Ok, a little more progress. I included this shot to show where it is necessary to modify the window behind the cockpit. The panel it is attached to should frame the glazing on all sides, but in the kit this is not the case. I scored a line in the glazing and filled the join so the new "framing" becomes a continuous part of the panel.

A couple of other details have been added. The cannon and wing leading edges were drilled to accept a length of brass rod to reinforce the joint. Getting near to paint time 

ChrisJH666

...I'm currently using plastic strip to fill the gaps between the upper wings and the fuselage. These gaps are not very big, but I wanted to avoid using filler as far as possible, as it is supposed to be a joint...

I like doing that, too-either styrene card scrap, or stretched sprue, all sealed in place with styrene cement.  I like the idea of a homogeneous piece-like material to like, for a stronger finish.

DesTROYer, if you intend modelling the Boomerang you must get a copy of "The CAC Boomerang" by Richard A Franks. Amongst it's many pages of useful information, it lists all kits and accessories avilable at the time of publication. It also has a three page review of the AlleyCat 1/32 CA-12/13/19 Boomerang, kit no. ACRK32-11. This apparently was an updated reissue in mid- 2013. There is also the FM Models vac kit if you can find it.

The cowl flaps are a real pain to fit correctly, so I came up with this method. The picture shows a masking tape "sausage" formed by folding over one edge of the tape a few times for about half its width. The other half holds it in position. This holds the rear edge of the flaps in the correct position while you press the front edge into place. Then VERY CAREFULLY (!) remove the tape and voila!

Thanks Johnny. Got that fillet fixed. Glued in a piece of plasticard and shaped it down - it was too bad a fit to just use filler. Sorted the wing to fuselage joins and rescribed panel lines. Tailplane going on now, then I have a bit of a dilema with the cowl flaps to sort. Don't you just love challenging kits?????

Hey Chris

Completely missed that this came back. Great to see this moving forward! Engine and wheel wells look really good. (Gotta fix that fillet, as you said)

Excited for whatever's next

-J

Thanks T.B.

Oh My !

 That's a nice job there .You've got a little oil stain on the bottom cylinder though ,Lol!

Now ;

 Since you've finished the model , What is next ? Are you going to build something to hide all that beautiful work in ? Darn . T.B.

Finally got the wings on! Now for the cleaning up of joints and panel lines, which is not going to be a quick job, but could have been a lot worse without the Dremel.

The second shot shows some of the bits and pieces in the wheel wells and up into the accessories bay behind the engine firewall. There should be more pipes and cables, but I'll probably just leave it as is. You can see where the lower fuselage behind the wing didn't quite line up right, even though the panel lines did! Soon fix that though

Thanks guys!

I'm currently using plastic strip to fill the gaps between the upper wings and the fuselage. These gaps are not very big, but I wanted to avoid using filler as far as possible, as it is supposed to be a joint. I've made the mistake in the past (and seen it on the models of others too) of filling the joint and then rubbing it down so the joint dissappears when in fact that joint is quite visible on the real aircraft. I've stuck the plastic along the edges of the upper wings, and I'm in the process of rubbing it down a little at a time until I get a good fit with the fuselge. This will also make it easier to rescribe the panel lines where necessary than with filler.

I've also needed to use the Dremel on the inside of the wing fillet on the fuselage from the rear third of the wing back to thin it down to get a good fit so it won't stand proud of the upper wing. I'm really liking my Dremel right now!!! This would be a sod of a kit without it.

As others have said, you're doing a really spiffy job on this aircraft.

I'm looking forward to the next installments and am curious about how the wings fit on the fuselage. Looks like it's engineered so that most common wing root problems won't arise.

If this model has taught me anything, it is that Mr Dremel is your friend! There were a lot of fit issues with the engine and cockpit (though to be fair I wasn't using the kit engine) which meant a lot of work with the Dremel removing plastic from the inside of the fuselage. Finally managed to get it together though.

Good work on the radial.

Thanks John

Nice result on the engine, worth the effort.

Ok! Finally completed the engine, and what a job that turned out to be! The Vector engine is great, but as you can see the cylinder heads got massaged with the Dremel to get it to fit. The inside of the cowlings got the treatment too. The other big issue was the lack of the harness on the front of the engine. I had to remove all the stubs from the ring, then drill out for each piece of wire. The effect of the stubs was acheived by overpainting the ends of the wires over and over with silver paint! Strictly speaking each pair should be clipped together, but I suspect the resulting nervous breakdown might have been counter-productive. I really wasn't too fussy with the bits that cannot be seen. Managed to paint the P&W badge and the data plate though

Ok, spent an age putting together the Aires engine, but now I'm at the wiring harness stage, I'm just not happy with it. So now I have a Vector engine on the way which should be far better judging by the photos and info on the website! Having the correct bits and bobs on the back will help with fit issues too

Well played, Chris, dealing with those curveballs the aftermarket bits threw you.  I think that's par for the course, though-AM sneaks around to sock us in the head, every time, unless we're really on our guard.

I decided to replace the kit engine with an Aires one, but replacing the gearbox at the back with the correct kit example. I had started assembling the engine when I glanced at a photo of the front of the aircraft and realised something wasn't right. It didn't take long to spot that the mounting blocks either side of the engine centreline at the front had to go, as these components were not located there on the Boomerang.

Nice work Chris,  you have done justice to an Aussie CAC built aircraft.

Well done, look forward to the next instalment.

Looks good! I remember making that kit many years ago, and it was definitely a bit basic. You made a really nice job of it

Your example really puts to shame my little Airfix 1/72 that I scratch built.  But it was fun doing it.

Gotta love that little plane.  I got a gold medal for it at our contest last September.

John

Thanks guys. Not exactly impressed with the aftermarket PE set or the PE which came with the kit. The kit instructions, for example, tell you to fix a PE part to the middle of the seat back, but the seat as provided is close enough to use without modification bar making the angled panel in the join between back and base, and the PE part is completely the wrong size and shape and less detailed! It is rather frustrating! If you have PE parts they are supposed to be more accurate, not less

Gee if the PE set is designed for the kit I'd think that if the kit were a little off the headrest would be designed to compensate for this. 

Great job on the cockpit, you're doing a great job dealing with the problems.

ChrisJH666

Cockpit finished at last!

Congratulations! Looks really great. Completely worth the effort (easy for me to say, but it's true). 

Well done. Looking forward to seeing the rest of it come together.

-J

Thanks Falconmod

That is a work of art!  Wow

John