avatar_The Wooksta!

The Wooksta: Not a Spitfire Blog

Started by The Wooksta!, May 01, 2012, 08:32:10 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

The Wooksta!

#360
Shut your face, traitor!

Been getting a bit further with some of the legacy Luftwaffe stuff.

The Blohm und Voss stuff had priority. A stripped P.192 has been repainted, decalled and varnished.   I did add a Canadian zap and I'm thinking of a 2TAF Tempest, possibly a II (I have one yet to decal) but more likely a V.
There was also a P.193 that was part assembled, so that got finished and sprayed.  Very colourful in the late greens and the Luftwaffe Sky underneath.
There's also an He 343 that whilst it needs some work in the cockpit, the demarcation was low enough that I could spray the underneath, and again it gets the Luftwaffe Sky.
One of the other legacy aircraft to get done is an un-named Focke Wulf project, a twin boom monster with a BMW 803 engine and a six blade contra.  Toad Resins did one and they called it the Flitzer II, but this one was by a very obscure German outfit called G Model. Few have heard of it and both Scalemates and Google have nothing.  I know that they did a couple of vacforms and four resin kits that I've seen.  This is one of that four and bought at the first Nationals I attended, back in 1994. Incidentally, this was when I joined the What If SIG and first met Kit Spackman.
Again, the two greens but I went with 76 underneath.  Looking forward to getting this one finished, as it was so basic and such a horror to build.

One of the other legacies pulled out of the loft was an Italeri Me 210 that had been given a new radar nose and Hungarian markings.  The paint job was a heavy bottle of the late war greens over 76 and I was loathe to strip it, so the original decals got a patchy overpaint of the Humbrol equivalent of DSG and it was decalled with some RAF roundels earlier.  They were somewhat out - the white proportion of what were supposedly Type Cs was too high, so they were ideal.
Needs a bit more paint here and there, as well as some replacement parts - the mass balances have vanished, as well as an undercarriage leg, so the part started Italeri 410 is going to get stripped.  The assorted lethality in the box is going elsewhere.
It looks good in roundels and it's one I'm looking forward to have finished.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#361
That's a completely brilliant idea, Mike. I've been wanting to do this for a long time!

The Takom Silbervogel now has the fuselage complete and barring some sanding, needs little work to get the wings and tail in place so I can get it primed. If I push myself, I might just have it ready for Bolton.

And I've been thinking about it since before Xmas and I've finally started taking bits of the sprues to test fit.  I am if course referring to the Squadron Haunebu II, a BFO flying saucer that simply looks insane and cool at the same time.  Next to this, a Triebflugel looks almost staid and commonplace.
Fit is okay, detail (haha haha!) is a bit meh and the rivets wouldn't look out of place on the Titanic, but the fit is positive and it clips together.  Looking forward to getting paint on it, as along with the Silbervogel and the Junkers Ju 390 it's a key build for this year.  Part of me wants to get one of those daft Bell kits, but that's even less believable than Nazi UFOs...

May have a look at some captured Hikoki 46 as well, the Meng Mansu 98 is to hand, I have some part started Shindens somewhere and I know there's a part finished Japanese Komet too, sitting in a box with the fictional Reggiane 2007.  Need to find the canopy.



I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#362
And what's the problem, Neil? The dummy run was a complete success!

The Bv P.193 and the Focke Wulf thing now have their decals and look rather splendid. I think I've mislaid some of the bits for the former but have a good idea where they may be.

Having had cause to venture into an extremely cold loft (it felt like a walk in freezer...), I now have a part started Blohm und Voss P.202 on the go. I'll detail it more in a dedicated thread, but it's a skew wing type.  Again captured markings, but one partially dismantled under a tarpaulin on a Queen Mary could look interesting.  It's the Toad Resins kit or rather a copy, as it fell into rubber shortly after I got it, so I do have a few more lumps to play with.

Also dragged out from the loft was a Bv P.208.03, a pusher design with swept wings that ended up on various late Blohm und Voss projects.  One for salvage and it has a date with Dr Magic later.  I do have another one still to do, and whilst it is available from Planet, the price is eye wateringly expensive.  The one to do is going to get a BFO cannon, of the type installed in the 262.  I also want to do that with a Shinden at some point but whether that will be the normal or the jet remains to be seen.

