SPA Modeler

Still slow goin', but I feel like I'm at least getting somewhere now!

The most use I have gotten out of that PE set is to use the rear deck as a template...





I used the kit part, which was a tad on the small size, as the "blank" for smash-molding new seat pans.





In the end...the only kit parts used on the interior were the instrument panels.
Pilot seats came from the TBF kit, and the rear gun from Hasegawa's B-25 kit(I added handles)
Everything else is sheet stock, tea can, copper wire, tape, paper towel life rafts, and alum. tubing.

Man I always love seeing what scratch built improvised magic that you come up with! This time is impressive as always!

You are doing more work on this than the guy who made the masters for it! Nice.

Excellent SB work Fermis - those are great looking cockpits.

Jeremy, I am gobsmacked! What a tremendous improvement you've done on these! Wow!

Excellent scratchbuilding, Fermis!

Man, you know how to scratch.

Thanks dudes!!!

Moving along...

So...the plan was to open up the canopies.
Pilots canopy...easy'nuff. Smashmold it, cut windscreen free....bing-bang-boom...nothing new there.
For the rear...smashmold the center section...use front and rear sections from kit...slide smashmolded section under front section...easy!
(I cut my masks on the kit parts, then transfer them)



I was deceived! The edges of the kit parts were fairly thin...thin enough to "pass". However, when I cut the front and rear sections free...the inside edges, the ones that would be seen...they were stupid thick. No good.
After several attempts, smashmolding over the kit parts couldn't be made to work for me (shape issue), I gave up.
I was set to carve a "master", then remembered the old kingfisher in the paint mule pile!
I sanded the section between the pits to shape, and smashmolded a whole mess of "blanks" over that...



I went with trial-n-error, to cut/trim em to fit...after 20 or so attempts, I had the 6 I needed!



Painted the frames on the center section, as they had to be placed under the front section.
Got everything were it needs to be!



That was a huge hurdle, and took a little piece of my soul.
Next will be trying to make the engine into something presentable.

Well worth the effort in the end!

The soul you lost will grow back, Jeremy, that's just basic Karma.. Very nice.