I got the cockpit finished today. After working on the Ar 234, ANY cockpit is quick by comparison !
The top instrument panel is glued to the fuselage. It’s tough to light the cockpit, but it’s kinda visable.
The shoulder harnesses are glued to the “shelf” behind the pilot. I need to bend these into shape before I can bring everything together.
I “salvaged” the engine from a derelict TA 152 I built about 10 years ago (pitiful build of mine ! ), and I can use it on this aircraft. I’ll start opening the wheel wells and adding the engine tomorrow.
I always tell myself not to look at your posts![:)]
After I get over my feelings of inadequacy, your cockpit posts are always a real gem. Looking good Bill!
Alright!!
Very nice, as usual, Pix. Can’t wait to see the finished plane.
I love the Dora…and a mate is giving me a Trimaster Fw190D-9 - it’s already in the post - I just have to wait a little while. Great to see one being built to give me inspiration.
hey Pix
great detail as always.
somehow (!) i think i missed your Ar234 - do you have a link to some pics?
also, i was wondering what scheme this airecraft was going to be?
Thank you crockett, grenadier, wooverstone, Lee, Nicholas, polobadre, and Jason !
crockett - there are quite a few PE parts for this kit. I’ll edit to include a pic.
grenadier - it’s disappointing that you’d avoid looking at my posts. I just want to share my work.
Lee - congrats on getting one of these kits for free ! I paid $40 apiece for mine from Squadron !
nicholas - here’s the link to the Ar 234: http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36349
I have a set of Eagle Cals markings coming for this bird. It will be one of the late-war schemes, with different colored panels, and partial NMF on the undersurfaces. It’s the bottom one here:
Jason - the cowl panels will remain closed. The rear 1/3 of the engine is visable through the wheel wells.
Nice pit Pix, very impressive.
You have to love those Trimaster kits, sensational for their time.
Managed to pick up the He 162A-2 Trimaster from eBay for a steal[:D], will be detailing the engine on that one for sure[;)]
Thanks Frank, tweety, Thad, ron b, Tankmaster, Rick, and Steve-O !
tweety - Great Models had that kit listed as available, so I ordered a couple. They never came. With my luck, they sold the last one 5 minutes before I placed my order ! I want one of those too. The new 1/32 kit looks interesting, but it would disrupt my scale consistency.
Steve-O - if I do a web page, I may have to call it "Pix’s Fleugzeugwerke (sp?) !
I made the big step today and cut out the center (dimpled) portion of the wheel well piece. I also assembled and added the brake lines to the gear legs. The tailwheel is one solid piece of white metal, so I carved out the yoke portion above the tire. The engine was separated from the mounts, and the mounts were cleaned up and glued to a sheet styrene firewall. All the stuff to be painted RLM 02 was ready, so I started painting. I’m in between coats as I type !
I repainted areas of the engine, and gave it a wash and drybrush. I have several gauges of solder and wire, so hopefully I’ll be able to make the wheel wells look busy enough to be convincing.
I’ll post pics later of today’s progress.
Yes, I’m thinking of doing a webpage. I’d like to do builds on consignment, since Social Security Disability just covers my bills. Things are so tight now that I probably won’t be able to afford a new kit until summer. [:(] Oh well. Ya work with what ya got !
This one shows the engine, mounts, fuselage, wheel wells, and lower wing dryfitted. The front of the wing hasn’t been aligned as closely as it will when the glue is applied. This is just to make sure it all fits, and give me an idea of which areas I need to fill with cables and hoses.
There was a little lip at the front of the wing where it runs along the fuselage bottom. I needed to remove this to fit the engine, but I nicked a little off the leading edge of the wing. This is the only gap on this kit that will need filling.
Here is a pic of the landing gear and doors. The main gear leg brake lines are made from solder and copper wire. The larger stuff at the top is solder, with wire running the length of the leg. There are three electrical wires that run from the retraction arms into the wells. These are yellow, and will be added after the wash and drybrush are done.
The tailwheel yoke has been hollowed out so it doesn’t look like a single piece of white metal. The tailwheel was brush painted with Color of Eagles Tire Black acrylic paint.
Well, I think that’s enough work for one day ! Thanks for looking !