So, lots of things on the go, many of them Blohm und Voss. It's possible that one or two may be finished for Bolton, but I really don't feel like rushing things.


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#363
Vyvvyan, Vyvvyan, Vyvvyan!  Honestly, whenever anything explodes in this house, it's always blame Vyvvyan!

I seem to have stumbled into yet another rabbithole or three. The first being the Focke Wulf Ta 152, the second, the Fw 190, followed naturally.  Several variants of the latter, the D and the E, are the focus.  The third is the 262.

The Ta 152 is the subject of it's own thread, but I gave done some tinkering with an Art Model H (warmed over Dragon kit) and sure enough, the fuselage will take a Dragon C wing, so it'll be easier to do an A-2 (the A-1 has an odd and subtle exhaust set up that is hard to replicate).
I've also discovered a bit of spine from a 190S that may have to fall into rubber.  I found a box of bits that I can probably cobble together into a Ta 152S-1. Or perhaps a two seater based on a  190D series

Which brings us to the 190.  It mainly stems from finding a reference to a reconnaissance version of the A series, the E.  Not seen any drawings - TBH, I've not looked - so I'll be a bit creative and think backwards from the Ta 152E.  What I really want us something with the big prop, larger fan and a Ta 152 fin.  I've got one of the latter, plus a mould I did years back but rarely used, and an Eduard Fw 190F as a basis.
That comes with two sets of Panzerblitz rocket rails which may end up on a built up 1900D or two.

As well as the Eduard F, I picked up a trio of the IBG 190Ds, a D-9 and 2 of what they say are D-15s, but have the original D-9 fin so they are D-14s as the D-15 had the Ta 152 fin. Sure that can be fixed with one, the other could be explained away as early production.

Both kits are beautifully moulded with detail and quality that is almost Eduard standard.  I'd say these are the best D series 190s that money could buy, but they do have the dreaded fatal flaw - the top decking pinches in too much and the canopy is a good mm or more too narrow.  Now that sounds too small to worry about but the eye can and does see when even the smallest detail can be out, with this proving to be the case.
Can it be fixed?  Yes, but not with the usual splice to widen it, as the upper cowlings have the same flaw moulded in.  I'll try adding a new spare screen (Academy) and fill the panel underneath.  Yes, I'll lose a few rivets, but I can live with that. I couldn't live with the narrow kit canopy.

The 262?  Let's just say I have a lot of ideas but really don't want to commit to plastic yet.  There is a collection of Hasegawa bits that may end up as a BMW 003 engined version fairly soon.  The resin is cleaned up and the wings are done.
Also looking at some C-1a variations with the fuselage mounted rocket engine.  I do have a resin conversion, but other than the fuel pump pipe (I have a metal one that is going to meet rubber) it's a few minutes with a saw, some files, filler and a bit of tube.  That applied to either a Kanonvogel or a Schnellbomber (repurposed as a fighter, with just two cannon - MG213 - but greater ammunition capacity and more internal fuel) is somewhat intriguing.  More so when you add the Airmodel bits for the HG1 proposals.

The Silbervogel may well get some paint this weekend.  I need to fire up the airbrush for a few things, although given my current cold, may well decide against it.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

I laughed and laughed and laughed!

Having done some test fitting with the Eduard 190, it would appear that I have the wrong one. 

Well, no.  I chose the F-8 specifically as I wanted the Panzerblitz racks. What I didn't want was the outboard upper wing cannon fairings, as I doubt the E series would need them.  What I really need is the A-8 with the standard wing.  I think Uncle Frank has one of those, so a phone call in the morning to secure it will be in order.

So what happens to the F-8 in the mean time?  Well, build it with the planned tweaks but as an F.  Keep the rocket racks, use the big prop, add the bigger fan and a Ta 152 fin.

The Silbervogel got the undersurface sprayed and masked yesterday, and the first of the two greens went on earlier.  The doors just need the 02 inners done.  I may get it masked for the dark green tomorrow.

