forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: Trackpad on December 18, 2015, 11:54:59 AM
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Hi,
I've got the Blue Max 1/48th scale kit of the Sopwith Dolphin, partnered with Rowan Broadbent's excellent decal sheet and building jig. I should not have too much trouble with the kit (he said, with more than the usual amount of overconfidence!), but I'd like to know if there is a better way than most to sand/grind down the cockpit sides. I note that there seems to be a small "lip" on each side, possibly as a guide to how thick the sides should be. My default method would be to make a couple of angled sanding pads in two or three grades of wet/dry paper and having at the sides. Are there any other ideas around that might speed up the process? BTW, I do have a Dremel tool, but given the softness of the plastic I'm not too keen on using it very much. TIA for any thoughts! 8)
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I do a lot of my thinning by adsing the thickness down with a X-acto blade or a No 10 scalpel It's quicker than sanding and more accurate in confined areas and can be *finished with a sanding block/ fine wet,n,dry.
If you arent sure what Adsing is its holding the blade at @ 90degrees to the surface and drawing it across with pressure to shave a sliver of plastic away. working in lines over the area you want to thin and you can vary the pressure. Practice on scrap of course first.
Its the best way to do tanking/rippling of panels too using an old or curved blade. Also works for undercutting flaps and louvres and sharpening details.
Hope this helps
Keith
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Hi, Keith,
I'd not heard of this before, but it looks to be a very good method given the softness of the plastic and the control it offers. I'll certainly give it a try. Thanks for the information! :D
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That's my default method of thinning plastic too. It's way quicker too. I regularly use it to thin wings - the Ilya Muromets got a little messy with the sheer quantity removed, and the scrapings do tend to stick to everything from the static but it is much easier than sanding.
Ian
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Thanks, Ian. Looks as if this is the way to go. :D
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Just about the first thing I learned reading the late Great Shep Paines book as a teenager. ;)
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Just about the first thing I learned reading the late Great Shep Paines book as a teenager. ;)
Well, in my case, it's like that wise old modeller says, "Never too old to learn sumfink noo!" ;D
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Hi, Ian and Keith,
Just a short note to thank you for your input. I've made a start on the Blue Max Dolphin and I must say that I'm rather keen on it. It's a gentle step back in technology but, from what I've found on the 'net, these kits do have quite a bit going for them. I've got the cockpit sides thinned out and some cleanup done on various parts, both white metal and plastic. Rowan Broadbent's building jig will come in very handy, I'm sure. Thanks, Rowan! ;D
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0011_zpszrwb8lho.jpg)
No surprise: I'll be doing the kit up as flown by a Canadian pilot - Rowan provides markings for four such a/c on his decal sheet. I'm currently working on a few other models, so this build will be a while in completion. With enough work done on it, I'll post a build thread on the "Under Construction" Forum page.
Thanks again for your help, and a "Merry Christmas" to you both and to Colin! 8)
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Hi Gary,
Glad to see you making a start on the Dolphin, sorry for not commenting sooner as I have only just seen this thread.
Look forward to seeing you progress!
Colin
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Hi, Colin, and thanks for visiting. Here's where I stand now in this rather slow build:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/b68f02f8-d011-4f37-bbc3-6906b4afb578_zps8kzysheo.jpg)
I've just thinned the cockpit walls again and repainted them, as I didn't get them as thin as is necessary first time around. I'm rib-taping and weathering the wing sections now, and will get to the interior next. I did buy the Dolphin Datafile and I find it to be very useful in this build. All in all, quite enjoyable, and a significant switch from a WNW kit! Any guidance that you might wish to provide will be most welcome as I progress with the model: TIA! 8)
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Very nice Gary, what you have achieved so far is looking excellent.
Des.
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the only thing i was worried about looking at this kit(i have the same one with the pheon decals and jig) is how to make the top wing connection strong enough. i dont fully trust the white metal as it was designed by chris gannon. i will solder a brass frame that the parts that cross the cockpit will also be extended long enuff and set into drilled holes in each of the top wings.perhaps the soldered brass can be attached to the kit metal parts that go down into the cockpit. but the guy to ask is bud (coyotemagic) he did a great job on one of these many years ago. i dont recall how he did this part. perhaps he still has photos in the bucket he can post?
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I'm a dead loss when it comes to soldering brass, but I do intend to use brass rod to join the left and right wing sections. I'll set the rod ends into drilled holes and glue them in place using five-minute epoxy (gives enough time to do any final/minor adjustments). Of course, the whole wing/fuselage assembly will be set into the jig for this operation. Equally, the lower wing sections will be pinned to the fuselage as well.
