Re: The AW52 Arundel PR2

[PR19_Kit]

You really do wonder what some of these companies product development departments actually do when it comes to testing ? 

They surely didn't build this one as it says in the instructions 'cos it's impossible.   

[PR19_Kit]

I've decided on a name for this one, so the thread title's adjusted to suit. ^^^

Having got the nosewheel bay/cockpit floor assembled, sort of, I went to attach the forward bulkhead, and the instructions show you where to glue the positively MINUTE rudder pedals, as below....




They're meant to go either side of that little block on the forward side of the bulkhead, but......



....it's not there, the bulkhead is totally flat on the front! And no, I haven't got it the wrong way round as the cockpit's offset to port, like a Sea Vixen or a Canberra B(I)8 or PR9. So those rudder pedals won't be taking any further part in the build, not that you could see them anyway.

In passing, the whole assembly apparently needs EIGHT parts! I can't imagine even Revell needing more than three. (sigh)

[PR19_Kit]

And another thing............ 

You get PE instrument panels and 3D decals for the instrument panels.....

What's that about? Why bother with the PE stuff if you're going to apply the 3D stuff on top of it? You might as well leave the PE on the fret!

I've never used the 3D stuff before so I'll give it a try, the PE is staying right where it is.

[chrisonord]

I hope that my remark  is encouraging  Kit, because  I still want one. I  think that you  will get your head round it  before too long.
Chris

[jcf]

And another thing............ 

You get PE instrument panels and 3D decals for the instrument panels.....

What's that about? Why bother with the PE stuff if you're going to apply the 3D stuff on top of it? You might as well leave the PE on the fret!

I've never used the 3D stuff before so I'll give it a try, the PE is staying right where it is.

The kit was probably designed with the PE in mind before the 3D decals thing started becoming
available.

[PR19_Kit]

While the fuselage of the Arundel is proving a problem (or five...) the wings aren't too bad at all. Here's the port extended one compared with its standard length (so far...) starboard cousin.

You'll never guess where the extension came from, or maybe you will. It's a sawn down piece of one of the umpteen spare AZ MB5/6s that I have knocking about the place. 

[jcf]

Will it be the successor to the extended span Baltimore P.R.1? 

[Tophe]

it looks terrific, and reminds me that I saw the real thing fly at Farnborough in 1949 or 50

Wikipedia told me that the AW52 project is dated 1944, so I checked and found a twin-boom version of that time, yes!

= link www.kristofmeunier.fr/aw-x52.jpg

[PR19_Kit]

I've finished assembly of the only engine you can build with the kit, and it looks pretty neat, but I bet it'll be a pain to paint.



There's THIRTY FOUR parts in that pic above, there should be 35, but one snapped off and pinged into orbit.

The jet pipe's an essential part of the whole airframe as the exhaust is visible at the aft end of the wing, so that part's already installed in the starboard position. I'm not sure if I'll do the same on the port side, or install the whole engine as well. If so I may cut out the access hatch in the wing upper surface as all that building would be wasted otherwise.

After assembling some of the cockpit, as seen in a post above, I decided to glue into one half of the nose underside before doing any of its painting, but there's no firm location to show where it should go. Logically I lined up the side of the nose gear bay with the hole for it, which made sense to me, but having then glued in the pilots seat and tested up against the upper part of the nose I found the seat didn't line up with the cockpit aperture! 

The whole cockpit assembly was maybe 5-10 degrees off clockwise, so I had to cut the darn thing back out again, NO fun! So now I've glued half of the nose underside in position so I can get it lined up properly. Quite how I'm going to paint the cockpit interior I've no idea.



Quite definitely this is the worst kit I've built in many months. It looks great at first sight but it flatters to deceive.

[buzzbomb]

Perseverance will bring rewards, pretty sure it will look stellar on the shelves. If anybody can knock this into shape you can.

[PR19_Kit]

I might need a big hammer to do it. 

Thanks for your confidence in me. 

[PR19_Kit]

How the devil do I change the title of this thread and KEEP it changed?

I've changed it to 'Re: The AW52 Arundel PR2' on every post I've made since I thought of the name, and also on the first post, but anyone else who replies on here, even ME, ends up with the old thread title! 

[Old Wombat]

I've modified the title in the first post of the thread for those where I put "FINISHED/DONE - pic's pg.xxx" in the title.

That seems to work.

[zenrat]

Yeah, Womby's right.  Go back to your first post, click modify and change it there.

[PR19_Kit]

I did that already, and it didn't seem to work at first, so I did it again and now it has. Both of your last posts have the amended title.

Thanks gentlemen.