Also primed a CMK Me P.1099B, bought well before the Revell one came out in 1996 (A) and 98 (B)  The Revell one is beautifully moulded, but is a mishmash. The A has the engines further back, the B has them in the 262 position for CoG reasons due to the cannons in the rear fuselage.
I'll be using some Revell bits on it as the CMK ones are either too crude or long since disappeared.  It got as far as painted, before being stripped and abandoned.
Not sure of a scheme as yet, 82, 83, 84 possibly as that's what I recall it was in originally, or possibly something more night fighter, as a Wide Sau.

Next on the rotating carousel is another Ta 152H, but an H-11 recce fighter with an upright camera. I really can't see the use for an oblique camera on a high altitude aircraft.  Kit may have other opinions


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#365
What I need is the drill, the hedge trimmers, and some ordinary household bleach!

The two Ta 152s ordered from eBay arrived this morning. Eager anticipation turned to abject disappointment within minutes.  Why?

Firstly, the Ta 152 C-1/R-5.    This was to have been a torpedo fighter with a DB603LA, but various issues conspired to ensure it was stillborn.    So what's wrong?  Well, Kora have given a resin fuselage but it still has the Jumo 213 cowling, but have given a DB603 intake. There's a replacement upper cowling with the cannon ports.  I'll have another look at it, but it's really a Ta 152A-2 with some torpedoes.  These are the standard Luftwaffe torpedo and a BT1400.  If the wing fits a Dragon fuselage, I may have a solution.

Secondly, the Ta 152E.  This was to have been a reconnaissance fighter, but plans for production rolled into sub variants of the H-0, H-1 and C series.  At least three were built, all with the Jumo 213, by Mimetall at Erfurt, being found as burned out wrecks by US troops. 
Again, a resin replacement fuselage, but why?  I could understand if they'd redone the fuselage access panel, which was larger on the E, but it looks no different to a standard panel. Both cameras are provided, which is nice, and like the armament cowling above and probably the wheels, will be falling into rubber at some point soon.  The only snag with the vertical camera fairing is that it's geared to go with the shorter resin wing.  This could be sorted out by short shooting at the casting stage. But it does help with a potential H-11 at some point in the near future.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#366
I hope this isn't a dud!

Having had cause to look through both kits again - I wanted to pull out the bits intended for piracy - it would appear that Kora's pitiful attempt at a C cowling isn't as bad as I suspected but it's still half arsed. The exhausts are Jumo 213 and the shape of the lower cowling is too, but the upper cowling has the bulge over the bearer arm to go round the supercharger intake, whilst the inner cowling has a blob of stuff to represent the cowling. Frankly, it's rubbish and down to either laziness, stupidity, incompetence and a lack of research. Possibly all four.

The E is a lot better and other than the replacement fuselage for reasons I have yet to fathom, is the unchanged fuselage access hatch that was larger to get the cameras out.

I did find that the H-10 kit that I had previously has the wrong wing.  The H-10 was a recce H-0, but the kit has an H-1 wing.  The only difference is four circular hatches underneath - the H-0 had it's fuel entirely in the fuselage whereas the H-1 had wing tanks too, in attempt to bring to the CoG and stability under control.
Having had a quick check of the H I have on the go, it would appear to be an H-0 wing, so until I have a copy of that vertical fairing, I can't go any further with it.
Annoyingly, the other collection of bits I have that make up another airframe also is an H-0.  A quick wing swap sorts that issue out.

And the two seat trainer that Kora claims is the Ta 152S-2? It isn't.  According to Hitchcock, the S series was to have been based on the C, the only difference between the S-1 and the S-2 was the radio.  No actual aircraft were built but apparently the Luftwaffe wanted over 500!   Conversion work would have been handled by Blohm und Voss at Hamburg and Lufthansa in Prague.  I've enough bits to cobble one together from a Dragon C, with a replacement Airwaves engine as the Dragon one is horrible.

Some crosskitting to do an A or a B is in order, either with the Kora E, if I replace the upper cowling,  or the Art Model H with a Dragon C wing.  The Art Model kit is a copy of the Dragon kit, but with enough changed to make it legal.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

"You got any kebabs?"

Whilst looking through the legacy stuff, I found what I think we're a load of bits intended for moulding, including a chopped Academy 190D fuselage and the DB603A engine section of an Esoteric body job Fw 190B.  And they fit together.  If only I could find the wing upper, I'd be laughing.  Think 190D but two years early.

