Looking great so far! 

Those sink marks would look awful on a real aircraft, but given how beat up and modified this thing is, you could take the view that they're the natural rippling and distortion of the skin panels caused by them not being supported in the way the designer intended.

Quote from: Weaver on February 25, 2024, 08:28:03 AMLooking great so far! 

Those sink marks would look awful on a real aircraft, but given how beat up and modified this thing is, you could take the view that they're the natural rippling and distortion of the skin panels caused by them not being supported in the way the designer intended.

Ooo, I like that work-around!
Have to remember that for future use. 

Or just that the maneuvers the thing has been put through stressed it more than the designers and builders had envisaged.

yeah that is a pretty niffty excuse. It didn't even cross my mind 

I've thinned out those panel edges and now they look way better and like plates sitting on bars as opposed to molded on
Before:


After:

Yeah! *That* was worth the doing. 

I can't help but thinking about kitbashing one of these with a 1/24 Mosquito.

Way out of my price range but still...

Once more inspiring awe with your dedication & skills!  

This will be worth the work! Have you thought about what to use for the NMF?

Oh that's WAY better - nice work!

thanks guys - I think it looks better too - although according to some reference photos I have been given, I should've left the center one alone (by the pilot) as that actually has thicker panels. Oh well....

So last night, I had an epiphany regarding the lighting. I was playing around with the engine section last night working out what goes where etc when it dawned on me that I did not need to cast the engine cover end in clear resin. In fact, that was an incredibly bad idea. As it turns out, a simple clear plastic circle that's been sanded on one side to diffuse the light will be fine. And I'm glad I worked that out when I did as I was able to remove the semi dried resin before it fully cured against the cover. Also, I had run off in places I was not expecting, so again, good timing to be appreciated.

Anyway, I was having doubts on how I was going to be able to put the big spikey thing inside the cover when there would have been resin covering the opening. It was then I realised "crap, I hope I still have those discs I cut out of the end", as they already have the locating pins in place. Thank goodness I had the foresight to keep them just in case coz now is that case.
So, revised lighting plan. I am going to have to use filament as that is the only way I can get light within the space allocated. I bought a couple of 130mm filaments to wind onto the mounting nub. I'll drill 2 holes, one above the other and wind the filament around it. I also cut 2 grooves into the lower surface of the wing to allow the passing of wires into the body. I am contemplating on using the droid head as a push on/off button with a battery cell contained within his head (maybe - I haven't fully explored this yet - its just an idea). I'm hoping to avoid using an external plug



Engine cover on:



I also thinned down the edge of the cover to allow for a little more light to pass out



The mid nozzle canter has been cast clear and looks really good





What I'm looking at doing now is cutting out the ring above the center so that too can be recast in clear. I think that'd look much better than just having the center section lit.

Also whilst I'm on the subject of the engines, there are some very dubious details here. Take for example this:



That solid line on the lower right side is meant to be a pipe bent 90 degrees (I think). Well, you can remdy this. You can do it the easy way which would be to cut it off and replace it with brass, or you could try to make something out of it like this:



I will hide that roughness with some PE ladder. Sad thing is, you can't really see this pipe once its inside the engine pod, but hey, its good practice right. This is my test mule

Onward and upwards as they say

I forgot to say, this won't be in NMF 

Interesting! I'll be watching!

heading down the path of another Madhatter masterwork....  

Quote from: buzzbomb on February 26, 2024, 05:39:36 PMheading down the path of another Madhatter masterwork....  

Yep!  

And the idea of a "bobblehead" droid as the ON/OFF switch has me amused but, also, has my admiration - simple, effective idea!  

Quote from: Old Wombat on February 27, 2024, 04:05:41 AM

Quote from: buzzbomb on February 26, 2024, 05:39:36 PMheading down the path of another Madhatter masterwork....  

Yep!  

And the idea of a "bobblehead" droid as the ON/OFF switch has me amused but, also, has my admiration - simple, effective idea!  

Use what's there, rather than make something else when you don't have to - makes sense to me.

And not in NMF? The possibilities are endless; Japanese Green over Grey/Luftwaffe Mottle/Glossy Sea Blue/Splinter of some sort... Ooh, I know - Swedish Fields and Meadows!   

well, what I have in mind is a tad more racey and hot rod-esque. I'm going to have to buy another one or 2 to be able to do the schemes I have in my head.

Still on the subject, I am glad to say that the clear casting worked a treat!





I am almost finished the detailing too. I only have one more bay to do. I am keeping the detailing as simple as I can. No point in over doing it in this example





I've replace the 2 blank nubs at the end of the carburetor-like thing up front. Its funny how such a simple mod can have way more of an effect than adding wires etc:







Well, that's all I have for now. I'm hoping to have some primer/paint on her very soon