Air Racer GB Round 2

Stage_Left well I was thinking there is no way I can follow your great R1 with mine and with my health troubles this year I have fallen drastically behind on my group builds. So I am hoping that I can slide in a Pegoso Midget Mustang as a second build for the group. It will be tight though getting it done by the end of the build.

As far as the Mystery Ship goes you cant see much of the cockpit at all once the canopy is on, just the seat really. I think the real challenge with that kit is the paint job. The scallops weren't too bad but those pin stripes were a nightmare, but well worth the effort let me tell ya.

Vetteman- many thanks as always for the encouragement. Yes, 1/48th. I've also got the Testors rebox of Hawk's 1/48th Travel Air Mystery Ship- 1965 molds. I've thought of that a couple times as I'm doing this and have concluded that there'll be no such nonsense with the Travel Air cockpit. It's a cool-looking airplane as it is.

In what way are you rethinking your R-1?

Thats in 1/48 scale Stage_Left ??????????????? WOW you the man !!!!!!!!!!! Totally impressive sir

Maybe I need to rethink my R-1 build

Thanks Mike. I hear you about the cutaway, but the door on the side will be open so no matter what angle you look through it, the interior will look full. Plus you'll be able to see down through the canopy.

I'm not sure the forward bulkhead existed on the original, but I took some modeler's license so I wouldn't have to keep building in the detail. The view forward under the IP looked like a wide open space.

Wow, looks awesome man. Its a shame so much of it will be covered up when you button her up. Its a shame you couldnt do like a cutaway or something.

Ok.....I've finally completed the cockpit. I should've put a penny or some other visual reference next to it, but it's 1-1/4" from bulkhead to bulkhead; 7/8" wide and 7/8" high.

Based on limited reference I went with a plywood seat and floor (wood laminate scraps), and only lap belts (lead foil). The stick (stretched sprue) is designed to be tall to keep the pilot from over-correcting the airplane. The rudder pedals are stretched sprue and foil, and the throttle quadrant is plastic bits. The lever knobs are white glue.

And the final interior.....right side a little messy:

Nice job vetteman! 

I wonder how shell go against bamboo bandit.

She looks fantastic my good man, ill update the front page.

Finished pictures of my build at last, its the 1/48 Testors F8F-2 Bearcat built out of box, the only change being the removal of the guns and gun bubbles. The kit had good fits so went together well the only problems being very weak gear legs due to the soft plastic the kit is molded in, and the decals were lousy. I did use them as a template, I scanned them then printed them on frisket paper to be used for masking. Worked out pretty well other than the ink on the frisket paper taking over night to dry. Anyway I had fun building it and it was a good one to get me back in the saddle and at the bench again.

So without further babbeling I present from Good Ole Boys Racing, sponsored by Jake's Krab Hut, Skeeders Fishing and Tackle, and Southern Aero Wreaking,  race #6 " Fat Cat " out of Belcher Louisiana.

This will be Fat Cat's second year at Reno, last year they failed to qualify due to engine problems, resulting in a picture perfect dead stick landing. This year they return with a newly rebuilt engine package and a new high visibility paint job, sure is bright isnt it. They hope to run in the unlimited bronze class with their stock Bearcat racer.

Thanks Scorpiomikey and Stage_Left I havent done anything other than out of box with a few small changes on my Bearcat and the kit is a very simple one so to be honest it was slow. Anyway its finished now, and I will, I hope, have pictures of it up tomorrow.

Mikey a pale gray primer should work out well under white the main thing I think would be to keep the primed surface color as even as you can. I tried using an off white primer but found it too difficult to get an even coat of white on as the colors were just a bit too close to each other.

Hey that DH88 Comet looks cool ! Cant wait to see that one go together.

Oh I think its Linburg that makes a Gee Bee in 1/32 and they also have a kit of Howard Hughs racer in 1/32. Personally I would like to see more of them in 1/48 scale just so I can add them to my race stable. I like to build in the same scale for the size differences of my builds. I mean it's kinda fun to park a 1/48 Howard racer under the wing of a P-61 or next to say Miss America.

Yeah, its a shame the only redily available injection kit of it is the cruddy airfix 72nd scale offering. Id love to see things like the GeeBee's and comets and those types of aircraft done in a 32nd range.

Mike- I always thought that Comet was one cool looking airplane. 

Im entering another kit of the DH.88 Comet Black Magic.

Its the airfix kit, its so incredibly basic, the instructions take up 1 whole A-4 sheet.

Wow vetteman- I love those colors and the design. It really makes your Bearcat pop!

Wow, i wish my bearcat would come along that quick. Although i have an idea for the white, ima try it out with my connie first though, Ive got a really pale grey which covers really well which i was going to use as a bse coat then put high gloss white over the top.

Scoripomikey yes it was cool to see it, I was in my early 30s at the time and wish I had gotten some pictures. I was actually there to look at a Starduster II I was thinking of building one at the time. I guess one could call it the ultimate modeling project. I ended up building, or I should say building the major part of a Skybolt.

