It's FIVE WEEKS since I did any modelling!
A combination of illness, stiff hands, and terminal lethargy, seems to have conspired to prevent me from getting the Sea Fury finished - and it still isn't finished!
I thought I'd be able to complete the few things needed to get this one done today, but between numerous interruptions, and bl**dy Humbrol paint, it hasn't happened. Not that it matters much, as I'm not competing, but I want to get on with another job, and start on another of my own projects.
Before assembling the prop and spinner, I went to paint the latter, using the same, fairly new tin of Humbrol 27, only to find that it had dried up!
OK, open a new one, and find that not only is it a different shade, but the bl**dy stuff still hasn't dried after four hours!
Meanwhile, I started work on the drop tanks, which, I'm happy to say, are almost done and just require painting and detailing.
The tanks were the only thing worth showing to date, but I hope to get the model completely finished some time this week - not going to rush now, at this late stage.
PIC 1. The drop tanks are from the Eduard Tempest kit, and kindly supplied by Karl (thanks again mate!). Whilst they are very close in shape to those used by the Sea Fury, they lack the prominent 'lipped' seam, running around the mid section, similar in appearance to that used on the P-51 metal, 'tear drop' tanks.
After assembly, the vertical seams were sanded to eliminate any trace of the joint.
PIC 2. Using a razor saw, a shallow groove was cut around the circumference of each tank, where the seam would be on the real thing. This was then cleaned out using the back of the scalpel blade.
PIC 3. Fine stretched sprue was then laid into the groove, and attached using liquid cement. The sprue was pressed in place, held for a few seconds until it conformed to the shape, and then trimmed off at the tail end of the tank. Once fully set, any marks will be cleaned up, and the sprue very lightly sanded, before painting in the same colour as the under side of the aircraft.
Once this is done, and home-made filling instruction decals added, the tanks can be attached to the wing, using the holes already drilled for the purpose. All that then remains, is to finish and attach the prop, make and fit a boarding step, fit the arrestor hook and a stretched sprue whip antenna, and attend to any last-minute re-touching which might be required.
Hopefully, I'll have more to show, and the finished model, soon.