Need to go up in the loft but it's cold.  That Fuhrungsmaschine is still calling, not to mention a few older things that could be repurposed very quickly.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#368
"Then what are you looking in the cellar for?"

I did venture into the loft and pretty much found what I was looking for.

The Fuhrungsmaschine was in a Zvezda Ju 88G box, not in the Fuhrungsmaschine box, for some odd reason, although that had several part started AMT Ju 88s in it, one of which looked like I'd started it as an R.  I left them where they were, on the grounds that I really don't want to go down that very convoluted rabbithole.  I have enough issues with Ta 152s and late Fw 190s at the minute.

I did find several assembled, painted and decalled things I was looking for, including a 190 with underwing Panzerblitz rocket racks attached (but no undercarriage) and a Ta 152H that was in ANR markings. I know that the Ta 152 was never finished, but I'm unsure of the D.  There was also another night attack 190F-8, but with more deserty colours on the upper wing.  Italy, perhaps?  I can remember spraying it, but little else.

I've seen another pair of finished 152s, Aoshima, that with a bit of cleaning are likely to be repurposed.  One will get a respray in overall 82 as a Czech one, but the other with get some RAF roundels over the existing decals and an Air Min number.

A search in another box yielded the pair of pristine Ta 152s that I knew were there, plus another I'd seen a few days earlier.  What did surprise me was that there was a Ta 152 H-0 box with a part started one in it, so that came with me.  Another H-10 I think.  Or a shortcut B-5 with the Kora wing.

What was the big surprise was a Ju 88 box that had two 190Ds in it, plus assorted extras and conversion parts, including the 190 A-10 conversion I *knew* I had but was unsure where it was.  That is going on the Eduard one Frank is holding for me.

But I forgot to look for that Arba Ta 152 I know is there.  I just don't know quite where.  So tune in next time.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#369
Coo-ey!! Behind you!

I did find that Arba Ta 152. It was bagged and had fallen into a dark corner. I actually thought it was an empty bag.  TBH, it's a bit basic, being a warmed over Frog kit. Some of it will need replacing,

Mention of the Frog Ta 152 brings me to a modified Frog/Revell wing found lurking in a box. I'd cut it down to the C span and sanded the hell out of it.  I found some more from the same kit and it could be a reasonable basis for either a BMW 801R or Jumo 222 version. I do have some of the latter, albeit with baked in flame dampers, and I think a BMW 801TJ is close enough to approximate an 801R cowling. There are various spare bits to upgrade the rest of the airframe in the bits box.  With a bit of work, the Frog/Revell kit can look decent enough, but if you can get a Dragon (shape wise fine but a vile build, the C is pretty vague), Art Model (warmed over Dragon with better fit) or Aoshima,  ideally the Kora rebadges with lots of extra resin, then these are vastly superior bases to work from.
Yes, the Kora boxings are pricey, the average seems to be about 25 notes, but the base Aoshima kit was £15 or so in 1996 when the first ones appeared in the UK, with the Dragon kit being about the same for an ill fitting horror.  An extra tenner for a number of resin upgrades, in some cases a very nice C wing*, doesn't seem too expensive.  If it was the wing on it's own, you'd likely be looking at 15 notes.

I took the time to sort out the various boxes of bits to ensure I can get various models out of what's there and that they all have their relevant bits.  There's a fair few airframes sans undercarriage components and replacements are very pricey - the Scale Aircraft Conversion ones are 12 notes a pop, which is the price of an Eduard weekend kit!
The same lack of undercarriage components is an issue with several legacy builds that have them missing or broken.

I really need to draw up some kind of plan for the 190s.  I know quite a few are going to be recce machines, for which I need to clone various bits from the Kora Ta 152E, with others being ground attack aircraft. 

It doesn't help, when trying to keep this mini project from spiralling out of control, to be doing some research and finding other late war projects and prototypes that I'd like to do.


* Seems weird to say C wing and not be referring to Spitfires!


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

Well, I didn't fall for it because...because while you were counting to one hundred, I went up to your bedroom and set fire to your Sociology file!

