Jeff Hunt
1st Lieutenant
Yep, she is fine.
**** DONE: GB-36 1/48 FW190A-5 - Axis Manufactured Aircraft of WWII
- Thread starter Crimea_River
- Start date
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Andy, good work man.....
JKim
Senior Master Sergeant
Looks good Andy! Great bump and port removals!
- Thread starter
- #244
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks all.
Some of the armament provided with the kit has been destroyed intentionally. In the case of the MG17s, these were moulded into their troughs and didn't look very good. For the two MG151's in the wing roots, I had cut the barrels off as early installation would have resulted in damage and the protruding barrels would have got in the way of working the wing/fuselage seams. Yesterday, I set about to replace these with home made brass barrels.
The MG17s were built up using 0.7 and 0.9mm sliding-fit brass tubing from Albion Alloys. First, a 1mm length of the larger tube was cut, slid onto the smaller barrel and CA-glued into place. I then tried to open up the ends to simulate the flash cones by hammering the tube onto a dental pick but the results were mediocre. I left them as I didn't want to risk damage as one of the tubes had already started to buckle as you can see below:
After painting the barrels with Alclad Steel, I glued them into the troughs and they look the part I think.
The MG151's took a couple of tries. On the real aircraft, these barrels were protected within a sleeve in the wheel wells and I first tried to drill out a 1.2mm diameter stryrene rod to represent the sleeve. Brass tubing would have been ideal but the largest tube I have is 0.9mm and this was to be used for the barrel. Drilling a .9mm hole in a 1.2mm rod didn't work as I broke through the wall on each attempt so I went to plan B and wrapped the brass rod with vinyl tape:
It's necessary to seal the edge of the wrapped tape with CA as it will unravel. I then inserted the wrapped barrel into the hole in the wing leading edge, which I had to enlarge, and glued the barrel into place after making sure it was correctly aligned.
After both were glued into place, I painted the barrels in Steel and the sleeves in 02.
Next up will be the MG FF's on the outer wings and that will be the subject of my next update. Thanks for clicking on my thread.
Some of the armament provided with the kit has been destroyed intentionally. In the case of the MG17s, these were moulded into their troughs and didn't look very good. For the two MG151's in the wing roots, I had cut the barrels off as early installation would have resulted in damage and the protruding barrels would have got in the way of working the wing/fuselage seams. Yesterday, I set about to replace these with home made brass barrels.
The MG17s were built up using 0.7 and 0.9mm sliding-fit brass tubing from Albion Alloys. First, a 1mm length of the larger tube was cut, slid onto the smaller barrel and CA-glued into place. I then tried to open up the ends to simulate the flash cones by hammering the tube onto a dental pick but the results were mediocre. I left them as I didn't want to risk damage as one of the tubes had already started to buckle as you can see below:
After painting the barrels with Alclad Steel, I glued them into the troughs and they look the part I think.
The MG151's took a couple of tries. On the real aircraft, these barrels were protected within a sleeve in the wheel wells and I first tried to drill out a 1.2mm diameter stryrene rod to represent the sleeve. Brass tubing would have been ideal but the largest tube I have is 0.9mm and this was to be used for the barrel. Drilling a .9mm hole in a 1.2mm rod didn't work as I broke through the wall on each attempt so I went to plan B and wrapped the brass rod with vinyl tape:
It's necessary to seal the edge of the wrapped tape with CA as it will unravel. I then inserted the wrapped barrel into the hole in the wing leading edge, which I had to enlarge, and glued the barrel into place after making sure it was correctly aligned.
After both were glued into place, I painted the barrels in Steel and the sleeves in 02.
Next up will be the MG FF's on the outer wings and that will be the subject of my next update. Thanks for clicking on my thread.
turbo
Staff Sergeant
Nice work on those guns Andy! 
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Bl**dy marvelous work on the guns Andy - they really look the part !
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Looks great
JKim
Senior Master Sergeant
The cowling guns turned out great, Andy! The wing guns... the outer barrels looks good but that inner barrel on the starboard side looks like the tape got dinged up.
- Thread starter
- #250
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks everyone. The remaining cannons on the outboard wings were added yesterday. I made these a little different as, using 0.9mm rod, I tried to file in the conical flash cones on the ends. Works for me.
With the guns now done, I moved on to the landing gear and had some trouble. I started by inserting the main legs and gluing these into place at the angle I wanted and then attaching the retraction arm to the starboard leg. As it turned out, the only way I could get the arm to fit properly was to pull the main gear leg over to a very sharp angle (the glue on the main legs was still soft). Below you can see the difference in angles. The gear on the left has been pulled in to make the retraction arm fit whereas the one on the right is the angle I want. This is a big difference.
Here's the culprit. I looked at a few options on what to do here and decided to lengthen the arm. Though not kosher for scale, I cut the eye from the end and added a spacer cut from styrene card.
