F7F-3N

[thug626]

Good morning Bob,
Bit by bit the ribs are getting done. I think I've just about got the intake ducting beat. I think what I may do to even out the "not quite even parts" with in the ducting is pour some white paint through. Let that dry and, repeat the process a few times. I saw someone do that several years ago and, got some rather nice results from it.

Dave

[fightnjoe]

dave my hats off to you and my glass is raised. nice work on the ribbing. that one looks sharp. i have been taking the easy way out and just used strip. now you come along and show me how it is suposed to be done.




joe

[thug626]

Hello DickyF,
Thank you for the compliment. I do love building planes but, I am getting a hankering to tear into an armor kit. Not that I'm hurting for any.

Life is good.

Hello Joe,
Thank you kindly for the good words....and the glass. I hoisting one now myself. A lovely locally brewed stout. There are areas where using just styrene strip is certainly appropriate. Unfortunately, it isn't so in the nacelles. It was a bit more substantial here since each nacelle had to house a 2,100 hp P&W engine. I can not even begin to imagine the forces imposed on the nacelles.

The ribbing is done. Now to start planning the components and engine accessories in the forward end of the nacelles.




Toward the aft end of the nacelles will be a PE bulkhead. It is open in the middle, so, I will need to extend the longerons aft.


Dave

[fightnjoe]

sharp work. the ribs look natural. part of the sides. great work.




joe

[thug626]

Good morning Joe,
Thank you for the compliments. Probably not much will get done today, as I'll be heading north to pay a visit to my brother M1Carbine.
Dave

[bullardino]

Outstanding job, Dave

[Leon]

Great work there Dave.Ribs look spot on.Keep up the good work.

[fightnjoe]

you know some day in the future we will have to get the northwest members together.




joe

[wbill76]

Very nice work on the nacelle interiors! Precision work going on there for sure.

[deafpanzer]

Jeez. you have one too many kits... I'd be more than happy to take few when I am in town soon.

Again, excellent work... a nice reminder why you are one of those masters.

[thug626]

Apologies to everyone for the late reply. End of school year seems to get more hectic the older the twins get.

Hello Luigi, Thank you for the compliment.

Hello Leon, Thank you. There has been a bit more added since these shots. I'll get some pics up later today.

Greetings Joe, Judging by your reply, I am guessing you are somewhere in "the vicinity" It's funny, but at another forum there was a member who wasn't having any luck here in the states for a replacement part. So he posted on the other side of the pond. I spotted it and, told him I had a replacement part for him. When he sent me his address for me to drop the item in the post, it turns out that he was less than 10 miles from me.

Hello Bill, Thank you very much. The nacelle work has slowed due to mapping out how to best go about it. I should be able to get started on the engine bearers and engine accessories today.

Hello Andy, Thank you for the high praise.....master? Hmmmm.......Let's talk about that. How can I have too many kits? I still have a rough idea of how many are there. When I loose count completely....then I'll have too many. Too many great kits out there to build.

Dave

[fightnjoe]

actually i am in the vicinity. although that is a relative term. northeastern washington state here.



joe

[Deleted]

Amazing detail work!

[thug626]

Hello Joe,
Globally speaking we are practically in each others back yard.

Greetings Bruce,
Thank you for the compliment!

The bench time has been at a premium of late. End of school year stuff and now a dog that is pretty sick. Anywho......here's what has been done of late.

The longerons have been extended aft and the rear PE bulkhead has been installed.


The top wing vents opened up. Yes, even with wee ones to the left. It may not show but, they're open. Still working of framing the duct work for the larger one.


I used styrene channel stock for the smaller wing vents.


Dave

[bbd468]

Hiya Dave, Looks like ya got it by tha Ying-Yang! Nice work with the styrene additions.

[thug626]

LMAO bbd468! . Thank you for the much need laugh and, the compliment. I never thought I'd say this but, some of my styrene stocks are getting low. Gee, I sure would hate to have to go back the the hobby store for more.

Dave

[fightnjoe]

sharp. ribbing looks very good.




joe

[modelfreak72]

Dam Dave! Bringing that kit out of the darkages! Love the white stuff!

[DeafStuG]

Hello Dave, Great working and very neat with interior details...

[wbill76]

Nice to see this one progressing again Dave, sounds like you've got the perfect excuse to pay the hobby store a visit!

[thug626]

Thank you for the kind words Joe.