The Silbervogel nears completion.  The decals went on last night. I used one of the kit's KG40 options, adding their World in a ring unit badge (apt for an aircraft that theoretically can fly around the world) from a Revell military transport Condor.  Obviously, RAF markings went over the top.  Just needs the Air Min number and I can get some varnish on.

An Fw 190 got some new decals, see the relevant Flying Blowlamp thread elsewhere, and I also decalled a Tempest II.

Given current interests, this may be somewhat off-piste, but I'd added a Canadian zap to the Bv P.194 and wanted a Tempest to sit next to it.  I did consider buying the new tool Airfix, but I had multiple assembled and painted Tempests, so it made far more sense to use one of them and my wallet breathed a sigh of relief.  There was one F.II in wartime camo, but I'd used some horrible masking tape which left residue and it had been abandoned and left in a drawer.

I'd managed to get the residue off a similar vintage MB5, so used the WD40 again here.  The surface isn't ideal, but at the back of a display or in photos, no one will know.

So, we have the model, what squadron?  Has to be RCAF, so out with the Chris Thomas book on 2nd Tactical Air Force.  I had considered a Typhoon unit, but a particular unit code caught my eye.  They had Spitfires but returns to the UK and back under the control of Air Defence GB.  My scenario sees them re-equipping with Tempests and sent back to deal with the jets and the Ta 152s.  All decalled with the code letter of choice, I stole a serial from a Tempest F.VI, added some kill markings and it's set for varnishing.

There's a few Tempests that would only need decalling and they're done, but it's not a rabbithole I want to tackle right now.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#371
I'm right here. I thought the vacuum cleaner looked a bit on the tentative side so I souped it up a bit.

Both the Dragon E and the Aoshima H-10 have their oblique cameras installed, a coat of primer and some filling done. The E looks particularly purposeful and the primer pulls it all together.

The E I've long had in mind a dark scheme, 81/82 over black, high demarcation line, even when it was going to be a Ta 152B.  Not quite sure what I want to do with the H-10/R-1 (aka E-2/R-1), but 75/82 wing uppers and 76 elsewhere is possible.  I had discussed an overall 76 "special escort" scheme with Willie, but that may end up on one of the C airframes kicking about, or possibly a DB603LA engined H - there were at least two H variants with that engine proposed.
Hitchcock also mention an H with the Jumo 213J, which had more valves per cylinder, but Junkers only managed to get six engines together by the end of the war. It would have had a four blade prop, but there are no drawings. I'd like to cobble together said prop, but a suitable spinner eludes me.

The fuselage for the 603 H is together and I had an interesting time gluing the wing together. The Dragon one is horrible, I thought the C wing* was a vague fit but this is simply worse.  Thankfully, I only have one more of these left (also slated for DB603) although the Art Model spawn isn't quite as bad.

Finally, the short span wing got glued onto the E-1 with the vertical camera.  This is one I'm really wanting to do.  Again, I just need to decide on a scheme.


* No, still doesn't get any easier!

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#372
You and you, put him in that stretcher, there and put his feet in the fire. You bring me my surgical kit.

The Silbervogel now has it's Air Min number, so a coat of varnish and the doors on. Should be finished by the end of the week. The 190TL also got one too.

Mention of the 290TL brings me to the black cinder toffee that is the Unicrap conversion for it I bought some 25 years back.  I have most of an MPM 190 V-18 I cut the cowl off for... reasons, so it looks a decent recipient once I do some more surgery.  Hopefully Lonewulf will rerelease his conversion at some point.

The Ta 152s plod along, with the Dragon E-1/R1 getting a coat of paint.  Still need to add a vent on the cowling, but the masking to spray the second colour will go on tomorrow.
I did take a brave pill yesterday and started surgery to convert the Dragon C into the S-1. The Kora kit, that they call the S-2, I'll be calling an S-3. I'll be doing a lot of cross kitting with the Kora kits to get a few of the other variants.

