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Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk


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I was wondering how to do the intricate double layered top of the hull armour without a seam in the finished skin. Part of the beauty of the 3D rendering is that seamless broad expanse of armour with all the cutouts in the edge and compound angles and vent fan cutout, set.

 

http://i.imgur.com/a7BvUl.jpg

 

Cutting this piece out of 2.5 mm styrene would be very difficult to get perfectly straight cuts and 90° vertical edges.

 

My solution (if it works) is to make the substrate of 1.5 mm sheeting with 6.3 X 1.5 mm edging strips using all together 5 pieces and then after all is cut out in the substrate tracing the pattern onto the 1.0 mm single piece top armour plate. Then cutting out the square vent fan hatch in the 1.0 mm sheet and the edge cutouts will be easy. Then gluing the top and 1.5 mm substrate together and gluing the whole assembly to the top of the hull should give me the complex piece I want without the seams and knife nicked edges. (I hope)

 

http://i.imgur.com/9wO31l.jpg

 

You can see that this is a very involved section.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Olhacl.jpg

 

The pieces of required substrate to the right and one of the edge pieces tacked onto the underside of top layer.

 

http://i.imgur.com/kFUs5l.jpg

 

Another view of the penciled in lines.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Djvrdl.jpg

 

And a front view for no particular reason.

 

E. Blackadder

have you thought about using Green stuff to aid in the appearance of 1 solid piece? The smallest amount can really help blend edges of plasticard together :rolleyes:

 

just a suggestion rather than a 'you should do'

 

can't wait to see the next update, you seem to be flying along ;)

I've not worked with green stuff as yet but it appears to be a good material for sculpting and organic shapes. To use it for angular forms might be more trouble than it is worth. I seem to have decent luck with plasticard so far but I'll keep your suggestion under advisement.

 

There is a lot of confusion as to what I am trying to achieve regarding the top armour plating.

 

It's hard to describe the procedure but suffice it to say here is the result.

 

http://i.imgur.com/MZypwl.jpg

The underside of the 1.0 mm top armour with the two 1.5 mm edge pieces installed and the three pieces of the base armour.

 

http://i.imgur.com/epiCwl.jpg

The topside of the 1.0 mm top armour showing the end of the edge pieces.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Nd5dml.jpg

The assembled top and base armour 2.5 mm thick with detail cutouts and edges dressed.

 

http://i.imgur.com/mz5H2l.jpg

Top view of the armour assembly.

 

http://i.imgur.com/95rpel.jpg

Edge on view of the top armour assembly.

 

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E. Blackadder

I have been lurking these forums for over four years. I registered just to reply in this thread and say that this is the most insane ;) I have ever seen.

 

It's greatly disturbing to have lurkers subscribing just to tell me I am certifiable! :)

 

It's a fine madness though:

 

http://i.imgur.com/kNhPHl.jpg

The moment of truth, does it fit?

 

http://i.imgur.com/bsNlkl.jpg

Seems like a good fit but too much flash.

 

http://i.imgur.com/uapBYl.jpg

Less flash more detail.

 

http://i.imgur.com/TBKmVl.jpg

The front edge needs trimming.

 

--

E. Blackadder

The engines are pretty much roughed out. I have already made the cowlings and the inner intake sleeve. The main body of the engine is split PVC tubing with a collar at both ends to secure it to the wings. I made crenelated cowling sleeves but I won't be using those but instead will be making the diverters? from scratch

 

Just to bring you up to speed; here is the original hull and wing that I had made before I scrapped that and started making the 3D version:

http://i.imgur.com/Owxoql.jpg

 

Here are the engine components:

http://i.imgur.com/5ijadl.jpg

 

Close up of the cowl components:

http://i.imgur.com/GrjbOl.jpg

 

The failed crenelated diverter section:

http://i.imgur.com/HyoIBl.jpg

 

more to come........

Naturally the engines will have the same level of detail as on the original and the 3D rendering but I am not satisfied with the exhaust cones on the 3D version and will make mine shorter, also I am toying with the idea of using high intensity blue LEDs to simulate the exhaust possibly with a pulsing circuit. Or does that way madness lie?--

 

The split inner cowling and the outer cowl detail:

http://i.imgur.com/S92Awl.jpg

 

More of the same:

http://i.imgur.com/SSFQ7l.jpg

 

Fitted together: note the rough sanded surface, that will be wetsanded smooth.

http://i.imgur.com/a2dkNl.jpg

 

The back end of the cowl:

http://i.imgur.com/lX2d5l.jpg

 

E. Blackadder

I appreciate the above reply in as much as I feel I might sometimes cross the line of pedantry and I don't want to appear a know-it-all. I truly wish to impart that which I have learned through much trial and error to those who would like to scratch build on their own. A truly satisfying avocation; much more so than attempting to correct the moulding errors of the FW resin kits who's quality has diminished greatly over the past years.

