Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Daywalker wrote:

Sean- Excellent progress pics!  I am VERY excited to see your TBD all done up, something about those birds that I really like.  Keep up the great work! Buddy- A racer, eh?  Very cool.  My next Corsair project is the "Super Corsair" racer.  It comes to the EAA fly-in every year, and I have my picture taken next to it each time.  Still can't get over how big those things are!

Are you using the Special Hobby kit or the Aviation USK?  I'm supposed to be doing RB-51 (the Red Baron) for the Mustang group build, but I've been in kind of a builders block lately.  Was thinking (very dangerous) that maybe I could use a cut down 1/48 Mustang spinner for Spirit.  Not an exact match, but close enough.  There was a company that did the spinner but last I heard they were out of business and had sold the molds to someone else, but they had no date for rerelease.

EDIT: I was going to make a short joke as all the Corsairs I own stand about 2-3 inches tall, but you're right they are a big bird.  I went to a fly-in at the DFW wing of the the CAF and they had their Corsair out and standing at the rear of the wing root with arms fully extended I was able to get just the top of the IP in the picture (I stand 6'0-6'1). 

LOL, yep-they sure are monsters!

I do have the Special Hobby version, and hope to get to it soon.  I had hoped to build it this year, but all of the current GB's have ruled that out.  

On your spinner, will the P-51 spinner be large enough in diameter?  The one on that racer looks a lot larger.  I am not dure about any other spinners, guess you might be able to measure what you need in diamter and post in aircraft if any one has one that size.  Just a thought...

Funny lil' side note...

If you look VERY closely to the photo I posted, there is a tiny sticker on the starboard inner gear door that reads "RIFF RAFF 99".  Not sure if it is a joke or not, but thought it was pretty funny myself.

Roger- Yes, that Corsair sure stands out.  One of the highlights of the fly-in every year is the mock Reno air races during the afternoon airshow.  The sounds of that radial screaming overhead gives me goosebumps every time!

I also make Katie pose by it every year.  She really likes that bird too.

DesertRat wrote:

What strikes me as odd is that you are in shorts and a t shirt in Wisconsin in the middle of january! Personally, i don't think I could ever put on enough layers of clothing myself...

LOL!  Crazy thing is, it was HOOOOOT that day, upper 90's and very humid.  Right now, it's -18 degrees with a wind chill of around -40.  A 130 degree difference!

Daywalker wrote:

DesertRat wrote: What strikes me as odd is that you are in shorts and a t shirt in Wisconsin in the middle of january! Personally, i don't think I could ever put on enough layers of clothing myself... LOL!  Crazy thing is, it was HOOOOOT that day, upper 90's and very humid.  Right now, it's -18 degrees with a wind chill of around -40.  A 130 degree difference!

Nice!!!!!!

Been hovering around 20 degrees or so at night her in Arizona, and it's all I can do to thaw out properly before going to bed each morning

Daywalker wrote:

Roger- Yes, that Corsair sure stands out.  One of the highlights of the fly-in every year is the mock Reno air races during the afternoon airshow.  The sounds of that radial screaming overhead gives me goosebumps every time!   I also make Katie pose by it every year.  She really likes that bird too.

Now thats more like it, sorry Frank but I like this picture much better. 

So as an ex-mechanic tell me - how do these birds smell ? Does the aroma give you that utopia feeling ?

Daywalker wrote:

I also make Katie pose by it every year.  She really likes that bird too.

Daywalker wrote:

Well I guess the temp. explains why you are not wearing your blue flannel is this photo but are you squinting your eyes or are you just not wearing your optivisor? 

Daywalker wrote:

On your spinner, will the P-51 spinner be large enough in diameter?  The one on that racer looks a lot larger.  I am not dure about any other spinners, guess you might be able to measure what you need in diamter and post in aircraft if any one has one that size.  Just a thought.

Frank,

Since I build 1/72, the 1/48 spinner should give me more than enough to work with.  Will try to find an old Monogram P-51 for cheap at a contest. Same with the Skyraider.  I was reading about the aircraft at the Ezell site and she is powered by a Skyraider engine as well (which means she leaks like a sieve).  The custom spinner reduced the gap between the cowl's edge and the spinner by about two inches resulting in a much higher speed.  Funny they don't say how much faster though.

CAG I found this lassie stowin' away near the rum! I be takin' her below! I have made my cabin a cell for the time being. When the title of my cabin changes? Ehhhhh get back to you on that

Frankie always nice to see a pic of the fair Katie!!!

Nice tan Frankie! Where's Charlene?

WHAT!!?? A/C pics here!? Great looking TBD!

razordws wrote:

Well I guess the temp. explains why you are not wearing your blue flannel is this photo but are you squinting your eyes or are you just not wearing your optivisor?