Good point to contact Bud. It's the old story revisited: "When in doubt, talk to the experts!" ;)
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Soldering is the way to go Gary but I have to admit, it took me quite a bit of practice before I was confident enough to try it on one of my models.
Des.
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I'll be interested to see this built as I've not seen a Blue Max kit here before although I've not been here that long either. Lovely work so far
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I wasn't aware that you had started a build log Gary, but now that I know, I'll activate the notification feature and follow along. Everything you've done to this point looks superb, just as I would expect. ;D
Cheers,
Chris
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Thx, Chris and Toby, for your kind remarks. This will be a relaxing build (I hope!) but I do expect a few tense moments here and there. All part of the hobby, though! 8)
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Good solid start thus far Gary. Having been following your progress off Forum I know how much effort you have expended on this already, now that you have the Datafile things should improve somewhat. I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
Cheers,
Lance
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Gary, so glad to see you doing this build! You're off to a brilliant start. I wasn't even aware of this until I got your PM regarding top wing connection. I've included a link to my build log on the 'drome. Hope it helps. Page 6 is where this bit of the build begins.
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47253&page=6
Looking forward to following this project.
Cheers,
Bud
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Hi, Bud, and many thanks. You are, indeed, a Prince among men! I'll be digesting your build log over the next day or two, and I promise not to bother you with questions unless I really get into a bind (which does happen to me more often than not!). ::) Thanks again!
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Ask any question any time, Gary. I have a special place in my heart for the Dolphin and all who choose to build one.
Cheers,
Bud
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Hi, All,
One item that I have yet to post, in accordance with Des' request for build logs, is an image of the instruction sheet that is in the kit. So here is the single page black and white sheet from Blue Max for the Dolphin. The other side is filled with several photos of a finished model, giving an idea of what it should look like as well as several colour callouts:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/scan0003_zpsemcgyydc.jpg)
An exploded diagram and three partial construction photos make up the information on the actual build. Colour and decal notes are on the right side. I strongly, highly and extremely recommend that you obtain the Dolphin datafile, as recommended in the note bottom left of the diagram. Equally, remember that Rowan Broadbent has a sheet of decals for this kit, which includes a peel and stick sheet that allows you to make up a precise jig to assist with wings, struts and rigging. I have this sheet and the jig: quite easy to assemble, just take your time.
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Gary, if you're not too far along already, I highly recommend the Cross & Cockade book on the Dolphin. Extremely comprehensive.
http://www.crossandcockade.com/store/Product.asp?cat=51&id=304
Cheers,
Bud
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Bud:
HAH!! I'm now not as far along as I was four hours ago! One read-through of your build log and I'm:
a. drilling out the hole for the fuel tank filler,
b. clearing holes in the front of both fuselage halves,
c. Stripping out the woodwork on the inside of the fuselage halves,
4. preparing to do yet another paint job inside the fuselage halves,
5. checking out tubing to make the filler tube to the fuel tank,
6. Preparing to continue the ribbing and weathering of the wing surfaces, this time with pigment... and on and on and...
I probably won't need the C&C Dolphin book, as I'll have your build log as a major reference. Thanks for the lead! ;D
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Bud:
HAH!! I'm now not as far along as I was four hours ago! One read-through of your build log and I'm:
a. drilling out the hole for the fuel tank filler,
b. clearing holes in the front of both fuselage halves,
c. Stripping out the woodwork on the inside of the fuselage halves,
4. preparing to do yet another paint job inside the fuselage halves,
5. checking out tubing to make the filler tube to the fuel tank,
6. Preparing to continue the ribbing and weathering of the wing surfaces, this time with pigment... and on and on and...
Sorry. :-[
(Nah. Not really. Always glad to help.) ;)
Cheers,
Bud
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Hey, Bud,
Glad to get a look at your build log. Excellent photos and comments, and I'll be using it as a guide for my build. Many thanks! 8)
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Hi, All,
I've had a good look at Bud's build log, and it looks to be a very good reference. I've stepped back a ways and am now in the process of "getting it right! I brushed Pledge over the interior of the fuselage/cockpit, then fitted two sections of home-printed plywood decals to the forward portion of each part. Then, using the white metal (framing) as a pattern, I cut two sections of Aviattic CDL printed on a white background. These are now fitted behind the plywood panels with a vertical frame covering the join line. Next, slightly thinned Vallejo matt varnish lightly brushed over the interior and left to dry. A second coat is recommended (by the label) but I’ll see what it looks like in 3.5 hours! Then I fitted the frame and repaired a few scratches using the tried-and-true “Tamiya-XF59-woodgrained-with-Burnt-Sienna-oil-paint” technique. At the same time I woodgrained a plywood panel that will fit under the engine along with two “heel boards” (?) that run forward over the plywood panel: something of a footrest, I think, fitted because of the pilot’s elevated position in the fuselage. Hey, Bud’s got them so I’ll get them as well! <G>
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0002_zpsvtgqypkv.jpg)
Seat, floor, fuel tank, heel board (to be measured out and cut in two) and plywood panel all in evidence. Nice to have some expert guidance. Thx, Bud! ;)
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If it helps I can send you the PE from our new Sopwith Dolphin project)when first PE frets will be ready)
Hi, Edgar,
Yes, that would be excellent. Please let me know when the frets are ready and we can make the mailing and payment arrangements. 8)
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Your interior is looking outstanding! Very nice work on the ply decals and the rest of the wood and fabric interior! I am certainly looking forward to seeing the next update!
RAGIII
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Looking mighty fine, Gary. the plywood and CDL additions to the interior set it off beautifully. You've got a winner coming along here!
Cheers,
Lance
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Beautiful work on the interior Gary, and Edgar is very kind with his PE offer.
Des.
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Nono)
It will be a small gift for such a big build!
I`ll make renders of PE today) on our model
Thank you, sir. I very much appreciate your support! :)
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Des, Lance and RAGIII,
Thanks for your kind comments. In some respects I feel like I'm tiptoeing through a minefield in very tall grass: not sure what to expect on this build and no idea how I'll deal with it! But the only way to find out is to move forward, see what happens, and address the problems as and when the occur. Today I've started on the white metal cleanup, a bit more of a challenge than the plastic parts. Nothing that a craft knife, file set and sandpaper can't handle, though. More later! 8)
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Magnificent work, Gary! Deja vu! I used the pe from the old CSM release on mine. I'm betting Edgar's will be much better. Have you settled on a scheme yet?
Cheers,
Bud
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Hi, Bud. Thanks for your very kind comment. Deja vu? Wasn't it Yogi Berra who once said, "Deja vu all over again." ? What a ball player!
The Subject?
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/Dolphin_zpsdc70rpa2.jpg)
C3799, Captain G. B. Irving, 19 Squadron, Summer 1918. Canadian subject, a very unique finish with blue nose, turtledeck, vertical and upper horizontal stabilizers and elevators. I'll use Citadel paint colours that very closely match the colours on Rowan's decals. And yes, I'm sure that Edgar's PE set will add much to the build. Come to think of it, perhaps I should leave the fuselage until Edgar's fret arrives. If I get too far ahead I may not be able to fit various parts, or possibly have to go back and adjust the build in order to fit them. No worries, though: lots of work to do on the wings, engine and other white metal parts in the meantime! :D
Thanks for visiting! 8)
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Nice scheme and the progress is looking good !
Ed
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Nice scheme and the progress is looking good !
Ed
I agree with Ed. As a matter of fact, that is the exact aircraft I want to do when WNW gets around to doing a Dolphin!
RAGIII
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Very nice scheme you have chosen Gary, this is going to be one good looking Dolphin.
Des.
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Hello, Edgar,
This PE looks to be excellent. Thank you very much! I have sent you a PM in response. ;D
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Ah, sometimes I am a klutz! One thing I forgot to mention deals with the Citadel colours I'm using for the red and blue. These the Citadel Games Workshop offerings. They are quite a good match for the decals, but very thick. I simply put a small dollop into a pallet and thinned the paint with acrylic thinners until it “looked right, flowed right and tasted right!” They airbrush well when thinned properly. Also, the new names for the colours are: red – “Evil Sunz Scarlet;” and blue – "Kantor Blue.” Both are spelled as shown. The old names for these colours are "Blood Red" and "Regal Blue." :)
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Of course, before choosing my subject, I had already applied my PC10 mix to, among other items, the rudder (forward), the vertical stab and the upper surface of the horizontal stab/elevator assembly. So nothing for it but to strip off the PC10 where required and apply the roundel blue:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0002_zpsribu85uv.jpg)
I've taken the opportunity to show the Citadel paints being used in case some forumites have not seen them. As noted elsewhere, they are pretty thick, but they thin nicely with acrylic thinner and spray well. I don't know where they get these names, but the colour is pretty good! ;D
Best regards to all, and have a great weekend! 8)
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Nice colors Gary. There is a Comic book store in my area that carries these paints so I will have to look for these colors.