Hello Modelfreak72, While it is an old kit, it does offer a rather nice platform if you wish to try out your scratch building skills. The beauty of this kit is you can go OOB with it or you could deplete your LHS stores of styrene.

Hello DickyF, I just found out that I got called off from work just now. To late to go to the LHS but, not to late to enjoy my birthday. MANCAVE TIME!!!!!! Thank you for the compliment. As for what I use for replicating contours.....see the following.
I use a contour gauge. You can get this at any hardware store. Pretty cheap too. There is a bit of tension with the pins so, it won't work so well on delicate parts. That's when I use the technique you described. Otherwise I use this beastie a lot.


To show the beauty of this tool I use my roller set to get contours off of.


Violà! Contours replicated.


Hello deafstug and thank you for the compliment.

Hello Bill, Thank you for dropping in and having a gander at the glacial pace build. It's nice to have the mojo going again. As for visiting the LHS......like I need an excuse. But it sure does sound good.

Dave

[fightnjoe]

i bought one of those several years ago and didnt use it until recently. i am thinking that it will now be a major part of my arsenal as well.



joe

[thug626]

Hello Joe,
That is pretty damn funny! When I read your reply, I tried remembering how long I've had this tool. I think the kids were still in diapers. Just now getting some real use out of it.

Progress was made yesterday. Here is the proof.
The duct work for the larger upper wing vents was done.






Here is with the PE vent flap dry fitted.


I spent a bet of time perusing what meager reference pics I had of the rear portion of the nacelle interior. I does look as though there is a step that ends behind what is presumably a spar. From there on back there appears to be ribbing and what is probably the underside of the upper wing skin. With that I used the back side of a #11 blade and did this.......

I opened it up. Too late to turn back now. Here is the Nacelle dry fitted. When I looked at it from different angles, it just looked right. With that being said and done, I'm thinking I may have just added another 100-150 parts to the overall assembly.


There will be a false ceiling, in which I will be adding the detail to and, hiding some of the duct work that is not visible is the reference pics.

Dave

[Deleted]

Dave,I've not poked me nose in for a while, ,and I really appreciate the detail that you're putting into this build ....But why can't you just be happy with detailing what can,or will be seen? ...At this rate,you'll have to live as long as Methusala to get all that ferkin stash cleared!!!!!!

[thug626]

Hello ChrisB,
Thank you for the compliment and having a look around. The detail in the nacelle will be visible....mostly.... If I lived 969 years then I just might get through my stash. Actually, some of what I'm building are exercises in techniques. I faired out the aft end of the nacelle today. Rather quickly I might add. Maybe and hours worth of work......and getting quicker.

Hello DickyF,
I can't remember where I got the gauge, except that it was about $5. As long as what you use helps you achieve what you want done...who cares. Thank you for the compliment.

Dave

[fightnjoe]

very cool work there buddy. very sharp.

i remember when i bought mine my wife said i would never use it. now many years later i can look at her and say yes i did.



joe

[wbill76]

Nice progress on the duct work there Dave, I think there's an unwritten rule that every model builder must have more models than can possibly be built in their lifetime. It's what keeps the styrene economy running when their stashes get 'thinned' or put up on E-bay!

[thug626]

Hello Joe,
Thank you for the compliment good sir.
Now isn't it nice to reach for a tool and know it's there. Instead of having to go and get one. Mine sat in the drawer for years....until recently.

Hello Bill,
Thank you! I think you are right about the "unwritten rule". One day out at the bench, while my wife and I were having a conversation, I could see her eyes moving methodically over my stash. I noticed this and commented on it. She replied, "I was noticing your kit collection has grown much in recent time and, I was wondering. Are you trying to model the history of German armor?" (Now mind you I have a lot of German armor. That being said, my Allied portion of the stash has grown since then.)
To which I replied, "And if I am?".
My wonderful wife replied, "I was just wondering. Oh by the way, what ever is up there in dollars, is nooooothing compared to what I've spent on the horses".
So by comparison.....I am a margin!

Dave

[deafpanzer]

Killer work on small stuff... you have reminded me once again why you are my friend!

[thug626]

Andy,
Thank you my friend!
Here is todays fruit of labor.
The false ceiling installed.


The Longerons and "spar" installed.


A couple of shots on the dry fit. The ribs in the nacelle will need to be extended to meed the new ceiling.




Dave