airscale

thank you ladies, you are all too kind so, this is one of the few pics I have of the cockpit... ..tons of info there - all I have to do now is make it.. ..started with control yoke, forward bulkhead & rudder pedals, all from plastic or brasss.. ...then it was a few more bobbins including the seat and time for paint.. I have tried to start a bit of weathering as I suspect open cockpit, seawater and an oliy monster 18 inches away would mean it would get a bit grubby.. ..also starting to get the fuel tank seen in the photo ready for fitting, though lots more pipes to go.. ..and thats it - I want to get it closed up so I can start skinning the fuselage - the instrument panel is next as soon as the decals arrive later this week have a wonderful Xmas everyone 🤶 TTFN Peter

thanks chaps time to make the fuselage sides, so made a plug using the same bulkhead drawings and vacformed form sheet.. ,,these were then tack CA'd into place so the sanding & filling could start.. you can see additional strip plugs added as I screwed up the measure / cutting.. ..and once refined, the structural elements of the fuselage are complete.. ..a jig was fixed to the sides while they were in place to keep everything where it should be (if they flex, the detail breaks free inside later - tell me how I know), and then they were cut & prised off and interior detail started.. ..in the next screw up, I should have made the sides run right to the last bulkhead, but I had cut them at the headrest bulkhead - the fuselage is hollow in real life so actually there is no bulkhead at all, but I ran it to one behind the seat in the hope it won't be seen.. ..so the sides were refitted and the last section cut out.. ..this meant the sides needed sorting out to integrate the additional walls, so out with the filler again.. ..the missing detail was added.. ..and cleaned up & primed you would never know on the inside.. ..however, on the outside it is Frankenstein's monster.. ...the structural beams were made from litho, but will have to be fitted to the fuselage rails, rather than the walls as there is no way to add the sides over the brass beams once they are in place.. onwards & upwards TTFN Peter

thank you all, very kind time to build out the fuselage of this curvy girl.. started by black outlining all formers with a sharpie so when I sand I can see when I hit the outline, then it was filled out with hard foam blocks in between all the formers .. then those were cut and sanded to the base profile - litho cockpit sides were added to keep shape integrity while filling / sanding.. ..then the structure was given a thin skim of P38 filler.. ..and sanded to shape.. this is the 'rough cut'.. ..lots of sanding and re-filling & re-priming and the base fuselage is complete for skinning in metal later.. ..the big definitive rocker cover fairings were a challange and I pondered how to do them. Eventually, I made up a basic 3D version which my skills in no way allow me to get all the subtle shapes so these just serve as something to start with - though the exhaust port blocks will be separate as they will ultimately be scale.. ..I started the refinement by getting the position and relationship to the fuselage right. This is done by covering the fuselage with aluminium plumbers tape that pretty much defies anything sticking to it for long and the fairings spot CA'd in place followed by filler so they become a close fit... they can then be easily broken off for final shaping.. .. then after they were permanently fixed, a definition needed to be made to start to represent the fuselage break where the fuselage and engine fairings meet.. ..this was done with lining tape and filler added and sanded until the tape can be seen.. ,,and the all important nose profile starts to take shape.. ..and thats it for now TTFN Peter

hey chaps thanks for dropping in ..because the foam and filler part of the build is very messy. I kind of wanted to confine it to one long session. To that end it meant I need all four corners of the airframe completed, so up next wings & tailplane.. ..the wing starts with a 0.16mm sheet brass trailing edge - here the outline is stuck to the sheet and later cut out with a dremel & slitting disc on a bit of balsa to stop it bending.. ..with it cut out is is pinned to a balsa backed plan with a small wodden strip lifting the TE off the plan. Then the ribs are threaded on the tube spars and spaced out - I made more ribs than there are lines on the plan so they don't line up and all are set in place with a set square & CA.. a slot in each rib captures the TE... ..the LE is made of brass rod - the use of brass for LE & TE is to ensure clean hard lines i can fill & sand to.. ..here a block of aluminium is used to set a nice square leading edge (a block that will hopefully later be carved / bashed / smashed into a propeller..) ..the other wing is built off the first so everything lines up and is square.. ..fill in plates have been added to give torsional strength and stop twisting, all of it being washed with old tamiya liquid cement to bond it all together... ..the tailplanes are of similar construction, but without the brass.. ,,and that is enough of the airframe complete to start building it up from here... having a blast TTFN Peter

have you ever had it where you go to bed at night and think about what you are going to do on your build the next day? I know when I am really into my build when I feel like it's Christmas Eve and I can't wait to get up... so at my bench at 8am on a Sunday and I have S6B floats now ..started by adding a 'T' section to the bottom of the cores - this really should have been brass, but I haven't got enough so plastic it is.. then each former one by one with the plan view stiffner in between.. ..having made the parts already, it took shape quickly.. ..soon front and rear sections had one side of the profiles.. ...soon all the formers were added and integrated with the 3D top part that the struts mount to.. ..then all the components were cemented together )x2) ..with the floats made up, it was time for a test fit.. ..the 3D parts really help lock everything in and get the geometry right.. ..happy with that for a day's work TTFN Peter

the bit of my brain that deals with comprehension always breaks when I look at this build Oliver... I swear what you do with just plastic cannot be done its like an alternate universe I drop into....😍

