352nd Fighter Group "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" Build

[parsifal]

I am so impressed with both you guys. you both deserve to succeed. Stick with B-17, you are doing fine. I know how frustrating this can be sometimes, but you are doing okay.

Wotjek, you are the best mentor a modeller could ask for.....

 

[rochie]

such a shame Harrison, but keep at it i'm confident you'll get it right in the end.

going to put P,Z's from my RAF decal sheet in with the exhausts today, they may be a little thin but you can at least have a look at them the others i've got are US 45 degree lettering so no good for your subject.

chin up mate the Tamiya exhausts are on the way !!!!

be sure to look in the envalope for the P.Z decals mate, i'm not that sure they will be the right size but you never know !!!!

 

[Airframes]

I agree with all - keep at it Harrison. Making the windows from thin clear sheet, as Wojtek suggested, is not as difficult as you might think, and they can be fitted using PVA or Micro Kristal Kleer, which will not mark them, and allows time to position them.

 

[parsifal]

Im not a true model maker, but I have had to fabricate lots of things over the years. My suggestion for getting a nice straight edge is perhaps a little different, but it works for me....I would place the part between a sandwich of two wooden staright edges, clamped together to form a straight edge along the perspex sheet that you are wanting to sand. The edges of these two clamped straight edges would prevent you from rounding the corners as you have, which is unavoidable in my experience unless you have a bit of experience, a lot of patience, and a good eye.

Maybe the other guys have a better or simpler method, but that would be my advice...make a straight edge jig so to speak

 

[hawkeye2an]

Fantastic suggestion parsifal !!!
I've been modeling for 40 years and never thought of that one.
Love this site.

 

[Lucky13]

Great work H!

 

[B-17engineer]

Really appreciate all the comments guys, Karl I have some extra PZ decals from other kits so it shouldn't be too much of a problem! Also thanks Parsifal sounds like a dam good idea. Nice to see you back Jan as well!

I have to no intentions of giving up just a bit frustrated at this point, sure it'll all work out in the end! Depends on my schedule but maybe get back at it this weekend or sometimes next week. In the meantime, I got the Do-17 masks and decals so onward with that one.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Glad to hear you're hanging in there H. Sometimes you just have to walk away for a little while to keep your sanity.

 

[Wurger]

Im not a true model maker, but I have had to fabricate lots of things over the years. My suggestion for getting a nice straight edge is perhaps a little different, but it works for me....I would place the part between a sandwich of two wooden staright edges, clamped together to form a straight edge along the perspex sheet that you are wanting to sand. The edges of these two clamped straight edges would prevent you from rounding the corners as you have, which is unavoidable in my experience unless you have a bit of experience, a lot of patience, and a good eye.

Maybe the other guys have a better or simpler method, but that would be my advice...make a straight edge jig so to speak

Yes, that's a very good idea. But it works greatly with flat pieces. I mean that those a little bit bended up can be damaged by squeezing as many modellers use quite a lot of their strength. Also not all small pieces can be put between these wooden bars.
In the case it would be better to use just a ruler and a thin marker ( a felt-tip pen ) for marking of the straigth line on a piece. Insted of marking the straight line we can use a piece of masking tape. It also gives a better view at the sanding edge. Then holding the part with two fingers horizontally we can sand down the unwanted area moving a flat file up and down ( look at the pic and the diagram below ). If the file is wider than the sanding edge there is no way to get these rounded corners. If a file isn't wider like the edge , sanding should be started at the centre of the edge going up/down and left/centre/right and back proportionally to reminder of the rounded edge.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Good points Wojtek. As usual you make it crystal clear (pun intended).

 

[Wurger]

Trying.

 

[parsifal]

Your method is the better approach espacially for small pieces. Its too late for these perspex pieces is it not. He will have to replace them I am thinking......but learn from the mistake.

I did not realize just how curved the items were......he just needs to work out a method to ensure a straight edge, do you not agree?

 

[Wurger]

I did not realize just how curved the items were......he just needs to work out a method to ensure a straight edge, do you not agree?

As I've said the way you described, was OK and I agreed it is a good one.. But it works with quite bigger and flat pieces like a Prospex sheet for instance. I've been using the method since I started modelling as well. But when it comes to work on a such small details something "lighter" is needed. However the key for getting of a good effect isn't the way but it's the kind of flat file that has to be used.

 

[B-17engineer]

Today is the greatest day ever..

Revell's replacement canopy came in 4 (YES FOUR!!!) days

And I got Karl's package which I can't thank you enough for my kind sir!

 

[Crimea_River]

Yay!

 

[B-17engineer]

So I can begin work in 2 days, tomorrow I have a ton of things to do.

Friday I'll be at the Wings of Freedom museum and battleship New Jersey so Thursday looks like it'll be all models

 

[Airframes]

Great news H.

 

[parsifal]

perhaps practice on some scrap or the damaged canopy to get the method right.

Good luck Harrison

 

[rochie]

nice one Harrison

 

[Wurger]

It sounds good.