Looks good G, be nice to see the blue go down.

I've put my Apacxhe on hold for now until i decide what i am going to do about the canopy. E-mailed the UK importer 4 times and not a peep back, even an e-mail to say sorry we can't help would have been nice. So much for customer service.

Got the day off for working the holiday yesterday. I went ahead and pre-shaded. I hoped to get the blue paint down this evening but found a few issues here and there so I'm going to touch them up and then pre-shade again over them. Thankfully it's only about 10% or so to repaint.

Theuns

I am pleased with the look of the humbrol clear coat.

IMG_20180702_123337 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

 

Theuns

 

Nice, looking forward to seeing those decals go on.

Everything is in place and the two sides of the fuselage went together nicely with only minor filing needed.

I'm pretty sure Eduard used the Roden kit as a basis for their own.  Perhaps their instructions are better:

https://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/1145.pdf

CN: Geeesssshhhhhhhh, I hate unclear instructions. Glad to hear you were able to deal with the problem. Cockpit looks good!!!

Theuns: Super nice job there with the camo!

Yeah it looks nice and smooth Theuns.

Cheers

Tony

I am pleased with the look of the humbrol clear coat.

IMG_20180702_123337 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Theuns

Theuns

If you cant get a replacement canopy, could it not maybe work if you glued it into place and cut out the affected areas then replace with clear flat plastic sheet from say a food container ? I have done this in the past with good results.

 

Theuns

 

Thats not a bad idea. I was thinking of clear styrene sheet, but that might work better. I sent another e-mail on Fri and got an automated reply saying the guy was out of the office and be back in today. So i will see if i have heard anything tonight and go from there.

Pit is coming on nicely castel.

If you cant get a replacement canopy, could it not maybe work if you glued it into place and cut out the affected areas then replace with clear flat plastic sheet from say a food container ? I have done this in the past with good results.

Theuns

Little bit of a work done here. The Gladiator's cockpit is a fairly simple affair

The engin however was not. The instructions are unclear what goes on which side of the piston set. So I put the fuel lead parts on the side of the pistons where it fitted better...and of course it was the wrong side, which I realised once I tryed to fit the engine onto the fuselage. Will have to cut off most of the fuel leads but it is really not a big deal as most of the engine won't be visible anyway.

The pylons supplied in the kit  for the outer stations is incorrect for a SAAF craft so I though of building new ones from styrine sheer. Then I saw that if I just cut the kit one on the red line I can get somthing that is quite close to what I see in pix.so this is what I will do.

IMG_20180629_071622 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Theuns

Looks good Bish!!! 

And ouch!!! When you said a crack in the canopy I pictured a small one a few millimeters long. That's a seroius dent right in the worst place! 

Hope they get off their tails and get you the part soon! 

Cheers damo. I am not sure i am up to making a complete new canopy, but i may try taking out the damaged panels and replaceing with clear styrene, can't be any worse.

Great work mate, coming along splendidly. Sorry about the canopy issue though, I hope you can get it replaced. You could attempt to make your own if you could be bothered.

Irrespetive of the canopy, well done.

Work has been moving along on the Apache, for a while it was going well, then it wasn't. With the pilots and seats in place, the cockpit was fitted and all seemed to be in the right place.

I had also made a start of fitted the sensor along the fuselage so i could glue them from the inside.

Then kit was time to get the fuselage together and that all went well.

At this stage i thought it would be a good idea to test fit the canopy. I could see this was not going to be easy. The rear of the canopy is supposed to go under the piece which over hangs the back of the pit and then the front slides into place. After some pushing, squeezing, spreading, swearing and a few other things, this was the result.

I am still awating an answer on a replacement and no one does a vacform one for the 64D. But, this crack did make it easier to fit and i found a few issues. The front crewmans is to tall and his head stops the canopy going down. So i had to pry him out and trim him down a bit. Alos the clear section between front and rear pits needed trimming.

So while waiting for a reply, and if i don't hear anything by the end of the week, i will have to use the cracked canopy, i got as much fitted as i could.

Most the bts i have left off are handles and antennas which i will fit after the canopy is on. This has gone together really well and i am so bloody annoyed about the canopy, i had hoped to have this primed by now. And if Academy's UK importer does not get back to me, i am just going to have to make the best of it.

Thanks Bish

Oh that blows Bish, good luck on getting your replacement in a timly manner. 

taxtp

I was just wondering how many of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth we've covered.

Cheers

Tony

 

11 so far.

I was just wondering how many of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth we've covered.

Cheers

Tony

You ain't the only ones haveing problems G. I've put a big crack down the middle of my canopy while dry fitting. I've e-mailed Academy and hoping i can get a replacement.

CN: Very cool! I too love the Gladiator.

Troy: Nice work, the NM came out great!

Theuns: Fantastic job the camo!

Sorry not much more done here. There's a big seam on the nose and I've puttied and sanded it twice and it doesn't seem to want to go away. Well, third times the charm eh!?!

Like that scheme Theuns, coming on nicely.

These are not the best pix but you get the idea of the scheme

IMG_20180624_175354 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20180624_175320 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

I will try humbrol glear gloss for the first time on this as soon as it is fully cleared.

Theuns

The windshield took allot of work but I think it came out OK

IMG_20180623_161345 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

The preshaded it all

IMG_20180624_084417 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

The colour the saaf used are not "out the tin" standard so I had to mix my own.

IMG_20180624_140429 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20180624_152434 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

I am rather pleased with the look

IMG_20180624_160324 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Next the intermediate PRU blue will go on.

Theuns

I look forward to seeing the Gladiator go together.  I want one of these kits.

Coming on really nice with thopse TROY.

You certainly can castel, i'll add them to the roster.

Here is where I am at with my two Meatboxes. Finally got them in paint today.