Hello all With apologies to my P39, it is time to nail something new together... I was inspired by the exquisite models on show at Telford to go back to old school model making. My P39 started as an experiment that proved I could make a whole airfame in 3D, but after a long break from any modelmaking as I focused on airscale I found it hard to pick it back up.. Add to that a chance conversation with my friend Torben at SMW about subjects that could inspire me, he mentioned early racers and a bulb in my head went off :). Both he and I like ther S5, but the S6B has so many attributes that suit me - one being it is all metal rather than fabric winged and the other being that the real one is accessible at the Science Museum in London... So here we are... S1595.. ..a beautiful machine.. ..with inspiration in place and many hours of trawling the internet for images, I set off for London to get reference pics - unfortunately it is really badly lit, but 457 pics later I had enough with the disparate plans I found to start drawing out shapes... ..the rear of a float for example.. ..and this aeroplane is covered in a LOT of rivets, especially the wings as the surface doubles as the radiators (which were removed from the slipstream for streamlining).. typical is the float again... ..though where I have been doing complex cockpits in previous models, this one is pretty simple.. ..still room for 3D though, this will become the fuel tank under the instrument panel.. ..with drawings created, I made lots and lots of parts from 1mm card & 2mm cores... I also designed a 3D printed matrix with the bottom of the fuselage and the top of the floats to set the angle and give strength to the struts.. ..the cockpit is going to be tricky as there is just skin and very small thin formers so for now it is part of the core and with brass 'U' channel running down the sides where the real one has a strengthener I hope to cut it all away later ..the 3D core in the fuselage includes holes for the wing spars and you can see on the forward end one of the holes for 3mm brass rod for the strut cores (the other is just visible under the back of the wing).. ..Same for the float tops, though the scars from me getting the angles wrong on the first pass are visible here.. there is also a slot running around it to centre the cores... ..and assembly has started, the fuselage is super slim, literally the size of the engine cross section - the shape will be created by filling the gaps with hard sculpting foam and a skim of P38 filler before skinning.. for now there are just placeholders for the engine blisters as I need to refine the drawings - they are a complex shape.. ..then adding more strength to the fuselage in a jig to keep the spine straight until it's all set.. and chopped out the cockpit area and thankfully the brass bracing structure that mirrors the real one (the lower beams are a bit overscale thickness for strength) seem to have worked and it is all quite rigid.. ..even put a mock up IP in it, though the real one is sloped slightly.. having fun so that's it - underway with a new project and I am glad to be back at the bench and back here with my pals TTFN Peter

I am now a dribbling wreck... just skills from another world Oliver I must get to see this (and you) at a show someday Peter

Howdy folks I have been working on a range for the Revell Bf109 G2/4 as I think it's a great and cheap kit. These will be released in 3- 4 weeks and are available for pre-order I hope you think thye are a worthwhile addition all the best everyone Peter

Oooh thats nice I built one of these many moons ago - really enjoyed it Still one of my absolute favourite aircraft Peter

Great to see Harv up and about Wishing for a speedy recovery Peter

Aww poor Harv, hope he is ok and has a speedy recovery - as a one in a million guy I am sure he will be back to his old self soon sending love from the airscale family Peter

thank you chaps just a quick update as now lots has been released for this kit - hopefully elevating it anything with a 'Pro' logo is available now, others in the next few days thanks for the support & hope you like the new way of doing things all the best Peter

Hey, hey my friend I see the miracles are still happening in your gifted hands always a pleasure to tune in and see what you have been doing and I have some catching up to do Peter

evening all nice to be around here again and catch up with old friends I am not sure where this should go, but with Hubert's help I have been busy creating a new range around the new 1/32 Devastator. Should be out in a few weeks available for pre order here ..I have also been looking at making 3D parts so the Pro range really does do what it can for a kit - not sure if I will market these yet.. wing fold inserts vs the kit bits a Mk13 torpedo & trolley twin 30 cals & mount.. also have done wheels as the kit has rubber tyres so there we are - I hope it hits the spot & I must say I have fallen for this kit, it's a really good effort and very, very good in places Also welcome ideas on what could be done next in the Pro range Hope everyone is well Peter

hey, hey boys, nice to see you all Fantastic build here Clunk, and I just wanted to pass my personal & public thanks to Hubert, without whom our latest set for the Devastator would literally not have been possible looking forward to getting re-aquainted 🥰

