Grumman Gander

sequoiaranger · February 16, 2009, 05:16:16 PM

I had to take the lower wing stub off the Duck (ugly sucker), so I figured I might as well take out an entire panel and combine the rear window with other small windows. I decided to make them "portholes" that I could fill with "Kristal Kleer" (not the clear floor wax, but the white-glue-stuff that clings to openings and dries clear) after painting. I had to scratch-build the panel, and carefully punch out the portholes. After about five panel tries I had the portholes lined up properly (the big one goes in the rear where the square window used to be). I needed tabs (double tabs, in two cases) to keep the panel in position (not trusting a thin .010 band of glue to hold it) so applied them. I am deliberately keeping the portholes small so you can't look into the unfinished interior (to be painted black).

Then, I wanted a gun shield for the rear defense guns. I fashioned one, then put an HO "eyebolt" in the center as a gunsight. Jeez those eyebolts are tiny! Less than a millimeter across. The finest tweezers I had looked like a pair of backhoes. The double gun mount is from a Testors SBD, but narrowed. Only because of the magnification power of the digital camera and computer, I can see that the two machine gun barrels are slightly different in cross-section (one is round, the other is almost rectangular!).

Bottom Photo: More like what it will look like when I'm done.

Brian da Basher · February 18, 2009, 04:42:55 AM

I really like the look of that gun, SR! The blast shield is a nice touch.

Brian da Basher

sequoiaranger · February 23, 2009, 09:24:41 AM

Pictures aren't going to show much, so this will be just narrative.

I have been partially RE-building the cockpit area, as I had sawn off a bit too much. I am going to use the Hellcat canopy after all, at least for the fore-part. Still using a cut-down 1/80 Avenger canopy for the GIB.

I had to cut down another 1/8th of an inch on the float pedastal to better match up with the Hellcat body, and custom-fit the crude match-up. The thin interface will have to be bolstered with many tabs to keep things lined up and strengthened.

Sad to say I broke the part of the wing that connected the two, but I had already done enough alignment work that it's ok. I broke it fiddling with making a recess in the wing outer panel for where the float will retract to (when in flight). I had to "concave" the wingtip (where the float would snuggle up to) and, AFTER IT WAS ALREADY PUT TOGETHER (bane of whifs where I change my mind about something) gouge out a recess in the underside of the wing. Lucky for me I have a moto-tool, but the indentation isn't as smooth and flat as I would like it (and probably hopelessly so). After watching the "Antilles Goose" video, it became imperative that the Gander be the first Grumman amphibian to employ the retracting outer floats for less drag (all subsequent Grumman amphibians are so equipped). The model will be made wheels-down and floats-down, but I will paint the recess an interior color to add interest.

I also am adding a "demi-bra" to the front of the pedestal as a fairing for the pedestal/cowling interface. The Hellcat sits up much higher on the pedestal than the Duck did, and there is this gaping hole where the old engine/cowl would be. If I put something flat there to cover it up, it would look un-aerodynamic. I took the nose from an Aero C-3 (the Czech plane looking like a down-sized He-111) and shaped it for the fairing.

Now I am trying to make a believable upper interior. The Duck gunner stood deep in plane, but I think I will have a seated gunner ala Dauntless, etc.

Curiously, the Hasegawa Hellcat I'm using for the fuselage does NOT feature a way to make the propeller spin (just cement the prop to the engine hub). That is a sequioaranger blasphemy, to NOT have a spinning prop. Dunno yet how I am going to do that.

sequoiaranger · March 01, 2009, 04:00:05 PM

I have put together the main sub-assemblies, after doing the cockpit and rear decking so I could close up the fuselage. Wings are on now, too. And I figured out the engine/prop problem from spares and some drilling. I will probably use the wheel-well door bulges as bomb shackles for small bombs.

I am seriously considering "caulking" the gap between fuselage and pedestal, as all I need is a smooth transition. I can smooth it with water until it sets up. I need "paintable" caulk, and have to be careful not to "shred" the stuff by accidentally running sandpaper or file over it after it's done. Might save me a lot of PSR, though. There is still need to finish off the edges of the "white stuff" before I can even think of painting. Still, the concept has finally come together in recognizable form.

Ed S · March 01, 2009, 04:39:12 PM

That's looking good. You did a great job blending those dissimilar parts.

Ed

Daryl J. · March 01, 2009, 08:59:11 PM

Notice how the vertical panel lines of the silver parts and the blue parts relatively match up behind the main wing.

Daryl J.

sequoiaranger · March 02, 2009, 06:41:32 AM

>Notice how the vertical panel lines of the silver parts and the blue parts relatively match up behind the main wing.<

Sharp eyes. Probably has more to do with some Grumman (both the Hellcat and Duck were Grumman products) manufacturing edict that "thou shalt make all fuselage panels 18" wide". Trouble is, the "faithful rendition" is slightly off on the other side (probably an Airfix/Hasegawa goof). I am going to have to sand down the panel lines anyway--Hasegawa's raised panel lines and Airfix's mega-rivets both protrude too much (about a full scale inch). I hope to leave a "shadow" of a panel line to break up any monotonous smoothness.