RAGIII
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Hey, RAGIII, you're in luck! Good luck with your search. I think that you'll find these paint a virtual dead match for the Pheon red and blue in Rowan's sheets.
My method for emphasizing rib taping is to tape off the ribs, apply pastels, rub them down and then spray a thin coat of the underside colour to mute the pastels a bit. Having a few minutes to spare, I thought that I'd start the process. Well, one thing led to another and before I knew it I had all of the tapes cut to size. So I decided to tape just one wing section, However, one thing led to another. Next thing I knew, all of the sections were taped. So I thought that I'd pastel one of the wing sections, which is all I did! ;D
Here is the kit that I use: old, short brush; palette cleverly disguised as a snail tray; Mig pastels ("European Dust" - what else would I use? ;)); Jammy Dog 1mm tape - I can't cut standard-sized tapes to save my life!).
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0007_zpskjbjngwv.jpg)
And a closeup of where we stand now. Three more to pastel, then a rubdown, then a thin overcoat of Xtracolor CDL and then a thin coat of Dullcote to matte the surface and fix the pastels. Then we continue with parts cleanup and other preparations as I await the arrival of Edgar's most welcome gift of PE, for which I thank him again.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0008_zps1vp2ftsy.jpg)
As always, questions and comments are very welcome. Thanks for visiting! 8)
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You are moving along beautifully with this build Gary and you have achieved great results with the ribs and shading. I always use Jammydog tape and keep a variety of sizes on hand, great product.
Des.
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Beautiful painting Gary.
Cheers
Martin
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Outstanding work on shading those tapes! This one is coming along quite nicely all around!
RAGIII
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Des, Radio and RAGIII, thanks for your comments: much appreciated. Got a second wing section done over the weekend and I hope to get the last two done by Tuesday. ;)
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I'll be away for the weekend starting Thursday, so I hoped to get the four wing sections pigmented, rubbed down and muted with an overspray of CDL. Made it, with only a small hiccup, readily repaired!
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0002_zpseelberrb.jpg)
Here are the four wing sections. I used my elderly Iwata HP-C airbrush spraying a narrow line of thinned (3:1 thinner/paint) Xtracolor RFC CDL along the ribs and over the pigment. Now the pigment looks to be fairly uniform in its muting. Translation? I was Godawful lucky! ;D The problem I had was self-inflicted: I had applied the decals before doing the rib tapes, so I now had to mask off the roundels with card discs, then do the muting everywhere but on the roundels, then use a damp cotton bud (Q-Tip) to mute the pigment on them. Worked out all right, but I lost a few small bits of blue in the roundels to the Jammy Dog rib taping. Fortunately, as noted above, the Citadel paints are a virtual spot-on match for Rowan's decals: small brush, thinned Citadel Kantor Blue, a glass of excellent white wine (!) and the tiny repairs were made! I'll continue to clean up white metal and plastic parts as I await Edgar's PE frets, but not on my trip over the weekend. It's a work-oriented trip and I do not want to start losing Dolphin bits and bobs before I even get a chance to glue them in place! So next update will be next week.
Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend, and good luck with your various builds! 8)
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each update it groes better gary
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The wings look fantastic, Gary!
Cheers,
Bud
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You have done a fantastic job with the wings Gary, well done.
Des.
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Super work, Gary. I reckon you make you own luck. As some golfer or another said, the more and more he practiced, the luckier he got!
Best wishes
Nigel
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Enjoy your business trip and weekend away from the stress of Modeling 8)
RAGIII
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Wings looks very beautiful.
Cheers
Martin
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Thank you all, gentlemen, for your comments and kind remarks!
Nigel: "As some golfer or another said, the more and more he practiced, the luckier he got!" So that's how it works! I must try that in future! <G>
Edgar: "The Test frets for Dolphin will be ready on Monday." Thanks very much, Edgar. I certainly look forward to their arrival! :)
I'm away tomorrow morning, back Sunday night. Enjoy your weekend while I slave away over a hot computer monitor! :o (Just kidding!)
More updates next week!
