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

1/18 P51C Mustang "Lopes Hope 3rd"


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evening folks :)

 

thanks for stopping by

 

so, it was time to move on to the floor..

 

..it seems there are two layers, one layer is the top of the wings with a zinc chromate jointing strip and the two fuel gauges as seen here...

 

WIP419_zpset7ngzle.jpg

 

..above this, sit all the real floor panels - when I did the PE I did each panel and then made one base panel by joining all these together and filling a few gaps to get one full panel as a basis of the floor...

 

,,seen here is the part - it actually has a slight bend in it as the floor slopes away down to the rudder pedals, you can also see the first folded panel that go on here and drop down to the wing skin..

 

WIP417_zpspgibx6vr.jpg

 

..all the folded floor parts were added, the wing skin & strip made from riveted litho and tubes added for where the fuel gauges go & it was all primed..

 

WIP418_zpsofvgxqro.jpg

 

..I added the fixing strips at the bottom of each panel where it meets the skin afterwards as separate bits - they were too complicated to try and fold in..

 

WIP420_zpsvsbqia4q.jpg

 

..painted and assembled.. you might just be able to see the fuel gauges...

 

WIP421_zpsuylaxy4l.jpg

 

..all the floor parts are wood so I stuck them to some marquetry ply -it's very thin & perfect for the job...

 

WIP422_zpslygiqlin.jpg

 

..then all the fixing holes were drilled out and lead wire threaded through...

 

WIP423_zpsfnpmbjtb.jpg

 

..soon all the panels were finished..

 

WIP424_zpsxmlacedq.jpg

 

..painted and with wear added where flying boots rub against the floor pounding the rudder pedals...

 

WIP425_zpsrt84xzc4.jpg

 

..also added the two controls by the fuel gauge holes - one says hot air & the other defroster so I assume they direct hot air from the engine (the red knobs need matt varnish yet..)...

 

WIP426_zpsmnqdlgti.jpg

 

..and mocked up in place...

 

WIP427_zpsmusqhfjq.jpg

 

WIP428_zpscmr3ozrk.jpg

 

WIP429_zpsnpq7eoou.jpg

 

..the cockpit pod is coming along and represents a lot of the effort in the model..

 

WIP430_zpsbckqselh.jpg

 

..control column next :)

 

TTFN

Peter

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  • 2 weeks later...

Seasons Greetings folks :)

 

Happy Christmas to one and all..

 

Just a final one before it all starts as I got out of the cockpit for a bit of fiddling about and hope to spend the nect 10 luxuriant days I have off work doing some proper P51 time :)

 

..first on scaling the spinner drawings we have a bit of a big nose - you can see about 1.5mm too big all around..

 

WIP433_zpsn1mnesxs.jpg

 

We also have an offset carb air intake under the spinner..

 

..oddly its a bit uneven..

 

WIP434_zpsdfmztdrw.jpg

 

..I made some scale templates so I can at least get an idea of where shape work may be needed - these were taken from NA drawings..

 

..the btop one is a plan of the nose, the bottom a side profile and a few others around the chin intake..

 

WIP431_zpsndete6kc.jpg

 

..also got the layout & spacing of the chin carb intake to correct the offset..  (X 4 as I use them at different times..)

 

WIP432_zpslzumgrbz.jpg

 

..getting the chin right...

 

WIP435_zpsp4qy3pwg.jpg

 

..and the top profile at the last former - again a plastic templete from the drawing, although to be fair to HpH I probably made it this rounded while reducing the spinner disc size..

 

..you can see the flat top & 'ears' that need building out with P40 fiuller

 

WIP436_zpsflsmtha9.jpg

 

..as I did a lot of reshaping the nose needed strength so I filled it with Alec Tiranti expanding foam - this stuff sets rock hard..

 

WIP441_zpsmxmqec2h.jpg

 

,and hopefully some of the profiles start to take shape..

 

WIP437_zpsq7gacuwa.jpg

 

WIP438_zpsfrsys0tg.jpg

 

WIP440_zps9cnzzehw.jpg

 

WIP439_zpsh8yh5i8m.jpg

 

Have a great Christmas everyone :)

 

TTFN

Peter

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afternoon ladies :)

 

so, the Xmas break meant some time at the bench and I am powering on with big structural stuff - it makes a nice change from all the tiny details in the cockpit..

 

..first up, I traced the gear doors from drawings to create a template, cut thisfrom card and used it to create the area to cut out for the main gear bays - this whole process took a day before I was happy with the position as it was at variance with the outline HpH had on the surface so I questioned what I was seeing and doing repeatedly...

 

..you can see the template and the two big holes below..

 

WIP442_zps1yy0atwh.jpg

 

..then it was time to add leg mounts - I did what I did for the Spitfire by braze soldering some brass tube onto brass plates to act as spigots to add lathe turned gear later on..

 

..these were then epoxied into place.. the perspective makes them look a bit out, but even if they are, they will be cut down to stubs just to act as positioning for the MLG later

 

WIP443_zpsb52r5cpg.jpg

 

WIP444_zpsusovcv24.jpg

 

..for the roof of the well, I cut out some black card blanks that fitted, and matched these to drawings of all the stringer & rib positions so I could scribe what goes where onto litho to actually line them..

