Fleet Air Arm Group Build

UGH.  I discovered a problem (which I've now fixed but I thought you'd all find it interesting).  If you look at the wing photos carefully you will notice that I cut the slot for the support strut on the outer end of the middle segment ON THE WRONG SIDE!!!  It's on the top surface and it's supposed to be on the bottom.

I've got it sorted out now and am proceeding with the folds but waiting all afternoon for the filler to set up and sanding around those decals was tedious to say the least.

It's supposed to be the difference between good modelers and great modelers to stop and fix incorrect things no matter when you find them.  Hopefully this means I'm on the right track.

TANGO 1 wrote:

Roy's back! Its Friday! I've got ten days leave!  Bring on the RUM RATIONS!!!!! Hey-for those whose think its too quiet around here........   That should wake you up! Have a great weekend everyone!   CHEERS!

I'm awake now!!!  Cheers everyone!

dcaponeII- Looking good thus far, just be very careful with the glue and all will be well!

That's great news Roy!  I'll keep my fingers crossed and you will tell us as soon as you hear any news, right?

10 days leave Darren?  Enjoy it my friend, you have DEFINATELY earned it!  Again, well done!  EXTRA rum rations for the cap'n!

Geeze ROY!.....we haven't had cocktails in a week out of respect for you!....well, maybe some....

Sounds like good news!

Here's to you!...and your wife, the non-modeler, I guess

Thanks Dave for showing me that. I'm very busy with college classes and work right now so I don't have much time to work on models right now. I'm sure I'll try vacuforming some day.

Alain

Darren, thanks a bunch

PM inbound to you my friend.

Roy's back!

Its Friday!

I've got ten days leave! 

Bring on the RUM RATIONS!!!!!

Hey-for those whose think its too quiet around here........

That should wake you up!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

 CHEERS!

Hello Roy!

Great to see you back with us. 

Sounds like it went well-I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you and the missus.

Welcome back Roy.  Glad to hear all went well.  Keeping the fingers crossed for you.

Regards,  Rick

I'm back

The trip went well, should know next week on the jobs.  As for me, it happened that one of the guys doing the interview I have worked with in the past.  he told me later that the job will be mine  As for the wife, from what she told me I have a good feeling that she will get her's also.

Mike, congrats on the 2,000

Alain, bummer about the canopy  The build still looks great.

decaponeII, the Gannet is looking good.

I just want to thank you all for the well wishes, it means alot to me. 

47 hrs done.

I am too.

.............................

It's really quite simple, build yourself a wooden box, it doesn't have to be pretty, my son built the one below.  Just make sure it's as air tight as possible by calking the seams.  Drill a hole in one side that the end of your household vacuum can fit snuggly into.  Then drill the top full of smaller holes. 

You can buy sheets of acetate or you can just scavenge pieces from packaging of store bought goods.  Sandwich the sheets between the two pieces of cardboard seen in the pic (cut to roughly the same size as the box to allow all the holes to be covered and thus maximize  suction) with tape and then heat it over a stove top element until you see it sag.  Then throw it over top of your mold as you turn on the vacuum.  It's best if your mold is raised off the surface of the vac box a little so that you don't get a ridge in the corner.

FSM did an article a little while back which I have scanned into the computer somewhere but can't find at the moment.  Let me know if you want it and I'll dig it up.

EDIT: one other thing, you want to make sure everything is good and clean before you do it as dust can cause blemishes in the plastic. 

razordws wrote:

Alain, another option if those two don't work out is to use the kit canopy as a mold to make your own vacuform copy.  I recently made my own vac box because I inherited several kits with missing or damaged canopies. It was pretty easy and has worked out pretty well so far.

That sounds like a good idea. What would be involved in makeing my own vac box?

Alain

If you are posing them folded, it shouldn,t be too difficult, assuming you dry fitted first.  If you are posing them extended...well...Good Luck.

Regards,  Rick

Status report on the Gannet.  It's wing fold time.  No way I can put it off any longer.  I'm just positive I'm going to wreck the finish trying to install all the wing sections.  I shouldn't be so pessimistic.

Here's a look before I mess it up.

Thanks alot everyone. I think I will try to polish the canopy and see if that does anything. if that doesn't help then I will write to trumpeter and try to get a replacement.

Alain

It's getting too darn quiet around here!

!!!

I have been modeling too!

(Going to sleep now)

See you a.m. EDT

Nam 

ruddratt wrote:

Cheers to a great bunch of guys that made it all possible!

Yeah, and us too! 

Cheers!

Darren, Rick, thanks much fellas! Rick, I think your six is safe, my friend! Got a long way to go before I even come close to those amazing numbers.

....but I will join y'all in a toast! Cheers to a great bunch of guys that made it all possible!

Mike,  Congratulations on your 2,000 Posts.  I better keep an eye on my six .

Calls for a Toast .

Regards,  Rick

razordws wrote:

Capn'... I wish to report that Lt. Ruddratt has reached his 2,000th post and that this calls for a celebration!

"DETAIL! ATTTTEEEEENNNNSHUN!!"

"GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE UPSTANDING FOR ONE OF OUR OWN. LT.RUDDRAT HAS MADE HIS 2.000TH CARRIER LANDING ON THIS FORUM. 

"CONGRATULATIONS MIKE!"

"HAPPY 2000TH POST!"

"GENTLEMEN.......AS IS TRADITION ON OUR BOAT, WE WILL RAISE A TOAST TO OUR BUDDY MIKE..............

....................CHEERS!  

Alain,

nice work my friend! I see what you mean about the canopy, but that is still a great looking build! I have the same kit in my stash and I'll be a happy man if mine turns out as nice as yours.

Thanks for sharing this one with us.

Chester- while you are waiting for your new canopy, you could paint the current one gloss black. Been there done that.

Beautiful- like Suez as a subject.

  Alain,  Nice work on the Sea Hawk.  Shame about the canopy, but you should contact Trumpeter & try & get a replacement.  I've never tried their customer service, but it's worth a shot.

Regards,  Rick 

chester101 wrote:

I got my Sea Hawk finished today. I completely ruined the canopy though, I got some paint of it when I was spray painting and I tried to clean it off with acetone. I found out later that this would make the canopy fog up.    Does anyone know how I could clean off the canopy or where I could find a new one? Alain

firstly   great job  (well except for the canopy)

try writing the manufact.    most of them are pretty good about things like this

razordws wrote:

Frank, that is one awesome looking engine you got there!   Did you say Gold push rods?

LOL, yep!  I used solid 14 karat gold wire for the pushrods.  I realized I didn't have any wire the right thickness at home, but we had some at work the right diameter.  So, I drove to work and bought a lil piece of .65mm wire and came home to finish my engine. Thanks for the compliment Dave, I enjoyed this engine so much I went out a bought another Quickboost engine for the Corsair!

razordws wrote:

Capn'... I wish to report that Lt. Ruddratt has reached his 2,000th post and that this calls for a celebration!

WOOHOO!!!  Way to go Mike, cheers buddy!

Alain- Bummer about your canopy!  I've never tried it, but could it be buffed out with say, MicroMesh polishing cloths?  Just a thought...

Don't know where to find a replacement canopy, hopefully either you can buff it out or find someone who knows where to locate a replacement.

I got my Sea Hawk finished today. I completely ruined the canopy though, I got some paint of it when I was spray painting and I tried to clean it off with acetone. I found out later that this would make the canopy fog up. 

Does anyone know how I could clean off the canopy or where I could find a new one?

Alain