crazypoet

That's a fun project, and I love what you did with the cockpit

Next weekend? Ah, the optimism...! One of the benefits of scratch-building is that, if you don't like something, you can just do it over... One of the *curses* of scratch-building is that, if you don't like something, you can just do it over... I'll have pictures on Saturday, but the boiler is finally, essentially, complete. All the components are finished; I just need to mount the firebox/stack to the front, set it on the stands and add the bands that secure the boiler to the stands. A key mistake I made was in deciding to add rivet detail *after* some of the pieces were painted and assembled. I'll not make that mistake again! I also completely rebuilt the stack and its connection to the firebox. I'm happy with the results but this took much longer than it should have, as I made too many mid-stream changes. The good news is that I'm not on a deadline!

Work on this has been a bit slow, as I found more areas where I wanted to take a different approach than that provided in the kit. Two specific examples are in the support stands for the boiler and in the smoke stack. As-designed, the supports for the boiler aren't sufficiently deep - the boiler would have a tendency to roll right off of them, even if strapped down. I'm making a replacement set from brass sheet. It will have higher sides and a curve that allows for the iron bands that secure the boiler to the stands to connect with no sharp kinks or bends. My LHS did not have brass stock in the sizes I needed, so I've been working from a sheet of 3/64" brass and cutting my stock to fit. The Dremel and needle files have been getting a bit of a workout... Original kit supports on the left, compared to the depth of curve on the new set, in the vice: Making bar-stock to order! Components coming together... Meanwhile, I was also unhappy with the stack design. The kit provided a length of 1/2" wood dowel and card-stock cutouts for the stack and reinforcing bands. It just didn't feel right, so I'm replacing those with 1/2" brass tube and brass bands riveted and soldered to the stack. I also slightly flared and thinned the tubing to scale thickness at he top lip. I'm still pulling things together - I realized for instance that I'll need four different solders with different melting points for some of these bits. I discovered this after a very frustrating afternoon spent repeatedly soldering and (accidentally) de-soldering some of the pieces. Then the light came on... DOH! More to come next week - I may actually get the boiler done next weekend - the end is in sight! Then I'll start on the engine... Wheeee!

That Catalina is at the top of my scale model bucket list... I look forward to watching her come together!

Just arrived: 1950's-Vintage Strombecker China Clipper in 3/32" to 1' scale: Found on Etsy, for $10.00 plus $12 for shipping. All intact - I suspect the decals are likely too old to use though. I always wished I could have taken a trip in one of these - this kit will have to do...

I have a bit of progress to report. I've been fiddling with the Boiler, working on the plumbing and getting the sub-assemblies for each end to a level that I like. First, I finished the basic structure and banding: I used a broken shaft from a #72 drill bit to form the lifter for the boiler safety valve, and used a bit of thin card stock to improve the lever hinge. There's still the counter-weight and PE fitting for the steam dome to add before this part is done. The forward end of the boiler and smoke hood is almost ready - the dimensions were a bit off between the wood assembly and the provided PE mounting ring for the stack, so I needed to add card-stock shims to get it all to line up. This shows the wood and paper, before final sanding, filling and paint-work: The plumbing took a bit of work, as I didn't like the approach taken in the original design. A particular challenge was the water-glass for the boiler, as I wanted it to actually look like a glass tube that had held boiler water over time.... I wasn't able to find tubing in the size I needed, so I used a Dremel and x-acto blade as a lathe to cut and shave a bit of acrylic rod to size, then used weathering powders and a dip in future to give it the look I wanted. Another section, with the piping at least starting to look right. I've done a bit more since I took these - I'll post another update this weekend with the (hopefully!) completed boiler. There's the rest of the smoke hood, including a bit of PE and soldering, plus the back side, plumbing and stands still to complete. Pulling all the pieces together and getting the weathering right is the last challenge before I get back to planking more of the hull and starting the engine assembly... Slowly coming together...

This is incredible work! I'm delighted to get an up-close view of all the detail that goes into this. Keep the updates coming!

I would *love* to see a good F4D Skyray kit. My (since deceased) father-in-law flew these as the Commander of VF74 from 1959-1961

I'd be very interested - count me in!

