A-10 LOADER Posted May 19, 2023 Author Share Posted May 19, 2023 13 hours ago, Trojan Thunder said: Nice tips Steve, I have one of these buried in the stash. I have been put off be all those pesky small antennas that need to be fitted for some variants. Though I note current pictures show a lot of those antennas missing now. Thanks. The kit I have doesn't give you all those antennas nor did I feel like scratch-building them so, I'm opting to build a more current version ( 2011 - current ). I will need to scratch-build a few antennas however. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 19, 2023 Author Share Posted May 19, 2023 10 hours ago, Vidar_710 said: Awesome start! I'm still chewing on getting the 1/48 P-3. Tracy Thanks Tracy, appreciate that. 7 hours ago, Dutch said: Steve, I like your style. She's looking better and better. K/r, Dutch Thank you Dutch. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted May 19, 2023 Share Posted May 19, 2023 10 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said: Thanks. The kit I have doesn't give you all those antennas nor did I feel like scratch-building them so, I'm opting to build a more current version ( 2011 - current ). I will need to scratch-build a few antennas however. Steve I was aware of the lack of antenna and was thinking the same, I have some Wolfpak decals for my build when the time comes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share Posted May 24, 2023 Currently working on adding / scratch-building the newer "antenna farm" antennas. Since my EP-3 will be from the 2011 timeframe forward there's some work to do. Hasegawa gives you some antennas but, most will have to be made. Since most of the pegs on the kit supplied antennas are bigger that the slots on the kit, I cut them off and fashioned a mounting base for each antenna. Each mounting base will be different according to it's antenna size. This makes it much easier to attach them to the airframe. This is slow, tedious work for me but, a necessary task. Steve The antenna on the left is from the kit, it actually fit in the slot provided. The second one I made using my reference photos and "guesstimated" it's size. The last two are from the kit with the pegs removed and attached to their mounting bases. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Nice work with the antennas!, I have done similar on my RAAF AP-3C(EW) build that is nearing completion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 27, 2023 Author Share Posted May 27, 2023 On 5/24/2023 at 9:06 AM, Trojan Thunder said: Nice work with the antennas!, I have done similar on my RAAF AP-3C(EW) build that is nearing completion. Thank you. Based off of my reference photos and my old MK.I eyeball I made the four larger antennas and temporarily stuck them in place with a little blu-tac to see how they looked. I'm not sure if they look correct or not, what do you all think ? Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Looks good, though if the antenna mounts are anything like the ones on RAAF aircraft in similar locations, there are shims under the antennas base plate to make them vertical. That is if you want to go to that sort of detail, I did not bother with my RAAF examples My current RAAF EW build Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 28, 2023 Author Share Posted May 28, 2023 Wow TT, she looks fantastic !! Why haven't you done a WIP on here with her ? I have sent a request to a contact of mine asking for detail shots, like yours above but, I haven't heard anything yet. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 21 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said: Wow TT, she looks fantastic !! Why haven't you done a WIP on here with her ? I have sent a request to a contact of mine asking for detail shots, like yours above but, I haven't heard anything yet. Steve Steve, this has been a long build, my son (who works on them) and I are building examples of the last two flying P-3s in the RAAF, we sarted 12 months ago and work on them when he has time off. Here is a link to the thread I started over on BritModeller back then. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 29, 2023 Author Share Posted May 29, 2023 Very nice work Ray, thanks for the link. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 30, 2023 Author Share Posted May 30, 2023 Working on closing up the underwing pylon locations on the EP-3. I wanted to do this in such a way as to minimize sanding and destroying the raised panel line details. For the smaller holes, I used pieces of 1/16" Evergreen rod, the larger holes were filled using disks made with my punch set. I tried to keep all these as close to the surface as possible for sanding purposes. The areas that have the recesses, for the pylons, were filled in with strips of Evergreen .020" x .080" cut and sanded to shape. In the second photo I'm in the process of gluing one in. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lgl007 Posted May 30, 2023 Share Posted May 30, 2023 Beautiful build so far... looking forward to seeing more progress. Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted May 31, 2023 Author Share Posted May 31, 2023 19 hours ago, lgl007 said: Beautiful build so far... looking forward to seeing more progress. Greg Thanks very much Greg. I got the wings assembled, the oil cooler outlet flap doors that I closed off sanded in and, the engine nacelles attached. Lot's of dry-fitting and some sanding got the nacelles very close to being flush all around. I got ahead of myself and while I was dry-fitting the #2 engine nacelle, I got it in real good alignment so, I glued it in place. When I looked at the front of it I noticed I forgot to paint the inside black so, I quickly painted the other three before I made the same mistake again. I'll have to figure out something later, if I can, to remedy this. Steve All the "patches" of closing off the underside holes / recesses were sanded in without losing too much details. I'm sure they will need more attention once primer is on but, for now they look decent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 1, 2023 Author Share Posted June 1, 2023 A little more progress from yesterday, I removed the P-3 wingtips and added the EP-3 ones. Also scratch-built the antennas / sensors ?? that sit above the two forward cabin window areas. I don't know their exact size so they were "guesstimated" these are part of the recent upgrades that the EP-3 has received. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 8, 2023 Author Share Posted June 8, 2023 Wrapped up the new "antenna farm" you'll see on post 2011-13 aircraft. Again, no measurements or drawings to go off of, only my ole' Mk.I eyeball, my reference pics and, some sheet plastic. I'm pretty sure they're not 100% accurate but, look the part to me. I still have others to do up under the nose area and, also on the top of the fuselage but at least this section is finished. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 3 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said: Wrapped up the new "antenna farm" you'll see on post 2011-13 aircraft. Again, no measurements or drawings to go off of, only my ole' Mk.I eyeball, my reference pics and, some sheet plastic. I'm pretty sure they're not 100% accurate but, look the part to me. I still have others to do up under the nose area and, also on the top of the fuselage but at least this section is finished. Steve Looks nice, sometimes the mk1 eyeball is all we have. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichB63 Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 Very impressive work on the antennas Steve! Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 8, 2023 Author Share Posted June 8, 2023 3 hours ago, Da SWO said: Looks nice, sometimes the mk1 eyeball is all we have. 2 hours ago, RichB63 said: Very impressive work on the antennas Steve! Rich Thanks guys. Can anyone tell me if the SATCOM antenna, on top of the EP-3's fuselage, is round or more "v shaped" like the one on the A-10 ? Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 10, 2023 Author Share Posted June 10, 2023 (edited) SLOWLY knocking out the antennas on the upper forward fuselage. The "cross shaped" piece, with the oval base, is the skeleton for the AMT-50 Antenna Dome. I'll use Milliput to fill in the spaces and define the shape. I thought this approach would be easier than trying to form the entire piece out of Milliput. This will be my first attempt at using Milliput so, hopefully everything goes well because I don't want to have to make another one. Once this antenna is completed I can turn my attention to making the six aerodynamic strakes, three on each side, just above the belly radome. Steve Edited July 24, 2023 by A-10 LOADER Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 (edited) On 6/9/2023 at 6:52 AM, A-10 LOADER said: Thanks guys. Can anyone tell me if the SATCOM antenna, on top of the EP-3's fuselage, is round or more "v shaped" like the one on the A-10 ? Steve Nice work Steve, if they are anything like the RAAFs P-3s and P-8s they are most likely the v shaped ones This shot shows it fairly well, you can see the squared edges on it. And those on my AP-3C(EW) I just found an image from the 90s with the round shaped antenna as well. Edited June 11, 2023 by Trojan Thunder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 11, 2023 Author Share Posted June 11, 2023 Your probably correct TT and, I wish I would have seen this photo before. I already attached one with the round top on it. I'll have to see if I want to try and fix it, it's definitely going to bug me that it's wrong. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 12, 2023 Author Share Posted June 12, 2023 Finished up the AMT-50 Antenna Dome last night, looks the part I guess. I also made a new "v shaped" SATCOM antenna to replace the round one, thanks for the heads up Trojan Thunder. Now to tackle those aerodynamic strakes just above the belly radome. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted June 12, 2023 Share Posted June 12, 2023 Love your In-Progress threads. They've become my coffee reads. The EP is coming along beautifully. Looking forward to more. Great job on the antenna. -Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted June 12, 2023 Author Share Posted June 12, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, ST0RM said: Love your In-Progress threads. They've become my coffee reads. The EP is coming along beautifully. Looking forward to more. Great job on the antenna. -Jeff Appreciate that Jeff. Wrapped up the aerodynamic strakes above the belly radome. I added two pins to the radome to help hold it in place while I laid everything out. The piece of tape represents the "propeller keep clear area" stripe which also helps with the layout of things. I"m pretty happy with how they turned out however looking at them now, they are probably too big for the scale but, they're glued on now so I'll learn to live with them I guess. This pretty much finishes off the additions to the airframe for the most part. I have two antennas, already made, to add to the underside of the wings once everything is sanded and, depending on which BUNO's Caracal does on their decal sheet, I'll have to add two other antennas to the airframe, which I already made as well. Steve Edited June 12, 2023 by A-10 LOADER Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 This is great Steve, I am tempted to break out my EP-3 and have a crack at it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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