Thorvics'Blog

[zenrat]

It's not like i've never seen one before but geez they're ugly.
Another one for the get list.

[PR19_Kit]

You should see them from the inside. 

I got to fly in one back in 1961, in one of the two back seats obviously. You need to be VERY friendly with the guy in the other seat as your elbow and his are trying to be in the same place, preferably deaf as it's so loud and not claustrophobic in the slightest as there's a socking great CRT screen right in front of your nose! 

[Captain Canada]

Gorgeous. I don't see them as ugly. The original ones maybe. But these, with there big tails etc.....lovely ! I look forward to seeing them that's for sure.

[Thorvic]

Got the wheels delivered yesterday from Hannants and they are just the right size and look, plus they are weighted which should help keep the model on its gear (he says in hope !). Also got the PJ Transport aircrew as needed to make up the order to the minimal order level and had great difficulty in finding something I wanted and would add the HS681 build, I didn't want Kits or Decals as they might act as a distraction.

I also managed to source some decals which I can collect at Huddersfield so the focus is definitely on the HS681 at the moment so lets hope I can keep it that way, time to get the Milliput out at the weekend and complete the back filling of some of the fuselage interior so those areas can be reshaped later. Whilst that cures I can focus getting the bench cleared ready to get to work on the sub assemblies.

Its going to be a slow build but at least its one I can focus on, and once I start getting the main sub assemblies created it won't take that long for things to start coming together.

[zenrat]

Don't get me wrong.  I mean ugly in a good way.

[Thorvic]

Nothing serious done this last week, was busy on Saturday and had Huddersfield on Sunday but I was able to source the decals I wanted for the scheme I want to do it in so that was a bonus. Didn't spot anything suitable to use as a potential parts donor for the build at Huddersfield, these not much I want but still worth looking.

Talking to Mel at S&M and he confirmed that they are doing a HS-681 but it will be in 1/144 scale so I can still crack on with the build 

[Thorvic]

Yay I actually made some progress this weekend, taped together the cargo hold to allow me to line up and re-join the fwd fuselage to the main fuselage after I had shortened it. So fuselage is now back in halves rather than quarters  (did manage to crack the seam on one side when I disassembled the tape as the glue has seeped through  ), Started to cut down and reshape the tail as that had previously been filled with putty. I think I have sourced a canopy I can use but will have to await confirmation before I know I can use it.

Also got started on the wings as I will need to get them sorted out so I know where to modify the fuselage so it can be positioned correctly, so its starting to come together, still load to do of course but at least it feels like progress. 

[Thorvic]

Managed to get some stick on flat tyre weights off eBay yesterday. Hopefully I should be able to use these to add weight under the fwd cargo deck and in the new lower cockpit area to create ballast along with the usual lead shot which can get in some of the nooks and crannies. The advantage of the tyre weights is that I could stack them and paint them add strapping and have them look like cargo at the front end of the hold  .

However first things first and I need to crack on with getting the wing sorted out so that it can be taped together and used to establish its positioning on the fuselage so that area can be configured whilst the fuselage is still in its component parts.

[The Wooksta!]

Ebay?  Nah, man! Nip doon to your local Kwik Fit and they'll give you a bucket for nowt.  Failing that, a hammer and the other tyre weights you usually find in the street  - few minutes and a lot of that frustration will be gone. Guranteed.

[Captain Canada]

Now that you mention it, we hardly ever see tire weights on the streets anymore ! Used to see them all the time. I suppose the lead weights for fishing sinkers is another option.

Look forward to seeing some pics Geoff, as always !

[Thorvic]

I'll probably get some sorted at the weekend once I have the wings sorted out in terms of initial look so they can be matched to the fuselage. Now I have my ballast I know sort of where it will go and how I can press ahead with assembly, once I have the wing position set and the wing roots corrected.

I find it better to take photos once you know your on the right track as with Scratch-building you can find yourself starting many false leads that lead nowhere till you find something that feels right and works.

For example I was toying with whether I use a Hercules or Transall for the fuselage and if so which kit, so I have the Airfix, the Esci and Italeri Hercules, I got a Revell Transall but I had used a Heller one previously. I eventually settled on the Revell Transall as it had better detail than the Heller and I felt  wanted to do a more refined build than the previous ones where look and shape were more the key. It also had a separate interior for the cargo hold which gives internal structure and rigidity whilst providing excellent internal detail and masks the out hulls reinforced re-joins after being shortened. I chose the Transall over the Hercules because the basic shape better matched the HS-681, the main gear is external to the fuselage, the nose is a better profile (especially with the nose cone upside down  ) the rear fuselage cants upward toward the tail which is requires more surgery to the Hercules.
With the wings I was originally going to use a set of spare E-3 wings, but on starting the prep work I discovered the E3 kit wings are stepped between the first engine and the fuselage which would require more surgery to correct, thus I settled on the KC-135 wings which don't kink.
Sourcing the wheels I checked various options before Gondor put us onto B-52 wheels which I was thankfully able to get in a resin aftermarket.
Other bits like Engines an tail planes will come from the 135 kit and seriously rebuilt, the Tail fin will be also be massively reshaped and modified Transall tail, the landing gear will come from various sources.

As you can see its mixed bag of donor kits, and quite a bit of effort is needed to research what might do the trick, verify if it does source it and try it. Once that starts to come together you can feel if the mojo is rising pushing you to get stuck in with the build and you know your onto a winner when it feels right when it starts coming together rather than floundering, or you find that you don't get distracted by new kits or reference material as they go into the stash to wait till after the build is done  .

[Gondor]

Glad to have been able to help for a change 

Gondor

[Thorvic]

Ok had an interlude last week with the 1 WK GB, so the HS-681 has been on hold for a couple of weeks whilst I sourced the bits needed for the  Triton and looked into doing a Naval VG lightning. As it happens the time only allowed the Triton to be done over the Easter weekend so the VG lightning will have to wait its turn after the 681.

The good news is that whilst I had a weeks leave, I was able to use some of that free time into getting the wings built. They have been assembled, joined, scribed and primed. Still a few surface defects to sort out, but it means I now know the save and shape of the wing so I can work out where to cut the fuselage to create the wing box (the 681 wing is swept and further forward that the Transall so lots of work to relocate and reconfigure the wing roots  ).

The other good news is got my canopies during the 1wk GB period, so now I should be able to revise the cockpit shape to fit the new canopy and thus fit out the flight deck.

Still lots to do as yet, got another couple of engines to modify, the first pair now need to be detailed, I need to scratch build the Engine pylons and I haven't started on the tail fin as yet which is quite a meaty piece, but at least I can see more of the bigger picture now 

[Thorvic]

Scratch that, had a house guest all week, so not really been possible to get stuck into the building this week which can be slightly annoying as the mojo is good at the moment.

Did get my new spray booth filters as the old one is rather clogged, it was something I actually wanted to get from Cosford but the usual stockist didn't have the Booth with them this year, so picked up some off eBay.

Started collecting for my next build to follow the HS-681, so that's motivation to get my skates on and press forward with the building as I'm looking forward to this one now I've decided to take the plunge. Won't say what until I can confirm the build will work but initial checking is looking good so far. At least it gives me something to do whilst the real modelling is on hold.

[Howard of Effingham]

hmm. Geoff! thanks for the inspiration for the EDSG allover FAA 'toom at cosford. it will get built.

btw, have you any thoughts on what CVA-01's airwing might have looked like if she'd been built and had fought in the falklands?

looking forward to the next HS681, btw.