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Post by mstokes on Apr 19, 2009 14:00:36 GMT 12
Here is the incredible model in the Super Air hangar... chainsaw engine powered, Fully functional hopper as well as control surfaces that can be operated via those in the cockpit. Metal skinned as well... incredible effort and I am sure a few hours work!
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 19, 2009 14:03:41 GMT 12
Geez! Fantastic! bet that did take a few (thousand) hours! Looks to be 1/4 scale. Nice touch doing it in BDS aswell. I must get to see the guys at superair sometime!
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 19, 2009 15:02:39 GMT 12
Thanks Zac, just saw your comment If you guys are happy with it looking like that in those pics I just put up... then I'm happy
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 21, 2009 14:25:13 GMT 12
Here is the next update on assembling the Fletcher. First of all its the wheels, I soldered on a plate to the rear of the upper strut leg to provide a better mount. This will be standard on the kits. Then I drilled 2 2mm holes and bolted it to the bulkhead, finished off with a little epoxy around the edges. In hindsight I should have used 2 small screws, but didnt have any avaliable here at the time. Its up to you guys how you decide to mount it on, either bolts, screws or just epoxy. The wing wheels simply just dip the ends into a little epoxy and push into place, make sure you can get them in the holes first with a dry fit. There are small wooden blocks built into the inside of the wing for a strong joint. Dont forget to align them All dried and standing on all 3 wheels Now we move on to the next step which is creating the cowling mount, All we need to do here is cyno glue in a strip of styrene plastic as shown in the picture with some excess sticking out. (The tailcone is done exactly the same way I forgot to take a pic sorry!) Next we need to make a cut in the bottom of the cowl so the nose strut can pass through. This needs to be 5mm wide by 1.4 long Test fit it to the cowl..... It was a little tight so sand the inside as shown where needed until it fits nicely Now remember a few posts back how I mentioned that the canopy can be made to a slide back on if desired?..... I did some work All we need to do for this after painting it (carefully) is to cut a piece of 1.5mm masking tape and stick it along the front of the front frame. Now with some fine scissors cut along the edge of the tape. The width of the frame is 3mm so half of that is 1.5 so thats where we make the cut. The next step is to stick on the slide back mounts which I have provided a template for and stick them on with cyno, next we cyno glue the bottom of the windscreen to the forward part of the slide back. Now cut the the slide back raisers to size and cyno them to the mounts. There will be a gap along the windscreen where it joins to the fuse body so this needs to be filled a little. The pictures below show the end result. All up this took about an hour. Needs a little more filling and its all done. Ive decided to do this demo model in a James Aviation scheme, and test sizing some decals, a little alteration needed but pretty close. I have also put on the fin anti-abrasive strip Next....how to set the flaps Thanks for looking in! Cheers!
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 21, 2009 18:36:09 GMT 12
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Post by mstokes on Apr 21, 2009 18:55:05 GMT 12
I wish I could say I solved my canopy problem in an hour... ;P
Looks great! And I agree on the James scheme... that is a fav for me too.
So far I have put together Super Air, Field Air and James Aviation logo's for the Fletcher...
I was meant to ask, with the front fork, how did you make or source this? I have been making mine out of brass, but it is infuriating me with the folding and the like!!!
cheers Mike
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Post by agalbraith on Apr 21, 2009 21:35:29 GMT 12
Wow, very cool
Thanks for the update
Cheers Anthony
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 22, 2009 6:31:00 GMT 12
Hi Mike - the nose wheel fork is made by hand, I built a jig for making these, basically its wrapped around some pipe held in the vice then held in place by a bolt the same diameter as the strut size (1/8''), it all holds in place while its bent. Its made from 0.75mm copper, the strut legs are made from brass 1/8th rod, sleeved with 4mm and then 5mm tube and all silver soldered. The best way I found to do these is pre drill all the holes from a template scribed on a flat sheet then bend it.
Cheers
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Post by mstokes on Apr 22, 2009 16:42:01 GMT 12
Hehe... I did the same thing last night. BOF had a mudguard so I made the fork and gaurd out of brass and soldered it this morning. Looks awesome with the wheels in (Thanks Airsail!!!)
