Flyer Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Evening Lads, Better late than never. As soem of you may be aware, I'vce decided to model the RNZAF 50th Anniversary A4; however this is a two seater, so I've had to amend the plan. I've done so with tracing paper, pencil, calkculator and a fine merlot! The result, as you may be able to see, is that the nose is larger, and the canopy is substantially larger. I will be refining the drawings over the next few days before committing balsa. The former F2 looks as if it needs to come forward to the front part where the camopy meets the fuselage, whilst I will be introducing an additional former (F2A) at a similar size and shape to F3, at the mid point. I've not yet considered the battery box, but this should locate itself between F2 and F2A. I'm not 100% sure on the profile yet, but from the drawinsg and kit I have, it looks passable. But I'm open to any opinion to the contrary. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Gilliver Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Hi Flyer, I have also decided on the anniversary TA4k and have come to similar conclusions re: bulkheads required I have overhead projected the ta4 3view onto the plan so think it is fairly accurate, I was a bit surprised how high the canopy was compared to the single seater as I don't remember that much difference from working on them. If you are going for the gold colour scheme I will do mine in the test scheme as shown in my post. to my knowledge the gold scheme never flew without the drop tanks installed, do you plan to fit those? the viz test /concept scheme did fly with and without so I probably won't bother with them. Cheers Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 HI Graham. It was the height of the canopy that suprised me too. I've seen pictures of the A4 with the drop tanks, but probably won't have time to make them. BUt mine's 'far way away standoff scale' so may make them, but possibly only for static display. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Gilliver Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Hi Ade, Drop tanks for display sounds good would save making that long delicate undercarriage. My T'bird will definitely be stand in the next county scale , but it 's good to start close to accurate so the impression is easily achieved do you have some connection with the RNZAF ? I served from 1969 til about 1980. somewhere I have the original painters instructions for the gold colour scheme, hope to have a chance to search for them shortly. IF I can find them and get them scanned I'll get a copy to you. don't hold your breath tho' they are not where I first thought, so goodness knows what safe place I've put them in! I look forward to seeing your model develop on here. Cheers graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 Posted by graham Gilliver on 17/03/2016 23:14:03: Hi Ade, Drop tanks for display sounds good would save making that long delicate undercarriage. My T'bird will definitely be stand in the next county scale , but it 's good to start close to accurate so the impression is easily achieved do you have some connection with the RNZAF ? I served from 1969 til about 1980. somewhere I have the original painters instructions for the gold colour scheme, hope to have a chance to search for them shortly. IF I can find them and get them scanned I'll get a copy to you. don't hold your breath tho' they are not where I first thought, so goodness knows what safe place I've put them in! I look forward to seeing your model develop on here. Cheers graham No connection at all with the RNZAF, just found the picture and thought that I would be different. Nice to chat with someone who has actually served there. Thanks for the encouragement. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Gilliver Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Hi Ade, On closer look at our plans I find I haven't enlarged the nose section at all, the 3 view I projected came up with a virtually identical nose with just the few inches added in and the higher canopy i will try to attach a pic of my plan to my blog "Aussie build" so you can see what I mean. superimposing A4 and TA4 3views and shining a light thru also shows a very similar nose shape, I will use the kit nose former and F1/F2 and add an F2b with a simple sloping canopy base probably of 1/4" balsa more than likely it will allow me to eliminate the doubler strips along the top of the fuse sides at the nose. cheers Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Gilliver Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 hi again Ade, I still haven't been able to find those drawings, hope I haven't lost them during on of our house moves. I didn't see the difference in height of centre line so have kept the new nose on the same line, doesn't look too bad so may leave it there as it will be simpler to build....don't tell anyone, it may also be a little more vulnerable during landings but if you saw most of my landings you would know that a it is not possible to prevent damage then. keep up the good work, I have a few days off coming up so after a bit of gardening and pool maintenance ( for brownie points) I hope to make a start. probably start with wings as I don't plan any significant changes there. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 HI Graham,, I'll measure the positioning of the nose on the center line, as it probably be easier to use the formers in the pack and juts add a few more. I'll be building from next weekend, so will put up pics of the changes to the plan I've made. And I call my landings after the plane stops moving.......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Finally started! But have realised that the length of the two seater requires the joining of two pieces of 1/8th balsa. Is a scarf joint going to be strong enough? Bearing in mind I'm adding an additional former similar in dimensions to A2. Also. the nose is slightly different profile, so I'm adjusting that. