Anyone scratchbuilt one of these?

[Zero Enna]

I've seen so many people building the exhaust ring, but what about the intake fan? Need to build one for my 1/72 Viggen (I realized that it will be barely seen (almost unseen if I don't thin the intakes at the sides of the cockpit, plastic is too thick), but I already finished the air duct so I have to finish the work) I need advice about building this part, so If anyone knows something, please let me know. Thanks a lot in advance. Best regards.

José.

[Fiddler]

I took a blob of white fine milliput and pushed a fan from the hasegawa F-15 kit into it. I did that with some dishwashing soap between so the milliput would not attach itself to the plastic. But you have to be very carefull to peel the milliput from the fan as the fanblades wil destort if you bend the putty to much. a few times of exercise and I managed to have a few good ones.

When dry, drill out the cone and make one from a piece of sprue to stick it in the middle of the fan and voila :)

Another idea I had was to draw one in a CAD program to make it from paper. But didn't got so far yet :)

Greetings!

[Lucien Harpress]

Of course, individual fan blades are always an option...

As for scratchbuilding? Yeah, copying an existing part is going to be far and away your best bet.

[arnobiz]

If it is deep in the air intake a print of a re-size picture, glued onto a bit of plasticard. An example (1/72 F-14B/D engine):

With the depth and because the photograph has the appropriate reflections it looks convincing enough, and it's dead easy to do :)

Good luck,

Arnaud

[Zero Enna]

I never thought about copying another kit's part... Too bad the other intake fans I have are too small, but that's a good option, well, let's see what happens. Thanks for your replies. Best regards.

José.

[evnewsphoto]

I have found an easy way to make fan blades is to cut some alumunium soda can in the correct shape (circle) and then find the center and mark out using a ruler the blades so they are uniform in size around the circle, then mark where the center shaft would be or glue in place a missile nose that looks correct (or make the center shaft from tube or sprue). Or use a slice of rod if it's a flat center point like on some helicopter turbines (what I work on most these days). Then once you have that marked out, cut each blade with surgical scissors and then bend them slightly like the real thing and you are in business. Sounds harder than it is, the important thing is to measure it correctly so it looks uniform. I have also done this trick with thin plastic card. Good luck! Everett

Might be hard to see but I did it to make the fan in front of this oil cooler on a CH-53E;

Edited November 6, 2011 by evnewsphoto

[Impatient Pete]

[utley]

I've seen so many people building the exhaust ring, but what about the intake fan? Need to build one for my 1/72 Viggen (I realized that it will be barely seen (almost unseen if I don't thin the intakes at the sides of the cockpit, plastic is too thick), but I already finished the air duct so I have to finish the work) I need advice about building this part, so If anyone knows something, please let me know. Thanks a lot in advance. Best regards.

José.

That one looks like an RB-211 turofan. Building a fan case like that is kind of tedious, but its generally pretty easy. The only thing I dont like about it is the cone, but its a simple shape to deal with at least.

[Zero Enna]

What I want to build is the intake fan of an RM8 turbofan, Swedish version of the JT8D. Impatient Pete, that is a very cool work, I was talking about that and I'll try it by myself. Best regards.

José.

[thegoodsgt]

Pete, now THAT is modeling! And to think I feel a sense of achievement when I cut the molding plugs off a piece of resin aftermarket!

Well done!