The Tommy

[Alexis]

She is really starting to take shape now , Love it ! Impressive work on the lower part of the fuselage , looking forward to the next up-date .


Terri

[kensar]

Thanks for stopping by, Rick, Kevin, and Terri.  Your comments are truly appreciated.

I have put the base color on the tail surfaces.  Will get to the control horns soon.  The black hinges are just tape stuck on the surfaces.




I have started on the front of the fuselage, with some metal panels.


somewhat slow going, but I like the results.

[RLWP]

Delicious!

And nice work on the tape hinge fakery. A bit of painted tape can pretend to be a lot of things

Richard

[kensar]

Hello, Richard.  I'm glad the hinges ended up being so simple to depict.  I have added some detail to the metal panels and glued them to the fuse.  Turning to the landing gear now.  Pictures to follow.

[bobs_buckles]

All shaping up rather splendidly, Ken.
Excellent!

von B 

[kensar]

Yes, its coming along nicely.
Thanks for stopping by, Bob.

[Bughunter]

Ken, I really like that idea to plate it with real metal sheet! Will try that too one day

Cheers,
Frank

[Gene K]

Ken,

Great thread, thanks.

... all those toys were collected over a lifetime!

I've looked at your amazing engine and cowl many times in amazement ... and am envious of your toys and skill.

Here's another great (!) toy you might want to add since you vacuform small parts:



Video in operation here: https://tinyurl.com/wcvqewr

Very compact, but plastic sheets are limited to 5"x5". Around $100, for example here : https://www.ebay.com/p/895997529

Gene K

[kensar]

I've seen those, Gene.  I think they are too small for the investment, when I can make a vacuum former in any size I need.

Latest pictures of the metalwork.



Last clear pictures of the cockpit before the panels went on.





Thanks for following along!

[RAGIII]

Brilliant Metal work and the interior looks awesome!
RAGIII

[Gene K]

I think they [dental vac formers] are too small for the investment ... .

But ... but .... you have all those other great toys .

I use mine a lot for small items... for example, for making 1/20 cowls for WWI Radio Control Models, as well as for canopies of all sizes. For larger items, I drag out the Shop Vac, etc.

Really enjoying your build -- thanks again.

Gene K

[kensar]

Plodding along...

Some brutal closeups of the landing gear in primer.






Fuse in primer.




While waiting for primer to dry, I have installed some control horns.


Starting on the lower wings now.  Layered up five 0.020" sheets of styrene with a slight bow in them for wing camber.

Thanks for following along.

[RLWP]

Oi - stop!

How did you make the control horns?

Richard

[kensar]

Hi Richard,
I thought long and hard about the control horns.  I ended up constructing them from a few different parts.
The base, though not completely accurate, are photoetched exhaust header flanges for an automobile exhaust system.  PE bolt heads, of course.  I believe they are from Model Car Garage.
The main part is a round toothpick, split part way down the middle, and the end of a PE control horn is CA glued into the split.  This part goes through the base into a hole in the tail surface and epoxied in for strength.
The PE control horn is from an Eduard PE sheet of control horns and flying wire tensioners.  I cut off the top of the PE control horn for use in this assembly.
I made six of these, so the process can be repeated somewhat consistently.

[RLWP]

That's very clever, nice one Ken

Richard