Nice! I thoroughly enjoyed watching this in-progress and I love the result

This is a great project - I can't wait to see this on the shelves; it's going into my stash immediately (always loved the Mosquito!)

Welcome! I love that workspace - and you've used it to great effect!

I truly understand that "resonance" one can feel with some aircraft. My wife keeps telling me that it has something to do with reincarnation; I think it's more to do with what first grabbed my attention as a kid... Regardless - follow your bliss, so to speak! I look forward to watching your build, when it happens. I am working my way though my short list of planes that call to me (for whatever reason!). I want to do each of them in 1/32 before I'll move on to other types.

There are two current ship builds active in the non-LSM area. Neither of them are plastic kits, though. My 1/24 Civil War Picket Boat Remcohe's 1/48 Armed sloop I'd love to see others - there are some very interesting naval subjects out there, in scales that align well with the rest of this site. I think the Italeri 1/35 PT Boat kit is still available, and i'd LOVE to see someone take it on in this forum..

I'm watching this with interest! Your work with foil is simply stunning! I'm looking off into my future HKM B-17 build in NMF. So... I'll ask the same question of you that I just asked on Moldmkr's B-17 thread: Between Alclad and foil for large surface areas, which is your preference? I've done smaller pieces with metal finishes out of everything from paint to foil to metal leaf, and all of them have their headaches. What's your preference?

@ Moldmkr... I have a question on this - as I'm preparing to do my own build of this kit, I'm going back and forth between using metal foil vs Alclad for the ship I want to make. It's a huge NMF surface and both approaches carry their own "complications"... Given that you just did this in Alclad - what are your thoughts? Would you use the same approach again?

I am seriously impressed! The amount of work and detail you put into this is just amazing. I have one one these in the stash, and I'm going to do some practice runs on lesser kits before I tackle it

Beautifully done!

Quick update on the Boiler - ah, the pitfalls of kit upgrades and "eyeball metrics" As I mentioned earlier, the main body of the boiler was covered in wood planks to protect the crew from burns. So the largest section of the boiler assembly is wood slats over an internal frame. The planks on the original were held in place by riveted iron bands. In the kit, they specified using heavy paper to represent these. I decided to go with blackened brass strips instead. Basic structure: One of the bands - I added a relief-bend to allow it to lay flat and used double rivets, as was done in-period for these sorts of assemblies: Steam Dome bands complete. I used brass pins for the rivets, after filing down the heads to about half their original depth and diameter: Main boiler bands in-progress: Note the accidental "knot" in one of the planks, caused when I slipped with an awl while marking the brass for one of the rivet holes... I also managed to drill one of the rivet holes 1/32" short, so I cut a shallow groove in the bottom of the assembly to shorten the circumference a bit (just visible on the left): I'm reminded again of the limitation of the eyeball-micrometer...! Fortunately, after I finish staining and weathering this will be all but invisible underneath and behind the firebox.

I just got in a boatload of toys for the 1/32 HKM B-17 and 1/32 Trumpeter P-47 Mostly PE and resin sets from Eduard, but also a few decal goodies, turned blast tubes and metal undercarriage for the P-47 and a set of bomber crew-members (based on the Memphis Belle) Now, all I need to do is finish the Picket Boat, Camel and Signifer 1/48 Goose so I can start on these guys!

Love it! Beautiful job on the paining - it makes all the difference

I'm enjoying this - keep the updates coming!

Watching this process just brings a smile to my face - and is an inspiration as well. Beautifully done

Piddling along - a few more planks and a start on the boiler. The main section of the boiler and steam dome is just wood strips covering a frame - the iron body of the boiler was covered with wood planks to protect the crew from burns in close quarters and so isn't visible except at the ends. The fun will come in the details - the reinforcing bands, valves, plumbing, stack, burner and hood. I'll probably end up opening the firebox. It will add some nice visual interest at the cost of another week or two. I figure the boiler will take three or four weekends, then I'll start on the steam engine. And a new plank or two. The planking will be a bit tedius - it will be ongoing in the background while I work on other assemblies - I'll post planking updates whenever there's something interesting to look at.

I am, as always, in utter awe of both the skill and the creativity I see demonstarted in these builds - thanks so much for posting these!