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tU-BOOT - Tu-91 Engine Testbed


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  • 2 weeks later...

First bits of butchery - this is all done by eye as I go along - and it isn't pretty...

The lower wing-fuselage junction on the Tu-91 fuselage half is cut away to match the cross-section of the B-29 wing profile....

Tu-91_13.jpg

The front lower part of the B-29 nacelle is cut off - and taped in place - as are the Tu-91 fuselage halves...

Tu-91_14.jpg

Tu-91 fuselage and B-29 wing.....

Tu-91_15.jpg

Lower view of the fuselage and wing taped together...

Tu-91_16.jpg

Top view - the fin and rear fuselage of the Tu-91 still needs to be cut off and a fairing made...

Tu-91_17.jpg

All taped up with the B-29 fuselage to make sure it is positioned correctly...

Tu-91_18.jpg

Its all looking a bit crude - but it looks like it might work. :pray:/>

Ken

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More butchery - those with a nervous disposition should look away now...... :woot.gif:/>

Time to assemble the Tu-91 fuselage - I don't know if the testbed had a fully equipped cockpit, but I assembled it anyway....

The rectangular 'floor' had to be left out as it fouled the B-29 wing profile.

Tu-91_19.jpg

The completed cockpit (minus the instrument panel and coaming) in place - along with the bifurcated jetpipe....

Tu-91_20.jpg

I had thought to just remove the fin - but then chopped off the whole rear fuselage aft of the exhaust outlets...

Tu-91_21.jpg

The jetpipe is too low to fit on top of the wing - I could either cut a hole in the wing to accomodate it - or just cut away the bottom of the jetpipe (which is unseen when the fuselage is in place)....

Tu-91_22.jpg

This is how I have decided to tackle the rear fuselage - by fitting a side profile outline from thick plastic card to establish the basic shape.....

Tu-91_23.jpg

I will add plan view shapes - then fill with scrap plastic and Milliput.

It isn't pretty - and I'm making it up as I go - plus the side drawings are just artists impressions - but there's no-one to say I've got it wrong!

Ken

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I was pondering how to make the intakes in the B-29 wings - either side of the Tu-91 fuselage - when I spotted that they are already there in the Tu-91 kit.... :doh:/>/>/> :doh:/>/>/>

The Tu-91 wings were partly assembled and a section of the leading edge - complete with intakes - was cut off at an angle to cater for the B-29's leading edge sweep....

Tu-91_24.jpg

Even though I had hacked off a fair portion of the Tu-91 jetpipe, it still needed a hole cutting in the B-29 wing to get the fuselage to sit right.....

Tu-91_25.jpg

Two pieces of thick plastic card were cut to the plan view shape of the aft fuselage - and short lengths of scrap plastic sprue was cemented in place to roughly fill the gaps....

Tu-91_26.jpg

A test fit of the modified Tu-91 fuselage on top of the B-29 wing shows that it is almost ready to be attached....

Tu-91_27.jpg

Tu-91_28.jpg

The leading edge intakes are useful in establishing the 'sit' of the Tu-91 fuselage relative to the B-29 wing.

Ken

Edited by Flankerman
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More progress (in case anyone is following this ?).......

The B-29 kit belly radome makes a good base for the fairing on the engine nacelle.....

Tu-91_29.jpg

The first application of Milliput - roughly smoothed to shape with a wet finger....

Tu-91_30.jpg

Tu-91_31.jpg

Tu-91_32.jpg

I'm not sure how the flaps would work ? - the existing photos aren't very clear at showing the underside.

Tu-91_33.jpg

Ken

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More progress (in case anyone is following this ?).......

:blink: Whut sorta a silly assumption is that, Mr Duffey? First time I'm so eager 'bout the progress of a build thread since supergru's "Flankerstein" build. :lol:

Goin' very well; clever use of the radar radome there. :thumbsup:

Keep up 'em good work!

Cheers,

Unc²

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The results after the first major sanding session....

Tu-91_34.jpg

... the basic shape is established....

Tu-91_35.jpg

Lots of filling/sanding/priming - followed by more of the same - we get to this....

Tu-91_36.jpg

Tu-91_37.jpg

A bit of re-scribing still needed - but I'm happy so far.

Tu-91_38.jpg

Now - all I have to do is make the rest of the Academy B-29 - it'll be so nice to work on a kit where the parts fit together :thumbsup:/>/>

Ken

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Now - all I have to do is make the rest of the Academy B-29 - it'll be so nice to work on a kit where the parts fit together :thumbsup:

You make it look so easy... In fact I think you are the single biggest reason these Ukrainian companies are thriving: you build, then one thousand Soviet aviation fans rush to buy the kits. :)

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  • 2 months later...

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