1/18 Supermarine S6B - S1595

[FullArmor]

amazing stuff. clearly lots of work put into to this.🫡🧐👍

[Peterpools]

Peter

Simply brilliant work on the floats ... another incredible amount of superb engineering and craftmanship 🏆 

[airscale]

Howdy folks

 

I finished the floats and detailed the struts, all done with litho - this includes some very long, this one piece multi hundred rivet strips that run the length of each chine..

 

 

the struts were detailed as well..

 

 

 

 

 

 

..next up the tailfeathers... the stabiliser seems to have overlapping panels, with the elevators a joggled but flush panel edge...

 

 

..the card formers I made had tiny brass 'L' sections added to the trailing edge and were filled with P38 - then the skinning started with the outer edges as the panels overlap in this direction..

 

 

..tape and dymo tape guides used to make one piece wrap around panels..

 

 

..the elevators were also done and interstingly have a sheet extension at the trailing edge so this was copied by leaving the brass sheet core exposed..

 

 

 

..the rudder was a sheet brass core with plastic ribs, then covered with scored thin plastic sheet to represent linen - I can't see any evidence of rib tape, but there is a characteristic rib feature i need to add (perhaps this is tape?)

 

 

 

 

..after covering, I added the Flash Gordon style counter weights..

 

 

 

..and while not fitted yet, the tail is virtually complete..

 

 

 

..might do the prop next as it is starting to come together..

 

 

 

TTFN

 

Peter

[Peterpools]

Peter

As always, completely in awe of the work you do; simply beyond world class.🏆

 

[Martinnfb]

This somewhat hurts my feelings, or is it ego, or self-esteem , or all of the above?   I wouldn't be surprised to see this thing simply to take off and fly away.

Most impressive work Peter.

Cheers

 

Martin

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Wow this is absolutely incredible, not sure how I've missed this log.  Thanks for posting all the pictures of your detail work!

Can I ask - when you put the foil down, do you glue it and then hammer, smooth, cut, etc. the foil to shape?  And what kind of glue do you use so that you can still get the foil to lie flat when you hammer it.  I've always wondered how that was done.  Thanks in advance and again, amazing work!  Thanks for sharing.

[Jeff]

THIS is the True ART of modelling.  Like Peter said .. World Class …

[shark64]

You know I give up...I can't compete with your modeling talent. This is just incredible to see. 

[Wolf]

Mind boggling work Peter! Love what you do and admire it all. Great subject as well.

Cheers,     
Wolf

[airscale]

thank you all, you are so very kind

 

On 2/21/2024 at 3:00 PM, Landlubber Mike said:

Wow this is absolutely incredible, not sure how I've missed this log.  Thanks for posting all the pictures of your detail work!

Can I ask - when you put the foil down, do you glue it and then hammer, smooth, cut, etc. the foil to shape?  And what kind of glue do you use so that you can still get the foil to lie flat when you hammer it.  I've always wondered how that was done.  Thanks in advance and again, amazing work!  Thanks for sharing.

 

Hi Mike, it's not foil, it's sheet aluminium, like a coke can but maybe a bit thicker. I generally make the panels off the airframe and then beat them into shape once added

 

So, lots has gone on the last few weeks...

 

..the propeller was made as a 3D print which I found very hard to do as it's a complex shape which has oblong roots and quite a twist.. - the spinner cap is machined from solid aluminium so it can be polished like the original..

 

 

..I started the wings by filling the plastic frame with foam & filler - this was then refined many times and note they are complete with the ailerons in place so they can be cut out later...

 

 

..after a lot of finishing, the ailerons were removed...

 

 

..and so to the skinning... I drew out the plans that copied the layout of all the fastners that cover the entire surface.. by the time I finished I selected all objects in the drawing and for the four wing surfaces there were 8,962 rivets... that is bordering on the ridiculous and likely as many as I have done on entire airframes before..

 

,,nothing to do but get started, so here is a typical panel - the small dots are one rivet depression, the big dots two, which was even more demoralising..

 

..also seen is a template to score out a hatch with a pin in a pin vise..

 

 

..after 3 days and a very sore set of muscles they were done...

 

 

 

..no time to rest though, and the ailerons were completed..

 

 

..the wings were added using JB weld and given a day to set, then I could start the fillets - I have not done the front ones as they need to also cover the forward strut mount..

 

 

 

..with the wings on, I could add the belly oil cooler assembly - as with the fuselage sides this was a 3D printed buck over which the metal sheet was fomed..

 

 

..in two parts, it stretches all along the lower fuselage..

 

 

..with so much skinning going on, I fancied a change and so started on the beaching trolley - well at least the wire wheels of the trolley..

