Scratch building missing engine parts for Wright R-1820 Cyclone

Here is a link to a site where you may find a couple of shots of the SBD-1 engine. IMHO it can come in handy as the front part is quite nice seen ....

SBD-1 Dauntless

SBD-1 Dauntless

Thank you Wurger. It is very nice of you to lead me there. I was very surprised when I saw the engine how the model of it in the kit doesn't come close. The protrusions on the H14 piece are odd. Comparing the photo of the picture I have of an R 1820 G (1200 HP) it has the same parts and configuration., so I will build them.
I started work on the Aires engine model, attached the 9 cylinders and said to myself, unless it will be displayed in the open instead of being buried in a cowling, what is the purpose. I then started by cutting out .030 x .080 pieces and gluing them together to copy the parts on the H 14 piece until I saw the pictures you posted. Thank you. When I get them built and attached, a picture will be posted. As for the Aires model it will be built and placed on a wooden platform that I'll make and display with 2 mechanics working on it.

Sounds good.

Well !, no matter how I try this kit engine is really a piece of work. If you recall in a previous post I beefed up the shaft with a brass wire, but it still doesn't do any good I cut the shaft to size today and started sanding the end to round it , lo and behold it separated at the same place in spite of the wire acc'd to it. The larger end of the shaft had a hollow center and the acc didn't hold the plastic alone .This thing is a disaster from day one and I don't know why I persist in trying to fix it. The kit engine is crude anyway and I would be better off building the Aires one or even getting one that was designed for the Hasegawa. In spite of all this I am bound and determined to complete this bloody engine which I probably wouldn't put in the cowling anyway and build the Aires one that looks much better . I have never let any kit beat me and this one is not going to do it. With that said I am going to scratch build a new shaft from leftover sprue.
What a nut LOL

Ok, ready to roll. The engine is complete except for painting. I made the suction tube from .062 aluminum wire and the magneto from Evergreen stock HO 6"x 12"

Well done.

Nicely done!

The engine is painted and installed into the cowling which is installed on the aircraft. The flattened wheels are painted on the sprues . Scale Aircraft conversions metal landing gear is installed along with the wheel covers, however in following the instructions I found it impossible to install part # D118, a tiny piece of plastic .015. measuring about 3/16 long. The better method would have been to attach it to the wheel covers then after the landing gear was installed it could just be glued to the gear. I left it off. I'm using only 2 100 lb. bombs because being an early aircraft during the depression with money constraints prevented the 1000 lb bombs to be used for practice. I put them together but will attach them after painting, however the trapeze and the racks were installed. The fun part with the screw up is next. I attached one flap actuator to the left side, glued it in and decided that it didn't look right so I ripped it off which destroyed it, so I opted to use closed flaps which were installed. I went to Ebay and bought another Accurate Miniatures SBD-1 for 20 bucks which I'll build with fully open flaps. I also bought an Accurate Miniatures SBD-5 for $39.00 and a Vector R 1820 -60 engine for it from Ultracast models . In addition I already bought an Academy SBD-2. They changed the instruction procedure. A couple of the changes are improved, like installing part #D118 like I mentioned and installing the pilot's map table when doing the cockpit instead of waiting to step 13, where it would have been impossible to do. I already foresaw that and installed it earlier. I am not pleased with their instructions which are not as precise as Accurate Miniatures did, but they use only diagrams. This this is going to cause many problems to anyone building their kit. Fortunately The SBD-2 is identical to the SBD-1 except for a smaller carburetor scoop on top of the fuselage and larger fuel tanks which are unseen anyway , so the Accurate Miniature instructions for The SBD-1 can be used.
Until next time,

Cheers.

Sounds good.