Captain Canada · March 05, 2009, 07:15:25 PM

Looking good ! But what's with all the Philipino birds around here these days ? They the only guys with a coastline ?

sequoiaranger · March 09, 2009, 02:26:01 PM

>But what's with all the Philipino birds around here these days ? They the only guys with a coastline ?<

No, but of temperate-climate countries, the Philippines comes in second in the world. Canada, Russia, and Greenland have more coastline, but it's largely frozen and/or uninhabitable. Indonesia has slightly more coastline than the Philippines, then comes Japan and even Australia. So, in my world, the Dutch (Indonesia), the Indochinese French, and the Filipinos are very eager to purchase Ganders to offset Japan's and Thailand's "Rufe"s.

sequoiaranger · March 10, 2009, 10:52:16 AM

I sprayed a preliminary primer coat on to see any imperfections (**ANY**? Who am I kidding??). I am very disappointed to see how badly the "caulk" came out. Not surprisingly, it shrunk and exposed the disparity of curve between the Hellcat and Duck. I kinda knew it might, but having the proof staring me in the face....

Now I am torn between ripping out the caulk and substituting putty, or....forging ahead and using more caulk (kinda like "more cowbell") and trying out this "new" medium. I like to think of myself as "stretching the envelope" to increase my knowledge of model-building, even if it is what NOT to do. Anyway, see for yourself below. (The green stuff on the float pedestal is yet-to-be-sanded putty irrelevant to the caulking issue):

sequoiaranger · March 13, 2009, 06:21:43 PM

This time I tried some more caulking, but was more careful and clever. I allowed the toothpaste-consistency stuff to coagulate a little, then took a very wet finger and smoothed the caulk, allowing a thin sheen of water to remain on top of the caulk. This seemed to take out the minor imperfections and smooth out the remaining caulk. After letting it dry, the result is more to my liking, but it will need yet another coat of caulk to blend in fuselage-to-pedestal to my liking. I sigh a big "Whew" that this project is nearly ready for the painting stage.

Weaver · March 15, 2009, 05:26:37 AM

What is this "caulk" exactly? Do you mean decorator's caulk; like grainy silicone sealant?

Caulking problems notwithstanding, its' a good looking model!

kitnut617 · March 15, 2009, 09:25:42 AM

This is really impressive sequoiaranger

Tha float looks like it was supposed to be there.

sequoiaranger · March 15, 2009, 10:21:49 AM

>What is this "caulk" exactly? Do you mean decorator's caulk; like grainy silicone sealant?<

The caulk is a type of "silicone sealant" used primarily for around tubs and showers---in the crevices where they meet, to make a smooth "fillet" and seal out moisture. It's not grainy at all (like tile grout), and rubbery, so that "repairs" after it has dried are impossible. It can't be sanded or altered in any way, so you're stuck with what ya got. You can't SUBTRACT material like with "putty", but you can keep adding on, so the trick is to not OVERDO the stuff, but under-doing is OK. It is possible to "rip" it up and start over, however. So far, I think I can get away without re-doing any of it. The second coat went on pretty well, and my third coat should be the last for the smooth transition fillet between fuselage and pedestal I want. I specified "paintable" caulk, because I learned long ago the hard way, in some wall repairs, that the "un-paintable" stuff is just that--the paint beads up and won't stick. The stuff comes in clear, white, and almond--I chose white--and costs about $3 for a giant tube (should last the rest of my lifetime for hobby work).

>Caulking problems notwithstanding, its' a good looking model! <
>This is really impressive sequoiaranger<

Thank you, thank you. I have a lot of "social engagements" coming up this next two weeks, so most likely will make little progress. I am determined to get it done for the April 30 "deadline", but it will be close.

I have some PSR work to do on the float and other blemishes, landing-gear sub-assemblies to make, pilots to paint and position, a canopy "master" to make for my ancient Vac-U-Form to copy, and THEN I get to the good stuff--the DECORATING!

sequoiaranger · April 06, 2009, 08:48:21 AM

I am not thoroughly satisfied with the caulking in the interface between Duck and Hellcat, but it is tolerable. The part that is the most noticeable/obvious will be discreetly and mostly covered by the national insignia (not an accidental placement!).

I am going to put the smaller insignia on each wing, and the large one with the red stripes on the fuselage sides (from MicroScale "72-149 Mustang P-51D's") but will turn part of the decal upside-down so that the longer red stripes will be on top. I may put one of the "wings" of the insignia onto the wing float struts (that would be flat against the wing when airborne). "PHIL. NAVY" or maybe even "PHILIPPINE NAVY" will be in black underneath.

I have made my Vac-U-Form canopy, have sealed the cracks up as best as I am going to, and am now ready to move on to complete the pilot and GIB in preparation for major painting.

I have a "unique" paint scheme and pattern in mind which I will call "Birds and Worms". I have the "birds" pattern somewhere on the site, but I have decided to add "squiggles" that will be obvious as "worms". Hey, I like birds! (and I'm taking medicine for my worms-----just kidding!). It'll be just two colors--the light gray as underside paint and topcoat, overlain with a dark blue-gray like mid-war USN planes that had the three-tone camo. The "worms" will be the opposite color of the background; some blue, some gray.

I am determined to complete this for the GB deadline, but I know it will be closer than I would have thought.