**** DONE: 1/48 F2A Buffalo - Pacific Theatre of Operations II

[Wayne Little]

Hopefully they will suit, George...

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Wojtek and Wayne. One complete day of masking and painting the multi-paneled canopy. As the panels weren't very pronounced and I haven't yet perfected the technique of covering the canopy with tape and cutting out the panel lines, I masked along the vertical panel lines first, painted, waited, and then did the horizontals. It's just placed on for show. Decals have been started. Not sure of the exact location for the top hinomarus so I guessed using the best photo showing the approximate location of the lower ones.

Still trying to figure out how best to recreate the aerials which will run from a post to be mounted in front of the canopy to the tail. This will then have a wire running from it and entering the fuselage behind the canopy.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Port side decals are complete though I think the #1 by the tail may be a wee bit large. I will leave it to the majority and if so deemed, I will add some paint to shorten it up.

Geo

 

[Wildcat]

Looking good Geo!

 

[Crimea_River]

I've seen some nice aerial wires made from stretched vinyl sprue Geo. You know, the stuff that model tank tracks are made of or same as those black collars for the propeller shafts that come with Tamiya kits.

Fine work so far.

 

[fubar57]

Thank you Andy². Decals are on and the forward antenna mast is glued on. Not sure if this is the correct way to add the antennas, but this is I what plan to do.( I'm going to do this tomorrow so I am open to other suggestions). (1)Crazy glue 2lb. fishing line to the antenna mast, leaving about an inch of extra line. When dry, I'll wrap the loose end around what will be the main antenna, crazy glue it, and trim when dry. (B) Next, I'll run the main antenna to the post on the tail and crazy glue it, wait for it to dry, the twist it around the main antenna and glue it. (3rd) What's left over, I'll stuff into a pre-drilled, pre-glued hole in the fuselage behind the canopy, pull it tight until dry and Bob's your uncle.....I think.

As I said, I'm open to any(read easier) suggestion.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Step 1 agree.

I would reverse step B and 3rd. So once Step 1 is done, I'd insert one end of your main antenna line into a tiny hole drilled in the fuselage and CA glue it. Then I'd pull the other end tight toward the post on the fin and against the wire installed in step 1. While holding tight, dab some CA at the junction and then, still pulling tight, hit it with a drop of accelerator. Trim off excess with a very sharp blade.

The reason I'd go this route is that if you try to pull the 3rd step wire tight into the hole, you always end up with a bit of slack because you're always pushing on some of the wire.

 

[fubar57]

That make sense Andy. The only reason I was opting to do it as in Post #107 was to try replicate (½). Not sure what it is, spring, tensioner, insulator, but I figured wrapping the loose end, coil-like, near the tail would reproduce this.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

As mentioned earlier, the framing for the canopy was a little hard to see. The framing for the window under the fuselage was almost non-existent. I tried to mask it but gave up so I painted Scotch™ tape and cut it into wee strips and stuck them on the clear part and then sealed it up with Future™.

Not the best solution but it's all I have and no one will ever see it again.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Good work George.

 

[Crimea_River]

That make sense Andy. The only reason I was opting to do it as in Post #107 was to try replicate (½). Not sure what it is, spring, tensioner, insulator, but I figured wrapping the loose end, coil-like, near the tail would reproduce this.

More than one way to skin a cat Geo. Give it a go and see what turns up. In my method, I would have just built up the spring tensioner with glue rather than wrapping the thread.

 

[fubar57]

In the mean time I glued in the bottom clear part with puzzle glue...

Geo

 

[Wildcat]

Nice work on the lower frame George, this is going to be a great looking model!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great job so far. Did it not come with the paint masks?

 

[fubar57]

Thank you Andy and David. No such luck with the masks though I think, being a brush painter, there might be bleed under. Off to figure out the antennas.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Waiting for the canopy to dry. When I get back from P.G., sometime later tonight, I'll do the landing gear. I would like to get this sucker done before camp on Wednesday.

Geo

 

[Rogi]

She looks fantastic Geo What a bird!

 

[fubar57]

Thank you Igor. With just over a millimeter of gluing surface, I've managed to remove the antenna mast three times. I had originally thought about drilling a hole in it's base and adding some wire to secure it better but I didn't think I could get the bit started on such a small surface. Sigh.....

....it is straighter than it looks as it's only posed for the photo.

Geo