Hey folks Bit more Fw190 action.. I have been hopping about trying to phase things so I don’t for example do the interior then bash it about while trying to do some heavy engineering on the wings, but in some ways some of it doesn’t matter as any part you pick, ultimately has to be done sometime.. I thought I would get the tailplanes out of the way, so scaled the Bentley plans and made a 2mm card blank – let in and added a rod spar that is located where there is a tube now in the fuselage.. ..by doing it as one part it ensures alignment etc.. ..some templates were added to define the cross section and aerofoil and this was bulked out with P38 filler and primed / worked until I had the basic shapes.. ..added some litho details that can be seen if the elevators are posed anywhere but neutral.. ..drew out the rivet pattern from photo’s and made up 4 skin panels.. ..I noticed the leading edge is a real ‘bull-nose’ and pretty ungainly – it also sits on top of the skin panels as can be seen here.. ..I had made the skins slightly too wide at the leading edge so I can try and replicate this – started by wrapping in annealed litho.. ..then once fixed down it was trimmed to the slight overlap.. ..the tips were in three parts – one bent around the tip laterally in litho that has not been annealed to get a good crisp and strong trailing edge, and then upper & lower skin panels that were softer after annealing.. ..and the finished parts – also added some big fixing rivets on the tips I saw on refs.. ..then onto the wings – they needed the shapes around the ailerons correcting so correctly shaped litho strip sheet parts were cut and faired into the wing – along with removing all the moulded detail from the HB kit.. ..I also used one of the holes in each wing to fill them with expanding foam that goes rock hard inside and gives a solid core.. ..after priming and with a rivet template printed out derived from a photo.. ..then the first panel gets prepared to be laid down with tape as a hinge holding it in position and also masking where I don’t want contact adhesive.. ..the panels sit atop each other like the Spitfire, so these are the first two laid down.. ..now I need some help from the community – I have no rivet plans and have been deriving from photo’s – I have lots of photo’s of the bottom of the wings, but none of the top (without paint so the rivets can be seen) – does anyone know where I might get a good rivet drawing or resto photo’s of the top of the wing? Thanks all in advance & TTFN Peter

…side consoles.. TTFN Peter

Afternoon my friends That is an incredibly useful photo Wumm, thank you - I agree about it is likely those panels were removed, especially as there is a chuffing great big pipe going from the engine, out of the rear of the wheel well to the under fuselage scoop - still, I have made them now so will prolly keep them in Something arrived in the post this week which has meant I could crack on with my favourite part of any build.. ..this stack are the custom decals for the 190 that I had in the corner of a layout sheet for an airscale restock. The good thing is they are super high quality decals, the bad thing is I have 75 copies as that was the sheet order size for one of the layouts… I only need one of any decal on the sheet as I have so many copies and it keeps the sheet size down, plus there are a few bits on there for friends ..anyways, I don’t have any WIP shots, but I have been busy – this is the V15 cockpit I am basing the V18 on.. ..and my version.. ..upper panel.. panel in front of the control stick.. lower panel.. ..and sort of how they go together.. ..and that’s that – favourite bit done, it’s all downhill from here TTFN Peter

aww I wish you would come back to it Hubert not only is it fantastic to watch, but I just have a thing for military aircraft in civil markings so the scheme is one I would love to see Peter

Afternoon gentlemen Some Fw190 bobbins for your entertainment.. ..I painted the layers of PE for the instrument panel – there is a backplate (not shown), a layer with just the bezel surrounds and the blanked instrument in black, and the detail layer in RLM66.. The lower panel has some colour coding (thanks Roger) for the instruments that are on their way and should be here next week.. ..also made the ‘Ausgleichsgefäss’ that sits under the main panel from many punched discs (the 3D print didn’t really work..) ..and the artificial horizon, now just awaiting instruments & placard decals… ..while waiting I have been readying all the PE I will need for the gear wells and a load of other bits – using lots of pictures like this to map it all out.. Notice the dimples and the raised ribbed panel next to them.. ..after many hours of work, here you can see the mainspar, wheelwell roof and some of the wing ribs printed out, stuck to litho and being test fitted.. ..I wanted to start with the roof as these won’t be PE anyway, the drawings are just to give me working templates.. ..here printed, stuck to a sheet of Perspex and all the centres of all the dimples being marked.. ..and my first ever use of my new mini Proxxon milling machine to machine the depressions.. ..added the sidewalls and some filler to fair them in as the pressing is curved at the sides and primed to make sure all was well.. ..starting to work annealed litho into the female mould… the completed one you can see at the front is the first version I did in a video episode on my Patreon build after which I realised I had made the depressions too big (& therefore the dimples..) ..re-adding a template so I can see the panel outline and start cutting it to shape.. ..and the completed parts… ..the ribbed panel was approached in a similar way, just reversed so instead of dimples it makes raised strengthening ribs.. ..sticking templates down to mark out where the ribs go.. ..ribs added and a wash of thin CA.. ..cleaned up, rounded edges and primed.. ..litho being worked into shape.. ..and the finished panels with the rivets etc added.. ..a day’s work… ..and checking for fit.. ..happy with how they turned out, and don’t forget, if you want to see how parts like this are made and join me in the ups and downs of this build, please join my Patreon TTFN Peter