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Hi,
This build is making a glacier look like an Olympic 100 meter dash gold medalist! However, after two away trips from home and a seven inch dumping of snow on us last night, I can actually show a bit of clean-up work done while awaiting Edgar's PE frets:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0001_zpsb4fs8xdo.jpg)
White metal parts have been adzed along their molding lines then filed and sanded to smooth out the surfaces. The engine is ready for a bit of Alclad 2 plus a little detailing: not much of it can be seen once mounted. Various plastic bits and bobs are ready for paint and woodgraining. One exhaust pipe is done (bottom right, shown with its twin that has yet to be cleaned up). The turtledeck took quite a while to do as each of the apertures had to be ground out from the inside, otherwise it appears to be about 4 inches thick!
So, yes, progress is being made. And, no, not as quickly as I would like. But it's the journey that is important, not the destination, or so I've read. However, I'd sure like to see this Dolphin finished, as I am really enjoying the build, slow as it is! 8)
Thanks for visiting!
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And the wait is over! I took delivery of the two frets offered by Edgar today: the fret from CSM's new Sopwith Dolphin 1/48th scale kit, and the earlier fret put on offer by CSM for the Blue Max Dolphin kit. :)
Here are the frets, surrounded by items of the build, as they arrived, just out of their sturdy cardboard container:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0002_zpsidvwqotf.jpg)
Frets unwrapped:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0003_zpsq5ramk2p.jpg)
And a closeup of the two frets, the earlier on the left, the CSM fret for their new Dolphin on the right:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0004_zpstfxrizng.jpg)
The CAD photos posted above in this thread by Edgar illustrating the PE and their respective locations on the model are excellent references. I'll be working on these new items as soon as possible, after five more days of computer simulation training plus a short recovery after breaking a tooth yesterday! :( Repairs were done today with good results. I only hope I can build my Dolphin as well as my dentist rebuilt my tooth! ;D
Thanks once again, Edgar! And thanks to all for visiting!
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Your interior is looking spectacular. The PE should really set everything off well! Looking forward to seeing the next update.
RAGIII
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Looking forward to seeing you start adding the PE details Gary.
Des.
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Hello Gary, I'm glad you finally received it. Just keep in mind that this is a test fret (not all parts are presented here) and one issue, test fret is mirrored. All this will be ok at the production stage
Hi, Edgar,
I'm quite satisfied with the frets that you sent. They will add much detail to the model. If the frets in the actual kit will be that much better, then that is an extra bonus for those buying your Dolphin. As it is, these will be fine for my build! 8)
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Hello, Everyone,
Not too much done since my last post, as I was working all last week and the first two days of this week. However, a little progress has been made. The engine is together and painted, ready for a bit of detailing. The seat from the new CSM PE fret is done: I made a small cushion from Milliput to augment the item. Seat belts (from the same fret) are painted Tamiya Buff (with a bit of Mig's Pigment added (European Dust - what else would I use! ;)) to give a bit of wear and depth. Adding the radiators and forward panels (one rad scoop to go!) completed the progress over the past few days. With the seat finished, I'll be adding more details to the interior before closing up the fuselage.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0003_zpsokb9guno.jpg)
Thanks for visiting! 8)
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Looking awesome!
RAGIII
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Nice progress Gary, she's looking mighty fine now that the "extras" are coming into play.
Cheers,
Lance
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She is coming together beautifully Gary, looking forward to seeing more.
Des.
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RAGIII, Lance and Des,
Thanks for visiting. With nothing on the books work-wise until early April I should be able to get a bit more done in a bit less time! Still an enjoyable build, and the PE certainly works well so far. 8)
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Gary
Just in case you somehow missed that - the radiator windshields should be bend in the middle, so you can change the angle from opened radiator to closed versions.
Hi, Edgar,
You are right: I did miss that point. I've checked with my reference (the Windsock Datafile) and I've found a photo that shows the correct way to fit the PE part. I'll be doing that very soon.
Thanks for the information!
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Looking good Gary !
Ed
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Hi, Everyone,
I had all of the items required for the cockpit area on the table last night, and decided to tape the fuselage halves together to see how many could be fitted into place if the fuselage halves were glued together. So I taped the halves together and started to place the bits and bobs. One after another, they slipped into place (much to my amazement!). So I stripped them all out (keeping the fuselage taped up) and fitted the floor, then the seat (both with 5-minute epoxy), then the three wooden parts (Tamiya glue and PVA glue) and finally the rudder pedals (epoxy). Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, so out came the Tamiya glue again and the fuselage halves were glued together and clamped. Later that evening, feeling quite daring (!) I gave the underside seam a dose of Tamiya putty, followed by a good sanding earlier this morning. All to say that what started out as a bit of an experiment turned into a fairly extensive construction session!
