SPA Modeler

Welcome back,
The thing I like about our hobby is that it is a leveller. That is, you can be moving forward on a build, where seemingly nothing has gone wrong, you get some nice comments about your work, your head starts to swell slightly and then the modelling gods throw you a curve ball and you get smacked back to reality. Such happened to me today, not as drastic as I may have made out, but just enough to cause me to say "Pay attention to what you are doing." The incidents and there are two, that have caused this rant is simple in its execution. First, I was flipping through my Squadron walk around reference, revelling in the glory of my rescribe D lower panel when I came across this photo:



The panel I had scribed and then showed to all with such hubris was the one that is on the A8, not the A5! Out with the PPP and fill the mistake, await it to dry and then rescribe the correct panel, using some scribing templates and some swearing. The second occurred just after I had remedied the last, I was drilling out the port side MGFF opening, where I had installed the styrene rod to reduce the gaping hole I had created. The drill was travelling fine and I wasn't really paying attention, pushed just a bit more and the styrene rod gave way from the wing leading edge and I now had the same hole, in fact maybe slightly bigger! Ah well, back to earth and some more styrene rod has been inserted and I will wait and try again:



So a couple of hours I could have used better. I did have a win though, just to even it out. I gave the pilot's head armour plate and canopy internals a wash with AK Neutral Grey. Whilst this was drying, I drilled a small hole through the canopy from the inside and threaded EZ Line through the hole. Then through the canopy upper guide and the hole in the rear mounting plate. Secure with CA and then secure the internals into the canopy. Let that dry a bit and then carefully stretch the EZ line and a small drop of CA to secure it to the hole in the canopy:











The free end will be attached to the tail in due course. I then masked the canopy to keep dust out and protect the fragile innards:



So, in theory, the canopy is now complete except for final external painting.

Regards,

Been there , done that...................all too many times. Hang in there Kent as we've all been guilty of that. Great recovery and great progress on that canopy.

Sensational fix man! I know the feeling. This kind of thing happens to me on a more than regular basis. I'm always taking two steps backward for every one step forward it seems.

Brilliant fix, looking forward to seeing more.

Thanks lads,

Even if the issues are of my own creation! Here's that underside panel:



I finished up the prep work on the fuselage Including replacing the two strengthening plates on the rear of the wing joins which I had removed by sanding. I cut two pieces of BMF to length and set them in place, using the end of a toothpick to make the circular impressions:





The repaired MGFF opening in the port wing:



I then shot a coat of Tamiya Fine Grey Primer overall and a couple of smaller parts such as the wheels and rudder (which will be all yellow). The work on the wing root joins came up well and I am happy with what I have so far. I have touched up some areas that needed it, including the windscreen join on the starboard side:











Many thanks,

The revised panel looks great now. You even captured the slightly asymetrical position. First coat of primer is promising.

mostrich wrote:The revised panel looks great now. You even captured the slightly asymetrical position. First coat of primer is promising.

Thanks,
I would like to say I planned that from the start....

Looks like all the seams are behaving. I can see a couple of issues but it's gonna take a really good eye to see them when this is completed. Lookin' good Kent.

mustang1989 wrote:Looks like all the seams are behaving. I can see a couple of issues but it's gonna take a really good eye to see them when this is completed. Lookin' good Kent.

Thanks buddy,

I also see a couple of touch up points, mainly the LE which I will address with CA. The gun covers will also get a dab of putty to lessen the gaps. The rudder and engine underside got their RLM 04 late yesterday and some decals on the MLG gear legs.

Regards,

Welcome back,

Not a great deal of bench time. I did manage go over the minor gaps in the wing LE with some CA and light sandpaper. I also tidied up the gaps around the wing root gun covers and I masked the MLG openings with damp tissue and managed to paint and mask the RLM 04 yellow underside engine panel. After a couple of days, I shot the RLM 76 on the undersides and fuselage sides. All the masking came off and I was left with this (the strips on the side are the PE gun cover hinges which I forgot to add prior to painting):







I also painted the rudder in RLM 04, did the MLG covers on their undersides as well as the prop and spinner in RLM 70. The wheels were done with RLM 66:



Regards,