I think I may be in.....

kitbasher · February 23, 2021, 02:29:45 PM

I have a cunning plan. Scratchbuild. Nothing to do with what ran past the Mods.

Rheged · February 24, 2021, 02:46:37 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on February 23, 2021, 02:29:45 PM
I have a cunning plan. Scratchbuild. Nothing to do with what ran past the Mods.

I'm all in favour of cunning plans! We await the grand reveal with bated breath.

kitbasher · March 01, 2021, 01:52:38 PM

Both started, both nearly built. Pics tomorrow

NARSES2 · March 02, 2021, 05:34:36 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on March 01, 2021, 01:52:38 PM
Both started, both nearly built. Pics tomorrow

So what are you replacing Jodie Whittaker in the next series of Dr Who and have early access to the Tardis or have you just borrowed Dizzy's time machine ?

kitbasher · March 02, 2021, 12:20:53 PM

A little more work done. One of the rotors proved to be a pain. Pics tomorrow, sorry chaps.

buzzbomb · March 02, 2021, 01:54:25 PM

Fast finisher moving up 2 out on the outside... quick work by the sounds of it.

kitbasher · March 03, 2021, 07:17:43 AM

A little later than intended but here's progress to date.

Day one. All I need is on the table:

Amazing what you can do with a PM Sea Fury main wheel (left), an Airfix MiG-15 slipper tank (right), some plastic rod, tubing and card. Oh yes, and cutting the head off a FROG pilot figure.

Day two some additional work but you can see them coming together. So I present to you on the left, the Firefly, and on the right the Dragonfly Small Unmanned Aerial Systems. The former is used by Fire Services, the latter by Police forces.

Not that happy with the Dragonfly's co-axial rotors - they look more like railway sleepers than UAV rotors, so I think I'll have another go at them. The Firefly will get a gimbal-mounted, ball-turreted sensor made from an Airfix pilot's head (see above).

Some general cleaning up necessary. I ran out of Humbrol Liquid Poly and had to resort to using Revel Contacta liquid cement. Never again - cement, yes. Liquid? Hmmm....

NARSES2 · March 03, 2021, 07:31:41 AM

Looking good

PR19_Kit · March 03, 2021, 08:21:41 AM

Wow, both of them look VERY innovative!

kitbasher · March 03, 2021, 09:58:12 AM

Right then. Dragonfly rotors replaced, I think they look better; gimbal turret added to the Firefly and camera lenses added to both. Obviously neither are huge (I'm claiming them to be 1/72), as you can see when placed next to the WIP Puffin.

loupgarou · March 03, 2021, 01:25:07 PM

Very intriguing idea and realization.
If you aren't satisfied with rotor thickness, you could use very thin brass sheet.

Nick · March 03, 2021, 01:33:30 PM

At risk of damaging your good work so far, I suggest sanding down the edges of the rotors and perhaps shaping the end corners like a Lynx or Apache rotor blade.

kitbasher · March 03, 2021, 02:46:36 PM

Quote from: Nick on March 03, 2021, 01:33:30 PM
At risk of damaging your good work so far, I suggest sanding down the edges of the rotors and perhaps shaping the end corners like a Lynx or Apache rotor blade.

I'll certainly attend to the leading and trailing edges but doubt I'll do any reshaping, Nick.

Dizzyfugu · March 03, 2021, 11:43:23 PM

Neat. Reminds me of the current Hobby Japan issue which features a scratched SF/mecha 1:48 quadrocopter drone.

NARSES2 · March 04, 2021, 06:34:57 AM

Quote from: loupgarou on March 03, 2021, 01:25:07 PM

If you aren't satisfied with rotor thickness, you could use very thin brass sheet.

Exactly what I was thinking, and I may have some suitable ?

Dave one of the etch brass frames that held parts from my Fokker TV could well be suitable for the rotor blades. 3 of the strips are 0.5mm wide and the other 3 are 1.00mm. Any use ?