 

Not much to show for yesterday's work. The secondary layer of armour is attached, the cut outs on the side 90° corners have been dressed out with file and knife and sanded clean with fine sandpaper and file so the seams barely show. This is a downfall of many of the scratch built models I see, that the corners are not clean and crisp. No amount of greenstuff or filler will give that precise intersection and it is relatively easy to achieve with the proper knife and a good clean new 'single cut file'. I use a 'Nicholson' single cut with a coarse side and a fine side that also has one of the edges capable of cutting for a nice crisp interior 90° angle cut. Invest in a file card wire cleaner and clean your file regularly to keep the file teeth from clogging.

 

In all, the whole of the secondary armour is out of true by less than a quarter of a millimeter which is satisfactory to me and once it is rounded in the finally dressing that discrepancy will blend in I'm sure.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Oao6Bl.jpg

The right side is the master side I do all the planning on. Always use the same side for sketching and fitting pieces and don't shift your on model plan lines from right to left sides if you can help it or you will build in discrepancies that will make your work look lopsided.

 

http://i.imgur.com/QbQqvl.jpg

The left side pieces I cut using the right side pieces for a guide making allowances for penciled or scribed lines and dressing the two pieces to insure they precisely match one another. It's easier to do this before they are glued on than trying to correct them after they are installed.

 

http://i.imgur.com/LJ1lZl.jpg

The front view appears satisfactorily symmetrical.

 

Now for the front cargo door.

 

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E. Blackadder

Black Adder, this is fantastic work, I admire your dedication. Its nice to see you take the loving care and attention I spend on my models and apply it to something I would be to scared to start for fear of not finishing. This is really inspiring work my friend, even just from a modeling point of veiw.

 

Thank you for sharing your undertaking with us I await your next installement with relish

This was harder than one would suspect, not just cutting out rectangles in 5 mm thick plastic but the angles are actually rhomboid shape in the front elevation and set at compound angles to boot.

 

http://i.imgur.com/NARCUl.jpg

 

Also the 'bonnet' cover plate is installed.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ULLl3l.jpg

 

--

E. Blackadder

This thread was meant to inspire Jeez, look what I started with:

 

Dont get me wrong... Im inspired, my unfinished TH looks just like what you started with, i went out and got some styrene sheet today.

What glue are you using by the way??

This thread was meant to inspire Jeez, look what I started with:

 

Dont get me wrong... Im inspired, my unfinished TH looks just like what you started with, i went out and got some styrene sheet today.

What glue are you using by the way??

 

'Way to go!

 

I use Ambroid Proweld thin cement and Testors thick model cement either the toxic red tube or the non-toxic blue tube. As the brush in the Ambroid bottle is too thick and clunky I refill an old Tamiya extra thin cement bottle which has a better brush and the bottle is less likely to tip.

 

darn you British people, whats a bonnet anyway???

 

darn you British people, whats a bonnet anyway???^_^

 

The hood of the compartment forward of the windscreen (windshield).

In spite of my attempt to render this model as close to the 3D image I just can't bring myself to make the cargo door projection as thick as it appears on the 3D picture. I have to trust in the fact that these are prospective drawings and that my effort will bear a reasonable likeness when completed. Not much to show for the week. Heavy work load recently.

 

The cargo bay opening:

http://i.imgur.com/ljuYyl.jpg

 

The door in place 6mm thick and it appears still not enough! Egad!

http://i.imgur.com/tm20Wl.jpg

 

The reinforcement stringers being applied as I type; 4mm X 2mm that should be enough by god:

http://i.imgur.com/KdGill.jpg

 

--

E. Blackadder

A minute glimpse into a slow process. No time to work on this this weekend as yet. The 4mm X 2mm strips had to be hand cut as no precut styrene of this size is available the tiny2.5mm squares are likewise cut to order. More fun and games from the madness brought to you by:

 

The Blackadderhttp://i.imgur.com/DpwYrl.jpg

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