Helldiver! 2/08/09 Post Script

Well, here it comes again....

Well, I had a fair amount of time at the bench- and even a little at the beach, too.  It's bikini season in LA- WOOF!!  ;D  But back to building...

Daywalker wrote:

chukw wrote: Hang tight, fellas- another update is in the works- I'm just waiting for glue to dry..... manana! WOOHOO!!!  Another installment on the way.  I REALLY can't wait to see it Chuck!

Me too, Me too, Me too. (This is where i need Disastermast to supply a slavvering smiley)

...Guy

roadkill_275 wrote:

Mikeym_us wrote: Hey Bondoman you ever notice the similarities between the SB2U HellDiver (Biplane) and the SB2C Helldiver (Monowing)? That they took an aircraft of 1930's origin and come out again in the late war era with an aircraft of a similar design but uprated to 1940's standards?     Namrednef, The BF2C was a Scout Fighter before the SBC series. The US Navy designation system prior to 1962 had a lot of quirks in it and probably made sense to somebody in Naval HQ. It can sure be a bugger to figure out sometimes though.

 

To further your point: I posted BF2C when I meant BFC-2......at least I think that's what I meant!

 

Well, if there's one thing that can drag me away from a ballgame................. 

I have spent my whole morning, and a 1/2 pack of smokes, getting caught up. Words can't describe how inadequate I now feel as a modeler, but I am enjoying this thread thoroughly.

chukw wrote:

Hang tight, fellas- another update is in the works- I'm just waiting for glue to dry..... manana!

WOOHOO!!!  Another installment on the way.  I REALLY can't wait to see it Chuck!

raider83, ModelNerd, bondoman - you guys got the spirit! 
Luftwoller :  Only through total obedience can I hope to gain modeling time!  ;
dirtball:  Thanks- I think I'll be working on this one some time to come, so get comfy.
namrednef :  Hey!  Fugeddaboutit!  And don't you dare hide the Helldiver- or you'll be sleeping wit da fishes!  :D
wyoroy, davew6003, cmixson:  Mucho gracias, amigos! 
Mikeym_us, namrednef, roadkill_275, Bondoman:  That's a great discussion!  I think that designs evolved as the designers gain knowledge and experience, and as the general science of aviation evolves.  Of course, there's always the economic factor- being able to use existing tooling, etc- and then there's the whole "brand" image, to boot!  Look at the signiture rudder shapes used by various manufacturers- the Fokker "comma" for example.  One more note:  The "missing link" between one craft and the next generation is often the prototype- take a look at the XSB2C and you'll see what I mean...
Boomerang:  Thanks so much!  I'll have to drag out my old issues and look Mr Steinbrun's works.  I'm sure you give me too much credit! 
wing_nut:  But,,, but... I'm not trying to be funny.  Psych!!!  Thanks, man!

Hang tight, fellas- another update is in the works- I'm just waiting for glue to dry..... manana!

Besides being a fantastic build... it's reading the funny pages at the same time.

raider83 wrote:

this is going to be one spectacualar bird when you're done chukw.  You really should consider turning it into FSM.  amazind build.

  Raider83 is right. You should consider an article, may have to be in ten parts....

  I remember when i first started collecting FSM Magazine, there was a chap by the name of Bob Steinbrun, who used to build fantastic models. I was absolutely fixated by his work. I believe the first magazine i bought featured his Flying Tigers P-40. An amazing modeler is he. I do well believe you are on par with him, certainly up there with the best. I have been checking out previous pages of this thread. Seriously mate, your work is mind blowing. I can't say i have seen this level of detail in an aircraft model other than Bob Steinbruns. I am really lost for words!!!

  Does anybody remember Bob Steinbrun's articles? What ever happened to him?

  Boomer...

   

Mikeym_us wrote:

Hey Bondoman you ever notice the similarities between the SB2U HellDiver (Biplane) and the SB2C Helldiver (Monowing)? That they took an aircraft of 1930's origin and come out again in the late war era with an aircraft of a similar design but uprated to 1940's standards?

I hadn't till you mentioned it (SBC vs SB2C) because I know less than squat about naval aircraft, but it's true that the biplane to monoplane transition seemed to follow advances in engine power, where the wing area loss was made up in other ways. I'd say aeronautical engineers then were so aware of mathematics that a room full of people making mechanical calculations to design a wing cross section meant incremental change.

The one that I first noticed was the Hurricane; funny looking with all due respect to the greatness that was Sydney Camm.

But take a look at the Hart:

 

Luftwoller wrote:

Chores? Chores?....Doesnt your good woman realise you have an audience?? P.S Im writing this while SWMBO isnt watching, or its the yard and a brush for me lol. ...Guy

Chores? Like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash?

That reminds me...I'd better empty the kitchen wastebasket!

Well done, as usual. Looking forward to more. I'm trying to get a friend in Hawaii to register so he can see this Helldiver.

