quite alot of work to do in the main wheel bays too. Not just the pipework but some re-modelling.

The rearmost portion of the sidewall is flat in the kit but appears to be formed from the intake trunking on the full sized aircraft.

As you can see in the image below, Tamiya have really skimped on any detail in the main gear bays. Not surprising for a kit this old and also not a major issue for most people because very little of this will be seen once the model is on its' wheels.

tn_Rightsidewheelbay003.jpg

For other modellers though, more detail will be needed and this is the route I've chosen. After spending hours poring over the DACO and Verlinden books I decided to try to fettle this area a bit. I'm doing all of this now because it would be much more difficult with the intake trunking fixed to the fuselage.

The next image shows work to date.

tn_Rightsidewheelbay008.jpg

As usual, some compromises have had to be made. The architecture of the Tamiya bay is off if an accurate representation is to be constructed. Even now, some parts don't line up correctly and don't look like the reference pictures but it does look a bit better and there is also more room for pipework now. I feel I ought to add a wash at this stage before I start on the pipes and hoses so that's the next task, then on to the multitude of metal bits...... :salute:

:woot.gif:

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Guy, that dang on main wheel well is sure looking nice. Love the new look. It's a whole lot better than the kit wheel well. Also, the intake is looking nice. Again, nice and clear photographs as usual, which I thank you for. Keep up the good work buddy.

Mike

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