Robert Porter
Senior Master Sergeant
That is a pretty neat approach to that particular problem! Nice of the manufacturer to supply the template!
Short Stirling Mk.V, 46 Sqn RAF.
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- #22
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Robert, and I hope you get the new tail conversion done without problems.
I forgot to post a pic of the 'real' cargo door in my previous post, so here it is.
I forgot to post a pic of the 'real' cargo door in my previous post, so here it is.
Tony Hill
Tech Sergeant
Nice work. Always nervous times, for me anyway, taking a knife/blade/scribe to anything!
Very cool Terry!
T Bolt
Colonel
Nice chop work there Terry
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- #27
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks all !
Not much more to show just yet - working on cutting the new windows and blanking-off the others, and cleaning up the modified areas.
I hope to get down to the construction of the rest of the cockpit area, and maybe get the fuselage joined, over the weekend, and I'll post progress pics then.
Not much more to show just yet - working on cutting the new windows and blanking-off the others, and cleaning up the modified areas.
I hope to get down to the construction of the rest of the cockpit area, and maybe get the fuselage joined, over the weekend, and I'll post progress pics then.
F-104nut
Staff Sergeant
Nice start on the Sterling . Love the detail your adding to the interior. Sterling is one of the great looking bombers. Keep up the great work 
Crimea_River
Marshal
Looks like those parts fit pretty well Terry.
Wildcat
Major
Nice work Terry!
Lovely work so far Terry!
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- #33
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much chaps.
Andy, yes, the fit of the resin parts seems very good, apart from the plug for the mid-upper turret, which is rather vague in the way it locates, and, being rather thick, it's quite heavy, of which more later.
Herman, if I need to engrave a long, straight line, then I use a piece of 'Dymo' tape, stuck in place as an edge guide. The resin template was indeed a nice touch, and worked very well.
I've got the new windows cut, the 'redundant' windows blanked-off and filled, and the resin 'plug' for the mid-upper turret position attached.
PICS 1 to 3. A length of masking tape was first laid across the existing windows, and the shapes cut out to provide a rough template for alignment, spacing and size. The tape was then placed into the required position, using the cut edge at the rear to achieve the correct spacing, and the shapes were then scribed, using a sharpened compass point in a pin vice.
PICS 4 and 5. The roughly scribed 'windows' were then drilled, and the windows cut and filed to shape. Rather than use the kit windows, all of the windows will be glazed with Humbrol Clear fix, after painting the model which, apart from providing a better appearance, will save a lot of awkward masking.
PICS 6 and 7. The Mk.V didn't have all of the cockpit side windows of the earlier Marks, and the extreme rear windows on each side were also deleted, so these were first blanked-off inside with thin plastic card, and then filled with 'Milliput' and the rivet lines added.
PICS 8 and 9. The resin 'plug' for the hole where the mid-upper turret and the 'Taboo Track' would have been, has been attached using CA adhesive. The Magna Models instructions suggest that this should be done by taping the fuselage halves together, and fitting the plug from below, through the bomb bay opening, gluing one side only. I found this very fiddly, and far from precise, as the resin part is quite thick, fairly heavy, and with minimal contact surface.
Instead, the part was fitted 'by eye', and took quite a bit of persuading, needing to be clamped in place, and CA 'fed' into the edges where contact was made with the fuselage.
I wasn't convinced as to the integrity of the bond, fearing the part might collapse into the fuselage when the filler is applied and sanded, so, as insurance against this risk, the kit's turret bin was cut down, fitted to its locating platform, and cemented in place to support the resin 'plug'.
PIC 10. The fit and alignment of the resin plug was checked by taping the fuselage halves together, and it appears to be reasonable. Once the fuselage is cemented together, the plugged aperture will be filled with 'Milliput' and sanded flush with the top surface of the fuselage.
Next stage involves finishing the minimal scratch-building in the cockpit area, painting this and the interior, and fitting the assembly, before joining the fuselage and moving on to the resin nose and tail parts. Hopefully, I'll get this completed tomorrow, and can then proceed with the remainder of the kit construction as per the Airfix instructions, but with the addition of resin carb intakes for the engines.
Andy, yes, the fit of the resin parts seems very good, apart from the plug for the mid-upper turret, which is rather vague in the way it locates, and, being rather thick, it's quite heavy, of which more later.
Herman, if I need to engrave a long, straight line, then I use a piece of 'Dymo' tape, stuck in place as an edge guide. The resin template was indeed a nice touch, and worked very well.
I've got the new windows cut, the 'redundant' windows blanked-off and filled, and the resin 'plug' for the mid-upper turret position attached.
PICS 1 to 3. A length of masking tape was first laid across the existing windows, and the shapes cut out to provide a rough template for alignment, spacing and size. The tape was then placed into the required position, using the cut edge at the rear to achieve the correct spacing, and the shapes were then scribed, using a sharpened compass point in a pin vice.
PICS 4 and 5. The roughly scribed 'windows' were then drilled, and the windows cut and filed to shape. Rather than use the kit windows, all of the windows will be glazed with Humbrol Clear fix, after painting the model which, apart from providing a better appearance, will save a lot of awkward masking.
PICS 6 and 7. The Mk.V didn't have all of the cockpit side windows of the earlier Marks, and the extreme rear windows on each side were also deleted, so these were first blanked-off inside with thin plastic card, and then filled with 'Milliput' and the rivet lines added.
PICS 8 and 9. The resin 'plug' for the hole where the mid-upper turret and the 'Taboo Track' would have been, has been attached using CA adhesive. The Magna Models instructions suggest that this should be done by taping the fuselage halves together, and fitting the plug from below, through the bomb bay opening, gluing one side only. I found this very fiddly, and far from precise, as the resin part is quite thick, fairly heavy, and with minimal contact surface.
Instead, the part was fitted 'by eye', and took quite a bit of persuading, needing to be clamped in place, and CA 'fed' into the edges where contact was made with the fuselage.
I wasn't convinced as to the integrity of the bond, fearing the part might collapse into the fuselage when the filler is applied and sanded, so, as insurance against this risk, the kit's turret bin was cut down, fitted to its locating platform, and cemented in place to support the resin 'plug'.
PIC 10. The fit and alignment of the resin plug was checked by taping the fuselage halves together, and it appears to be reasonable. Once the fuselage is cemented together, the plugged aperture will be filled with 'Milliput' and sanded flush with the top surface of the fuselage.
Next stage involves finishing the minimal scratch-building in the cockpit area, painting this and the interior, and fitting the assembly, before joining the fuselage and moving on to the resin nose and tail parts. Hopefully, I'll get this completed tomorrow, and can then proceed with the remainder of the kit construction as per the Airfix instructions, but with the addition of resin carb intakes for the engines.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Good work Terry.
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- #35
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Andy.
SANCER
Senior Master Sergeant
Terry, that is a good advance and the modifications point to something very interesting is brewing.
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- #37
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much Luis.
I'm fairly pleased so far, and have now got most of the cockpit scratch-building done, although I'm keeping it very basic, as not much will be seen through the thick canopy, and I'm also aiming for a relatively quick build.
I won't be adding extra detail such as the 'Rebecca' antenna, on the exterior either, as they're sure to get broken in transit, as this model, along with the others, will be transported frequently.
I'm fairly pleased so far, and have now got most of the cockpit scratch-building done, although I'm keeping it very basic, as not much will be seen through the thick canopy, and I'm also aiming for a relatively quick build.
I won't be adding extra detail such as the 'Rebecca' antenna, on the exterior either, as they're sure to get broken in transit, as this model, along with the others, will be transported frequently.
Robert Porter
Senior Master Sergeant
Very nicely done! Love your idea of using the masking tape as a template. That one got filed away for future use!
T Bolt
Colonel
Looking good Terry.
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