**** DONE: 1/48 RF-84F Thunderflash - Jet/Recon/Transport GB

[Crimea_River]

Every time I see levitating harnesses now, I think of the time I was docked marks at a model contest for having one lap belt "floating". Should be an easy fix with a dab of CA under each belt but otherwise it looks great Glenn. Hope you had a great vacation.

 

[N4521U]

Glenn had it turned upside down when he shot that pic.

Pit looks pretty nice Glenn. A little card stock in front the glass at Bob's yer unkle.

 

[meatloaf109]

Maybe it's my eyes, but I don't see too bad of a gap.

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks guys
I didn't notice the floating harness and its to late now with the canopy on. The front of the windscreen isn't really a gap, the stub in front of the windscreen was molded a little off on one side being higher than the other even though the fuselage halves meet up good at that location (you can see it in the second picture). A little CA and some filing should fix things up just fine.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice work with the harnesses and the whole pit Glenn and hope you had a good break.

 

[Wayne Little]

What Vic said...

 

[tigerdriver]

what they all said

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks guys. The break was great until the last day when I caught the flu. Still trying to recover from that.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work Glenn, it's looking the biz!
CA might fog the canopy - that small flaw can be fixed by running in a bead of PVA, off the end of a cocktail stick. Let it set and, if needed, add another bead, wiping off any excess with a wet finger tip. This should provide a smooth blend, filling the gap and making it look the windscreen assembly is part of the fuselage.

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks Terry. I've used the PVA trick on smaller gaps and I was planing to use it here but this one is more of a filling and sculpting job even though it's hard to see it in the picture. In fact looking at pictures of the real thing I find that a whole lot more filling will be necessary which I am currently working on and will have pictures later. Fogging won't be an issue with CA as I've dipped the canopy in Future. This does a wonderful job of protecting the clear part from the CA or standard plastic glue fumes and I have never had a canopy fog on me since I started doing it uncounted canopies ago.

 

[Airframes]

Ah, got it. Let the CA 'gas off' before applying it though - I've had fogging occur even when clear parts have been dipped in Future.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far Glenn!

 

[Crimea_River]

Yeah, I've never trusted CA on clear plastic parts, even when I dipped them in Future. I've done it successfully a couple of times but I don't trust it as the results can be catastrophic.

 

[meatloaf109]

Me too, after one bad experience nothing but white glue comes near my canopies.

 

[A4K]

Nice work Glenn!

 

[woody]

Looking good Glenn.

 

[T Bolt]

Here's the results after a couple days of work. Lots of CA and filing but no fogging.

The first picture shows the canopy on a real RF-84F. The red arrows points to the areas which should be faired smoothly into the fuselage for and aft of the movable portion of the canopy
the second picture shows the kit canopy as it came. Definitely not faired in smoothly.
The third and fourth picture is after filling with CA, filing, sanding, masking and priming.

I have a little work fairing in a small white light in the fuselage spine, then I'll be able to join the wings on

 

[rochie]

great job smoothing that out Glenn

 

[ccheese]

great job smoothing that out Glenn

Really !! Well done...

Charles

 

[Airframes]

Superb job Glenn! Once painted, it'll look totally part of the airframe.
Oh, and a useful photo for when I do my 'F' version - thanks!