G-VTOL Build

kitnut617 · December 03, 2014, 07:58:04 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 03, 2014, 07:43:16 AM

While on the subject of Harriers in general, do the models need nose weight usually? It's been almost 40 years since I last built one and I can't remember, and it's not mentioned on any kit instructions that I can find.

Looking at my T.10 in the cabinet just the other side of my desk, I'd say you don't have to worry about nose weights, the rear u/c gear are so far back there's plenty of natural kit weight in front of them. Plus I don't remember putting any into the seven or eight I've built.

PR19_Kit · December 03, 2014, 08:00:14 AM

Great, thanks Robert.

PR19_Kit · December 03, 2014, 03:06:27 PM

As I'm doing G-VTOL in the very short lived (3 weeks....) red/white/blue scheme, and as it spent most of that time with the longer ferry wing tips I cut them off a Heller Bobcat T3 and grafted them onto the Sword wings. They don't fit all that well and needed fair amount of filing and PSR work but they're not too bad. Here's the wing half converted to show the difference in the two tip sizes.

I did think about using the Bobcat wing as it was but the centre section differs radically from the Bobcat wing so I chucked that idea.

I've glued the front cockpit assembly into the starboard fuselage half and amazingly it fitted very well.

You can also see the main wheel well and the resin airbrake housing that I've already assembled.

PR19_Kit · December 04, 2014, 09:58:43 AM

Here's one I prepared earlier.........

I managed to lose the smaller nose cone from the Sword kit which G-VTOL had, rather than the longer LRMTS nose fitted to the RAF T4s, so I looked though my stock of Harrier kits for a replacement. In the process I came across an ancient Hasegawa AV-8A kit with the cryptic words 'T2 Conversion' written, by me, on the lid.

On opening it I found I'd already started the conversion, which was the injection moulded Air Conversions kit from the mid-70s! IIRC this range was done by the same guys who did Modeldecals and the 2 seat Harrier was their second conversion, the first being a Hunter T7 which I did, and still have too. So it looks like I have FOUR 2 seat Harriers now, two Bobcats, the Air Conversion and the Sword kit!

Oh yes, I found the new Airfix GR3 has both sorts of noses so I'll be using the short one from that kit, after I've sanded off the camera port of course as the T2s had it moved to a position under the rear cockpit.

PR19_Kit · December 04, 2014, 02:08:44 PM

After my 'training course' on the front seat/cockpit the rear assembly took no time at all (only two days....) aided by the fact that about 1/3 of the seat belts pinged off and had to be painted on later. I've added the fan/nose wheel bay assembly too, which fits neatly under and behind the rear cockpit. [The word 'fits' is used here in its WIDEST possible sense...]

I found it interesting to compare the seats from the Harrier to the resin Pavla seats I got for my Hunter T12. The resin seats only needed painting and even with my somewhat clumsy efforts in that field I don't reckon they look at all bad compared to the endless fiddling needed to do the PE and styrene seats from the Harrier.

Captain Canada · December 04, 2014, 08:30:42 PM

Looking good. All your fiddly work is starting to pay off ! You're right about the seats tho, mush rather do ( and enjoy ) a little brush work than fight with all that PE stuff.

Nice to see the old conversion part way done....love old kits/ conversions.....always seemed exciting to look at instructions back then, Now with the web it's like you know everything ( sic ) already !

chiglet · December 05, 2014, 03:56:40 AM

Just checked my Sword Lightning T4. Solid plastic I p with PE overlays, resin seats with PE belts and pull handles.

PR19_Kit · December 05, 2014, 05:25:23 AM

Quote from: chiglet on December 05, 2014, 03:56:40 AM
Just checked my Sword Lightning T4. Solid plastic I p with PE overlays, resin seats with PE belts and pull handles.

Exactly, but at least there's only one cockpit to fit out, even if it is twice as wide.

PR19_Kit · December 05, 2014, 07:47:49 AM

I've got to fitting the intakes, but I have NO idea how Sword intended them to work.

There are some inner liners and the intakes themselves and it looks as if the former are intended to butt up against some ledges on the inside of the latter. But if you do that the inner ends of the liners don't mate up with anywhere on the fan. Conversely if you mate up the liner to the outer edge of the fan the front end doesn't mate with the intake.....

Luckily I'm using the resin intakes with the semi-open blow-in doors so I fitted the liner to the outer edge of the fan and when it dried I Dremelled off the bits that stuck out of the duct, on the line shown by the red arrows, and superglued the new intakes in place after a little filing to ensure they fitted properly.

By now I've glued the other half of the fuselage on, which fits where it touches (!) and it's taken 4 clothes pegs, 3 plastic clamps and a mile of so of Sellotape to hold it all together. I'm expecting LOTS of filing and PSR before it looks good.

ChernayaAkula · December 05, 2014, 08:51:20 AM

Perhaps have a look at Drewe Manton's solution? LINK

PR19_Kit · December 05, 2014, 09:21:29 AM

Quote from: ChernayaAkula on December 05, 2014, 08:51:20 AM
Perhaps have a look at Drewe Manton's solution? LINK

Yes, I read that a while back and it looks a good engineering solution, but it won't work with the resin intakes and his version doesn't mate the liners up to the fan at all as far as I can see. The starboard side assembly of mine has worked OK it seems, just needs some PSR work on the intakes and maybe a tad in the interior, but I may leave that as it's very difficult to see.

I'm going to use his scheme for the sliding main gear leg though, that's an excellent idea.

I don't have any burrs for my Dremel either, and I have no idea where to get them as Dremel insist on using their own dia. shaft for the bits and it's too large for any non-Dremel stuff sadly.

JayBee · December 05, 2014, 09:44:23 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 05, 2014, 09:21:29 AM

I don't have any burrs for my Dremel either, and I have no idea where to get them as Dremel insist on using their own dia. shaft for the bits and it's too large for any non-Dremel stuff sadly.

Have you tried your local Homebase, my local branch usually has a moderate selection of Dremel fittings.

Jim

PR19_Kit · December 05, 2014, 09:45:59 AM

Quote from: JayBee on December 05, 2014, 09:44:23 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 05, 2014, 09:21:29 AM

I don't have any burrs for my Dremel either, and I have no idea where to get them as Dremel insist on using their own dia. shaft for the bits and it's too large for any non-Dremel stuff sadly.

Have you tried your local Homebase, my local branch usually has a moderate selection of Dremel fittings.

Jim

Hell no! I never knew that, and there's one only 10 miles away too. Thanks for that Jim, a great idea.

kitnut617 · December 05, 2014, 09:55:41 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 05, 2014, 09:21:29 AM

I don't have any burrs for my Dremel either, and I have no idea where to get them as Dremel insist on using their own dia. shaft for the bits and it's too large for any non-Dremel stuff sadly.

The Dremel I have uses 1/8" dia burrs, but then it also has a chuck --- even the flexy drive has a chuck.

PR19_Kit · December 05, 2014, 12:18:34 PM

Quote from: kitnut617 on December 05, 2014, 09:55:41 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 05, 2014, 09:21:29 AM

I don't have any burrs for my Dremel either, and I have no idea where to get them as Dremel insist on using their own dia. shaft for the bits and it's too large for any non-Dremel stuff sadly.

The Dremel I have uses 1/8" dia burrs, but then it also has a chuck --- even the flexy drive has a chuck.

Mine has a sort of clutch thing with a screw down bit that squeezes it to grab the shaft of the tool. It only has a very small acceptance diameter though, thus limiting to their own stuff.