1/18 Hawker Sea Fury - probably VX620..

airscale · March 26

No rest for the wicked they say, so with the paint drying on my S6B it's time for a new project..

I built a Hobbyboss Sea Fury back in the day and added loads to it including a visible engine and I have always wanted to make a large scale one. The problem was (and is) it doesn't fit in my display cabinet. I remeasured it the other day and somehow got my sums wrong and thought it would fit so off I went and started researching.. Turns out I was right the first time, the airfame is a beast and won't fit so will need a home once complete (or I get a bigger cabinet..)

My last one was the civil demonstrator G-AKRY, but now I just proved to myself I can paint an aeroplane, this one will be a service machine. Choosing one is harder than I thought - it's got to be RN, but to be honest, they were all painted the same

for now I chose this one VX620..

I started with Jumpeii Temma's plans and checked these with Will at DBMK on the one they scanned - they were bang on, so I designed the parts for my cutter..

also made a 3D cowling..

..the brass bar is to keep the keel rigid..

..the keel was taped to a flat sheet of acrylic and all the formers added - I also 3D printed a wingroot section to help alignment..

..I have had problems with plastic card cores flexing during construction so I clamped an ali bar and added the other side, moving the bar as I went..

..very quickly the fuselage took shape - it is huge..

..the floor is too high here and had to be chopped out and lowered - this is the problem with not having drawings

..having designed the cowling, I spent some time doing the prop, spinner and a basic engine front..

I think it came out pretty good - it defines the aeroplane so has to be right..

..starting to look like the brute it is..

..so thats it - off and running with a new build

..A plea for help - if anyone has any good interior pictures of the cockpit, seat, seat bulkhead, rollover structure, please drop them here or PM me

also if there are more unique RN schemes out there I am definately open to a rethink

TTFN

Peter

Peterpools · March 27

Peter

I'm riveted to my chair and will be following every step of the way. I do remember so many years ago on LSP when we met as you recreated a gem from the old Hobbycraft kit. It's so hard to comprehend your progress to date - faster then I build a kit OOB. I've only built two Sea Fury's: The Fisher 32nd kit and the Airfix 48th scale kit and each sits front and center in my display case. For me, the Sea Fury looks and power is the Queen of the Skies.

airscale · March 31

Thank you Peter - very kind

I went to make a basic cockpit tub from 3D and once printed I needed to make some adjustments...

while I was at it, I got a bit carried away..

still lots to do, but a great canvas, even if it is cheating a bit

TTFN

Peter

Peterpools · March 31

Peter

OMG, just incredible detail and workmanship.

There is a new 32nd scale Sea Fury coming our way and when it becomes available, I absolutely buy a kit and dig into the build. Of course, your build will easily be my guide and research.

airscale · April 4

hey guys

bit more done...

..I had done such a rudimentary job on the engine, so even though very little can be seen, I added what I could..

the fuselage formers were bulked out with hard foam and all the template outlines blacked out with a sharpie so I can see the sanding thresholds later.. also added some card formers to help shape the exhaust area around the nose..

I made up a 3D part to lock all the features of the wings together with the spars and dihedral on the outer wing panels and made up ribs from 2mm card..

..and the wings & airframe start to take shape - it looks like an air racer without the last few ribs and the wingtips..

TTFN

Peter

HubertB · April 4

It’ unbelievable how fast this is taking shape to look like a Sea Fury. You’ll never cease to amaze me, Peter :unworthy: !

Hubert

belugawhaleman · April 4

Well, I'll be watching for sure! Already amazing progress!

Peterpools · April 5

Peter

brilliant progress. I've never seen you work this fast and yet the precision and level of work is beyond amazing. :construction:

Andy the Sheep · April 5

I have to follow your build: it's amazing, and that's a blatant understatement!

Martinnfb · April 5

Incredible work Peter.

Cheers

Martin

Now I'm going to change hobby to something more appropriate to my skill set, probably knitting.

image.jpeg.73fa21fd1aff1dbb2c35fbea17330b40.jpeg

KUROK · April 9

What type of dark grey putty do you use?

I'm curious as I see the foam filler and the styrene formers you have marked with sharpie.

If you sand down until you see sharpie lines won't the filler be so thin at that point it will have no strength? Unless the foam is harder than it looks...

DRUMS01 · April 10

Your builds always amaze me. Great modeling and vision,.... you animal you.

shark64 · April 19

Just Wow.

airscale · May 4

Hello ladies

Thanks for all your kind comments

On 4/9/2024 at 5:47 PM, KUROK said:

What type of dark grey putty do you use?

I'm curious as I see the foam filler and the styrene formers you have marked with sharpie.

If you sand down until you see sharpie lines won't the filler be so thin at that point it will have no strength? Unless the foam is harder than it looks...

I use P38 car body filler and yes, it can get perilously thin - I have stuck a rivet awl right through a panel and into the foam before. I have tried coating the foam in resin but the only thing that really seems to work is flooding it with thin CA. That is not practical though so I just try and sand away enough foam beforehand to leave enough of a filler skim to give enough skin strength. It's a process I need to master as it would be a perfect solution if I could coat the foam in a substance that gave it proper rigidity.

So, after a 3 week break in Bali things have been a bit slow on the Sea Fury - but some stuff has been done..

I made the gear legs by integrating brass and 3D. I assembled it all before I left and left it standing on my bench. By the time I got back, the wheel mount struts had completely warped under load proving what I suspected that the elegoo 8k resin I use just wasn't up to structural work. Having read up about strong ABS alternatives I went with eSun ABS like resin and printed the parts in that instead..

..the great thing about 3D is you can get absolutely correct geometry and incorporate all the detail found on the original.. after clean up & prime it worked well and they seem strong enough but I am still testing load - if they fail, the lower wheel mount will be made in brass..

..also hopping about all over the place, I made the basic gear bay roof out of litho & plastic strut..

and a centre rib in 3D with all the little valves & fittings..

..there is a TON of pipework in the bay..

..also made up the wingtips and finished the wing cores..

..another experiment was trying the IP in 3D - I usually make all this in PE, but as my supplier has a 5 week wait, I thought I would give it a go. The panel is 0.3mm thick so I thought there was little chance of success without warping, but again, I stuck lucky & it came out alright..

..time to get this cockpit worked up and properly sorted - I have a good basis now..

..it's a fun build - I am enjoying it

TTFN
Peter

Peterpools · May 4

Peter

So glad you enjoyed your vacation to Bali, re-charged the batteries and back at the bench. Gear and IP are brilliant and gorgeous as always. Just a pleasure to follow your work and thought process, as the results are strictly museum presentation level and of the highest standards. 🏆

:construction:

Martinnfb · May 4

3d printing seems to have limitless options and the quality is progressing by he hour. IP looks like the real deal, splendid work Peter. Just splendid.

Cheers

Martin 🧶