 

I 3D printed a hub, a rim and a jig..

 

 

..and then bent a lot of piano wire spokes and started to populate them

 

 

..and the finished wheels, along with some Pratts petrol cans I have seen in pictures with the airframe..

 

 

 

..and so before the painting starts next week, some final shots in all her nakedness...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..time to start thinking about the finish...

 

until next time

 

TTFN

Peter

[Jeff]

R. J. Mitchell is smiling down at you , Peter. I’m sure he is giving you some guidance and support. The float struts are highly detailed models themselves. Jaw dropping skills. Such a pleasure to watch this come together. 
Jeff

[HubertB]

Wow ! I do not know where to start with the deluge of compliments : the incredible propeller, the wings’ skinning, the oil cooler, the float struts: everything is just so incredible    
 

Hubert

[Peterpools]

Peter

At a complete loss of words - nothing knew as I not only admire your beautifully skilled work but relentless pursuit of perfection. 🏆

 

[Martinnfb]

Peter , I truly running out of superlatives. This is a work of art, labour of love on steroids. I just showed it to my wife who is a goldsmith and works with metal of intricate shapes and sizes and she fully agrees with my sentiments.  I don't know how you do it, but keep doing it.  

 

[belugawhaleman]

Museum quality work!

[Pete Fleischmann]

Simply brilliantly executed Peter!

Will be very interested in what paint type you select; and what surface prep may be required- looking forward to that lesson if you are able to share/explain-

 

best

Pete

[airscale]

thank you all, very kind

 

So, the painting stage is looming....

 

I needed to get some new etch primer as it only has a 12 month shelf life and frustratingly it is still not here yet..

On 3/17/2024 at 12:14 AM, Pete Fleischmann said:

Will be very interested in what paint type you select; and what surface prep may be required- looking forward to that lesson if you are able to share/explain-

Pete

 

Hey Pete - good to see you - there is a bit of that here, i have limited experience as this is my first fully painted skinned model - basically I use an etch primer that can be diluted so it can be airbrushed..

 

I am waiting for both of these

Phoenix Primer

HMG Primer

 

and the paint is either MRP or Humbrol enamel - Humbrol I find better as it is pretty bulletproof, though very smelly..

I have worked out the colour (I think) - some of the original paint is still on S1595 in the Science Museum (it was repainted ages ago in the wrong blue, likely roundel blue) so I did some samples and arrived at what i think is a reasonable match given the limitations of eyeballs, digital sampling and light

 

I took all my similar blues and did a tester, photographed in natural and artificial light and ended up mixing a shade from what I had - this is the analysis..

 

 

It is what it is, there are no colour pics so sue me if I am wrong...

 

..while waiting I busied myself and there is absolutely no construction remaining..

 

Pitot tube done - complex little thing..

 

 

..cockpit canopy done, another complex little thing - i hate doing transparencies as they are just a huuuuuge opportunity to fu#k up..

 

 

also all the beaching gear was made of plastic and wood, and the wire wheels finished..

 

 

 

..again with no colour photos, I painted them what I thought / interpreted - basically battleship grey as it's likely marine paint..

 

..added the petrol cans and trolley..

 

 

 

 

 

..and thats it - the next time I post, it will be all painted.. wish me luck

 

..in other news, I have decided on my next subject - something I have wanted to do for ages but thought it wouldn't fit in my display cabinet - I measured again and I think I can just squeeze it in - any ideas?

 

TTFN
Peter

[Martinnfb]

Beauty like this needs its own, special display cabinet, splendid work Peter. 

Cheers

Martin

[Peterpools]

Peter

Brilliant as always and a joy to follow. Can't wait until your next update to her all painted and looking mighty good. 

Next build: just impossible to guess but I'm thinking a large scale WWII heavy.

 

 

 

 

[Jeff]

On 3/18/2024 at 6:18 AM, Martinnfb said:

Beauty like this needs its own, special display cabinet, splendid work Peter. 

Cheers

Martin

Yeah , like at Hendon , so the whole world can see and enjoy this master piece of miniature historical significance. This is world class craftsmanship.

Jeff

[Pete Fleischmann]

Thanks Peter for the primer links! Looking forward to your painting process-

 

cheers

Pete

[airscale]

nearly finished - just flying wires to go..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTFN

Peter

[Peterpools]

Peter

Incredible, just incredible. I tip my hat to a museum quality build and it seems you literally flew through the project. Of course, Peter, we have no way of knowing how many hundreds of hours you worked at the bench to keep up the incredible pace.  So beautifully done. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Peter 

[Bomber_County]

Incredible……

[Martinnfb]

X3