T-51D "Sentinel" Trainer

[John Howling Mouse]

It's coming!  It's coming!  So are cast resin parts, a "Moose" trainer, World's Ugliest Helo, the Morsair, a Biplane What If, a MiG-21, the P-47 SeaBolt ™, and the Lysander Floatplane!

>>Todd, you SMARTA$$ !!!!  <<  

[Captain Canada]

you're building two Morsairs ?

 

[K5054NZ]

Man I really wanna see this thing done! And where can I find the morsair thread? I wanna see that!

[John Howling Mouse]

Man I really wanna see this thing done! And where can I find the morsair thread? I wanna see that!

I wanna see a finished Morsair, too, believe me!   ^_^

"Thanks for all the fish"

[K5054NZ]

"Thanks for all the fish"

B)
"So long..."

Anyhoo, just found the Morsair thread, posted there.

[John Howling Mouse]

Bump........

Indeed, jeffry. What's the latest, JHM?

Might actually have some time to model this weekend:
Blueprints for house are finally on track (overall),
Wife and daughter going to some girlie-event on Sunday.

Sentinel (and more resin parts casting) are next!

^_^        

[K5054NZ]

Best of luck for the weekend...I know I won't be the only one monitoring this thread closely...

[John Howling Mouse]

Ms. Hitler and The Spawn are at some girlie function, somewhere...so, I finally got some time on the workbench!

All 16 pieces for the T-Tail have been cut, shaped, and glued into place.
Still have some work to do on the little wedge-shaped filler bits I had to stick onto the join b/w tailplanes and middle/anchor section before I attach the final assembly to the modified tailfin.

The shots you see here are just test shots with the tailplane temporarily balanced on the tailfin.  The tailplane itself is still very rough at this point.

Later, I'm going to pour the second half of my mold for the modified (lengthened) nose cowl.  It will be my third attempt to get a worthwhile mold of the part, so wish me luck.

[Brian da Basher]

Love the T-tail John! I'm really enjoying watching your progress on this one!

Brian da Basher

P.S. "Ms. Hitler & the Spawn" sounds like a great name for an all-girl punk band.

[K5054NZ]

This and the Morsair are my favourite in-progress threads anywhere on the Net. Amazing progress John - keep it up!

[John Howling Mouse]

Thanks, guys!

Not the most exciting pics, visually-speaking, but if this other freakin' half of the mold finally works this time, I will be able to cast my elongated nose cowl properly and that means the whole airframe will finally come together!

Mold half one complete with little cut-out register keys---yesterday:



And I finally managed to get the second half poured today (yes, I remembered both of the mold release agents this time!).  Mold half two---tonight:

[John Howling Mouse]

Well, I demolded the nose cowl tonight.  Everything looks pretty good so far.

Pic 1: Mold is removed from the Lego blocks.



Pic 2: Mold is shown in its two halves.  



Pic 3: Close up of the mold's lower half with the subject nose cowl still in place.
The wood dowel will become the pour gate for the resin when casting (like the sprues on an injection-molded kit).  The thin white tube below the dowel will create a narrow tunnel in the mold when removed.  This tunnel will be a vent so that air has a place to escape when it is displaced by the resin entering the mold cavity during the casting pour.  The opposite thin white tube was simply another pin to help suspend the subject nose cowl in midair while the mold rubber lower half was poured.  The hollow tube its removal will create must be filled with modeling clay when it comes time to pour in the resin. Try lining up the drilling for all THESE dowel holes and such in mini LEGO molding walls!



Pic 4: The subject nose cowl has been removed from the mold and both mold halves look good!

[Damian2]

Man JHM your skillz are whicked cool!

[K5054NZ]

Awesome stuff, john. Lovin the mold!

[John Howling Mouse]

Awesome stuff, john. Lovin the mold!

Thanks, Zac.

Hopefully the Smooth-On resin will work out (and I get Friday off, too: yahooooooooOOO!!!)