Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

Got the Spearfish to the stage when it can be matted tomorrow, then it's just some aerials and canopy and she'll be done. Doing the undercarriage I came to the conclusion that Fairey Aviation must have had a special department for improbable undercarriage arrangements and dingily dangly bits ?  The Barracuda wins on both counts but the Spearfish's undercarriage probably got a highly commended 

Test fitted the Battle this morning whilst some paint was drying and considering her age she's a nice all round fit, especially the wings to fuselage join. Doesn't look as though she will need much filler at all there and the fuselage fit looks ok as well  She was definitely tooled by the rivet master general though, although I think his apprentice had a go as well. The fuselage and wings have definitely been done by different people. The fuselage is much more subtle. No problem though, quick rub over with some sanding pads and Bob's your uncle.

The Barracuda makes progress. I've done some initial psr on the fuselage as one half was slightly deeper then the other. Not a great problem just some scrapping and psr. Can get on with the rest of the build now.

[NARSES2]

Here's the link to the finished Super Corsair

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,38969.new.html#new

[NARSES2]

Well the Spearfish has been matted so on the final leg of this now.

Masked the side observation windows on the Barracuda. I know if I didn't do them when I thought of them I'd forget and end up with primer all over them  Also memo to self for the next one - put them in from the inside....idiot !!!!!!

The Battle has had her innards painted and is almost ready to close up, just needs seat belts and some small placards for the cockpit walls to liven her up. She has also had various sub assemblies done ; wing halves inc. separate, movable ailerons  and the tailplane halves. All are excellent fits indeed puts many modern kits to shame. Sure the detail is very rivety but back when she came out we all thought that was marvellous and realistic (admit it ye who are old enough  ). Some of the attachment points - undercarriage and bombs in the bomb bays are very clunky but who gives one, people don't pick my models up or use a dentists mirror on them. The transfer sheet has been updated by Airfix and even includes Dunlop names for the tyres. Can you guess I'm enjoying this ?

[NARSES2]

Right Spearfish is finished. Photo's in the next day or two.

The Barracuda continues. I currently seem to be hanging a seemingly unending procession of the parts under the wings, all I can say is that the main spar must have been made of Unobtanium ! Had a bit of a problem with one of the Fowler flaps...it broke  My fault and after fixing, the joint was still a little weak and was right on the attachment point to the wing. So I've added some very small "inspection ports" from thin plasticard to the flaps, I can always say that they were to get at the hydraulics attachment points, and "you mean you've never noticed them in photos, or on plans ?" 

The Battle got held up by the Fowler Flap crisis so no progress, but that will change over the weekend.

Now I normally have 3 kits on the go at a time but I may just work until I finish these two and see if that speeds individual progress up. I think my 3 at a time method goes back to the days when enamel paints were the norm ?

Anny way next in the queue will be a BPF Sea Fury which will mean I'll have done said force's 3 main aircraft types - Sea fury, Spearfish and Firebrand

[Howard of Effingham]

just remind me chris.

which variant of the firebrand are you doing?

[The Wooksta!]

I'd presume it's the CMR TF5, given the timeframe he's building it for.

The current CMR one is stunning.  I've the older one and the build is...  challenging, shall we say?  Still, has to be better than the original Magna one.  The old Rareplanes vacform one still holds it's own though - got one of them in the stash.

[Thorvic]

I'd presume it's the CMR TF5, given the timeframe he's building it for.

The current CMR one is stunning.  I've the older one and the build is...  challenging, shall we say?  Still, has to be better than the original Magna one.  The old Rareplanes vacform one still holds it's own though - got one of them in the stash.

What about the Aki one ?

[NARSES2]

It's the old Czechmaster TF 5 Howard and she's built.

See here http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37362.0.html

[NARSES2]

Here's the link to the finished Spearfish

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,38994.0.html

[The Wooksta!]

I'd presume it's the CMR TF5, given the timeframe he's building it for.

The current CMR one is stunning.  I've the older one and the build is...  challenging, shall we say?  Still, has to be better than the original Magna one.  The old Rareplanes vacform one still holds it's own though - got one of them in the stash.

What about the Aki one ?

Still kicking myself I missed out on that one.

[NARSES2]

Right the Barracuda is lying on her back with her legs in the air.......and what complicated legs they are to 

The fit is not helped by the fact that the SH instructions are not very clear for one particular attachment and the fact that all the parts in the kit are basically butt joints. So I've ended up drilling out a few small holes and fitting pins etc for extra strength (I hope). Having said that they are a good fit once cleaned up and having done one side the other got done in about 10 mins compared to 30 on the other. Super Glue and accelerator is sometimes your friend 

I really do not understand the undercarriage arrangement at all on this aircraft ? It's as though they designed it and then someone said "oh haven't they told you that the wing is shoulder mounted ?" It really does appear to have an extension added as an after thought. I'm probably doing the designers a disservice but I can't work it out.

[PR19_Kit]

It doesn't really help that the 'Cuda has a MIND bogglingly complicated wing fold too. You're drawn to think that the designer had shares in a hinge company!

[NARSES2]

Just realised I've attached one of the undercarriage struts the wrong way round - comes from working upside down  

Stuff it, she's not going anywhere as it's real world so no shows for her, so I can live with it. One of the benefits of age you've learned that life is way to short and as long as you enjoy the project, so what that a strut faces the wrong way ?  

It doesn't really help that the 'Cuda has a MIND bogglingly complicated wing fold too. You're drawn to think that the designer had shares in a hinge company!

I think that was standard on most FAA types (British built at least) but yes. I saw a photo the other day and it's just 

[kitnut617]

Just realised I've attached one of the undercarriage struts the wrong way round - comes from working upside down  

Stuff it, she's not going anywhere as it's real world so no shows for her, so I can live with it. One of the benefits of age you've learned that life is way to short and as long as you enjoy the project, so what that a strut faces the wrong way ?  

It doesn't really help that the 'Cuda has a MIND bogglingly complicated wing fold too. You're drawn to think that the designer had shares in a hinge company!

I think that was standard on most FAA types (British built at least) but yes. I saw a photo the other day and it's just 

I've got a detail set for that fold too ---   

[NARSES2]

Better you then me with that wingfold mate 

Got both the Barracuda and Battle primed and both need a little more work. Nothing to serious so work will continue during the week.

One nightmare with the Barracuda was the prop assembly. Resin blades (individual), separate resin hub, plastic spinner and backplate. Not to sure how many times one blade in particular came off  Got there in the end but felt exhausted