T-51D "Sentinel" Trainer

[Leigh]

Whoa! It looks like Baz might actually get one finished..

Yeah and pigs might fly. Er....hold on a minute...

Looking great Baz, I've been hanging out with you guys too long trainers are starting to look really sexy.





Damn when does that woman get back from her trip now I'm drooling over trainers

[rallymodeller]

Oh my.

Oh my!

I think I actually wept at the beauty of that!

[Captain Canada]

Could have saved yourself a whole pile of hassle and just built a Turbo Mentor......



Just kidding, baz. That is fecking brilliant. Nothing better looking than a CDN bird. In those colours. Your skill is awe inspiring, buddy.

Now, when she's all done, can somebosy photo-shop a diamond 9 for the early Snowbirds ?

   

[nev]

Barry, once again you demonstrate that you are THE MASTER!

Incredible, astounding, totally drool-worthy.

     

[Brian da Basher]

I don't know how I missed your update Mr Howling Mouse but your latest pics are absolutely Baz-tastic! You are indeed a true master of the art! I love this build and your wonderful paintjob and Canadian markings.

Ohhhh Canadaaaa....our home aaannd naative laaaand...

Brian da Basher

[Sisko]

Fantastic man!!!!

That has to one of your best conversions yet.

[John Howling Mouse]

Thanks guys.  Next step is the dreaded custom, vac-formed canopy...    

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Another jaw-dropper, Barry !

Ian

[Dork the kit slayer]

First class build brother wifer ........and a nice paint job as well.

(its even got those quirky roundel things        

[Damian2]

I love the whole effect of the paint job and the decals    

[Eddie M.]

What a beautiful aircraft and sooo close to being finished....  B)
   Eddie

[John Howling Mouse]

Oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I remember this.  Sorta...

It's a matter of making the scratchbuilt cockpit master for vacforming now.

What, me worry?

 

[John Howling Mouse]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

There was a shrieking rodent who was trying to build a likeable little Canadian trainer from an old Monogram Mustang kit.  Everything went quite well, from the scratchbuilt cockpit to the molding of a new nose and re-positioned wheel wells.  But then the shrieking rodent got scared when it came time to make some sort of workable tandem canopy for the little two-seater.   What are you?  A man...or a mouse???

Eeek, squeak, eeek!

Suddenly realized that the second canopy set that came with my AT-3 that I used for the Fontaine Camo project could be cut down the middle and might just work with a little mouse grease.  In the past (like on the A-5 Menaz, when I've had to cut similar canopy pieces, I usually get cracks and chips if not the complete destruction of the clear parts so I came up with a new technique:

I stuffed the clear parts with Plasticene to better support them as they pass through the bandsaw.  Likely not good for the bandsaw but it worked extremely well.

1. The parts mounted to cardboard (safer as it keeps one's fingers away from the blade) with the modelling clay packed in underneath to support the pieces from the downward blast of the bandsaw blade's teeth:



2. You see here the parts split in nice, clean halves:



3. I was very happy with the results----far better than I obtained with the Menaz (no plasticene clay used on that):



4. Although not yet polished up, they already look pretty good mated back together:



But now I have to file down 2mm from each inner edge to get the final cockpit as close as possible to the cockpit aperture (scroll back a few pages).  Will it work?  Stay tuned: Same What If time....same What If channel!   

[Gary]

If I grow up, I wanna be able to model like that. Wowsers! Total beauty.

[nev]

Baz, I am so happy to see you finishing off all these old classics b)

However, there seems to be one missing from the resurrection pile. 

Do I have to say its name?  Do I have to speak its name?  In this corner, king of the world.  Master of the Universe.  Weighing in at 260lbs, the big man, the WUH!