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Gilliver Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hi Ade, good to hear you are on your way, I was lucky enuf to get some 48" sheet so didn't need to join things, I would say a scarfe join would be ok as there is a heap of support with thick balsa top and bottom of the fuse in that area. will you be glassing the fuse? as that will also help. my fuse is partly assembled with nose and tail pinched? together and a bit of shaping done around the nose. I think it is looking pretty close now so have made a start on the wings and am prepping for the intake covering, things are a bit slow at present with work but should look up over the next little while. Cheers Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouncebounce crunch Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Good to read the build is on. I had a look at many A4s after the Cyril Carr (Vulcan bomber Pilot) article in RCM&E. The 2 seat version definately has a pronounced cockpit. good luck and keep us posted. bbc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted June 29, 2016 Author Share Posted June 29, 2016 Strangely, I am starting to enjoy the build. I've not built from a plan in probably 20 years, so I'm a little 'rusty'. As I've extended the fuselage I have had to build a new battery box, and add an additional former (now called 'A2a'. The help I've received from other builds has been invaluable, although I've still made the 'odd' mistake. I have decided to go with the supplied nose section, as it appears close enough to my 1/48th plastic kit. I am also hoping to shoehorn a 'Real Model Pilot' half pilot and seat into the gap. I will try and post pictures up this evening of progress. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted June 29, 2016 Author Share Posted June 29, 2016 Also, just ordered my two jet jockey's from Real Pilots........ progress at last!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Well done Ade - get those pictures up soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Yes we are watching!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted June 29, 2016 Author Share Posted June 29, 2016 I'm trying to catch up , honest............... Here's some pics to prove that I have actually started. Tbh, now that I have I am really getting into it. Hopefully glue up fuselage over the weekend, then at least it will (hopefully) look like an A4........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted July 6, 2016 Author Share Posted July 6, 2016 Now I've just started the wing and my thoughts are turning towards the finishing. I looking at a glass cloth finish with a spray finish. Would this paint be suitable? http://www.diy.com/departments/colours-gold-spray-paint-400-ml/172001_BQ.prd Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 The reviews of the paint aren't great - some saying it looks yellow. Try on a test piece first, and keep your receipt Any rattle can paint should work, just ensure you have a well primed surface to start off with. Halfords do big tins of Peugeot Blaze Yellow, which is a nice colour and might be close? Here it is on my Valkyrie fuselage. Or just look at the racks of colours they usually hold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted July 10, 2016 Author Share Posted July 10, 2016 Thanks for the help lads; I've just formed the fuselage and air intakes by using the amonia technique..........thankfully, SWMBO was out !!! Now starting on wings. By the way, a very kind postman delivered my two pilots this week; very impressed by Real Model Pilot pilots. I should still make the Orme in September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Nice depth to the cockpit, good to see some extra detail in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted July 23, 2016 Author Share Posted July 23, 2016 memo to self:............ do not use excessive heat when trying to shrink pop bottle over plug made of blue foam covered in car body filler........... new plug now being shaped....... And the bottle is too short for the two seater canopy. Any other options for canopy material? cheers Ade.,,,,,,, now resorting to a fine merlot to find the solution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 NOw I've calmed down from my disappointment of ruining the first mould, I have a solution. The twin seater's canopy is way too long for the pop bottle method, so I've now discounted that. I do have a client who moulds acrylic sheet for a living; so I've managed to get him to mould the canopy, off my mould, with his vac forming kit etc. That should give a better result. He's also able to source the plastic for the canopy, so that saves me the bother. As most of the work is in creating the mould, he said it will not cost me much (basically just the materials and a small amount for his time). I am hoping to get this done sometime next week. That should ensure that I will be back on track. I also woke up in a cold sweat this morning thinking that I'd positioned the air intakes all wrong. Luckily though, I've looked at my scale drawinsg and mine are a reasonable approximation. (from 200 yards with dark glasses!) So please, be gentle with me when judging my workmanship Finally, I've now taken the plunge, and the very nice delivery man brought me a present today, a Futaba 14SG... (so I can now have no excuse for not building the C130 over th winter). By the end of next week I should be ready to cover the whole airframe, so should still make the Orme. Thanks to all the guys that have posted up pics of various parts of the build; it's been invaluable to me understanding what I am trying to achive. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 I've now sorted the canopy plug (again). I was having a little difficulty seating it correctly. So I've tried to 'level' the base of the plug by putting a temporary floor (tacked on with cyno), and covering the fuselage etc with cling film. A 'liberal' squirt of expanding foam was placed onto the cling film covered base, and the plug was placed into the foam and allowed to set. I will trim off the excess this evening, thus leaving me with a correctly fitting plug. I will have the canopy pulled early next week. A picture explains this better I think: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 The wine explains it all the better. Nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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