T Bolt's 1:1 P-47 Cockpit

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Unfortunately I haven't had time to do anything on it in a while. Next step is to finish the cockpit framing and buy some aluminum sheet for the skin and start attaching it. I have collected most of the interior equipment I need. just have to finish fabricating the main switch box. The only thing I don't have is the time to work on it. Maybe this winter when things slow down.
 
I'm back to work after 1 year and 10 months! Hard to believe it's been that long but today I pulled the sheet off it and got back to it.
I took that hunk of oak mentioned in a previous post and worked it into a mold to bend 3mm aluminum sheet over to make up the cripple frames under the canopy sill. These small frames have a curved back to follow the fuselage side and are unfortunately all slightly different sizes due to the sill not being quite parallel with the horizontal brace beneath it. Not quite sure why that happened, but if I put the sill parallel, the canopy would not fit so I'm stuck with it. The difference between the longest and shortest cripple is only about 3/8" anyway. I'll make the longer ones first and cut down my mold a little at a time as I make up the shorter ones.
I'm off work and at home for the rest of the week so I hope to be able to make up all 8 cripples if not get them installed (have to wait for warmer outside temps to paint them) by the end of the week.

 
Last edited:
I spent quite a lot of time making up the cripple frames today. I had hoped to finish all 8 and take advantage of the 50 degree temperature today for painting but I only finished 4 of them. Sub freezing temps starting tonight and going for the foreseeable future so no painting for a while. I had forgotten just how much time is needed to make up these parts - layout, cutting, cleanup with a file, bend, repeat.......

(1) The parts laid out and (2) cut out. After a close look at a picture I had I realized that the connection at the bottom of the frame was a separate bent angle so I decided to cut off the bottom tab. This will also make installation easier although now I have to make the bent angles too.
(3 to 5) Bending one of the parts with a rubber mallet.
(6) One of the completed parts.
(78 ) test fitting the parts. Looks like they will work.
(9) Total production for the day. I won't be trying to make a living at this :lol

I spent quite a lot of time making up the cripple frames today. I had hoped to finish all 8 and take advantage of the 50 degree temperature today for painting but I only finished 4 of them. Sub freezing temps starting tonight and going for the foreseeable future so no painting for a while. I had forgotten just how much time is needed to make up these parts - layout, cutting, cleanup with a file, bend, repeat.......

(1) The parts laid out and (2) cut out. After a close look at a picture I had I realized that the connection at the bottom of the frame was a separate bent angle so I decided to cut off the bottom tab. This will also make installation easier although now I have to make the bent angles too.
(3 to 5) Bending one of the parts with a rubber mallet.
(6) One of the completed parts.
(78 ) test fitting the parts. Looks like they will work.
(9) Total production for the day. I won't be trying to make a living at this :lol
 
Last edited:
Tbolt,

Interesting build. I have also looked at Geedee's P51 1:1 cockpit as well and I find myself asking the question, what the heck do you to plan to do with this after its built?
Display it for friends and modelers to admire? Sit in it and revel in the fact that your actually sitting in an accurate representation of a P-47 cockpit you built?, Slap a monitor in front of the wind screen and play Flight Sims or all of the above??

I have never seen anything like this before so I will make pre-emptive apology if my questions offend.
 
No offense, "Sit in it and revel in the fact that your actually sitting in an accurate representation of a P-47 cockpit you built" probably comes closest. The whole thing when I started collection aircraft instruments. After I had a few I thought "you know if I got a piece of sheet metal and cut holes in it I could display them" with no particular aircraft in mind. Then I started looking at pictures of control panels and settled on the p-47 intending on making a bracket for it and mounting it on the wall. Then I picked up the throttle quadrant and I had to somehow incorporate that into it. And then I found the windscreen and things really got out of hand and it was a case of keeping it to a size small enough that I could still get it up the stairs.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

1/48 Classic Airframes Boeing P-12E
Replies
8
Views
332
Grant Barr
Tamiya 1/48 P-47D-22, s.n. 42-26044, HV-Z ‘’Silver Lady’
Replies
13
Views
832
zaxos345
Dazzled 1/48 NA-91 / P-51A? kit
5 6 7
Replies
132
Views
7K
Gnomey
My next project. Tamiya's 1/32 F4U-1D Corsair.
Replies
5
Views
321
javlin
Airfix 1/48 P-51-D "Stinky"
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
4K
Grant Barr
Menu
Log in
Register