Thanks for all your comments and suggestions guys, all greatfully receives and taken on board !
I've been off work this week ...on leave... and have worked pretty much solidly on her each and every day. Had to walk away a few times....like on the day when I went to move my box of rivets, and dropped them on the floor. End result nigh on two thousand rivets in 7 assorted sizes spread all over the floor...and I still havent finished sorting the little b*gg*rs out !...like the day my drill stopped drilling holes, couldn't figure out why so put a new drill bit in the drill and then discovered I'd accidentaly set the drill up in reverse !!!...like the day I carfeully drilled a 4mm hole into my right hand index finger nail !
So, whats been happening ?. I've mounted the right hand instrument lamp up under the instrument shroud, sorted out the bits of ali that curve up around the windshield and finally made the missing centre bit. Now this bit is actually a single piece on a pukka '51, but I dont have the tools or skill set to fabricate it in one bit, so I've made it in two pieces and rivetted it together. I will one day, get a correct bit made up, but until then, this'll do.
I've made and installed the interior 'shoulder' plates and got a good selection of blisters from drilling and rivetting, and I've installed some 5mm perspex for the front windshield (it should be nearly 3/4 inch thick but I dont have that stuff and I've still to try and figure out how to make the 'side' screens.
Then yesterday, I decided it was time to get some paper out and start masking her up...and went out and brought a new compressor and spray gun !
Fast forward to this morning and in between rain showers, finally laid some colour on her. Chuffed ? too bl**dy righty I am !. I open the hangar (shed) door and I'm now seeing a '51 looking back at me. Next on the to do list is to get my Nose Art sorted.
Planned in for the winter is a full rebuild of the trim console so that the trims will turn (instead of being held in place with 'blue-tac
) and also re-profile the 'undercart' so she sits at the correct angle simulating when she's on the ground. And I've also got to replace all the cockpit placards that are printed on computer paper instead of the real deal.
More work to do and updates to follow as and when. Right now, I'm stopping work on her as I'm packing up bits ready to take with her to Martlesham Heath Aviation Society (near Ipswich) open day on Sunday. My son is coming with me on this trip so he will be in charge of the camera for the day.