Here are two photos of the cockpit area:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0004_zpsf8f5ginm.jpg)
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0008_zpsxeeutoxo.jpg)
And the fuselage underside after its first sanding. More to do, of course, and I'll probably be using Superfine Milliput as there is quite a seam under the cockpit itself:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0006_zpsczbasyg5.jpg)
The engine seems to sit nicely as well on its bearers, but it will be another "multi-fitting exercise" with the engine, upper cover and nose plate to get that area together.
Thanks for visiting!
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Looking very good Gary! Keep up the good work!
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What a productive session, Gary. This is looking really good.
Best wishes
Nigel
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Excellent interior Gary! All of the Details look great, especially the seat and belt!
RGIII
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Beautiful job with the fuselage interior Gary.
Des.
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Hi, Everyone,
Thanks to all for your kind support. Progress is slow, but it is being made.
Right now I'm facing a bit of a minefield. It all has to do with the fit of the upper forward fuselage to the main fuselage. Here's a photo of the "problem child and friends:"
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0001_zpsplwwd3lz.jpg)
The problem child is the upper forward fuselage (top left). Although it fits nicely on the left side of the main fuselage, it's warped on the right side. The forward portion of the right side juts out from the main fuselage by about a millimeter. The machine guns and instrument panel have to be fitted inside the upper section before it is fitted to the main fuselage. The tripwire is getting the MG/instrument panel assembly in the right place so that it doesn't adversely affect the fitting of the upper section.
A follow-on problem is that, if I glue the left side of the upper section to the fuselage, let it dry/cure, and then force the right side into place and glue it, there is a slight misalignment of the fuselage "nose-cap" (right side of photo) to the main fuselage. The warpage of the upper section is an interesting problem! ;D
After looking at this challenge from most angles, here's what I plan to do:
a. glue the machine guns to the instrument panel with 5-minute epoxy and align them as accurately as I can.
b. glue the above assembly into the upper section before the epoxy sets solid. This should give me a bit of time to get the alignment correctly set.
c. fit the upper section to the fuselage and glue the left side only firmly in place using Tenax-7R. This glue fuses the two mating surfaces together rather than just gluing them together.
d. Gently apply pressure to the right side by clamping to get it into place, then Tenax that side.
e. Glue the nose-cap into place and fill any anomalies with Milliput, then sand smooth.
f. Continue with what passes for "Normal" in this build! ;)
I'm out of town for four days starting Thursday, so I hope to get at least the first few stages of this plan done before I leave. Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions on this course of action will be most welcome. Thanks for visiting! 8)
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I supposed you've already tried correcting the warpage with hot water...
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I supposed you've already tried correcting the warpage with hot water...
Bo, I did think of that, but the variance of the plastic thickness throughout the upper section is such that the heat needed to correct one area might be too much heat for another. Thicker where the actual warp is, but noticeably thinner toward either end of the piece. That said, can you recommend a method to address that problem? TIA for any guidance!
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Well it's hard to tell from the photo exactly what's going on -- but I would be tempted to soak the entire part in very hot water and simply gently bend the offending area manually... Farmer Cut'n'Try style until it fits.
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After your first post, I revisited the inside of the piece in question. I think that I can remove a tad more plastic from the area just in front, and to either side, of the pilot's cutout. That may give me a bit more latitude to reshape the piece, and something to try before I commit to the gluing process. Also, in your opinion, is there a rough hot water temperature beyond which I should not go?
Thanks for your input! 8)
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Coming along very nicely, Gary! When I built mine, I used the method recommended by Bo, but I had already thinned the insides of my offending pieces quite a bit by that time. Best of luck, my friend. I know you'll prevail.
Cheers,
Bud
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Very good work Gary.
Cheers
Martin
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is there a rough hot water temperature beyond which I should not go?
Too hot to put your hand in?
I think very hot tap water (~140° F) is still pretty safe for plastic - and that is borderline scalding. (Styrene is molten around 460°F)
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Coming along very nicely, Gary! When I built mine, I used the method recommended by Bo, but I had already thinned the insides of my offending pieces quite a bit by that time. Best of luck, my friend. I know you'll prevail.
Cheers,
Bud
Thanks, Bud. Your bolded text rang a bell, in that I don't think that I've got the piece thin enough yet. Revisiting your build log I can see that your example is noticeably thinner than mine. More thinning and warm water seems to be the answer.
