VACUFORM –Any Aircraft Subject (Starts 2/1/05 Ends 9/30/05)

QUOTE: Originally posted by djmodels1999 Dan, would a 1/72 F-86 canopy fit..?

Dominique, according to my reference an f-86 canopy should be the same as the one for an FJ4, so that should fit.
Do you know of a spare one ?

I was afraid you'd ask, but no I haven't got a F-86 kit in here... You should be able to pick up a Heller F-86 for next to nothing though..? Failing that, either an old Matchbox or even the Airfix kit..?

Thanks for the advice, Dominique, I hadn't thought of it myself (why didn't I ???), so next week I'll search for one of those kits

hi everybody,

I have started on my mig-3 during my christmas vacation. Not the actual build, just the preparation of the parts.
But then again, this is an important step with a vacu kit. If you get the parts right, the build should be easy (or at least, more easy then if you have bad parts)
So far the fuselage and tailplane have been removed and sanded.
I have also worked on the resin parts, these where a bit of a dissapointment, loads of bubbles etc.
I'll try to borrow an digital camera so that I can post some pictures.

If I must choose one, It will have to be the Transport wings Hastings.
Joanna

Just 10 more days to the official start day...Still time to get involved.

10 more days.... and we still don't have a badge.
I remember there was a fellow on the forum who would design GB-badges for whoever asked one. Don't remember the name though.

Sorry the badge is outside my computer skill so if someone is interested in the job it’s up for grabs. I think some thing with a nice Hoover upright might work.

Readying up everybody ?
To Pats' delight I have been practising all week for this GB now... yeah, the carpet has never been cleaner before

OK!!! I'm ready...

Here's the proof...




Now.. the problem is that I'll be away working for the next couple of weeks, meaning that I can only do a very small amount of work for the next few days, but, nevertheless, I'm ready...

Good luck!

Good luck to all of us, I would say. Man this is surely not going to be easy. It seems that I've gotten to new roads of modeling the last week.

Firstly starting my first scratchbuilt project (under SciFi : StarWars scratchbuilt AT-ST), which involved a little thermoforming itself and now this...

What's next... building a model blindfolded ?

Good luck to all involved in the build. Only a few more hours to the start.

I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be. This is going to be a challenge of my meager modeling skills for sure. Purchased a new digital camera today so everyone can follow my progress with amusement. The camera did however severely cut into my sandpaper budget.

Blindfolded one arm tied behind the back?

Not much development from my part, this WE. I'm trying hard to finish a couple of other projects in order to devote myself into this one. Nevertheless I allready marked the parts on the vac sheet (using a black plastic marker) and selected the aftermarket stuff that I'll put inside (and outside as well...)

Some photos of the marked sheet and additional stuff below. Now, for the bad news: I'll be away in the UK and Germany working for the next couple of weeks, so, a pause on the project is most certain. But then, this is a GB without end date....









Regards,

Rafael

Ok…here it is…after playing around with my Adobe Photoshop Elements program for 2 hours here is my first attempt at a GB Badge for this (or any) build. Let me know what you think, keep it or try again. Yes it's the plane I will be attempting to build.

I'd like to join the Vac build.

My kit: an old MPM 1/48 Avia Av.135 - an impulse Ebay buy.

Glad to have you along on the build bjohns5. I'll add you to the "list."

Badge looks great, Model Grandpa! Good job! Can we start using it?I'll try to post some pics of my project in the next day or so. However, I'm quite busy with the F-14 GB so it'll be a little while before I actually start.

Please feel free to use the Vacuform GB badge. I know that some like to used the badge from the start of the build and others like to use when they have completed the build, I’ll leave up to the individual preference.

They will be slight delay, On start of hastings, Still have mossies on the board, And want to finish those.

i havent forgotten about this build. really i havent.



now to get the kit.


joe

Ok…so I’m getting started and have already ran into my first dilemma. The lower wing half is molded in one piece as to set the dihedral. The problem is the mark/scour/sand technique is not going to work here. There is a faint parting line where the wing should be trimmed.

