Falconxlvi Posted October 13, 2019 Share Posted October 13, 2019 Superb work so far! I love the approach to replicating the various knobs and switches in the cockpit - it looks great! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted October 13, 2019 Author Share Posted October 13, 2019 Thanks Steve! @Slartibartfast, yeah I know that - I used to do it as a waterproof insulation of the shaft of an old rc boat... ages ago... but it could indeed work just nicely for this purpose as well. I should try it of course. Tu! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 The rear bulkhead of the cockpit is done too. The two hydraulics moving the canopy are in their imaginary position. I decided to go the easy way - with holes in the bulkhead where the hydraulics will slide in when the canopy is closed. I tried but I can't make them retractable realistically. At least it's a solution this way too. This is (almost) the kit part: And the ready bulkhead: Now I'm making thorough modifications of the side frames of the cockpit and more on that soon. 🙂 cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 Next up - the cockpit side frames. This is how thin they were oob - the first pic is zoomed to see what exact part of the side frame I mean: And these is how thick they are indeed - a couple of pics of the real thing: So, I glued a stripe of plastic underneath the frames, then sanded them smooth on the sides toward the pilot, then shaped them as in the pic or at least I tried to be as close as possible. Then I added the tubes for the cooling air that come out of the rear bulkhead. They should have red stripes insulation but I'll add them easly after the painting. The canopy handle is also not added... well the frames are done and ready for painting. 🙂 Way better than before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) The original canopy frame was quite thin... so I added 1mm plastic sheet under the front edge and the angular frames + detailing and the hidraulics for the movement. The first pic is the original frame, and then - after the thickening: Edited January 24, 2020 by my favs are F`s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 Secondly, the zig-zag pattern along the front edge is... 🙂 out of scale... quite thick! And they had some random indentations from the cutting of the sprue I guess. So the best way was to replace the zig-zag pattern with PE pieces. I had enough leftover PE to cut the required pieces and I tried to sand and make em as close as possible to the original pattern, in three pieces. See how thick was the original zig-zag RAM: and those are the three PE pieces still not installed: But first - I have to glue the caopy to the frame and then to "change" the zig zag pattern. Up: shortly. 🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 The modifications of the canopy side frames: I had to put the canoppy up a little bit, in order to "align the facets". So the tiny gaps along the sides had to be filled. The first two pics show the gaps, and the next two - the tiny plastic edges that were added: And that's the frame, painted, detailed, weathered... ready for gluing: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Canopy and frame - merged. 🙂 Finally. Those are a bit darker photos but the seamlines are important, except for the front edge (which will be covered by the zig-zag rams). The "soiled" spots along the edges are from the glue, which is visible through the canopy. It went just beautifully. Only 1 of the smallest magnets keep the entire canopy closed, which makes it quite easy and smooth for opening. Check it out.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Very nice work. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thadeus Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 That's something. Do You ever build them just out of the box? Come to think of that, I wouldn't with a skill like that. Amaizing work. It will be flying and dropping GBU's in no time. Just hope You are not making them explode. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 (edited) 🙂 Thx buddy. Btw this is a rather recent style of mine - for about 4 now - my first "tramsformable" model was the F-35B in 1/48 ( this is a facebook album in an "open" config: https://www.facebook.com/milan.mitev.7/media_set?set=a.1007288912640750&type=3) ... considering that I'm "in the hobby" from some 15-20 years perhaps. 🙂 Whilst for the GBUs - oh yeah, the bigger ones 🙂 Edited February 22, 2020 by my favs are F`s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 The cockpit with its basic colors, and some PE upgrades. Before: And after: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Wow, those "after" photos had me thinking I was looking at the real thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 20, 2020 Author Share Posted March 20, 2020 In the making of the suction relief doors... actually they are done, I made them with hinges and magnets as well, and here is a clip of the closing/opening: This is how the door looks like from inside: And the required holes are traced on to the trunks, ready to be drilled and fine tuned for a perfect fit to the fuselage: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 WOW, brilliant job !! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 The holes include basically the entire top sides of the intake trunks 🙂 But I walled off the provisions to fit seamlessly with the relief doors. The struts of the engine faces are thined down too and I made them "transparent". And here is what I plan to do with the thin delicate PE screen mesh for the intakes. I'll just add thick solid transaprent acryllic pieces underneath. So far it works and looks good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 And painted: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 So, after a lot of test fits, I ended up painting the acrylic parts black from the inner sides so to make them not transparent at all. Otherwise, they were really way too transparent, it was just surreal to see the engine faces clearly through the mesh screen. So, here is a test fit only of one of the screens over the not transparent acrylic parts. And please, stay home make models because the situation requires it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 Exhaust mods: As you can see from the pictures of the real plane, the entire exhausts in the model are a little bit on the thicker side. The guide vanes need thinning, canting ans overall reshaping with an airfoil, and shortening too. I plan to tackle them low and slow. 🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Some people just talk (such as, myself), and other people work on their models. Superb work so far! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 🙂 10x SERNAK 👍 A little bit of updates from the making: the vanes got a new arrangement according to a picture of the original plane: While the exhaust was thinned down slightly overall too: Then here is the change of the new vanes by contrast to the original ones from the kit: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 The baffles are painted and ready, but first, I'll have to make the ruddervaters. These baffles are only half a milimeter thick so I would like to avoid more chances of touching this delicate rear area of the fuselage... where... the ruddervaters have to fit right inbetween. 🙂 and I'd like to make them moveable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted May 5, 2020 Author Share Posted May 5, 2020 Ruddervators adventures . . . I made stainless steel hinges so they rotate quite smoothly and nicely now. Here is one closed and one still open: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted May 5, 2020 Author Share Posted May 5, 2020 There is a slightly delicate issue to fix though. The thickness of the ruddervators in their top areas is way too much, which is due to their central facets that run throughout the entire pieces, which is wrong. The tips of the fins should end up in a romboid shape and not like that with kinks and bumps: A couple of references: I'll definitely keep the central edge but I'll try to smoothen out the transition of the facets between the bottom and top sides of the ruddervators by trying to create the needed romboid shapes at the top. This will be quite a challenge I think.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Underdog Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Excellent work so far on this project, like "Kicking the OOB Can on-down the road" - way too cool and then some! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.