I thought I had been cured...

[NARSES2]

We've all done something similar.  The real problem is when you've somehow used brute force to get the part to fit and then realise what you describe. 

Or you've had a serious go with the sanding/grinding/cutting tools before you've realised your mistake.

Done that as well 

[PR19_Kit]

Or found out you were trying to fit a piece from totally the wrong kit!

[Gondor]

I have done all of the above, not with this conversion set though.

I am seriously thinking about getting a second one, which I would do in West German markings borrowed from either an F-104 or F-4F.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Me being me, I decided to make an alteration to the model, although I call it a detail enhancement.

To start, I drilled out the notch in the fin, which represents the Accessory Drive Cooling-Air Intake



So once that was done, I simply had to change an oval depression in the rear fuselage, into the Accessory Gearbox Turbopump Exhaust 

Here is a picture of the exhaust fitted after drilling out the hole. Some plastic tubing I had in stock fitted nicely and had the benefit of being easily worked.





Obviously I used more than was needed, so I trimmed back the excess.



The Rule worked a treat as a saw, flexible yet strong, but importantly, long as none of my other saws would reach.

The inside of the tube and a piece of scrap plastic were painted black, then the scrap was glued onto the inside of the tube.



The fuselage side had also been painted black, as the joint between the tube and the fuselage had been filled and sanded back. The black paint was also sanded back to show if there was any part that needed reworking.



That's good enough for me 

Gondor

[Gondor]

I'm a bit of an idiot     

I had test-fitted the exhaust pipes into the rear fuselage. Now they are stuck!

Fortunately, they are in the correct place, so they can stay where they are. The difficulty will be fitting the flame catchers onto the ends of the exhausts.

Gondor

[Rick Lowe]

Oops... yes, done that too... and damaged the bits getting them out again... 

[scautomoton]

I'm a bit of an idiot     

I had test-fitted the exhaust pipes into the rear fuselage. Now they are stuck!

Fortunately, they are in the correct place, so they can stay where they are. The difficulty will be fitting the flame catchers onto the ends of the exhausts.

Gondor

They should just push out from the inside (tolerances are snug), presuming you haven't glued the fuselage together yet that is....

[Gondor]

I'm a bit of an idiot     

I had test-fitted the exhaust pipes into the rear fuselage. Now they are stuck!

Fortunately, they are in the correct place, so they can stay where they are. The difficulty will be fitting the flame catchers onto the ends of the exhausts.

Gondor

They should just push out from the inside (tolerances are snug), presuming you haven't glued the fuselage together yet that is....

They have pushed out in the past. This time they were pushed in a little bit further so that I could test the fit of the exhaust nozzles and they stuck. It's not a problem as the nozzles will keep the parts glued together.
It's a problem of my own making combined with some very tight tolerances and it's something I can work with and around. Next time I will file out the inside of the fuselage slightly. I assume that you got my request and the funds for a second of the P.8 conversions Stuart?

Gondor

[scautomoton]

yes, will try to get to the post office today.

[buzzbomb]

super nice work on both the 3D components and the build so far.

[Gondor]

It's been a one-step-forward, two-steps-backwards kind of day.



Que the theme from "The Six Million Dollar Man"

I pushed a little bit too much and then could not get the parts out of the forward fuselage. I am currently rebuilding the rear of the intake. The fuselage section has been glued back together and is currently drying. I believe I have all the bits that broke off. When I go to refit everything, I shall take things very slowly when fitting the insides, removing and sanding down the slightest high spot. I don't want to have to go through that again.

Gondor

[Gondor]

So, while the glue dries, I have decided to get on with some other tasks. The Baracuda ejection seats I bought to go with this conversion have been given a coating of Hataka NATO black paint, and I decided to open up this little box.



After some careful cutting and a little sanding, I now have these.



I think they look rather good. I didn't need to remove the launch rails that came with them, as they are built into the wing tips. Talking of wings, Earlier today I sanded back the filler I applied around the doors and found a couple of slight depressions which have had more filler applied to, so they will be worked on tomorow when I will then have to decide what panel lines to introduce on the underside of the wings as the P.8 would not need openings there.

Gondor

[scautomoton]

ahh, bad times. Yeah, this Elegoo resin is more fragile that the Anycubic stuff I was using. It tends to fracture like ceramic. Once I finish off the several litres I have I may switch to an ABS Resin instead.

To push the cockpit and inlet back out, I was using a pair of tweezers and pushing on the base of the rear bulkhead where the ejector seat would sit. I'll add something to the instructions version ZZZ plural Z-alpha....

[Gondor]

ahh, bad times. Yeah, this Elegoo resin is more fragile that the Anycubic stuff I was using. It tends to fracture like ceramic. Once I finish off the several litres I have I may switch to an ABS Resin instead.

To push the cockpit and inlet back out, I was using a pair of tweezers and pushing on the base of the rear bulkhead where the ejector seat would sit. I'll add something to the instructions version ZZZ plural Z-alpha....

Funny you should say that, it was exactly what I tried. The brakes happened from my using a pair of pliers to try and pull the intake duct out from the rear. Part of the problem may have been my forgetting to trim the height of the instrument panel, and maybe not trimming the cockpit tub enough. I actually decided to cut the lower fuselage where the section broke off to the undercarriage bay, so that any pressure towards the rear of the front fuselage would be lessened. It didn't help much, so the problem must have been nearer the nose.

I will do better when I refit the parts, and also with the second set.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Just as I was thinking of going to bed last night, I decided that this fit problem I was having needed me to have another go at it. So I filed down the sides of the cockpit tub even further and then got the darn thing stuck again! 

This time though, I found out what the problem was.    The rear of the tub was catching on part of the fuselage behind it. There was no flexibility in the tub to move it out of the way, so the only thing I could do was to cut along the top of the fuselage and pry it open to help the tub and the intake trunking to be removed.

I then glued the fuselage back together and cut the rear of the tub away behind the "roll bar" for want of a better name.



And here it is with an unadulterated tub



Since this picture, I have test-fitted the trunking and tub into the fuselage and removed it. Admittedly, I needed to push the "roll bar" down slightly to enable me to remove the parts, but it worked. So as I finish making adjustments, I will be able to fit and remove the parts as required. Any gap I have above and behind the "roll bar" can be dealt with after the parts are in for the last time.

Gondor