rbeach84 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Gil, looking really good. Given a few more weeks, it may have made it to the CON - another Vac kit victorious! Next year, perhaps. I might even be there to 'swap punches' with my P4M! R/ Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 This thing is freekin' awesome. Rage On! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navairfan Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 Astounding work, Gil! How will you display this monster when finished??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted August 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 (edited) The B-47 will go in this case.... I'll need to add another shelf above the 1/48 P-3C and B-45 Tornado.......but as you can see there'll still be plenty of room left down the road for my B-17s, B-24s, the B-29 and the B-50 I eventually plan to build; not to mention all of the twin engined bombers and fighters and the occasional 1/32 project. I can even build my 1/350 pre-war Saratoga now that I have the room to display it! :D GIL Edited August 3, 2014 by ghodges 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRatzenberger Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Good work, Gil, and as usual very informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PetrolGator Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 Excellent work, Gil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted August 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Well, going to the Nats and vacation proved a bit of a "snag", but I have made more progress over the last week or so... Views of the fuselage top side. The windows on the top of the nose proved troublesome to get blended in, and that held up joining the fuselage halves. Tail view. The rear gun sponson is yet to be added. Bottom view. I still need to trim up and even out some of the gear well edges, as well as add their interior structure. Wings, pods, and engines have been primed. The bottom pic shows some of the initial scribing that's been done.Most of the work now will concentrate on that long fuselage. It needs to have the wells built up and most of the basic scribing done before I can add tail planes. Only after that will I be able to add the wings and then the engines; as each of those items in order will determine the alignment of the next. Questions, comments, and critiques welcome, as always! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 I am always impressed with your skill with these vac-formed kits. You make it look so much like building an injection molded kit. Your seams are flawless. I can't wait to see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill50 Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 What Mark said. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted August 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 (edited) The shelves are about 30"X30". The PBY and the guppy Skyraider are 1/48, and the rest of the models on that shelf are 1/32! The 2 "smaller models" on the bottom are both actually 1/32, while the P-3C and B-45 are 1/48. The case itself is about 6' long by 6' high by about 3ft deep. GIL Edited February 20, 2015 by ghodges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aAzZ09 Posted August 24, 2014 Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 Looking good, Gil! Keep up the good work! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 (edited) Maybe a dumb quextion here: How do you keep those scribed lines so nice and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, given the variety of sections, conical, compound curves, etc...especially the big ones that go all the way around the fuselage, nacelles and such? The main reason I'm hesitant to do a full vac kit is that they all seem to need this, but I need some sort of gouge on how to set it up for consistent results. Edited August 29, 2014 by VonL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted August 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 DYMO tape is the answer! You now, the old plastic strip stuff you put in an old label gun. It's thick enough to act as a guide, is self adhesive so it stays in place once you lay it on the line you want, and you can cut it into thinner strips which helps stretch your supply. I use the UMM scriber, which can be pulled or pushed, as needed. It also can be used as a scraper, which was needed to add the "airfoil" along the aileron scribe line. Scribing is tedious, and I'm currently facing a LOT of tedium on the big honking fuselage! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Got some minor, but important work done on the gear. I cut and added collars to the legs, then built the drag links and their actuators. Next up is more detailing in the wells, then building the gear doors and their actuators. GIL 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Looking sharp! Can't wait to see more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill50 Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Gil, are you going to hang a big ol' Rascal off the side of it? Just kidding. May not? You amaze me at the pace of your builds. GREAT job. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Scribing is tedious, and I'm currently facing a LOT of tedium on the big honking fuselage! GIL Thanx - good stuff here. At the risk of adding to the tedium: How do you initially measure and apply accurate panel lines (scribing targets) to that smooth vac fuselage, before scribing? I.e., how much 'Kentucky windage' is needed, given a decent set of drawings? On models with raised panel lines, I usually use those as a guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 I'm not too worried about accuracy of panel lines, as much as getting the initial lines exactly vertical and horizontal. I'll be using the scale drawings to help me place a few of the most important looking lines; especially any that can then be used as reference to scribe the rest. I will not worry about scribing every line seen on drawings or in pics, but merely try to get enough in place to look busy and somewhat "authentic". As for tools, I have a set of dividers I can use to transfer any needed measurements and a mechanical pencil to draw marks and guidelines for scribing. Dymo tape and the UMM scriber tool gets most of the work done. I also have an old set of Trimaster metal templates for circles, squares, and hatches; and usually use a pointed tool (sewing needle in a handle, or the old scriber from the Mattel vac machine) since that sort of scriber negotiates the corners inside a template easier than a line scribing tool. Hope this helps! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 ... getting the initial lines exactly vertical and horizontal. Spot on - THANX-! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbeach84 Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) Oh, yeah! That UMM-USA multi-tool is great! I recently picked up one of the smaller ones and have found it extremely useful, too. I still marvel at how the 'push' scriber works. I can do free hand push scribing by 'inching' the tip along, sort of a 'two steps forward, one step back' movement along the line makes a nice, fine line, which I can then followup with the 'pull' end of the tool if needed. And the scraping edge does much of the work I used to do with a #10 Exacto blade, thinning wing trailing edges or reshaping contours by scraping. You can even flip the larger tool on it's side and use the 'push' end as a chisel if needed. John V. @ UMM really has a winner there! I think everyone should have one, truly a 'what did I do before this' kind of tool. BTW, The B-47 is looking great, Gil! Say, what are your thoughts on the markings? R/ Robert Edited September 17, 2014 by rbeach84 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted September 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 NMF with white under surfaces, if all goes well! Currently in the middle of scribing on the fuselage. Using 1-2 feet of Dymo tape at a time! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbeach84 Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Ah, the "joys" of building on a gigantic scale! R/ Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted September 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Slowly making a dent in things.... These pics show cannon fairing on the tail as well as the scribing on the tail fin. Note that it took a lot more filler on the right side to fair in the cannon housing. Also note that when scribing in the rudder, it was also necessary to scrape the leading edge to create a deeper line and a semblance of the aerodynamic leading edge of the rudder. I still need to scribe in the trim tab and add some details to the cannon housing. Nose pics that show the scribing for the air to air refueling door and the installation of the periscopic bomb sight and housing. The lesson here is: you never know what you'll need, so never throw anything away! The ball for the sight is the top of a plastic swizzle stick. Its cover is 1/2 of a 1/32 pilot's jet helmet! Front nose well with piping and "stuff" added. Rear gear bay with the same treatments. Neither is aimed at being accurate; just "busy". Overall view of bottom showing some of the scribing as well as the opposite walls for the gear bays. Upper view showing scribingSeems the more I do, the more I see I need to do! But, that's the nature of these beasts! Hope to start work on the gear doors and actuators tomorrow! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRatzenberger Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 Slowly making a dent in things.... GIL . No, Gil, you are supposed to take the dents out :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted September 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 No, Gil, you are supposed to take the dents out :) :smiley20: We really need a like button for such great posts! :D GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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