I thought I had been cured...

[PR19_Kit]

Those ResKit 'cages' are wonders to behold, unless the cage is far larger than the item it's protecting!

While trying to 'uncage' some of the weapons for my1 Week Build candidate, the item inside pinged off into the distance, never to be seen again. Luckily it turns out it would have been invisible anyway, but I don't relish un-caging the other ResKit stuff I have planned for it.

[Gondor]

Those ResKit 'cages' are wonders to behold, unless the cage is far larger than the item it's protecting!

While trying to 'uncage' some of the weapons for my1 Week Build candidate, the item inside pinged off into the distance, never to be seen again. Luckily it turns out it would have been invisible anyway, but I don't relish un-caging the other ResKit stuff I have planned for it.

The problem I have is trying to separate parts that have been printed in brittle resin and are in 1/600. Look at some of those parts wrong and they can be in several pieces. The Redtops were very easy to separate using a long pair of very small scissors and carefully pokeing then through the cage.

Gondor

[scautomoton]

so, the intent was always for this conversion to be relatively straightforward. So in the interests of that I've just redesigned the front fuselage to incorporate the inlet duct and a cockpit identical to the Airfix one. This means the Airfix console and coaming (plus decals) would still be used, but remove the overly fiddly trimming and potential breaking of parts. When it's good enough I'll post out to those who've bought a kit already. First effort printing as we, er, speak.

[Gondor]

so, the intent was always for this conversion to be relatively straightforward. So in the interests of that I've just redesigned the front fuselage to incorporate the inlet duct and a cockpit identical to the Airfix one. This means the Airfix console and coaming (plus decals) would still be used, but remove the overly fiddly trimming and potential breaking of parts. When it's good enough I'll post out to those who've bought a kit already. First effort printing as we, er, speak.

Another possible way would be to make the existing forward fuselage into two pieces. There is a vertical panel line just in front of the cockpit, which meets a horizontal line that runs under where the front of the wing meets the fuselage. That way, the cockpit tub could be fitted inside the upper part of the fuselage while the intake trunking would fit as normal.

Gondor

[scautomoton]

Gondor

The problem then is ensuring the print is perfectly square on all the joins. I did something similar with the AW.169 kit, and I was never really happy with it, but it was the least troublesome option for such an odd cockpit.

The only reason I originally made the inlet separate was because of the radome. But I found that could be fitted last and from the front. So the inlet can be integrated into the fuselage. Plus its no easier to paint when separate, neither is the cockpit. 

[Gondor]

Gondor

The problem then is ensuring the print is perfectly square on all the joins. I did something similar with the AW.169 kit, and I was never really happy with it, but it was the least troublesome option for such an odd cockpit.

The only reason I originally made the inlet separate was because of the radome. But I found that could be fitted last and from the front. So the inlet can be integrated into the fuselage. Plus its no easier to paint when separate, neither is the cockpit.

Sorry to have caused you so much extra work on what is an amazing conversion set. It is possible that the problem is me being ham fisted.

Gondor

[scautomoton]

Gondor

The problem then is ensuring the print is perfectly square on all the joins. I did something similar with the AW.169 kit, and I was never really happy with it, but it was the least troublesome option for such an odd cockpit.

The only reason I originally made the inlet separate was because of the radome. But I found that could be fitted last and from the front. So the inlet can be integrated into the fuselage. Plus its no easier to paint when separate, neither is the cockpit.

Sorry to have caused you so much extra work on what is an amazing conversion set. It is possible that the problem is me being ham fisted.

Gondor

not at all, I had it in my mind to use as much of the Airfix kit as possible, but in hindsight this probably wasn't the best decision. And its only taken me a couple of hours to redesign anyway, so I should have done it from the get-go.

[Gondor]

As the forward fuselage is on hold at the moment, the rest of the aircraft got some attention.

Due to my trying to fit the engine exhausts incorrectly, and then messing up fitting the flame holders to their ends. I fitted some black plastic card, just to be sure the ends were blocked off.



Once the glue was fully dry, the rear and centre fuselage sections were glued together.



A little work needed on the seam, but not much, as it's on a panel line. Next up, fitting pins for the fin.



One casualty, the first I have broken for some time. I am going to have to order more as I don't have any replacements of 0.5mm size.



Just a small amount of cleaning up to do. The fin will be fitted later in the build.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Another case of two steps forward and one step back.
The undersides of the wings have been sanded and primed, only the primer shows a slight change between the edge of the filler and the plastic of the wing, so more sanding is needed. I also found that I had got the cockpit tub slightly off vertical, which probably didn't help with my attempts at getting the interior to fit into the forward fuselage. I have removed the cockpit tub and attempted to see how well it fits into the upper part of the fuselage, only to drop everything onto the floor. The forward fuselage is now sitting with a section of the nose ring glued back into place     
I have just realised that I can't glue the cockpit tub into place and then fit the intake trunking, as the trunking is too large in front of and behind the tub, so they have to be fitted at the same time!   
This is going to be fun to get right.   

Gondor