Catch22
Major
Faster to get there I suppose! I've actually heard of it, I worked doing data entry for a company that does constuction up there and Albian came up a lot.
CF-5A Freedom Fighter Kitbashed 1/48 Monogram F-5E
- Thread starter Crimea_River
- Start date
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Matt308
Glock Perfection
Amen brother. Even if I die a week later after my retirement, I just want the taste in my mouth. Unfortunately the only taste I will likely have in my mouth is my keyboard as I die at my desk.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Ain't that the truth!
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Shame you're not going to make it Andy, you put in some hard yards on this one. I'll certainly have you page-marked to the end, as for the retiring, highly recommended, I almost ran out the door when my turn came just over 6 years ago now and I've cherished and enjoyed every day since and more so in the past year with all you guys.
- Thread starter
- #205
Crimea_River
Marshal
With the 109 gloss coat drying, I did a little work on my CF-5.
On of the challenges I had was that, with the wider fuselage of the F-5E from which I borrowed the wings, I had to figure out a way to contour them to fit the more slender F-5A profile while maintaining the correct wingspan. I ended up Photoshoping a plan view drawing and converting it to 1/48 scale to get the correct wing profile. When cut out, I placed the the scale wing diagram onto the wing to be cut and marked the cut line Pics 1 and 2.
The wings in both kits I used were molded with a fuselage section which allowed for a stronger assembly. Having cut the wings off, I needed a way to make a strong wing-to-fuselage joint. To accomplish this, I cut a length of steel rod and inserted it into a space in the model fuselage with copious amounbts of CA glue and pinched it in with a thinned piece of square plastic rod. The rod goes through to the other side and corresponding holes were drill in both wings to receive the rod (Pic 3 shows rod in fuselage (below) and corresponding wing (above)). A similar detail will be made behind the wheel well and then the wings will be glued on after the rest of the fuselage scribing and sanding is complete.
Thanks to everyone who remains interested in this build. I do intend to keep moving on it between other projects.
On of the challenges I had was that, with the wider fuselage of the F-5E from which I borrowed the wings, I had to figure out a way to contour them to fit the more slender F-5A profile while maintaining the correct wingspan. I ended up Photoshoping a plan view drawing and converting it to 1/48 scale to get the correct wing profile. When cut out, I placed the the scale wing diagram onto the wing to be cut and marked the cut line Pics 1 and 2.
The wings in both kits I used were molded with a fuselage section which allowed for a stronger assembly. Having cut the wings off, I needed a way to make a strong wing-to-fuselage joint. To accomplish this, I cut a length of steel rod and inserted it into a space in the model fuselage with copious amounbts of CA glue and pinched it in with a thinned piece of square plastic rod. The rod goes through to the other side and corresponding holes were drill in both wings to receive the rod (Pic 3 shows rod in fuselage (below) and corresponding wing (above)). A similar detail will be made behind the wheel well and then the wings will be glued on after the rest of the fuselage scribing and sanding is complete.
Thanks to everyone who remains interested in this build. I do intend to keep moving on it between other projects.
Attachments
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Nicely done! Glad to see you back on this one. 
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Nice work, and a great solution. I think I would have been lazy, and either left it as it was, or reduced the tips and re-engraved. It's a good feeling to know that it's the right span at the right place though !
T Bolt
Colonel
That should be plenty strong Andy.
- Thread starter
- #209
Crimea_River
Marshal
I toyed with that ideaTerry, but thie thing is that the wheel wells get screwed up. The portion in the wing turnes out to be too long for the gear door. Also there's a section that tapers inward that would have gotten ridiculously narrow. If you look at the photo with the paper scaled wing on it, the section of wheel well next to the F in "CAF" would have had to extend about an eighth of an inch further toward the fuselage and it would have looked totally wrong.
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
Stupendous work Andy! I really like this build sir.
- Thread starter
- #212
Crimea_River
Marshal
Cheers guys.
Lot's of work still on the cockpit mechanism. Left that till the heavy work outside is done as there's too much can be prone to breaking off.
Lot's of work still on the cockpit mechanism. Left that till the heavy work outside is done as there's too much can be prone to breaking off.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yep, see what you mean about the wheel wells. Great work so far mate, and I bet you didn't think there would be as much involved when you first planned the conversion ! There always seems to be something that comes to light once committed !!
- Thread starter
- #214
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks Terry. I got a hint of the issue with the wings before I even started actually. When I was researching decals, I came across a company called Belcher Bits that sells a conversion kit for a 1/32 scale Hasegawa F-5E to make it a CF-5A. I got a lot of ideas from the instructions on their site and one of the things they specifically pointed out was the needed wing surgery.
But you're right. The one thing I just want to get behind me is all the sanding and scribing.
But you're right. The one thing I just want to get behind me is all the sanding and scribing.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yeah, I know that feeling ! What was that thing called I was forever sanding, bodging, sanding and scribing?
Oh b*ll*cks - it's the *uccaneer, and I still have to finish it !
Oh b*ll*cks - it's the *uccaneer, and I still have to finish it !
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yeah, I know that feeling ! What was that thing called I was forever sanding, bodging, sanding and scribing?
Oh b*ll*cks - it's the *uccaneer, and I still have to finish it !
Oh b*ll*cks - it's the *uccaneer, and I still have to finish it !
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Beautifully done Andy and glad you're able to fine a bit of time to work on this one.
