No 56 Squadron, RAF, 'The Firebirds', 1918 - 2008.

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy and Cory.

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks guys. Received some more pics from Karl, showing the RAF Museum's aircraft. Confirms that the housing for the Vickers gun needs modification - b*gg*r !

No sweat Terry....easy.....

 

[Airframes]

Yeah, shouldn't be too difficult. I need to make a Vickers gun anyway, as the kit item looks like a stovepipe with a lip!

 

[Airframes]

A little more progress to show, with the instrument panel almost finished, and the modifications to the Vickers gun housing underway.
PIC 1. Shows the instrument panel under construction, with the larger instruments mounted onto the panel externally, and smaller items partly counter sunk. Still a bit more to do before painting, especially to the spare Lewis gun drum magazine and its' housing (at the top of the panel.).
PIC 2. The housing and cover for the Vickers machine gun, as moulded on the port fuselage half. It's too long and too high, and not deep enough.
PIC 3. The first stage in modification. The front section has been sawn off, and the remainder filed down. A new gun trough has also been cut and filed, creating an opening for the gun's cooling jacket.
PICS 4 and 5. A piece of thin plastic card has been cemented in place, then bent and cemented over the top of the fuselage, and clamped, with a length of cotton bud (Q-Tip) tubing held in place to form the curve over the gun cooling jacket. I had intended to use a piece of plastic tube to make the gun itself, then realised I had some cotton buds with ribbed shafts, ideal to represent the water cooling jacket on the Vickers gun, retained from the standard land weapon.
Once the plastic card 'cover' has fully set, the cotton bud tube will be removed, and the gun cover trimmed, shaped and detailed. The ribbed tube will then be cut to the required length, an end cap added from punched plastic card, and the muzzle and ring sight added. The gun will be fitted later, after painting the model.
I hope to get some more work done tonight, and post some more pics very soon. thanks again for your interest, and thanks to Vic and Karl for the pics and info.

 

[T Bolt]

Great work Terry. It looks like it will be a big improvement.
I found this and thought it might be helpful even though it's a reperduction SE.5a Walkaround | The Vintage Aviator

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Glenn, I've been using that site, and others, for reference.
Got the gun cover trimmed and detailed, another hatch cover added to the starboard cowling and the radio hatch scribed on the starboard fuselage behind the cockpit. (Radio, or 'Wireless' as it was known then, was not fitted). Also drilled a load of small holes for rigging wires and for the Aldis sight brackets.
Just about to start painting the internal detail - might have some pics later tonight.

 

[Crimea_River]

Great work as always Terry.

 

[rochie]

yup nice job Dogsbody

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Karl and Andy.
Got the cockpit finished and painted and, although it's certainly not my best work, it's good enough for what can actually be seen, especially when the wings are in place.
PICS 1 and 2 show the scratch-built cockpit (except for the modified seat), with 'plywood' top half and fabric lower half.
PICS 3 and 4. Just how little can be seen, without turning the model and craining the neck. Note also the various holes drilled for parts to be made and fitted later.
PICS 5 and 6. The fuselage halves joined, showing the various additions. The joints and 'new' parts will be cleaned up once the fuselage has fully set.
PIC 7. Some of the numerous small holes and slots drilled for rigging and control cables.
Next step is to clean-up the joints etc, then tackle the front end. The engine can't be seen, but will be fitted in order to mount the cylinder heads and exhausts later. The radiator and bottom panel will be fitted once the two-bladed prop arrives, courtesy of Vic, as this will be mounted lower than the kit-supplied four-blade prop. The kit is supplied as a Hispano - Suiza engined, early SE5a, but I'm making a Wolsley 'Viper' engined machine. This engine was basically a Wolsley-built Hispano - Suiza 200hp unit, with the carb intake above the prop, the opposite to the earlier 150hp engine.
Thanks again for your continued interest, and I hope to now start some proper construction and external improvements.

 

[T Bolt]

Very nice Terry. You're cockpit is a huge improvement over the kit.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Glenn. I must admit, it looks better in 'real life' than in the enlarged photos!

 

[rochie]

nice job mate

 

[Wurger]

Nice work so far Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much, Karl and Wojtek.

 

[Hotntot]

Have come to this one late on in preceedings but another master class under way, I see. Looking good Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Cheers mate !

 

[A4K]

Great work Terry! Will be following your lead shortly!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Moving along swiftly Terry and a great job being done.

 

[Wayne Little]

good stuff Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps - I hope to have some more to show soon.