A different Barracuda

PR19_Kit · January 12, 2020, 03:57:26 AM

You may have noticed my plea for some Barracuda bits to replace some that I thought I already had, but which have gone missing in the madhouse in which I live.

I've long had an idea for a different Barracuda to the one that Fairey built for the FAA in WWII and after, and finding some accessories on Big H recently triggered me into starting it. That monster, multi-windowed canopy has always put me off doing a Barrra, but now that you can get masking sets has improved things, plus SAC do a neat white metal landing gear kit too.

The Barra's landing gear has always fascinated me, such an amazing mechanism, but logical when you see how the wings fold. And do they EVER fold! Almost every part of the wing hinges in one direction or another, and that's just got to be part of my model.

I've got the Special Hobby kit, which is a lovely moulding, but I do wish SH wouldn't always use 26 parts when 2-3 would do. The pilot's area of the cockpit has NINE parts to it, Revell would have made do with three. And from memory the old FROG kit had one, the seat..........

Here's some of the parts before starting.

And yes, that is a radial engine in the second pic.................

Captain Canada · January 12, 2020, 10:07:06 AM

A very neat aeroplane. Looking forward to seeing where you go with it. Cheers !

Gondor · January 12, 2020, 10:34:36 AM

I take it the wing will have another fold in it due to you extending the wing length?

Gondor

PR19_Kit · January 12, 2020, 11:15:51 AM

Quote from: Gondor on January 12, 2020, 10:34:36 AM

I take it the wing will have another fold in it due to you extending the wing length?

Maybe...........................

chrisonord · January 12, 2020, 01:43:51 PM

This should be interesting, a flying torpedo concertina

Chris

Weaver · January 12, 2020, 03:15:59 PM

Given your background in hydraulics Kit, couldn't you devise a way to make all the wing folds powered so that it can fly by flapping like an ornithopter?

PR19_Kit · January 12, 2020, 05:08:20 PM

Quote from: Weaver on January 12, 2020, 03:15:59 PM

Given your background in hydraulics Kit, couldn't you devise a way to make all the wing folds powered so that it can fly by flapping like an ornithopter?

Where's the hysterical laughter emoticon when you need it.

I have visions of this contraption flapping away while attached to the ground by a couple of miles of hydraulic hoses, which are in turn plugged into the MOTHER of all hydraulic power supplies!

comrade harps · January 13, 2020, 03:36:19 AM

Got a Barracuda in the stash, so I'll be interested so see where this goes.

Tophe · January 13, 2020, 06:29:53 AM

Yes, we will see the transformation here. As the source seems to be a single complete kit, it will not be a twin (engine or/and fuselage), or will it?

PR19_Kit · January 13, 2020, 06:58:27 AM

Quote from: Tophe on January 13, 2020, 06:29:53 AM

Yes, we will see the transformation here. As the source seems to be a single complete kit, it will not be a twin (engine or/and fuselage), or will it?

Actually there will be two Barracuda kits involved in the build, one provided by David (63cpe on here

) as I'll need some extra wing parts.

Now THERE'S a surprise, eh?

But the 2nd fuselage will be unused, for now anyway.

Rheged · January 13, 2020, 07:14:41 AM

How about a WINGLESS Barracuda as an instructional airframe for crew training. Go on!! You know you want to do it as a way of confusing us all!!

PR19_Kit · January 13, 2020, 08:41:12 AM

Quote from: Rheged on January 13, 2020, 07:14:41 AM

How about a WINGLESS Barracuda as an instructional airframe for crew training. Go on!! You know you want to do it as a way of confusing us all!!

They way I intend to build it means that's actually a possibility.................

Assuming it works of course.

PR19_Kit · March 06, 2020, 07:10:02 AM

I've commenced work on this, now that the GB has actually started.

The cockpit assembly is crazy, LOADS of parts in two or three different levels, but I aim to reduce that by one.

The umpteen wing fold bits are looking good, but will take some assembly, melding the resin, styrene and etched brass bits together. In a perfect world I'd love to have the wings actually fold, but in 1/72 I think that's impossible without micro-engineering that's beyond my capabilities. What I am planning to do is have two sets of wings, one in the folded configuration and one spread. With some pins and small bore tubes I think I can do that at least.

If it doesn't work I'll just glue one of wing sets on.

Tophe · March 06, 2020, 07:39:41 AM

If I understand well, you have 2 kits providing 2 sets of wings, of which you will chose the best one for the final model, yes?
But what will you do with the rest? Why not finishing both versions? displayed close to one another to compare...

PR19_Kit · March 06, 2020, 09:21:39 AM

Quote from: Tophe on March 06, 2020, 07:39:41 AM

If I understand well, you have 2 kits providing 2 sets of wings, of which you will chose the best one for the final model, yes?
But what will you do with the rest? Why not finishing both versions? displayed close to one another to compare...

Not quite. I have two Barracuda models, but when the wings are folded they can't really be showed on a non-folded model, so I'll swap the wings over now and then. The fuselage of the other kit will be converted into something else I expect, it may even have long wings........

Progress so far today has been a tad glacial, but I'm getting there. Here's the cockpit interior as far as I've got, the bit in the middle should be glued vertically to the front of the bit at the rear, but as the glue area is somewhat less than 0.25 sq. mm. it's not going to work the way Special Hobby want it too! There are SEVENTEEN components in that pic!

And here's the port fuselage half semi-modified with the resin wing root added and the nose shortened and filed down for the Hercules engine. The resin root needed a bit of work as it's designed for the old FROG kit, but it's pretty darn close.

Comparing the FROG and Special Hobby kits, they're VERY close in outline, the fuselage and wing halves fit together from either kit, only the surface detail of the SH kit shows a lot of improvement.