Chronic's Research and Aeronautics Project (C.R.A.P.)

TheChronicOne · July 11, 2019, 02:08:47 PM

Alright! Determined to not let my baby stagnate, I've grabbed all the little parts and stuff that I could to work on. To that end, I've attached the gravel plate to the nose gear and glued on the two struts. I need/should build a "box" type thing that goes around the main strut but that's something I'll contemplate on later. I've also clipped out what few parts were remaining on the sprues; the small stuff I didn't want to lose, then threw that stuff into a little box. I also applied putty to the modified nose gear doors and once it dries I'll sand it into it's final form. I also cut out the stretched sprue so I can make the vortex dissipators but stopped at that. Indeed, I'll have to wait until further along because I need to cut some of the lengths whilst in the process. No way around it, really. This was a good hour to hour.5 worth of stuff that I won't have to mess with at the end of the build.

Oh yeah, I also did some sanding on the engines as well, but not too much because I need to whittle down the putty on them...

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!1111

I also worked more on the Tristar. The finish on the fuselage is getting closer and closer through each round of PSR and I'm almost to the point where I can prime it and see what I'm missing. Going to glue on the wings first, though. This is going miles faster and better than the first time I filled in and sanded over a bunch of windows and doors.

Same type of action on the stretch Caravelle. I puttied over the join in the fuselage and over all the windows and door. It'll have to dry a couple days before I do anything else but it's still straight so I'm still happy. BUT...... I'm glad I bought two of these things because some of the parts are short shot and half non-existant. The nose gear for instance.... the top half was never moulded and half of one of what I'm assuming are the intakes for the APU is gone as well. I know, it's Mister Craft, and I'm not expecting the world here but this is somewhat inexcusable for what should be considered a more main stream kit maker. I'd expect this out of something that rolled out of some dudes garage.

Bought a Globemaster III.

(and a Pe-8) Woops!! Not supposed to be buying a lot of kits right now but oh well..

zenrat · July 12, 2019, 04:37:25 AM

Zvezda 1/72 Pe8?
Which one Inline or radial engines?
I have the inline engine one. I love the gunners in the back of the nacelles.
No ideas on how to whiff it though.

TheChronicOne · July 12, 2019, 07:16:02 AM

Inline FA SHO.

Well I'll be damned, lookie there! Until you mentioned I didn't know there were gunners back in them wheel wells.

Back when I played Warthunder quite a bit, this was my main rig. Did lots of bombing runs in this thing. Rarely made it out of the match other than a smoking crater, however. ANYWAY. I turned *MY* Pe-8 into an in-game whiff when I threw SLOVAK markings on it. I got some strange comments from time to time by people who realized what the hell I had done.

The one in War Thunder that I realize now is a different version:

zenrat · July 12, 2019, 10:05:09 PM

The Wart Hunder one is the later, radial engined version.
I have the same kit you do. I don't know if i'd like manning one of the nacelle guns.

TheChronicOne · July 13, 2019, 04:00:35 AM

Seems worse even than the belly turret on a B-17. At least there's a way out of that, possibly. Not like this dude can pop into the wing or anything and if the gear are retracted I'd imagine he has to bail out through the windows if possible. Or was there some sort of cramped tunnel for them to get in there? I imagine it's just a simple affair of climbing up through the wheel wells and out again. Perhaps the glass swings open somehow, too, though.... all speculative.

I'm with you, I wouldn't want in there. I'd be tempted to accidentally fall out and become a POW the first time we flew over enemy territory.

zenrat · July 13, 2019, 04:54:56 AM

I can't find any clear pics of the backs of the nacelles but entry and access through the undercarriage bays would be the logical way to get in and out.
This pic from the Wart Hunder forum seems to show a narrow ladder up into the port landing gear bay. But then that could just be for maintenance.
Probably warmer in there than in the fuselage though.

TheChronicOne · July 13, 2019, 09:49:34 AM

Thanks, brotha. This is mighty fascinating stuff all of a sudden. I might sit down today and see if I can dig up anything more.

I was poking around and saw Wart Hunder reddit convo and someone mentioned these poor fellers riding under the wings of the TB.3.

Not sure what is worse, this or that one plane where the gunner rides in a basket directly in front of the props.

NARSES2 · July 14, 2019, 03:46:39 AM

I've always thought that period from the late 20's to late 30's is absolutely fascinating when it comes to aircrew Health and Safety

zenrat · July 14, 2019, 04:22:01 AM

The concept of ensuring the wellbeing of those you employ is a relatively modern concept. So modern that it still hasn't taken hold in some places (and in others the Chamber of Commerce would love to get rid of it).

