Poppop Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I have run into an interesting problem with my Roden 1/144 C-133. There is a 1mm gap between the top of the engine nacelle and the wing mounting point. There is a definite step in the wing attachment point. I cannot identify anything I have done.. assume I just have to use some sheet filler to fix the issue. Anyone else experiencing this? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viking73 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Ugh, that's terrible to hear. I have not started mine yet (too much on the bench at the moment) but I'm curious to hear more. Please post some photos of your progress if you can. -Derek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I have ordered one, but not received it yet. Could the engine nacelles have possibly been a short shot? Here is the parts breakdown on BritModeler. Take and post photos for the rest of us please. And thank you for being our guinea pig. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 UPDATE: My original post was based on the assembly of the starboard (right) wing and nacelles.... today I built the port (left) wing and voila.. the same nacelles fit near perfect. I am stymied...I have checked the assembly of the starboard wing and it is correct.. both halves fit and aligned without a problem. But there is still the 1mm gap at the top of both nacelles. The natural assumption is that I screwed up somehow.. and might have, although there is very little to the assembly and highly unlikely. So, I will use a sheet filler for the two gaps and wait to see if anyone else gets to this point in their build.. and then gap or no gap? Now that I have both halves, the issue is a minor one. If you have the interest... get the kit. It does have a couple of challenges.. thick sprue attachments (tiny parts take a lot of care in removing) , soft plastic, etc... but overall it is a nice representation of this giant and important aircraft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 (edited) @Poppop Please post some photos of your progress. We'd all love to see them! R/ Dutch Edited May 23, 2019 by Dutch correct spelling Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 I did not take photos prior to my post about the nacelles. But here is a starboard wing before filling. Will post after filling next. I will take some others of the build and post later. Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Starboard wing after filling. You can see that the nacelles required some putty of their own. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viking73 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Oh man, that's a nasty gap alright! Thanks for posting these photos of your build, looking forward to seeing some more. -Derek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sleepy Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 What was causing the gap? The way the parts are broken down, it should be pretty easy to get the mating surfaces to match up by filing/sanding them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted May 19, 2019 Author Share Posted May 19, 2019 Not really.. the way the parts are designed it's only the very top of the nacelle that is causing the gap. The rest of it does mate snug against the wing. As I mentioned, the nacelles mate snug all the way on the port wing. As you can see from the pictures, there is still filing required to get a completely smooth nacelle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sleepy Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 What I mean is, if the wing/nacelle interface is a vertical wall (no zig-zags) why can’t you simply file/sand each surface so they mate up perfectly? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 There lays the problem.. they are not a vertical wall. Most of it is.. from the bottom of the nacelle to the lower edge of the wing... that's the part that does fit relatively snug. Then it angles back (looking at nacelle from the side).. and that is where the gap develops. Easier to insert a piece of plastic sheet than to try sanding.. and since both nacelles on the other wing do fit reasonably well, you would end up with nacelles of different sizes on the wings. I had already filled the gap when I started the pictures or I would have tried to get a side view. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) I'm with poppop, just glue a piece of plasticard to the back of the nacelle and file to the outline of the nacelle in order to fill the gap. I am still waiting for my C-133 currently in shipment from the Ukraine (by slow boat, no doubt). Carry on! R/ Dutch Edited May 26, 2019 by Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 My C-133 & C-124 kits just arrived today, but I have some family duties to attend to, so I will not be able to get to them for about a week. I will report back then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viking73 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Any updates poppop on your -133 build?! 😀 -Derek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Been sidetracked for awhile... some abdominal surgery that was successful and things about 90% back to whatever normal is nowadays. I've spent most of the time I had working the nacelles... putty, sand, check, putty, sand, check, repeat as needed! Mine did need a bit of work and I hope to rescribe tomorrow and then should be ready to move on. I did finish most of the cockpit. Copied some pics from Cal Taylor's book and resized them and printed on decal paper to get some detail on the panels. Also waiting for a response from a very good friend who put many hours in the cockpit of the 133.. I doing 40144 that was part of the UN Congo mission. My friends picture of 40144 on page 282 of Cal's book outside the hangar at Leopoldville is my goal. Waiting to see if he remembers the color of the headrests and armrests. The pictues of the C-133 restored at Dover show red, but several other pictues I've found would suggest either gray or maybe black... will see. I will try to get some pictures in the next week or so.. I'm not the greatest photograper. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viking73 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Sorry to hear about your surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery! Very cool that you know someone who flew C-133s! I'll bet he has some good stories. Looking forward to some more photos of your build when you can post them. Those kit nacelles sound like a real bear. I'm sure you know, but Caracal has a decal sheet coming out for this kit in case you need it for your build: http://caracalmodels.com/cd144021.html -Derek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Hope all is well Poppop and you are healing in body mind and soul. How are you doing and have you had any more progress on the Cargomaster? You have quite a fan base waiting to hear how she is getting on. R/ Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 OK.. where do I start? I was asked to build a second C-133 for a friend, so I am now doing both in tandem. And trying to see if the lessons from the first build help... YES they do. Will start with the wings that started this thread... the second build had the same issue... port wing had no nacelle gap.. starboard wing did. Filled with sheet plasticard, putty, sand, check, etc. Don't forget to open the intakes on the top of the nacelles... I found it easier to open before gluing the halves together. Nacelle Vents.jfif Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 I copied pictures of the instrument panel, navigators, and engineers panels. Resized and printed my own decals. While not absolutely accurate, they do make a real difference.. Problem is that most of it disappears after the fuselage is glued together.. but I know it is in there (sound familiar). I did go back and touch up the back wall around the navigator station, but forgot to get new pictures.. duh It will take several posts to get the pics uploaded. Cockpit 3.jfif Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Cockpit pic- 2 Cockpit 4.jfif Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Cockpit pic - 3 Cockpit 5.jfif Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 And then we close it up and most disappears! Cockpit Closed.jfif Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Use a very small drill bit to open a starter hole and then sharp #11 blade and patience.. clean out the two openings on each gear leg.. does make a difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poppop Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 I know everyone knows.. but after some of this build I knows even better... test fit, test fit, test fit.... Do as much to the fuselage as you can before attaching the wings. Eliminate the seams and clean up the join between the forward and rear fuselage. I chose to close the loading doors at the rear. The old drill.. putty, sand, rescribe, prime.. check.. putty, sand, rescribe, prime, check .. and repeat until everything looks good. The main landing gear required a bit of work. The locator pins on the side of parts 4D, 6D, 9D, etc are not much help. They need to be bigger IMHO. I worked one gear well at a time. I finished the interior of the wells, and the other parts that go in with Alclad Dark Aluminum before assembling. Glue those side pieces in and then quickly check the fit of parts 1D and 2D to determine how close a fit you have. On both of my builds I had gaps which required shaving the outside of parts 4D, 6D, 9D, etc to get a good fit. All the parts moved a lot until the fit was good.. so check the alignment of the internal parts carefully after you get a good fit and before the glue sets. I used a punch set to prepare masks for the small windows in the fuselage... I attached them after wrestling with the gear and before attaching the wings. I used bare metal foil to mask the cockpit windows. I hope this makes sense... More in a couple days. wings, etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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