I then glued the main arm assembly into place with the main leg at the proper angle and adjusted the spacer to suit the needed gap. Once all was good, I glued the eye into place.
More later.
With the guns now done, I moved on to the landing gear and had some trouble. I started by inserting the main legs and gluing these into place at the angle I wanted and then attaching the retraction arm to the starboard leg. As it turned out, the only way I could get the arm to fit properly was to pull the main gear leg over to a very sharp angle (the glue on the main legs was still soft). Below you can see the difference in angles. The gear on the left has been pulled in to make the retraction arm fit whereas the one on the right is the angle I want. This is a big difference.
Here's the culprit. I looked at a few options on what to do here and decided to lengthen the arm. Though not kosher for scale, I cut the eye from the end and added a spacer cut from styrene card.
I then glued the main arm assembly into place with the main leg at the proper angle and adjusted the spacer to suit the needed gap. Once all was good, I glued the eye into place.
More later.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Good stuff Andy. Might be a bit late, but does this pic help ?
- Thread starter
- #252
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks Terry. That pic, and the others that I have confirm that I am at the right angle now. I was going by the Kagero plans you sent me. A proper fix would have been to extend the larger link but that would have been much more difficult given that the piece is I shaped. I guess in hindsight I could have put the spacer immediately next to the circular end but it's too late now.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
It looks good enough to me Andy, and only a pedantic rivet counter, craning his neck, would argue against it !
turbo
Staff Sergeant
What a pain, good fix Andy.
- Thread starter
- #255
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys. The next step will be to get the inner doors in place and replicate the rather complex folding struts that operated them. That won't be til tomorrow now as I'm working on my 1:1 Mossie tonight.
good stuff andy.
- Thread starter
- #258
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks W and W.
Thought I'd push my scratch building skills to a new level today. The challenge was to replicate the folding strut that operated the inner gear doors, which I also scratch built a while back. Here's what the thing looks like:
They couldn't just make a simple stick right? The fork had me scratching my head for a while and after a couple of failed trials with plastic card I went with a piece of curved lead wire that I pressed flat. The other bit of strut was made of plastic card and stretched sprue.
The lead wire was cut and folded in half to make the fork, then glued to the slot in the gear door. Once the fork was set, I adjusted the strut for length and CA glued it to the end of the fork and to the bracket in the well.
Here's how it looks painted.
Both in place. The stain on the gear door is from some flat clear coat that I had to apply between the doors as some of the glue had turned the exhaust glossy. I'll need to see if I can gently spray some RLM 76 in there, hopefully not blowing everything apart in the process.
The malformed tail wheel that I mentioned a few posts ago was also modified and finished. I cut much of the strut away as it was too long then reattached the yoke on an angle after drilling and inserting a reinforcing pin.
I also see that there is some wash that I forgot to remove but this is now sealed under a flat coat. Oh well, I only noticed this with the close-up so will probably leave it.
The strut and gear door completion was my last major hurdle. Left to do now are a few simple fiddly bits and to add the resin wheels once they arrive. Heck, if I feel cocky, I may even add the cables that operate the inner gear doors and the tail wheel. (I will probably feel cocky tomorrow.) Thanks for your interest guys.
Thought I'd push my scratch building skills to a new level today. The challenge was to replicate the folding strut that operated the inner gear doors, which I also scratch built a while back. Here's what the thing looks like:
They couldn't just make a simple stick right? The fork had me scratching my head for a while and after a couple of failed trials with plastic card I went with a piece of curved lead wire that I pressed flat. The other bit of strut was made of plastic card and stretched sprue.
The lead wire was cut and folded in half to make the fork, then glued to the slot in the gear door. Once the fork was set, I adjusted the strut for length and CA glued it to the end of the fork and to the bracket in the well.
Here's how it looks painted.
Both in place. The stain on the gear door is from some flat clear coat that I had to apply between the doors as some of the glue had turned the exhaust glossy. I'll need to see if I can gently spray some RLM 76 in there, hopefully not blowing everything apart in the process.
The malformed tail wheel that I mentioned a few posts ago was also modified and finished. I cut much of the strut away as it was too long then reattached the yoke on an angle after drilling and inserting a reinforcing pin.
I also see that there is some wash that I forgot to remove but this is now sealed under a flat coat. Oh well, I only noticed this with the close-up so will probably leave it.
The strut and gear door completion was my last major hurdle. Left to do now are a few simple fiddly bits and to add the resin wheels once they arrive. Heck, if I feel cocky, I may even add the cables that operate the inner gear doors and the tail wheel. (I will probably feel cocky tomorrow.) Thanks for your interest guys.
fubar57
General
Mods look great and I have never noticed the inner door strut before.....always learnin'
- Thread starter
- #260
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks Geo. Nice to have you back.
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