Bo, thanks to you for your comment. I wasn't sure of the temperature at which styrene melts or at least starts to craze. It seems that hot water to me is still quite safe for the upper piece.
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Hi,
I've been very busy over the past several weeks (contract work, arrival of spring) hence have not done much with the Dolphin. What little I have done convinces me that I have treated this kit too much like a "standard" plastic model kit and not nearly enough as a short run kit. Chalk all that up to inexperience with the latter. The two key problems are the thickness of the plastic and the warpage of the upper forward fuselage.
So now the gloves are coming off. I've been able to get the upper fuselage more or less ready to attach to the main fuselage. But there remains the issue of thick plastic. By the time I realized just how much plastic had to be removed, I had the main fuselage closed up. That, plus problems with engine fit, generates a situation that I'll be addressing head-on. I've tiptoed around this build too long, so it's time to apply judicious force. After all, parallel lines don't meet unless you bend them a little! More to follow in the next few days. Wish me luck! 8)
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Progress is being made. I've got the guns and instrument panel fitted, the top of the fuselage in place, the engine fitted and aligned, and the whole structure filled and sanded to shape. There was a lot of the filling and sanding, as I used CA glue to beef up areas that were either out of alignment or paper thin. With the nose cap fitted, which should take place this weekend, I'll be into the PE fitting and the paint phase next week. I have no idea what made me fit the fuselage PE before joining the fuselage halves and then trying to fit the fuselage top. Probably misguided faith in the kit, and/or misguided faith in my abilities with short run kits. In any event I hope to be at the "wing fitting" stage in a week or so.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0001_zpstn0uu0od.jpg)
Thanks for visiting! 8)
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Despite all your trials and tribulations model model is starting to take shape very nicely, looking forwards to more progress photos.
Des.
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I'll second Des' comments: you've got it looking quite nice.
Looking forward to more,
Chris
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Thanks, Des and Chris,
The nosecap is now in place and will not need much in the way of filling and sanding. Accordingly, it's "PE Placement" time, followed by the painting phase. Feels rather good to get the fuselage to this state! 8)
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Great job on getting everything together! Looking fantastic now!
RAGIII
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Just a short note to say that I'm still in the hunt for a finished Dolphin! Here's where I stand as of today with the fuselage:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0002_zpskdjcexyf.jpg)
Remainder of the tail and the u/c next, then come the wings! ;D Thanks for visiting!
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Looks great! It is also in the scheme I want to do if one ever becomes available in 1/32nd! Looking forward to the next update.
RAGIII
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You have done an excellent job so far Gary, the colours you have used make for an extremely attractive looking aeroplane.
Des.
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It's looking mighty fine Gary, as expected! The colour scheme is spectacular (for a slight diversion from PC-10 and PC-10!) I'll look forward to seeing this little gem rigged and on her "feet".
Cheers,
Lance
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RagIII, Des and Lance,
Thanks for your kind words. I actually got a bit more done after I took the photo (should have Father's Day more often! ;)): control horns painted, PE foot steps and fuel neck added, radiator detailed with darker grey, prop painted and oil-grained with Burnt Sienna and two additional wing decals fitted. As I mentioned to a few friends, I'm making progress by actually slowing down: making sure this is done before I go on to that, as it were! :D
Thanks for visiting!
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Looking good, await next pics !!
Ed
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Thanks, Ed. It'll be a while as we start replacing our old deck tomorrow. Probably take 7-10 days max, but I might get a bit done on Dolph here and there. We'll see! :)
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Hi,
Here's the latest update on "The Dolph."
Fuselage, undercarriage and vertical tail feathers ready for assembly:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0022_zpsxatgf48j.jpg)
Finally up on his own two legs!
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0024_zpsqjd5adi3.jpg)
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0023_zpsvzj1i1pi.jpg)
Tail fitting complete, and the propeller dry-fitted just to see what it looks like:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0003_zpsj7rvjasm.jpg)
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0004_zpsp102deug.jpg)
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0005_zpsv0lvxlv9.jpg)
Now to fit the final bits and bobs into the cockpit area. Perhaps a few strands of rigging, but I have to check any problem with rigging as it affects the use of Rowan's jig. Then we ease towards the wing fitting and further rigging.
So far, so good. Thanks for visiting! 8)
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Coming along very nicely, Gary, and the final result is very much in sight! As I've said before, gotta love that blue and the contrast it provides to the PC-10. I'm looking forward to the final updates, nicely done so far!
