AIR RACER GROUP BUILD BECAUSE WE FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED

 I see some of you have already been going at it with plastic and glue.

 Gonna be a bit of a slow start for me due to things requiring my time right now, plus I need to get my Witchcraft Lib finished. I'm glad we have a year to do this. 

 I hope to soon, get the base F-82 wings, fuselage, etc. tack glued together so I can see better what and where to cut ,shape. Then to start mocking up some ideas. One idea I'm very much drawn to is moving the radiators to the center wing section ala Stilletto,and completely eliminating the belly scoops. Although, I really do like the NACA style scoops in my sketches. It would still slim and streamline the underside a whole bunch. 

 One other idea I have for the props is a five blade semitar style prop for each side, counter rotating as the stock Twin 'Stang would. The blades would be patterned after the Tsunami prop seen in the Tachi drawings. Would still look very sexy.

 Glad to see you guys like my concept. Mostly going to take some careful bodywork. I'm pleased you think it could be some thing that would actually fly. If someone with deep enough pockets and big enough kahunas to build the real 1/1 scale bird. Sort of like chopping ,channeling and overall street rodding a rare Auburn Boatail Speedster or Duesenburg coupe.But then , I love custom street rods, just my pockets aren't that deep. Thus, the fantasy dream racer.

Well, I'm probably going to have to do another kit after this one, gonna be quick.  Here's my start, got this far last night.  Probably be done by early next week.  I have a F2G Corsair, maybe I'll do that one as well.  Only thing is I wasn't planning the Miss Port Columbus scheme on this one.  We'll see.

Next possible GB build.  

daddy1 wrote:

Oh the memories. 

I think my brain actually shuddered when I saw that pic. That thing gave me nightmares!!!

 I have once again fallen from motivation, my little practice builds are still sitting as they were a week ago. We have an early deer season going on here today through monday. My focus takes a shift to that. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I'll be building for this. couple ideas still floatin around.

Here's what I'm starting with:

Airfix XVIe bubbletop kit. This is a limited edition kit that you can only get by joining the Airfix Club. It was graciously given to me by a friend and fellow FSM member. He knows who he is.

Added to the stock kit are an Ultracast seat, Ultracast late-style 3-spoke wheels (4-spoke wheels come in the kit), Master turned brass cannon fairings and guns, Eduard PE, and Lifelike Decals. The Lifelike set includes a full set of stencils, as well. I may end up adding an aftermarket prop and exhausts - haven't decided yet.

I started by removing the side hatch, which was molded shut.

It's okay to mangle it during removal - the kit provides a separate one. I'm going to use PE, however.

So far, I've got the seat off of its casting block, the instrument panel sanded down to accept PE, the seat frame and headrest are modified to accept PE, and what few interior details were molded into the fuselage have also been removed. PE is going everywhere in this sucker! Those who know Spitfires know that there is a lot of exposed hardware in the cockpit. I'll probably add some plumbing beyond what comes in the Eduard set, from .015" solder.

The biggest challenge so far is trying to determine which PE parts should be added before painting, and which one to hold off on adding until later. I've been going over the instructions with a highlighter so I don't screw it up.

Kevin

daddy1 wrote:

Red13Bar- A P-47D racer ? Interestesting concept.

There were a few, in the Bendix races in the late 1940's.

Awesome concept sketches, by the way. If you can pull that sucker off, you'll have the baddest racer in this bunch!

Kev

simpilot34 wrote:

In the words of Bob Hoover for the start, "Gentlemen, you have a race!!!"

 You read my mind . I was thinking of him.

 Red13Bar- A P-47D racer ? Interestesting concept. What about an R-4360 powered Jug? Are you going to tighten up the cowl like many of the Bearcat teams do? Will look forward to seeing this one. 

 There are some great articles in the Warbird AeroPress site. Many with pics. 

 I like the article Going Fast-What Makes an Unlimited Racer Go 490. Lots of great advice on building an unlimited air racer. 