Good one Dave!  

Buddy- Oops!  Forgot you were talking 1/72.  That makes sense now, the  P-51 spinner might just do the trick.  I have an extra 1/48 Tamiya P-51 spinner, if you would like it- it's yours.

Nam- I give Charlene the summer off!  She is certainly gettting a workout this winter though.

bondo- Hopefully, she still likes me more than the Corsair.

Hello Chaps!

Last year my son and I went to visit the Royal Navy's Flagship, HMS Ark Royal-unfortunately, we were unable to board her at that time, so  I made a promise to my son that one day we would get to see HMS Ark Royal again.

Mission Accomplished!

We went to the city of Liverpool docks and spent a most delightful hour on board this most famous of Royal Navy Carriers. It was very cold but the sun was shining and my son and I had a fantasic time. My camera batteries gave out unfortunately, so the rest of our pics were taken on my phone camera. The Officers and Crew of Ark Royal made us feel most welcome and I have to say very proud of our Navy. One the pilots took extra time to answer all my son's questions about the aircraft that are based on board and we had great fun looking all over the Seakings and Merlins. The Harriers were not on board as they did their traditional fly off to Cornwall before the ship docked in Liverpool. 

What can I say? My lad is going to have one hell of a "show and tell" at school on Monday!

Here's some pics we took today: 

Darren- That is just too Cool ! I would have liked to had been there myself. Your little one sure looks like he was having the time of his life. 

It looks like a chilly day in London 

I went into the Galley to get some Breakfast and Found Aaron and the cook ...welll umm there is no way to describe it , I can only show you the cook as you dont even want to know what Aaron looked like.

Thanks Sean, it was great fun! My little lad is still in high spirits and has told everyone he's seen today, I guess dad did good huh?

Because of my work I don't get to spend a lot of time with my boy so I try to arrange something "special" whenever I can. We have had a great day and its not over yet!

I could definately go for another FAA build, I stocked up for the last one but never could get any building done. I also was already planning a Royal Navy search & rescue Wessex so I'll be ready to go.

Finally got the fuselage halves together, they matched up great but I had to use quite a lot of putty because the upper fuselage was concave instead of convex making a weird kind of helicopter clevage. Also got the rotors together which was quite a challenge, each rotor was 10 pieces with just a tiny nib to hold the rotor blade in place. Luckily the height of the rotor blades in the hub was just right to let me use a pair of carpenters square as support. I have no idea how I would have gotten the rotors built if I hadn't had those handy.

I'll get some pics up if I can get on the desktop computer, my wife bought a math game for my son and its been hard to get him off of it lately, I don't have a card reader on my laptop to down load pics from my camera. Silly boy doesn't realize he is learning while he plays the game.   

Aaronw wrote:

Silly boy doesn't realize he is learning while he plays the game.

AaronW,  Diabolical ain't it!  I'm looking forward to the Wessex.

Darren,  If the grin on your son was any wider in some of those pics it would split his face in two.  Well done Dad. 

Sean,   We're still recovering from the fish net stockings picture.  Thank you for sparing us the photos of Aaron.

EXCUSE ME!!

 This is how I found the cook in the kitchen....

And I would like to introduce you to my lawyer

Oh boy.............Mac's in trouble!

TANGO 1 wrote:

Oh boy.............Mac's in trouble!

He was just Bringing Home the Bacon !

Summit wrote:

TANGO 1 wrote: Oh boy.............Mac's in trouble! He was just Bringing Home the Bacon !

  ROFLMO

Hee! Hee! Hee!

Can't speak..............still laughing...

Awesome pictures, Darren! He may very well be the youngest lad to be aboard one of Her Majesties Ship that wasn't tasked to swab the deck!

Glad that the way was well with your son! My Dad used to take me and my brothers onsuch outings. Many of them I remember vividly to this day (and probably some of the biggest influences on peaking my interest in WWII aviation). He will remember that day for the rest of his life with fond memories....

Been a pretty long night here, but alas, it's 12 bells and time to go below and retire to my hammock for the next 8 hours. But first, it is friday (well, it's "my" friday anyways)! Where's the rum?!?!?!?

uh huh......

Those are some breathtaking photos Darren!  Looks like Tango Jr. had the perfect day out with Dad.  Good on you for being the father you are. 

I must say, keep posting these kinds of pics!  Really gets me geared up to build another FAA aircraft.  And, to finish the one currently on my bench.  I super-detailed the gunsight on the FAA Corsair, and started masking the canopy last night.  After I finish the masking, just need to attach the clear bits and mask the gear bays and we're ready to paint.  I can almost smell the paint fumes just thinking about it.

Looking forward to seeing some great work out of TSWSIE this weekend!