NARSES2 · July 14, 2019, 04:53:45 AM

Quote from: zenrat on July 14, 2019, 04:22:01 AM
The concept of ensuring the wellbeing of those you employ is a relatively modern concept. So modern that it still hasn't taken hold in some places (and in others the Chamber of Commerce would love to get rid of it).

Working in heavy industry (albeit behind a desk) I saw some staggering changes during my 39 years or so. What was normal in 1970 would have got you put away in 2007 when I retired. In some places we do seem to be going backwards however.

zenrat · July 14, 2019, 05:24:39 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on July 14, 2019, 04:53:45 AM
Quote from: zenrat on July 14, 2019, 04:22:01 AM
The concept of ensuring the wellbeing of those you employ is a relatively modern concept. So modern that it still hasn't taken hold in some places (and in others the Chamber of Commerce would love to get rid of it).

Working in heavy industry (albeit behind a desk) I saw some staggering changes during my 39 years or so. What was normal in 1970 would have got you put away in 2007 when I retired. In some places we do seem to be going backwards however.

The boat wreckers of Bangladesh spring to mind for some reason.

TheChronicOne · July 14, 2019, 06:38:19 AM

I got around to reading about the engine gunners.

DRUMROLL.........

They do indeed go through the wing, and there's also a hatch on the top of the wing! They don't go through the wheel wells at all.

NOW, them dudes in the TB.3................................... ..... I imagine they simply "sit down" when the aircraft is on the airfield still.

Hell, I wonder if they even botherd to strap in. (I imagine so, but it wouldn't surprise me any....a la what yous guys has already stated.... )

zenrat · July 14, 2019, 06:49:23 PM

Thanks Brad C.

TheChronicOne · July 15, 2019, 03:03:47 AM

Today is going to be a chore day, I think. I have either one or two lawns to do today. I'll decided whether I do both or just one after I do the trash pick-up. If I can get out of that quickly, I might try both. If I DO do both, I might be too tired for chores but.... uhhh.... per "chores" I need to get my finish buildds thread updated. I think I left off waaaaaaay back over a year ago around when I built the Yak-53 so I have like... I dunno....10-12 builds I need to put in there including my 1/72 airport equipment and other little odd-ball stuff. This could take a couple hours but I need to get it done before it REALLY becomes a huge task almost too large to handle in one sitting.

I'll be working on builds in the meantime. I figured I can kind of do both. I'd like to get the Tristar moving. It's close to being able to glue the wings on and prime then go back in for more PSR.

I think I may have finally found a small military build to play with. Won't be what-if, but will be cool. I've never built and FW-190. I haven't built any Nazi stuff since I returned to modeling a little over three years ago, either. Some people may have gotten the idea that I've an aversion to it, but I don't. I just haven't gotten around to it and honestly it's so overdone in the meta that I didn't see much appeal in it. BUT.... this little Focke Wulf is gorgeous... I'll get into it more later.

TheChronicOne · July 15, 2019, 03:52:29 PM

So far, so good! I did both those lawns AND came home and did all the chores and stuff and I'm caught up now. But, hell..... I've been in chores mode so long I don't know how to transition almost. I think I'll grab the Tristar and sand on it a bit in case I want to do one last round of putty before PSR. That way, I can have that dry while I try to update my photo album thread. OR, if the putty work is close to being OK I'll go ahead and start gluing on the wings.

Or not....

I had a look at the transfers earlier (now that the new ones came in) and I do believe that having the wings on will pose no problems. Both sets of stuff I have from Nazca and 26 Decals make sure to split up the things that go around the tailplanes, for instance, and there's really no conflict up front (meaning the main wings) because the cheatline sits above them so...... The transfers seem easy enough to apply but what about the paint? It's simpler than some on the bottom, but there's still the oblong shape stuff that needs to be painted around the wing root fairings. I'm wondering if THIS would be easier with the wings off... probably so, but then again, it could be almost as easy with the wings on already. I need to look further at what I'm working with to determine.

On that note, the new transfers:

While we're here, here's the other stuff from Nazca. These were like... $11.... and the ad for them just listed the wing corogaurd stuff but when they arrived a slew of other shits was with them as well. Every little damn decal of over little damn thing on a Tristar. Even stuff like the sides of engine pylons...

That's a lot of Tristar junk, dude!

Cleaned up my meager work space here and plopped down the new mat. Ahhh, much improved!!! It's just a nicer space all around now.

Makes for better bench pics, too:

Time for a break I guess.