 Jonny Roscoe- Went to middle and high school in Ft.Worth when Texas Stadium was built. Now it can be tough being a Cowboy fan in the heart of Buc country, but we beat them . Always will have a place in my heart for Texas.Also a lot of great warbirds in Texas.

 Boogity,boogity,boogity!!! Here's some early sketches of what I have in mind for an F-82R.

 Griffon power,double six blade counter-rotating props, single cockpit in left fuselage w/ Miss AshlyII influenced canopy, Tsunami styled tail fins, Miss AshlyII influenced carb air and radiadtor inlets NACA style, clipped wings w/ Dago Red/Precious Metal influenced wingtips, extended leading edge of wings.

 Still just preliminary sketches and refinements may come but, I think I'm on track to what I'm going to build.

 Looks fast, now to start mocking up on the kit to see how to make the changes. Actually, the hardest part of this build will be deciding on a sponser,paint scheme, name. But with this being a what if fantasy racer, the pilot will be Daddy1.

Red 13Bar Sounds like an interesting build, I think the 109 would be a cool subject also. Can you let me know what scale and what you will be using as a base kit so I can get it listed on the front page.

This is gonna be too much fun !

Daddy1 I like the sticker on that box. Go Texas!!! Gotta love the lone star state!!

WOOHOO can'y wait to get home and start working on the kit. Im excited!!!!!

It's on, fellas!  Sweet! 

Just to let the fine leader of the GB know, I intend on building a P-47D, maybe with some special mods.  The shop crews let slip they have found a way to duplicate the German's MW-50 boost system with some new improvements making it suitable for use with the Jug's big radial...It should be more than enough to handle all those P-51 types out there...  After that, who knows?  A 109G-10?  Only time will tell...

Good Hunting,

-Chris

Sweet! Can't wait to get home and start nailing the Spit together!

Kevin

fermis wrote:

Can I start yet?                               Can I start yet?                 Can I start yet?             Can I start yet?  Can't wait!!!

 You can start now!

Daddy1 Yup we are makin the turn to the starting chute I have that same kit in my closet too daddy1 an its all fermis's fault too. So I will be watching your build with a lot of interest as I havent decided what to do with mine yet.

Having been beat up by my last 2 builds I am thinking maybe I will do one of the old Hawk Testers kits I have from the golden age of racing, maybe the Laird Solution or the Travel Air Mystery Ship to decompress a bit. The Revell P-61 and then a Revell P-38 have about done me in. 

Cant wait to see what comes from this group

 It's 10pm est , here in Z'hills,FL . Only a couple more hours till the start of our Group Build. YEAAAAAAAAA!!!

 Here's a pic of my base kit. Not sure how many have seen this kit up close, but Fermis should recognise it quite well. Although this is the night fighter G model. Hats off to him and his published Twin 'Stang, because he did a great job with a rough kit to say the least.

  I've had this kit for 10yrs or so, parts bag sealed and every thing . This is the first time I've ever opened up the bag for a really close look at the parts. The moldings are rough to saythe least . There are little blobs and defects on the surface of the wings, fuselage, etc. Panel lines are finely engraved ,so much so that in places they are completely filled in and hardly visible. Good thing I'd already planned on filling and smoothing most of them anyway.

 Detail is very soft but again, it's going to be a highly modified air racer and most details would be different from the stock bird . Especially the cockpit/s. I may do both cockpits, but am leaning toward a single place aircraft with the right side faired over.

 The Tachi drawings are going to be wonderful in helping to make my design changes . I'm primarily influenced by the later version of Miss Ashly II, but also making note of elements of Red Baron, Precious Metal , and Stilletto. One thought I have is to move the radiators to the center wing in a design similiar to Stilletto's.

 I'm going to tack together the fuselage, wings, etc., to mockup different ideas before cutting any plastic. I should also have up some tentative design sketches in the next couple of days.

