SPA Modeler

John,

Yeah buddy and there we go! And fact about it- if I hadn’t had to perform surgery on this engine, I’d have painted it before entombing it absolutely.

Thank you so much, Bruce.

You know, it’s funny the similarities we share. I do the same thing with movies, Apocalypse Now being one of them. Full Metal Jacket is another. No matter where I am in life I always find them enjoyable. Same thing with 2001. They resonate with me. Much the same way these various subjects do. And hell. Some days I’m Kurtz. Some days I’m Willard. I know you understand.

Good afternoon, chaps! Got an update on Black 1 “Remixed/Redux” for you.

Let’s go back to what I said earlier concerning the engine and the “sweet spot” it needs to sit in. It’s finicky because the shaft isn’t long at all, which can make a modeler decide to fit the engine as far forward as he can, and subsequently ruin the fit of upper cowling by spreading the lower part too wide...

Well have a look here at this step from the suggestions booklet:


In the past I have omitted those two parts, on account of I didn’t read the list of parts to omit for to do a closed-cowling build closely enough. Those parts do NOT appear in the list of engine parts to omit!

Okay, so, I installed them, then re-installed the engine, and then re-mocked-up the fuselage to check how things were fitting after the addition of those parts. Have a butcher’s:


As you can see, the engine is sitting pretty with that piece butting up against the forward wall of the compartment made up of the two lower cowling halves which, by the way, are nicely lined up and ready to mate together with no gappage.

But here’s the real tests...

Does the spinner fit into the shaft and if so, does it sit in the correct position and most importantly at all, is there a step between the lower cowling and the upper cowling?




BOOM!!!!

It all fits together precisely how it’s supposed to! Not a bad day’s work, no sir!

Okay, I am now satisfied that this area has been thoroughly addressed ahead of time and now I can begin to paint the cockpit. I’ll get on that as time permits this week, when I need breaks from working on Spare Parts.

Have a good one, fellas!

Now, that is a happy dance worthy piece of work! Way to go.

Believe me my friend I’m performing one right now!

On the first incarnation of this project, “Pips’ Emil”, my pal Dave Murphy noticed about 1/2 mm worth of misalignment at the top between the spinner and top cowling. It had evaded me until he pointed it out and after that I couldn’t unsee it. Well, with those parts installed, that issue is negated. I should’ve been following the suggestions booklet a little more closely in that case, but whatever, it is what it is and I’m really stoked about how well this exercise has been going.

I have two Emils in the stash and both of them are Eduard kits. One in 48 and the other is 32. I am keeping an eye open to thwart any up and coming issues.

Paul,

This should work for both. And if this build, and the three, count-em THREE fails that lead up to this build end up helping YOU, then I will be a very, VERY happy guy! Godspeed good buddy!

Very nice Kenny! Sometimes that suggestions booklet can be helpful!

HAHA Yes sir it sure can come in handy! I guess that’s why they’re ubiquitous among model kits think I’ll refer to it a little more often from now on.