Mikeym_us wrote:

Hey Bondoman you ever notice the similarities between the SB2U HellDiver (Biplane) and the SB2C Helldiver (Monowing)? That they took an aircraft of 1930's origin and come out again in the late war era with an aircraft of a similar design but uprated to 1940's standards?

 

This happened quite frequently. You can look at any design and find similiarities. For instance F3F to the F4F (little side note here, the F4F started life as a biplane) or the BT-1 to the SBD. Aircraft designers are, by nature, a lazy bunch and they want to keep what works and get rid of what doesn't. By the way, your post should read SBC Helldiver. The similiarites you see are superficial and lies mostly in the tail.with some minor simiarity in the shape of the cowling. The SB2C was quite a bit larger than the SB2C and carried its bomb under the fuselage whereas the SB2C carried its bomb internally. The SB2C definately earned its nickname "the Big A+++d Beast"

Namrednef, The BF2C was a Scout Fighter before the SBC series. The US Navy designation system prior to 1962 had a lot of quirks in it and probably made sense to somebody in Naval HQ. It can sure be a bugger to figure out sometimes though. 

 

I have noticed that there are similarities between the BF2C Helldiver and the SB2C Helldiver. The letter 'c' in each designation stands for "Curtiss"

The SB2U is the Vindicator mono bomber....produced by Chance-Vought of Corsair fame. The letter 'U' designates that company. 'D' for Douglas....'F' for Grumman.....etc.

There are a couple seeming anomilies in A/C designations but they can be figured out. 

Hey Bondoman you ever notice the similarities between the SB2U HellDiver (Biplane) and the SB2C Helldiver (Monowing)? That they took an aircraft of 1930's origin and come out again in the late war era with an aircraft of a similar design but uprated to 1940's standards?

  Great build...nice job on the photos of the work in progress.

  Will be looking forward to he next post. Keep up the great work.

 

You realize that you have set the bar so high now that you can never again post pics of an OOB build anywhere on the net.

Great work as always.

 

Chukw.....simply another breathtaking installment! The build, humor and presentation are without peer! Thank you very much!

I look forward to the SB2C posts more than I used to for the Sopranos!

Time to head downstairs and slide my Helldivers further back in the stash!

 

  As usual, your work is just outstanding! In a way, I kinda hope you dont finnish for quite a while! I enjoy your posts too much. Thanks again for sharing with us!!............Harv

Chores? Chores?....Doesnt your good woman realise you have an audience??

P.S Im writing this while SWMBO isnt watching, or its the yard and a brush for me lol.

...Guy

So did they sing this:

ony, our Italian cook, was a-settin' on the deck,

And we were peelin' 'taters. We must 'a' peeled a peck.

The captain yelled,"Hey, Tony! Is that a U-boat I see?"

Tony says, "It's not-a my boat; it's-a no belong to me."

"Peelin' taters"? Isn't that a Junior Brown song?

Great work on the Helldiver!

 

Great stuff again.  I can't believe those markings were on the stabilizer.  Can barely tell they were there now!

Thanks, Daywalker and TISAC!
Don't worry, Luftwoller- I'll be sure to strengthen my struts- and rest assured, lil' chuk is modeled on me, because I'm WAY to funny-looking to post my real pic here.  maybe if were as dashing as you...  ;)
davew6003 - I'll try to stop slackin'...   :D
wyoroy :  Thanks- and mmmmmaybe...
agentg :  Someday I hope to improve to that demented santa phase- modeling can only help!
RadMax8 :  Tell us more about your girlfriend... ;)
roadkill_275 :  You bouild that kit- the world needs more Helldivers!  Thanks so much for the encouragement, pal- but two and a half hours?  I knew I was a motormouth but this is ridiculous!  :D
raider83  and  spookythecat:  Aw, come on! 

I've been futzing around with a bunch of miscellaneous crapola on the build.   ;)  Sooner or later I'm going to have to close up the fuselage, but in the meantime there's so many little things to do !

Edit: i just noticed that I spent 2 and a half hours reading this!

Ahh...yes. But at least it wasn't a wasted 2 1/2 hours as this is easily the most impressive thread in history!

this is going to be one spectacualar bird when you're done chukw.  You really should consider turning it into FSM.  amazind build.

All I have to say is wow. This has got to be the best build I've seen on here. I've got the Pro-Modeler kit in my stash and after seeing this I'm afraid to start it (it was the third one down in the to build stack) There is no way I could do it now and do it justice. You have set the benchmark on this one. Your writing style is awesome and deserves to be published. Now, on the subject of the next one, give some thought to the Helldivers stablemate, the F6F-5 Hellcat. or even it's predecesor the SBD.

 

Edit: i just noticed that I spent 2 and a half hours reading this!

You guys got it all wrong! You gotta keep a goatee... the ladies can't resist it! Just ask my girlfriend! LOL

As always, great work.  Any plans to put it all together as a small book?

Great work !! however maybe next time you could add a little detail....try to think out of the box.