In at the deep end- My first Vac-Form

[K5054NZ]

Any chance of more pics soon? You're an inspiration to us first-time vac modelers Tony!

[Spellbinder99]

Thanks Zac. A few new pictures soon but no real progress as I have ordered a pair of Airwaves resin seats from Hannants and am waiting for them and I am ongoing with adding some cockpit details.

I got in an Airfix 1/48th scale Tornado as a source of weapons and parts, but I am starting to think I may end up using very little apart from maybe the chin Laser Designator and the decal sheet for stencils and such. The pitot probe is looking good from that kit though as it has a cone shaped piece molded on the end that may ease adding a probe to the DV kit.

I was also intending to use the IFR probe fairing from the Tornado but after very kindly being sent the maintenance manual drawings of the TSR.2 probe I have had a rethink. The main problem is that the TSR.2 unit is fully faired and covered with doors whereas the Tornado one is partially exposed.

So I decided to scratchbuild a closed fairing to check shapes and dimensions against the drawings and then I am going to build an extended one to fit to the model.
It is interesting that a panel line scribed on a model doesn't mean much untill you try to add some equipment as per drawings and realise that the line shows where that equipment interfaces with the aircraft. In the case of the TSR.2, the rectangular panel below the lefthand center side of the cockpit covers the well where the actuator ram for the IFR probe would be mounted when the probe is fitted.

This also explains why though most aircraft are entered from the left side of the cockpit, the TSR.2 mounts its ladders on the righthand side. This is because the ladders would interfere with the Inflight Refuelling Probe on the left should it be fitted.

Here endeth the lesson.

Amen



Tony

[Spellbinder99]

And here is what I built tonight:



Two nose halves off a Hasegawa 1/48 HARM missile glued end to end, sanded back, twisted to fit the fusleage side, a baseplate of thin plastic card glued and trimmed and the panel lines scribed in with a drilled hole for adding a probe spotlight after painting.



Sorry about the distortion from the closeup. I painted some matt grey paint on it to check that all the old panel lines were gone and to see if the new ones were visible. I pencilled them in to show up in the pictures but they are scribed.

Basically the two little doors behind the spotlight open up and the probe swings out and forward complete with the center fairing panel.

I think it came out OK.

Cheers Joe.

Tony

[K5054NZ]

Excellent...we need a Mr Burns plotting smilie...I'm looking forward to this one...any scheme ideas thus far or have I missed them?