 Good luck to everyone , can't wait to see some of the awsome flying machines about to be built.

Ready...... Set....... Lets get building!

 BTW the baggie up by the instruction sheet, is some parts box items for possible use in this build.

 God bless,

Howard

Hey guys thanks for the leads on decals for my build, I will be ordering a sheet as I am a bit afraid to try and paint them, my airbrush skills being what they are, or lack there of.

A few of you have pipped in about the group badges and I think we will keep them all, as they are all good and I do apreciate the effort the guys put into creating them.  Only 2 more days to wait

Jonny Roscoe wrote:

jmabx wrote:  vetteman42 wrote: Does anyone know where I could get my hands on decals for Miss America ? Check this site... http://www.drawdecal.com/racer/racers_page.htm ...it's listed as "Miss America 2005 Reno" race #11. There's no picture of the decals so I don't know if they're the ones you're looking for. I don't know whether or not the paint scheme changed over the years.  According to the Tachi drawings , there is some difference in the paint swoop on the tail of Miss America , between the 92 and 04 paint schemes. Also on the elevators too. Other than that, both years look the same.   No the scheme didnt change. the only thing that changed was the airframe I think. a year or so ago I think they went back to the bubble canopy for some reason. Not sure why but you can check out the diff. on tachi drawings

jmabx wrote:

vetteman42 wrote: Does anyone know where I could get my hands on decals for Miss America ? Check this site... http://www.drawdecal.com/racer/racers_page.htm ...it's listed as "Miss America 2005 Reno" race #11. There's no picture of the decals so I don't know if they're the ones you're looking for. I don't know whether or not the paint scheme changed over the years.

No the scheme didnt change. the only thing that changed was the airframe I think. a year or so ago I think they went back to the bubble canopy for some reason. Not sure why but you can check out the diff. on tachi drawings

vetteman42 wrote:

Does anyone know where I could get my hands on decals for Miss America ?

Check this site...

http://www.drawdecal.com/racer/racers_page.htm

...it's listed as "Miss America 2005 Reno" race #11. There's no picture of the decals so I don't know if they're the ones you're looking for. I don't know whether or not the paint scheme changed over the years.

Im doing a stang in 1/32. Its going to be in the colors of strega out of the reno racers. You thinking of doing a stang? would be nice to have another person doing a stang other than myself.

Roscoe

jmabx wrote:

PPPFFFTTHHH!!! Holy *cow*! I just spit my beer all over the place! That has to be the funniest ad I've ever seen! Oh my... that's a good one! Thanks for that Kevin! I'll even clean up the mess that you made me make!

  Glad you liked it! I about fell outta my chair the first time I saw that one.

Kev

Yup I cant wait either. Im gonna have a little bit of a late start though :( as I am going to be out of town everday of the week and come home on the weekends just for this month though. I can't wait to see the WIP pics!! One more week fellas one more week and then we can get our fix!

Bret

daddy1 wrote:

simpilot34 wrote:  lewbud wrote: I guess a Triumph sponsored Spitfire is just too obvious. No, a Rolls Royce sponsored one would be.  Actually, since I plan on R/R Griffons in my twin 'stang, one idea for sponsor graphics I've had is based on the mythilogical figure.   I see it's gotten some creative thinking going on. Just about anything motorsport is likely to have some wonderfully cool paint schemes.

You guys are killin me, this is gonna be a fun group !

EDIT I have put in the offical request to get us moved to the Group Build section. I will tidy things up there and get us going. Just cant wait to see what comes from this group, its gonna be wild I think.

simpilot34 wrote:

lewbud wrote: I guess a Triumph sponsored Spitfire is just too obvious. No, a Rolls Royce sponsored one would be.

 Actually, since I plan on R/R Griffons in my twin 'stang, one idea for sponsor graphics I've had is based on the mythilogical figure. 

 I see it's gotten some creative thinking going on. Just about anything motorsport is likely to have some wonderfully cool paint schemes.