 

WIP445_zpswkipmtaw.jpg

 

WIP446_zpslfbfhlxs.jpg

 

,,before I could fix the roof position I had to check something...

 

..in the cockpit, the floor where the control stick goes is actually the top of the wing, so I had to make sure the cockpit pod with the floor did not foul the bay roof. To do this I had to get the pod into the fuselage and into position... I had never done this before, so it could all have gone horribly wrong...

 

..thankfully and a few fist pumps later it all fitted fine...  it's tight, but it fits :)

 

WIP447_zpscakiqpfc.jpg

 

WIP448_zpsiebpkt5u.jpg

 

...now I could fix the gear bay roof and you can see how the scribed lines will help position all the structure to go in here (and there is tons of stuff...)

 

WIP451_zpsvnqewws1.jpg

 

WIP450_zpsbmxnygzi.jpg

 

..will probably add the walls then look at other big bits like stabilisers and the air scoop under the wing..

 

feels good to have some wind in the sails and who knows, I may make Telford next year :)

 

TTFN

 

Peter

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afternoon folks :)

 

I am loving this free time as I have had a chance to get stuck in on areas of the airframe that need some heavy lifting...

 

..as I move around it, one area that is immediately obvious as a problem is the fin - check this out...

 

WIP454_zpsk4ehoq0v.jpg

 

..reminds me of a MR1 Nimrod with some sort of radar pod  as it is so thick and fat - but rather than witter on about how this is not what I expect for my money in this day and age from a kit manufacturer (this base moulding from HpH from their museum range is not cheap..) it just needs fixing..

 

I actually made two tails - the first did not have a dorsal fin as in the only pic of Lopes Hope I have, you can't see the tail, and the other shots I have of A/C from the same unit don't have them - but then Kagemusha put me onto this image where there is most definately a dorsal fin (as there is on the restored -10NT)..

 

lopes-hope-vintage-1_zpsputv9upx.jpg

 

..so I started tail number 2 by using a nice side on shot to derive the dorsal shape (I can't find any drawings of it) and made up a scale template... I also included a tiny bit of the fuselage top so I can see exactly where the kink from dorsal to fuselage is..

 

WIP455_zps665ihsh1.jpg

 

..this was then printed and transferred to a brass sheet to act as a keel - 0.15 brass is ideal as it can be taken down to a very fine trailing edge without deforming...

 

WIP456_zpsgp7ot7g1.jpg

 

..rib positions were marked and plans used to derive the rib profiles - there is a big keel at the bottom to let into the fuselage...

 

WIP457_zpsrgaq796p.jpg

 

..I used cotton to set out the fuselage datum line on the model and arranged it so it was completely level, then after cutting off the old tail and making a slit the length of the new one it was carefully let into the fuselage and the angles checked for accuracy...

 

WIP459_zpsut4drmak.jpg

 

..first fill of P40 filler starts to bulk out the shape...

 

WIP461_zpslhexfgyb.jpg

 

..while that was drying I started on the rudder..again, the first step was to interpret nad scale plans to derive templates to work from - here the outline and all the internal features are mapped..

 

WIP453_zpsafztuz5r.jpg

 

..same process.. transfer to brass to be cut out with a slitting disc in my dremel..

 

WIP462_zpsmfafpzg7.jpg

 

..all the internal structure was also marked out so after cutting out I can just follow the lines..

 

WIP463_zpsg9erwboy.jpg

 

..features were then built out with plastic stock and coffee stirrer sticks - I find the solartex covering bonds well to these..

 

..the trim tab has been cut so as to be able to be broken out after finishing the structure so it is in keeping with the profile of it's surroundings..

 

..you probably can't see them, but at four positions card templates with black outlines were added to show the profile all this needed to be sanded down to to get the correct shape..

 

WIP464_zpsfprsgw6u.jpg

 

..then a coarse sanding thing in my dremel allows me to virtually carve away the waste - it is very effective and not really dusty as with the heat it sort of acts like a scraper rather then a sander..

 

WIP465_zpsyeklgadv.jpg

 

..the basic rudder is complete, a bit more finessing and it will be ready to cover..

 

WIP467_zpsajtp1lnl.jpg

 

..and here is where I am at..

 

WIP466_zpsy0ime6br.jpg

 

..got more than a week off to go, so expect to have the empennage done by then..

 

TTFN

Peter

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I have run out of superlatives so long ago with your builds, that I try to leave time between my comments (not « likes », mind you ;)) , but it goes without saying that I LOVE each and any of your updates, Peter !

Hubert

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I totally agree with Hubert, this is an incredible tutorial on REAL scale model building, I thought I 'built' scale models, but looking at this , and watching every move on the Spitfire, I'm NOT a model, builder, not even  a model assembler........ this kind of talent is even beyond my wildest dreams, absolutely stunning..... and very interesting I might add.....

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