Skyking Posted August 12, 2005 Author Share Posted August 12, 2005 Thanks OldMan, glad to see you are back among us again. I finally got a chance to do some modeling after a few months of inactivity. I took the kit engine and embellished it by cutting off the molded in pushrods, cleaned up the rocker arms and rescribed the fins from where I shaved off the pushrods. The pushrods are .015 stainless music wire, and i made the intake manifold and carb from solder and a hunk of a white metal casting from some long forgotten detail set for the carburator. I will also use solder for the exhaust pipes. I carved the prop from a piece of basswood and it is in the staining and finishing stages. The seat is made from .005 plastic sheet. I have the wings and tail pieces painted and shaded, so I should be able to start putting it together shortly. I hope to have it finished for our local contest in September. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted August 12, 2005 Author Share Posted August 12, 2005 And here's a reasonable closeup of the engine. I am quite happy with it. I couldn't find any references for a 40 HP JAP engine, so all I couold work from was a couple of fuzzy pictures. It's pretty close I think. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 That is really nice, Mr. King! You should be damned happy with that little engine: it is beautiful. I do like the early days machines very much, and it is a pleasure to see you turning your skills to one. A few weeks ago, I came upon a showing of "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" on the television, and really enjoyed it. I have been modeling regularly still, it is just that I wanted to finish that Roc before doing any pictures of the thing. I had botched a project pretty badly, and wanted to get all the way back on the horse, so to speak. I am back to the earlier birds now, working on a P-12E and a P-26, both circa '34, based ar Selfridge field. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 A few weeks ago, I came upon a showing of "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" on the television, and really enjoyed it That's one of my alltime favorite movies as well OldMan. The scene where Sir Percy emerges from the railroad tunnel and his plane has had it's wingspan shortened considerably has to be one of the funniest in the movie. The look on Terry-Thomas's face, with that gap-toothed look was priceless. I had botched a project pretty badly, and wanted to get all the way back on the horse, so to speak. I can relate to that. I've got a couple in the pile that I keep looking at and wondering if I should bother to try to resurect them, and then calmly lay them back in the bin and move on to something that is actually going well. All I have ever shared are my success stories... but I have my share of botched and bumbled projects laying around as well. The last few days were spent carving a prop from a slice of 1/8" basswood that I stained and finished with a light maple color. I used the kit prop as a guide, as it was correct in shape and outline. I used Copper State Models PE Prop Bosses with a straight pin for a prop shaft, and that is slid inside a section of 1/16th aluminum tube CA'ed into the engine. It spins very nicely with the slightest breeze.... my one concession to a "gee-whiz-that's-cool" urge. I also made new wing spars, as the brittle plastic spars that were molded to the wing halves broke during painting. I used. .030 brass wire, embedded in holes drilled one inch into the wing. It was a tedious process to make sure I didn't poke the bit out of the top or bottom of the wing, but I managed to get all 4 holes done without a major screw-up. I wanted to simulate the translucent effect of seeing "through" the fabric of the wings. The trick I have found is to not try to replicate translucent fabric, but to simulate the shadows instead. I used a Fine Line Sharpie permanent Marker and drew the ribs and spar lines onto the wing before painting. Then I painted a slightly darker shade of Natural Doped Linen on the top of the wing, and a lighter shade on the bottom, laying it on just thick enough to partially conceal the Sharpie lines. I am pleased with the results. I am making decals that will also simulate the shadow of the lettering painted on the bottom of the wings and right side of the rudder. By this weekend I should have the wings mounted, and I am debating if I should turn the fuel tanks out of copper barstock, or try to paint the plastic tanks that came with the kit to acheive a copper look. I will play with them and see if I like the results. Till next time, Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 Here's a bit of a closer look. The pilot sat in the seat on the top of the fuselage, with only his feet inside the cockpit, the rest of him just hung out in the breeze. The JAP engines were notorious for slinging oil from the exposed Rocker Arms, so a Duralumin shield was attached to the Control Column to protect the pilots face, the rest of him got a hot oil bath. I will use lead foil to make the shield from. Oh yes and there was no seat belt or harness either. You had to have big brass kahunas to fly these early birds... or moderately crazy, preferably both. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 That is a magnificent piece of model building. Absolutely gorgeous. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 One step forward and 4 steps backwards. What happens when you get in a rush and you don't take your time? You break something. In my case, I snapped the wing assembly in two after I had it painted and ready to install on the model. :huh: The only drawback to these old Pyro and Lifelike kits is the brittle plastic they are molded in. The left and right wing halves joined in the center of the 4 molded in spar stubs. I figured if I drilled through the ends of the stubs and inserted a piece of steel music wire in when I glued them together it would be strong. It was. Trouble is the spar stubs were still weak where they butted against the wingroot, and in a moment of spastic clumsiness I snapped the left wing from the right... nicely leaving my wire reinforced spar sections in place. I sawed off the stubs and drilled into the ends of the wings themselves, and now I have two 4 inch long .020 steel music wire spars connecting the two, with a piece of 1/16" brass square tube acting as spacers to set the width. Of course in all the rework the paint got damaged, so I sanded it all off, reprimed and redid my spar and rib shadows. Tonight I will repaint the NDL, and start rigging the masts that I added at the same time, then I can mount it to the fuselage and begin rigging the wing warping wires. I used strips of decal film I painted black for the spars and ribs this time instead of using a Sharpie pen. I think they will stand out a little more underneat the NDL. I am hoping to get this done for a show in Syracuse in 2 weeks. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 All's well that ends well, Sir! It looks very nice. I am looking forward to seeing the finished effect on the wing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 5, 2005 Author Share Posted October 5, 2005 Hi there OldMan, All's well that ends well, Sir! It almost ended again tonight. That triangle shaped fuselage is a bugger to get a grip on and the model is so light that it flipped out of my fingers and fell on the floor, fortunately onto the carpet, so no harm was done except the intake manifold and carb popped loose and was consumed by the carpet, a relatively easy minor repair. I want to get this thing done before I really have a disaster on my hands. I have the wing finish painted, and am in the process of making my own decals for it. It said on the bottom of the wing "No. 3 Martin Handasyde" in big block letters, and also on the rudder there was the same, along with the pilots name. I should be able to get thos on tomorrow night and then rig the little monster by the weekend and get it wrapped up. I really like the color contrast of the wood and the natural doped linen. The brass fuel tanks and aluminum seat add more splashes of contrast and color. I really like this little airplane. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Fitting a pioneer days model should have a tale behind it, Sir! No such thing as a routine flight in those days. I am glad the drop came out all right: that is one of my nightmares while building. The nearest I have come is dropping a jar of paint square on a hoeizantal stabilizer, that cracked off clean at the CA glued butt-joint. Tipping over a jat of liquid cement among the parts out on the table is a seperate business.... I sympathize with your desire to crasck on steam and get the thing safe to a shelf. It really is looking great. How are yoo doing the decals? Primitive fellow that I am, I would probably just cut strips of black film. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 6, 2005 Author Share Posted October 6, 2005 (edited) Hello OldMan How are yoo doing the decals? I will do them on the PC and print them out onto the decal paper. I use Detailmaster's decal paper, as it's designed for Laser printers, not inkjet, and I have better results with them. Cheers Mike Edited October 6, 2005 by Skyking Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 Here's a shot of the printed decal sheet. I made two images on the page to accomodate the "Oops factor". I used Word and Wordart to make the text, so that I could flip it 180 for a mirror image. The real wings were translucent, so I am attempting to simulate the "shadow" of the lettering from the bottom of the wings. According to the one fuzzy picture I have of the real airplane, the Gloucester MT Extra Condensed font is real close to the lettering on the real airplane. I will call it close enough. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 11, 2005 Author Share Posted October 11, 2005 (edited) Said decals applied to the model. It's a good thing I made two sets as the oops factor hit me on the last piece when I tore one trying to "nudge" it into position. I said a little more than "oops" though. :lol: After the decals dried I sealed them in Future, and then on the top of the wing I sprayed a light mist coat of NDL again to "bury" the decal under color. I then topcoated with Dullcoat, and I am quite happy with the results. Cheers Mike Edited October 11, 2005 by Skyking Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 11, 2005 Author Share Posted October 11, 2005 Top view. It's a bit hard to see in the photos but the "shadow" of the lower lettering is there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 11, 2005 Author Share Posted October 11, 2005 Last look for now. This is a close up showing the "shadow" a little bit better. I have to touch up the masts and spars yet, then rig the wing and install it permenently. I should be able to have this done by the weekend. The rigging is pretty minimal on this little bird. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 Okay on the home streatch now. The X Bracing wires are done for the wings and the upper warping wires and brace wires are done, wing is installed, fuel tanks and fuel gauge with fuel lines are in place. All that remains now is to run the lower bracing wires and warping wires, Elevator and Rudder control wires, hammer out of brass sheet a "spoon" for the front skid, do some minor touchups and it will be done. I elected to try Part PE turnbuckles and wire stays on this. I'm not sure I like them, as they are flat and one dimensional, whereas real turnbuckles are round. I will leave them on for now as it does add a bit of realism to the rigging. I just wish they were round instead of flat. Next picture(s) will be of the finished bird. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Coming on great, Sir! Looking forward to the finish. I am a little surprised there are so few wires: that was a bold man who designed that.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Very nice. Would it help to add some white or epoxy glue to the turnbuckles to give them a more 3-d look (if you're really unhappy with them). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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