Yours looks a bit cleaner than mine, but some heavy cow pat weathering will hide any scruffiness ;D
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 23, 2009 4:42:51 GMT 12
I will probably do a mudgaurd for this one I have here, Although it wont be standard on the kit, Mine did look abit of a mess as I had painted it, Dad was having a look and said why didnt you put a plate on the back for mounting! I totally forgot about it nor thought of it! Sometimes its good to get a fresh perspective on things from others
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Post by Fletcher400 on Apr 25, 2009 13:08:25 GMT 12
Found some time away from making up some of the kits today, so I went ahead and put the flaps on and also added on the exhaust pipes, Always thought the 4 a side type looks pretty grunty so that was the subject ;D First heres how to put the flaps on, As the fletcher aircraft has fowler flaps its not so easy just to glue them on, What you need to is drill 2 small diameter holes into the flap leading edge, Ive used a 2mm bit, but 1.5 or even 1mm would be better, I marked off where I want them to be, the 4th corrugate in from each side, Then I transfered the measurement to the wing trailing edge and marked and drilled, Next I cut off (in my case 2mm ) rods of steel,, You could use brass aswell.. Heres some pics then its just a case of pushing them on and can run a bead of cyno along the inside if needed aswell New wheels, Ive gone with these as had some molding problems with the old ones Heres what she looks like now with the exhausts in and primered. Just about finished this model now, all we need to put on now are the Ailerons - these are just simply glued on to the trailing edge.... give it a tidy up and off to the paint shop. All in all its been a pretty simple model to put together and have quite enjoyed doing this, and am pleased with the way it looks. I have added some extra details like the Tailfin anti abrasive strip, Exhausts and hopper top panel and painted a few bits, obviously this wont be done in the kit but just abit of a demonstration on what you can do with this with abit of extra time. Right better get back to making the kits.... Thanks for looking in Cheers.
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Post by mstokes on Apr 25, 2009 15:02:25 GMT 12
Looking good mate. I like the way you have solved the fowler flaps issue, I had many thoughts about ways to do this and have to agree that your idea is the best. I haven't had much time to do any more on mine at the moment, just priming the front undercarriage fork and mud guard... it took a few attempts to get everything to stick together
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Post by Fletcher400 on May 10, 2009 13:39:15 GMT 12
Been abit of a while since the last update on s/n 1 fletcher, But have been busy doing kits, I decided to do the Aileron tips rounded to demonstrate a 1970's fletcher 400hp, The airelons come flat tipped in the kit so you can have the option to build with the endplates fitted for the more modern era or can sand them round, they are solid cast so no worries with sanding. Here they are fitted on the model. The kit is now complete and awaiting white painting. Getting the stripe thickness right, for transfering to painting masks - always a good idea to do some test trials,,,, no guesses what rego Thanks for looking. Cheers
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Post by mstokes on May 10, 2009 14:51:09 GMT 12
S/N1 fletcher 1/20 scale is moving faster than 1/32 equivalent Nice work Alan, it really does look the part and I will be very happy to secure one of these and super detail it. Hopefully in a year or so, those stopping by Otorohanga will see one of these on ddisplay as part of the Kiwiana windows. This and a Waitomo airtruck which has also been requested... Better by more dymo tape, lots of panel lines are going to need scribing! Nice work Alan...
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 10, 2009 17:22:22 GMT 12
That's a spectacular job Alan.
Any chance we could have a selection of larger, more detailed photos now that it's nearing completion please?
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Post by fletcherfu24 on May 10, 2009 20:30:31 GMT 12
Excellent choice of colour scheme..
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Post by Fletcher400 on May 11, 2009 3:09:12 GMT 12
Thanks for that pic Poolguy, where abouts was DBZ based? all I know is it was s/n162 Airparts built and JAL Assembled and 3/12/1970 first flown according to Lou Forhecz's book Id be interested to see any more James 400hp fletchers if anyone has some Dave thankyou for the comment, Unfortunetely Im abit behind the times and dont have a digital camera, and the photos thus far have been off a webcamera for convienience, when Ive done the paintwork Im going to take some proper photos outside in natural light and will post them up in full glory Cheers. Alan
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Post by fletcherfu24 on May 11, 2009 9:37:56 GMT 12
The photo was taken in the early 1980's at Whangarei,DBZ was just a loaner while the pilots regular mount was in for a service.It later migrated to Australia as VH-HPP and sadly was destroyed in a crash 1n 1988.
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Post by agalbraith on May 11, 2009 14:46:59 GMT 12
Just stunning mate. What you have pulled off here is amazing.
Cant wait to lay my hands on one!!!
Cheers Anthony
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Post by Fletcher400 on May 19, 2009 14:43:30 GMT 12
Finally got a windless day, and got outside and sprayed the first coat of white on, just made it in time before it started to rain! she's looking good, have just wet and dried it and will put a second one on tomorrow - aswell as go and buy some red and black paint for the stripes. Hoping to have it finished by the end of the week!
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