GB-46 1/48 F-14A Tomcat - WW2 Eastern Front / Twin Engine A/C, Transports and Gliders

Donivanp · Jun 15, 2020

I didn't think I had done anything to screw things up that bad. I had similar issues years ago on the same kit soooooooo. Think I can use the wings and nose gear on the Academy. Read some good and not so good reviews on the Academy. Guess we'll see.

Gnomey · Jun 16, 2020

Nice work so far!

PlasticHero · Jun 16, 2020

I found this youtube review http://www.genessis-models.co.uk/ibr/f14aibrv.html and at 4:50 he talks about "a bit of a fit issue".

fubar57 · Jun 17, 2020

As mentioned, something not expected from Hasegawa

Donivanp · Jun 21, 2020

Weekend update! Okay, so what I'm planning to pull this out of the ashes as the fabled Phoenix (get it, missile) I will do a hybrid build. The Academy kit does not give you the option to build the plane in the launch stance. So I'll use the Hasegawa wings and nose gear and whatever else I can salvage out of that attempt and convert it to the Academy! And Off we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crimea_River · Jun 21, 2020

Sounds like "fun".

rochie · Jun 22, 2020

Good luck !

Donivanp · Jun 23, 2020

Dr. Don to surgery, Dr. Don please report to minor surgery!

OK so I don't want to lose too much work already done. I want the Hasie wings and the nose gear for a cat shot stance, and I've already done the cockpit tube so here we go.

The Academy layout is quite a bit different from the Hasegawa kit and requires some surgery to make it all fit. The kit sizes are near perfect mating wise so that's not a real issue. While the Hasegawa has an aft fuselage and a forward fuselage that mate in a near void from the aft with no alignment pins, the Academy lower section of the aft fuselage comes forward a couple inches for the forward fuselage to mount on. While Hasegawa made the nose gear well all in one section, Academy made the aft section of the nose gear well part of the aft fuselage.

Academy wings are made to be able to swing the full sweep and there for the slats and flaps can not be dropped. This is stance will be needed for a cat shot display. The Hasegawa, Hobby Bos, and AMK kits do allow the slats and flaps dropped. So since I have already done the Hasie wings I had to get them to mate with the Academy!

I started by dropping paint on the Academy wing pin and placing the Hasegawa wing on to get alignment.

I then used the drimmel to clean out what I needed!

I then test fit the Hasegawa cockpit tube into the Academy and found where my issues were going to be. The Academy has a series of alignment pins that were in the way, both top and bottom. I the clipped them ot and sanded down.

I had also had a bit of Hasegawa kit clinging on for dear life that had to be cleaned off but it fits.

Then because the Hasegawa nose gear well is all one item, I had to remove the aft gear well from the lower aft fuselage of the Academy kit, luckly it's pretty soft plastic and cut out easily, like my finger! Dang.

and I figure all in all it should not be too bad a mate, err I still hope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crimea_River · Jun 23, 2020

Quite the exercise Don.

fubar57 · Jun 23, 2020

Hope it all comes together smoothly

Wurger · Jun 23, 2020

Airframes · Jun 23, 2020

Nice bit of surgery there Don.

Donivanp · Jun 23, 2020

Airframes said:
Nice bit of surgery there Don.

Thank you Terry, I was quite pleased with it.

rochie · Jun 24, 2020

I see you have all digits so can't of been that bad :evil4:

Wayne Little · Jun 24, 2020

Strewth...what's actually being remodelled....the model or the hands....maybe both by the look of it.

Donivanp · Jun 24, 2020

Wayne Little said:
Strewth...what's actually being remodelled....the model or the hands....maybe both by the look of it.

Dang, now I'm digital!

Gnomey · Jun 24, 2020

Nicely done so far!

Donivanp · Jun 25, 2020

Thanks all, Looks like I am not able to use the Hasegawa cockpit tub but I'm still trying the nose gear well, I think it looks much better than the Academy! The hasegawa cockpit/node gearwell is too deep to work.