Thanks G!
Intense examination of the engine pod area has been going on for the last few days. I think alla the detail I want to add is possible , this includes 'the greaser ' , a genny and some wireing and hose/pipes for the air/fuel/cooling/ and oil systems. should be fun!
here is the exposed engine sitting in place and the f/r lower cowls in place:
This one shows the gap at the rear lower cowl and the rear vertical bulkhead:
This is good stuff for anyone attempting the exposing of a Gotha engine. Feel free to point out any issues you can see.
The genny was taken from the German accy tree offered by WNW , a pulley was fabbed as well as a bracket to hang it:
I drilled some holes for wires in the genny too.
Issues to date (and the cures ) with exposing a Gotha engine from most serious down:
-Rear V struts to top wing now have no mounting slots , they are part of the top rear cowl. This will be left until the top wing goes on. The upper cowl has been cleared of the mounts for the struts. Pics show the struts to be as the front are , coming off the 'ball' mount the Gemans used. I'll place the balls where they are needed.
-Two crossmembers to be fabbed and the kit ones cut off from the very top cowl cover. Part #D49 carries the 2 crossmembers. Looking at sprue D you can see a funny set of sprues on either end off the part, they look like half part half sprue. Use these , with some mods , to form the new crossmembers:
-Slim gap at the rear vertical bulkhead and the lower cowl. Strips of paper thin card can be used for this , thin out the cowl sides for perfect fit. Lower right:
-Front rigging points need to be fabbed with structure to support.
Work begins with the placement of a rod to see where the 2 rigging points are, these will need to be as close as poss for the rigging to look right:
-Front vertical bulkhead needs I/P marks removed.
This was done prior , but I mixed up the bulkheads , so I did it quickly in situ.
-All cut cowls need a lot of thinning , cowl edge profiles need addressing ,especially the front upper cowl. Lots of removal inside the cowls.
Cowl work:
-Screw holes need to be drilled out in cowls.
-Front upper cowl needs an edge replaced in the front circular section.
-Lower cowls need a flange attached where the screws go in.
-Rad cap in top of the front cowl to be cut off and a hole drilled out.
-Rad stem and cap to be fabbed for exposed rad.
-Rad feed pipe to water pump to be fabbed.
-Ugly seam at the back of the rad to be addressed.
Rad work:
Ugly seam filled and sanded . Also take note of the bottom of the rad , the mount surface is angled by the casting line. This allows the rad to rock back and forth. Not good. It wont matter on my exposed engine , but the fit into the upper front cowl is precise. I will glue the rad into the cowl rather than to the engine bearers. You can see the bottom of the one rad is leveled out. Both cowls and rads have had the cap detail removed and holes drilled and the new detail added:
Here is the parts layout as promised:
Some of the non exposed parts will need work to match the exposed ones , the rad is one of these parts. If your building non exposed glue the rad into the cowl , and glue the gas guage into the cowl side.
I took my time with a lot of visual; checking and rechecking. All of the additions are of regular plastic stock. The top tubes are formed as shown. The front curved tube was wrapped around a hobby knife for a few days and then put into the required shape and softened with thin glue a few times until it stayed in shape. Under the top tubes I slid in a thin piece of brass so they would not glue to the jig. Don't build one pod and then try to expose the other , the full cowlings come in handy for checking and other uses you'll find out if you try this.
I'm gonna move to paint , just the primer and see what happens. There is some assy after final color , the tubular frame is where i'm talking about. The 2 top tubes and 2 front lower rad diagonals , the rear strut extensions , will all be installed after the grey green.