Cheers,
Lance
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wow looks very nice gary me ole pal.the min drawback to this kit is the way the top wing is in 2 pieces and the clumsy design of the cabane/cockpit opening/top wing thingy. never built this one but wasnt sure how i was going to make that joint strong and look good being so visable. so glad the new copper state has a 1 piece upper wing part.
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Thanks, Lance and Albi, for your very kind comments. Time for a short break while I "screw my courage to the sticking point." (With apologies to Lady MacBeth!) The Dolph currently resides in Rowan's jig with the lower wing parts dry-fitted. A "motivator" to keep my interest up! :D
"The cabane/cockpit opening/top wing thingy." Albi, that's gotta be the best description of that part of this build that I've ever seen. Excellent! ;D
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Gary,
Your Dolphin looks great sitting on its wheels! Lovely painting! I am really looking forward to more!
RAGIII
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Gary,
Your Dolphin looks great sitting on its wheels! Lovely painting! I am really looking forward to more!
RAGIII
Thanks for visiting, my friend, and a further thank you for your very kind comment. I really wasn't sure of just how the Citadel paints (blue/red) would work out. In the event, they do seem to be useful as a close match to Rowan's decals. :)
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Gary,
Absolutely beautiful work my old friend.Looking forward to the next awesome update.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Gary,
Absolutely beautiful work my old friend.Looking forward to the next awesome update.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
Hello, Gregory,
Thanks very much for visiting and for your kind remarks. Good to hear from you! We go back quite a ways, as do many of our Forumites, and it's always a pleasure to hear from them, and you. BEST Highest Regards to you, my old friend! ;D
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It's looking better and better with each update Gary, looking forward to seeing the wings on.
Des.
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The Blue looks perfect, Gary! Really difficult to match paints to decal roundel blues and reds, but you nailed it, buddy. This is shaping up to be a real show stopper.
Cheers,
Bud
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Great looking already! I really enjoy following your progress - and motivates me start the CSM Dolphin in no time.
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Des, Bud and Filip, thanks for visiting!
Bud, actually I lucked out by locating the Citadel paints that matched Rowan's decal colours. I'm not sure who originally found them, but the older names of the paints are included in the instruction booklet of one of Rowan's sheets. The new names for those who'd like to try them are: "Evil Sunz Scarlet" (Red), and "Kantor Blue" (Blue). They must be thinned down quite a bit as they are rather thick paints. I've found the best way to do that is to put a dollop of paint into a small mixing cup and slowly add acrylic thinner until the mix "looks right." The "how fast does the mix run down the inside of the cup?" test works well for me. The "get it to the consistency of milk" method might also work well for those using it.
So I didn't really "match" the colours and therefore I can't claim the credit for doing so. But it's nice to know that you think I'm actually that talented! Thanks! (Just kiddin'!) ;D
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Here's a little bit of an update. The first photo shows the fuselage and wing parts dry-fitted in Rowan's jig to see whether or not I'm actually in the ballpark. Seems all right: the thin white interwing thingie is a length of plastic rod cut to the length of the struts.It seems to be sitting nicely in place, no distortion to the wing orientation and with a not too shabby backward stagger:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0005_zpswe5pikhl.jpg)
So we move on to the next stage: here is the lower wing formally fitted in place today courtesy of thin brass rod (two pins at the spar locations) and a generous film of 5-minute epoxy on the inside edge of the wing parts:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff205/29selley/DSC_0008_zpsm1pdom1e.jpg)
Now, I was going to post a photo showing the fuselage and lower wing standing clear of the jig. But I can't get Dolph out of the jig without removing part "A," which holds the nose of the a/c. So it looks as if Dolph will stay where he is while the upper wing surgery gets performed. Once that's done, I'll essentially cut him free. ;D
So my next task is to cut the struts out, paint and finish them, attach them to the upper wing, inner struts first (metal), then fit the upper wing, then spring the outer struts (plastic) into place.
Thanks for visiting! 8)
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Stunning progress! A great looking model! I must get one...
ATB,
Marc
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Stunning progress! A great looking model! I must get one...
ATB,
Marc
Marc, many thanks for visiting and for your support. :)
But trust me on this: get the recent CSM Dolphin. Much easier to build than this Blue Max offering. It has been a real wrestling match for me to get it this far, and I think that CSM is the way to go now, especially with its one-piece upper wing structure! ;)
As and when you get one, I send you best wishes for a successful build! 8)