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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

SH Tempest Mk.II HIgh Tech Kit


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Thanks Craig and completely agree.

Even some of the more complex PE belts and harness need better instructions to get them right. I know part of the problem is me but asking for clear and concise instructions shouldn't be a problem these days.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

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Phil

Right with you for sure. I think all that SH did was change the nose assembly by adding a new fret and the changes to the instructions. Speaking of the instructions, I'm working on the wings and the main gear wheel wells and the instructions are a jumble of drawings over three pages and figuring out which parts go where and what the part orientation is driving me insane and nearly to the point of putting the kit back in the box. How did you figure this mess out, as it's simply the worst I've ever seen. Granted SH isn't Tamiya but give me a break, parts aren't keyed and the fit is poor at best and it's easy to get the parts all screwed up.  

At this rate, I might even sell the Whirlwind as this is ridiculous. :hsmack:

Keep 'em comin

Peter

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Thanks Martin, completely agree. Way too much time and effort on good looking and very confusing instructions. Even being a limited run kit, just indicating top and bottom on a few key parts would have been a huge help. I'm struggling, annoyed and getting really cranky but finally have managed to finish putting together the left main gear walls correctly (🤞).

Keep 'em comin

Peter

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Great looking cockpit, Peter, hopefully all will go into the fuselage without too much fuzz. I like the HGW belts, but they are fiddly and the instructions are very bad illustrated. On some sets, I had to narrow the pre-cut straps, which were too wide for the buckles. HGW has great ideas for products, but engineering and realization often leave to desire. I had lots of issues with different products of their line, being it seat belts, wet transfers or the pre cut paper inserts for the interior of my Hansa Brandenburg, which was like being part in a bad joke.
Please continue your great work with a nice but by far not perfect kit.

Cheers Rob
 

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Thanks Rob ... so very much appreciated.

I just never understood why companies bring out products with all sorts of issues and terrible instructions and never seem to correct anything. Sometimes all the technology used is great but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

Fuselage is together and moving forward with a ton of sanding and fussing needed.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

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Carl

Much appreciated

Yup, exactly the same but carefully look at how the wheel wells go together and figure out which is the top and bottom of some of the parts and how the ends glue together. The problem is you're looking from the top down, then from the bottom up,  front to back and then the other way. Not to mention the fit isn't all that good. H21 and H33 are key walls and in the first few drawings, you only see the backs and not the front, which is the important face. The instructions are just not user friendly at all.

I have both gear wells assembled, not crazy about the fit and hopefully what I did works.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

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BUTTONING UP THE FUSELAGE

9/19/21

 

 

 

I test fitted by tapping the two fuselage halves – fit was pretty good. After removing the Tamiya tape, I carefully cleaned up and removed any traces of paint from the cockpit bulkhead edges and cleaned out the corresponding channels on the fuselage walls. Now with the front office in place, the fuselage halves refused to close up as before. The front and rear bulkheads were too wide, requiring a fair amount of sanding. When I was almost able to close up the fuselage without squeezing the halves together, I glued both halves together, leaving a small gap on the bottom that I’ll deal with after the wings are on. No way was this a building error, the bulkheads were just too wide and didn’t fit. 

While the turtle deck behind the cockpit is to be added later, I wanted to at least do a test fit and make sure there wasn’t going to be any issues. The turtle deck is either part E14 or F-14 depending on the color scheme/aircraft being modeled. I was planning doing scheme A and still am, which the instructions called out for part E14 (E&F have question marks (?) shown) and to make matters worse, there is no Fret E with the kit and none shown on the fret schematic in the instructions as well; I went with F14 but then why even show a part that isn’t supplied?  After all this, why wasn’t surprised it didn’t fit, a bit too long and will need some TLC to fit to fit into place. I’m glad I looked ahead for a change and now know what I need to do.

Next up: The Wings

Thanks for checking in

Peter

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QPJ4a8.jpg

I SURRENDER and just can't go on with this kit any longer. I've spent days being frustrated and can't understand the manufacturers logic in what and how to do it. The wheel wells were the last straw as the gear walls are shown to be assembled and glued to the lower wing and then all the internals are added to the underside of the upper wing. Part fit especially with the wheel wells for me were terrible and beyond frustrating. Whether my thinking is correct or not, I just can't find the energy or desire to continue. Yes I know it is a limited production kit and it requires better skills then mine. I've thrown in the towel, I'll take my loses and that's that. I've been through way too much this past year medically to stress out over a kit.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

 

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I'm sad to hear, that you are not continuing after so much precious work done, Peter. On the other hand, it's a hobby and it should be fun and not a permanent struggle. It feels great to beat a subpar kit into a nice result, but I can understand, that it takes resources and power off you, you sometimes don't want to spend for whatever reason. 
Maybe there is a better timeframe to continue with the Tempest. Don't feel too bad about it, browse your stash for a satisfactory build and have FUN.

Cheers Rob

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Peter, sorry to hear it's giving you as much trouble as it is. As Rob said, this is a hobby and they're supposed to be fun. 

Glad to hear that's it's on the SoD and not landfill so maybe one day you'll take another crack at it.  My He219 is in a similar way. I think that's a kit that's made many a modeler take to drink. :D

Carl

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Carl

Thanks so much and completely agree. After a while it was a test of wills and the frustration level kept on mounting to the point, I just couldn't face another day at the bench. Time to box the Tempest up and move move on, same as with your He219. There always will be another day

Keep 'em comin

Peter.

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