Short Stirling Mk.V, 46 Sqn RAF.

[Airframes]

Thanks Glenn, and yes, get your's finished.
Got the Italeri Stirling Mk.1 still to do, for a small museum - rather behind schedule on that one, but it's a great kit, and should go together well.

 

[fubar57]

Great job on the innards Terry. I wish I had been smart and did multi-engines in 1/72. Where the h - e - double hockey sticks am I gonna put my 1/48 AC-130?

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Geo.
I've been considering that same problem for my 1/48th scale Lancaster and B-24 - and I very nearly got a 1/48th C-130 to do as a RAF bird, but the size / display problem ruled that out !!

 

[T Bolt]

I have a 1/48th B-24 that I stopped building at the point I was about to put the wings on because I had nowhere t display it. It's been sitting in the box like that now for 16 years.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Hugh.

The turret 'plug', nose and tail section joints have now been filled with 'Milliput' and roughly moulded to shape.
This will be left to set overnight, and sanded to blend with the fuselage tomorrow. Meanwhile, I've made a start on preparing the wings and empannage, with a few sink holes filled, and the removal of a little flash.
The larger area of 'Milliput' immediately aft of the nose joint is filling a dimple-like depression which is the remainder of the streamlining for the front turret fairing.
If I can get the sanding done to my satisfaction tomorrow, the next step will be to mask, fit, and blend-in
the canopy - a long job, as there are many frames, and the definition is not the best.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Thanks my friend, and thanks also for altering the arrangement of the pics - I forgot to up-load the final pic, and when I edited the post, it messed things up !

 

[Robert Porter]

As for display of large models, I am planning on hanging mine on the wall. I found some plate hangers that can easily be shaped to go under and around the wings like a hook. This way I can see them and still pick them up to show. Of course I will have to dust the dang things.

 

[parsifal]

good progress Terry. Milliput looks lie a very useful product. that was a substantial amount of fill to do. I would have thought there might be strength issues, but it seems to be holding up pretty well

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Michael.
I was a tad concerned that the resin turret 'plug' might collapse inside the fuselage, as the area of actual contact, resin to plastic, is fairly minimal. However, it did seem to be firmly fixed, but as an insurance, I adapted the kit turret bin, and fitted this underneath the 'plug' to support it, as shown below.
With the 'Milliput' in place, once fully set, the area should be strong enough.

 

[SANCER]

Good progress so far Terry, you get along very well !!

 

[T Bolt]

Looks like the modifications are going very nicely

 

[Robert Porter]

Very creative solution, filed that one away as well!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.
Hoping to get the sanding done tonight, then start on that long job of masking the canopy.

 

[Crimea_River]

Smooth sailing so far. Looking good.

 

[Wurger]

 

[turbo]

Nice work Terry. Masking, urghhh....

 

[Airframes]

Thanks again chaps.
Got the sanding done last night, and so far it looks reasonable. Going to give the areas a coat of primer to check them, and then adjust if required.
Not really looking forward to masking the canopy - as mentioned, the frames are very feintly defined, and there are lots of them !

 

[Airframes]

The joints on the resin parts appear to be mainly fine, after a coat of primer, although the tail needs a tiny bit more filler at one small point, and the turret 'plug' may need a little more sanding down the center line - I'll know more when the paint is fully dry.

Not much to show just yet, apart from gray blobs of primer, but, given it's hard enough to sand by tomorrow, I hope to get this part completed, the canopy masked and fitted, and the fuselage primed, before moving on to the construction of the wings etc.
I'll probably break from my normal practice, and paint the model before fitting the wings.