Congrats on the engine

Progress report:
I masked the cockpit and landing gear for painting, decided not to use a primer and painted the entire aircraft with Tamiya TS-17 Aluminum in a spray can. The closest match to the actual aircraft paint. It covered the raw plastic well but where there was some paint leaked out from painting the interior cowling where it didn't ,but that is because i used a light spray. As expected the sanding at the wing roots was very legible. after drying for 3 days, i will sand these areas down and repaint the aircraft Meanwhile I decided to deal with the canopy frame painting. I tried painting the frames by hand but the Testors aluminum didn't cover too well . and covered more than the frames. I removed the paint with Turpenoid but it left some scratches which i will deal with Novus 3-2-1. I have been working with WW1 aircraft for some time and never had to worry about canopy frames. When I came across this I was really ready to scrap the whole thing, Instead I walked away from the whole thing for a while. When I came back I decided to make individual masking for each panel using Tamiya tape. I tried a couple and it was OK, but very slow, Of course is another method going to be any faster. I decided that I am no longer in a time sensitive build and have all the time at my command now, so I covered the entire canopy with masking tape, then with a mechanical pencil I ruled out the sections at the frames and with a sharp, new scalpel cut along the lines. It worked beautifully. Slow but who cares, I will never be able to build all or even some of the models I've acquired and still keep buying My main problem right now is to try to stay with a build I started instead of starting another. It doesn't always work, but at age 87 I am very lucky to be able to build anything. I hope all of you can reach this unbelievable age and and still be able to have all your faculties and be able to enjoy your hobby, whatever it is. Meanwhile my family is falling apart with their health. My youngest son spent 80 days in a hospital, 2 weeks of which were in a coma with being kept alive on a heart and lung machine and dialyses treatments. He lost his left leg and is looking to a long road to recovery. All this from an infection from a scratch. However the good part is that he survived . along with another patient for the same infection, but several others died. My next oldest daughter is undergoing therapy for a stroke and is also facing a long road to recovery. I cannot understand why me who has not seen a doctor for over 43 years is still wandering around. Not in the best shape as I was when younger but I fight it and put up with it. I thank God for each day that I am able to do what I want, eat what I want and work on my models.
I'll keep buying more as I see the ones that interest me.
Sorry for this big tirade, but put up with me. I hope I have helped some others with my procedures.
I love being here at this forum with all you wonderful people.

Cheers

So sorry to hear of your family health issues. That is always a real trial to deal with and of course the worry about them can be all consuming. My best wishes to you and your family for a speedy recovery and return to good health. Thank you for your contributions here, and I am glad you find some comfort in our mutual hobby especially with time pressures removed! Go at your own pace and enjoy what you do!

Robert Porter said:

So sorry to hear of your family health issues. That is always a real trial to deal with and of course the worry about them can be all consuming. My best wishes to you and your family for a speedy recovery and return to good health. Thank you for your contributions here, and I am glad you find some comfort in our mutual hobby especially with time pressures removed! Go at your own pace and enjoy what you do!

Click to expand...

Thank you, I really appreciate it

With Robert here. Smiles for all of you there.

Boy I sure got hooked on Accurate Miniatures SBD's. I just bought another one, an SBD-4 Dauntless RNZAF This now gives me another SBD-1, an Academy SBD-2, an Accurate Miniatures SBD-4 and an SBD-5. . I was intimidated by having to make masks for the canopy of the current SBD-1 I am building, but once I got into it , it sure is therapeutic and enjoyable. So far I have over 62 hours in this build , but 10 of them was for scratch building parts for the engine. Here is the program that I have set up for myself, but this does not guarantee that I will follow it as I am very subject to change. Build another SBD-1, an SBD-2, an SBD-4 and an SBD-5. Finish the Trumpeter BF 109E-3, then build the Zoukei Mura F-4S 1/48. I think that this would keep me busy and interested for some time to come. Usually I get about 2-4 hours a day and a night. Will I make a hundred years old. I really wouldn't care one way or another as long as I still have my health and faculties. My wonderful Bichon Frieze dog is over 16 years old, has no eyes and is a wonderful companion helping to keep me sane. I will be devastated when he goes. If I do reach 100 I'll say the same thing George Bernes said I will sing at the Palladium in London since I was a big band singer in the 40's and 50's with Television , radio, night clubs and all at the time.

Cheers thumbleft:

I hope your son and daughter recover quickly and fully - keep on hanging in there !

Airframes said:

I hope your son and daughter recover quickly and fully - keep on hanging in there !

Click to expand...

Thank you Airframes

Got an original Accurate Miniatures SBD-5, another SBD-1, an SBD-4 is on the way from Canada for an RNZAF scheme. The Current build of the SBD-1 is almost complete with over 70 hours of building time. I am very displeased with the many problems I've had with this kit, missing parts, lost parts, poor fitting . I am seriously thinking of dropping the project and even though I bought 4 other SBD kits I may just buy a Trumpeter 1/32 SBD-3 for which I have found many good reports . The 4 SBD kits I did buy will probably take up at least a year of building time, probably more judging by the current build with problems. All that is left to do on this is masking and painting the wings and adding the final details. I'll try to stay with it but I am really fed up with the huge amount of time it takes to correct all the problems. In addition the Trumpeter Me BF 109E-3 is almost complete ,and painted for an Armenian squadron, with over 100 hours of work on it. I will post pictures shortly if I don't trash both or at the least put away for a time. I changed my mind about buying a 1/32 scale SBD-3 for now, instead I woke up at 1:00 AM, couldn't sleep so I masked the the SBD-1 in preparation of painting the wings chrome yellow later in the day. When it dries I will post a picture of the progress at this point. When this kit is finished I'll start on the SBD-2 and continue on with the planned builds.