Hello again my friends A little update on the 190… ..added the PE part to the seat pan and made up a buck to vacform the seat back – I tried it in metal but it was not only too thin, but the folds were too straight, that is to say the seat back has quite radiused corners where the metal was folded / pressed to make it.. ..this is before I cut the back down as it was too tall.. ..then made up a little jig to add the mounting lugs.. ..and assembled & painted.. I am using MRP Paints RLM66 and am really struggling with it – it seems to dry and go syrupy in the airbrush paint cup almost immediately and the finish is quite rough – I might redo it and try thinning it.. I am also not sure about the colour – it looks very dark to me… ..next up are the two small bulkheads that are mounted to the seat rails – the left hand one has the round oxygen thing that the pilot whacks with his elbow if the cockpit depressurises and it creates an oxygen mist.. ..I made up the seat rails from brass ‘I’ beams with the sides filed down to the two different widths they are in reality, and added the PE bulkhead laminates… I also made up the oxygen thing.. ..and painted them… ..in readiness for fitting them, I made up the canopy rails from brass square section with a slot cut into it and fitted these to the sidewall parts so I knew where the seat rail bulkheads needed to integrate with.. ..also added the rear cockpit skin with the riveting to the pointed part under the canopy.. ..then the cockpit area was painted as I worried I wouldn’t be able to get in all the nooks and crannies and the bulkheads added.. ..and with the seat dry fitted.. ..still not sure about the colour… Has anyone got any recommendations for an idiotproof RLM66 that is maybe a bit lighter (& bluer?) TTFN Peter

Evening all Not a huge amount to report as only had limited time at the bench in the last few days, but a few more bits done.. First the rudder pedals – here are the main parts from the PE I designed.. ..these were folded up and can be seen at the top, while all the other components that make up the complex casting and the two layers of heel stop are below.. ..these were assembled so that the main bits were all together.. ..and then assembled with some footstraps from lead.. I need to find some better references for the pistons and brackets that these fit to before going any further.. moving to the radiator – you can see on the front face there are some kind of structure at top and bottom, with the upper one having some kind of thing on it – I thought it was maybe an engine logo, but settled on some sort of filler cap.. I sound vague, because this is all I have to go on.. ..I painted and added the PE radiator fronts and the spoke type things and made up the upper and lower shapes as best I could from tracings from that photo.. ..they look a lighter colour to me so tried to make a sort of anodised / RLM 02 style colour.. ..and what they look like on the model.. ..and that’s it – told you it wasn’t a lot TTFN Peter

Hey folks Started working on the cowling having sorted the prop out – it’s unpainted NMF and split into four panels… ..before I could do that I needed to form the fairing that goes from the fuselage in behind the radiator, so this was roughed out in litho in two parts.. ..then once finessed a bit, I marked the locations of the rods that control the cowl flaps.. ..with that done the cowl was temporarily added to mark out the panel lines with cotton and draw them on.. ..then the first panel was laid down starting with the flat part at the rear and working the metal forward over the cowl lip.. ..that ultimately failed as all the folds & kinks formed on the cowl lip and in sanding them to a reasonable finish it started to get too thin & break up.. So take 2 was to start forming at the lip and work backwards, but this too resulted in too many deep folds and a pretty crap finish.. ..the front of the cowl finished up well, so I thought I could maybe do it in two parts, by removing & replacing the rear section where the cowling is flat.. ..to repeat this four times for each panel would be a pain so I finally decided to start again but with one forward part for the whole lip and try and get it to conform as far back as possible.. ..then once this was trimmed, one sheet was wrapped around the rear… ..it was then burnished down to overlap the cowl nose part… ..then sanded away the overlap getting a near invisible join.. ..then the panel lines were marked out again.. ..and the panels scored into it and rivets added – here also the cowl flaps are taped in place.. ..also test fitted the PE parts for the radiator which fitted beautifully.. ..then the nose could be dry fitted for testing looks & fit.. ..it was really difficult to skin the cowling and I am not 100% happy with it, but I can’t face doing it all again.. one thing I am not sure about are the internal colours for things like the inside of the cowl – on the P51 it is interior green or zinc chromate, on a 190 I assume it’s RLM66 in the cockpit, but are internal parts either RLM02 or anodised metal? Any thoughts welcome TTFN Peter

that 'pit is sweeeeeet What / whose RLM 66 did you use? when I grow up I want to be like you Peter