Stage_Left thank you sir it is good be be back at then bench again, building is still going slowly but it is going.

Here's a few more WIP for you guys

I think I just might try pin striping on this one, a bit of practice is in order me thinks first.

vetteman- real sorry to hear about the health issues, but I'm glad to see you back in the seat. Your progress looks good, and I bet the bench time felt great.

Good to see you back, i would have loved to see that geebee being built, but unfortunatly i was only in my 2nd year of school lol. A ripe old age of 6 lol.

Kermit its the 1/48 Testers kit. And thanks its good to be back.

V-Man,

Nothing like a good whiff of filler in the morning Great to see you building again my friend Looks like you are off to a good start with the bearcat. Is that revell or monogram by any chance?

Richard

Well guys now that the health troubles seem to be in order I am back in the saddle again. After 1 heart attack and 2 trips to the cath-lab I am finally feeling better.

So if our great leader will allow me I would like to submit the " what if " F8F-2 Bearcat race #6 from " Good Ole Boys Racing Enterprises"  out of Belcher Louisiana. So without further lamenting here are some WIP pictures beginning with the box art.

Our driver who will be named at a later date

And of course the engine package, stock of course. This will be only their second race ya know, but more on that later.

The airframe went together well but was modified just a bit as you can see from all the filler used. Guns removed and fared over alone with the removal of the gun blisters on the wings, and the folding wings were modified to solid wings dont want them folding during a race ya know.

Then our driver had to check out the fit of the cockpit and the IP layout.

The windscreen is now on and the masking done for paint. I hope to have more pictures tomorrow or maybe Monday morning.

Scorpiomikey the Gee Bee Z in the Rocketeer I was lucky enough to have seen during construction for the movie at FlaBob Airport. The Gee Bee R-1 was also there having some work done on it at the time, sure was a treat let me tell ya.

Hey guys, those of you building geebee racers. A good movie to watch is The Rocketeer. Its got some nice shots of the Geebee in the opening scenes.

Things always get better eventually. Any day with a roof over your head and food on the table is a good one

Daddy1 no apology need at all for your pic heavy post man, none at all in my book. You could have doubled the number of them and I still would have been digging it. Again thank you very much for sharing them ALL

Scorpiomikey I will do the best I can not to let you and the others here down with my builds. Thanks for the understanding. I am hoping things will get better here but theres no tellin at the moment.

Stage_Left

 

Still, it's great to know where the only flying R-2 (as far as I know) is located.

 It'll probably be there a long while. Kermit Weeks must be a scale modeler, one of his staffers told me,one their most difficult tasks is figuring out where to store all the aviation stuff he collects. Sounds like us with our stashes.

 I again apologize for the large post of pics , but couldn't decide which to post of those beautiful racers. That Super Solution is amazing.  Would love to get my hands on a Williams Bro.s kit when reissued as planned, or an original issue. 

 Vetteman- Randy , I feel your pain about getting time at the work bench. Seems to be a bit of that going around. I'm finally getting back to finishing up the decals on my Hellcat build so I can get back on the Bulldog. I'll leave the Wedell Williams on the roster for now but not sure if I can sneek it in.  See what happens.

Howard

BTW- If any of you end up in the Orlando, Florida area ( maybe going to Disney ,LOL), it;s well worth the side trip about a half hour / hour road trip west on I-4( about midway between Orlando and Tampa) to Fantasy of Flight . The 2012 IPMS Nationals will be in Orlando , in case anyone wants to work it into their plans.

vetteman42

I would like to drop the P-51D Risky Business if our leader and you all will allow it.

I wont allow it. Just move quicker im kidding. Ill leave it on there for now. No pressure to get it done. If its started by the time the build ends thats good enough for me. Just update as necessary.

WOW thanks for the pics Howard!!!! Looked like a great dad's day out out with lil miss sunshine!!

Daddy1 I am so envious you got to see these aircraft in person. You and your daughter must have had a blast wandering around them. Many thanks for sharing the good pictures of them and the great pictures of the info plaques. Miss Los Angles looks like it would be a great addition to my building collection.

I am going to be changing my builds for the group around again, family matters have really cut into my time at the bench so I havent gotten much done at all in the past 3 months or so and the end is getting close. So I will be doing the Gee Bee R1 althou not as finely detailed as Stage_left has done. Good news is I got my hands on the 1/48 Howard Pete that I will be building to go along with my already built Howard Ike. So I would like to drop the P-51D Risky Business if our leader and you all will allow it.

Looks like you and your daughter had a great day, Howard. So the Delmar Benjamin/Steve Wolf R-2 is there. Outstanding.....and thanks for the photos. I know the placard says Delmar Benjamin, who did indeed fly it, but the plane was co-built by Benjamin and Steve Wolf of Wolf Aircraft.

Still, it's great to know where the only flying R-2 (as far as I know) is located.

Wow thanks for the photos howard.