So do I:

Use the wing half as a guide, cut a brace/template at the same dihedral, then cut it in half down the middle so I can sand it flat, then reassemble using the brace/template to re-set the dihedral.

Or:

Keep the wing in one piece, mark along the parting line, use a sanding drum at very slow speed in the motor tool to rough it out, then finish sanding it by holding half the wing over the edge of the bench to sand it flat.

Or:

Something else, suggestions?

Not a 100% vac but I'm going to try a Falcon 1/72nd TA-7C conversion.
If all goes well I have a Rareplanes SB2A Buccaneer to try.
Good luck to all ;-)
gary

Model Grandpa :

I had a similar problem with molded in dihedral on my lower wing, but MPM designed the pattern a bit more intelligently so the wing had a 1/8 inch "shelf" all around to give a clean parting edge.

I would keep the wing in one piece. From looking at your photo, what I would do is run a strip of dymo tape just below the separation line between the wing and the backing, and use that as a guide to score the backing sheet so you can snap it. That may leave more waste plastic on the edge than usual, so I would carefully scrape most of that away with my trusty #11 X-Acto. To sand the wing to the final edge, glue or tape a piece of sandpaper to a flat surface like a scrap of plywood so the sandpaper comes right to the edge. Cover one half of the wing edge with masking tape so you don't sand it accidentally, and let it stick out over the edge of the board while you sand the other half.. Then reverse the tape and sand the other side.

I'll will post some in-process photos later today. Scraping and sanding! Tamigawa assemblers don't know what they are missing.

I made some progress last night, putting in about 2 hours.



Here's the kit out of the box with just the wings separated from the sheet.




Scraping down the leading and trailing edges with my trusty X-Acto blade.




Dry-fitting the wings together - a perfect fit and razor-sharp trailing edges. It has wings! You can also see my hi-tech sanding block made from a scrap of plywood.




Then came the Oh S**t! moment. MPM messed up the shape of the wing, at least compared to their own drawings in the instruction sheet. The left wing, and only the left wing, is swept back too much. The right wing is perfect - go figure. It looks like I will have to razorsaw the left wing at the root, align the wing properly, glue some styrene behind the joint, fill the gap, and rescribe the panel lines.

I will wait on that until I receive the MBI book on the Avia 35/135 that I ordered from Aerobooks. Maybe MPM's drawing is wrong.

QUOTE: Originally posted by bjohns5 Model Grandpa : I would keep the wing in one piece. From looking at your photo, what I would do is run a strip of dymo tape just below the separation line between the wing and the backing, and use that as a guide to score the backing sheet so you can snap it.

I agree Brian, going to keep the wing in one piece. Sorry about the wing on your kit, hope it can be fixed without too much trouble.

Gary, I went ahead and added you to the builder's list, please keep us posted on your progress on the conversion.

SUCCESS!!! I’ve finished………..cutting out and sanding half the fuselage! Now I need to cut the bump out of the bottom where the wing fits, and the area for the canopy, boy that’s going to be fun. At this pace I’ll have all the parts all cut out and sanded in a month or so….yipeeeeee….then I can start scratch building…weeeeeeeeeeeeeee…who’s idea for a group build was this anyways?

Just kidding, all seems good so far and the sanding went faster then I expected. I’m really going to enjoy the build. I think it will help my modeling skills. And besides, being the son of a carpenter I’m use to lots of sanding.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Model Grandpa [b] At this pace I’ll have all the parts all cut out and sanded in a month or so….yipeeeeee….then I can start scratch building…weeeeeeeeeeeeeee…who’s idea for a group build was this anyways?

Gee, I'm not sure some old fa.... oh, wasn't it you ???

Your right...on both counts.

bjohns5

I have build the mpm b.35. The wing shape of the b.35 is totally different from the b.135.
The b.35 has an elleptical wing, while the b.135 has a more straigth edge. I will try to scan some pictures soon, though it will take me some time to figure out how to scan and post images.

I found that the b.35 was a good kit for a first attempt at vacbuilding. MPM uses nice thick plastic and injection molding for the tricky parts such as wheels and propellor.

bjohns5

I think I found what you needed at

http://www.airwar.ru/other/draw/av135.html