I overdosed on the pills today and did some chopping on an Aoshima kit, removing the engine to fit a Jumo 222. Admittedly, it's an old Toad Ju 488 engine with the flame dampers, and I'm unsure if it's going to get the C or H wing.  If the former, it could end up as a night fighter, if the latter a night recce type, let's call it the E-3.  I'm considering doing the same with an Airfix D-9, and that will also get a Ta 152 fin, as a development prototype. Maybe a Tame Sau?
I think I've figured out how to do the four blade prop for the Jumo 213j, but it means chopping up a pair of Airfix D9 props.  The alternate is to use the Kora Ta 152 spinner as it's solid and drill the holes in the relevant position. TBH I don't know why Kora give the resin prop as it doesn't seem to be much of an improvement.  The IBG 190s have three spinners, so there are some alternatives.

One sub-variant was going to get a BMW 801R and a Toad Ju 388 engine with some minor mods will provide a decent basis.  That's going on a Dragon kit as it looks like it'll fit better. Certainly better than either kit option, although the DB603 engine is vastly better with an IBG cowl.

I've done some moulding, firstly to finish cloning the Bv 237 and secondly a load of 190/152 bits plus some engine cowlings to help with a few of the current builds. One of them is a DB603 engine from the old Esoteric Fw 190B conversion. It's old, is vile resin to work with, very basic and intended to go on the ill-fitting parcel of dogturds that was Italeri's Fw 190A.  It will go on a Revell kit with some surgery, but it's not up to modern standards.  I had cut one up with the intention of doing something better, but wanted it in better resin.  There's one of the 190 prototypes, long considered a shortcut Ta 153, that looks quite intriguing.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

I've been down the morgue!

The new moulds are working fine, although getting the Ta 152C top cowl out is tricky and the BMW 801 is even more so.  Still, I have a nice collection of useable bits.  I need to redo the wheel moulds, as I need a lot more, as they're applicable to late 190s as well as Ta 152s

The top cowl was cloned from what Kora called the Ta 152C but really, they hadn't done their research properly and the result is largely a much mash of B and C.  Given the availability of a proper Ta 152C from Dragon (pauseing to recover from laughing), the kit is likely to end up as a B.  The top cowl needs the bulge to cover the enlarged arm of the DB603 sanding off, but it'll do.  I can now get the fuselage of the Jumo 222 engined one assembled.

I dug out some old moulds, having cloned the engine for a 190D.-13 and pulled out a few Ju 88 ones - the long fuselage, the G fin, the radio bulkhead and the gunpack for the P.  I'm not intending to go down the 88 rabbithole quite yet, but there are a pair of Mistels I have in mind and a stretched Ju 388L-0 popped into my head.  I wanted an early one without the tail barbette, but I may add the deep bomb bay with the camera ports. There was at least one of the L-0s that flew with it.

A chance find of a link to a site that had scans of various long OOP reference books. Handy because I've mislaid my Monogram close up on the Fw 190D, even more do as the one on the 190F had some interesting info on the late versions, including a side view of the F-10.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.



"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic

The Wooksta!

#374
Mike, Mike, did we burn the sofa?

What will eventually be an Fw 190E-10 has it's wings on.  It's just the 1997 Revell tool, but I'd modified it to a Ta 152 profile and then for some long forgotten reason, I cut it off.  Anyhoo, whilst I did look at a shiny new resin one, using the original part looked easier.  Would that the wing roots were. When the tail got cut off, the wings must also have been removed, taking large chunks of the roots with them, so now backed with plastic card, I'll be filling the yawning chasm later.  The vertical camera pack has been fitted.

The wings are now on the Ta 152 H-10, so the camera pack will go in later.  I think this could end up as a Czech survey aircraft.  Or maybe not, I haven't quite decided yet.

I've done some tinkering with the Dragon Ta 152s, the H getting some more work done with the appalling wing fit, and a pair of Cs are getting closer to being assembled.  Whilst I have the Airwaves replacement engines, I really don't think they're much of an improvement on the kit parts, especially as the front is not that for a DB 603 L. The resin copies of the IBG one is a vast improvement, although I used an actual IBG one for the largely assembled C that I've been tinkering with.

Mouldwise, the big fan for late BMW 801s is ready to mould and I need to sort out the undercarriage doors for the Bv 237, as well as the barbette for the two seater.  Plus gather together a few sets of Ta 152 wheels.  Really starting to think that moulding the Kora Ta 152 C wing is a good idea.

I risk tying myself in knots here.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic