Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 10:11 am
Thank you so much, Mike!
It's about time to start "sewing" them up! 
It's about time to start "sewing" them up! Page 2 of 10
It's about time to start "sewing" them up! Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 10:17 am
Yes, the ICM cockpits are a bit fiddly, but once you have them sandwiched in place between the fuselage halves the go well. The engineering is pretty sweet for the most part other Yaks.
Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 11:16 am
Heck, I might just give that ICM a try too!Stikpusher wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26, 2024 10:17 am Yes, the ICM cockpits are a bit fiddly, but once you have them sandwiched in place between the fuselage halves the go well. The engineering is pretty sweet for the most part other Yaks.
Thanks for the encouragement, Carlos! Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2024 10:25 pm
Brilliant work Gary, it's great to see you building again!
Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 12:34 am
Nice progress, Gary.
Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 8:16 am
Thank you very much for the warm comments, Mark!Duke Maddog wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 10:25 pm Brilliant work Gary, it's great to see you building again!
I sure appreciate them, and yes, it's about time I had something to show! I'm getting back to them as soon as our Thanksgiving company heads home. Thank, John!
The pace of the progress is pretty glacial, but slowly, but surely, things are taking shape! Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2024 3:26 pm
Soviet prop fighters, my favourite!
Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 6:06 am
Umm. I guess I missed this. Great start on these Gary. Now you need a Shturmovik Il-2 to go with them
Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 11:31 am
I hope I can do them justice, Remco!
Keeping my fingers crossed anyway! Thanks, Johnny!tempestjohnny wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 6:06 am Umm. I guess I missed this. Great start on these Gary. Now you need a Shturmovik Il-2 to go with them
Ya know, I've picked up and examined the Revell Il-2 kit several times but didn't buy one...yet! Re: Russian fighter project
Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2024 5:29 pm
Just a bit of an update; both fuselages are together and seams have been addressed. Ya know, I've had issues with getting nice, tight fuselage seams for the last many builds. 
I believe I've struggled with each one lately and these two were no exceptions. I used to have no trouble applying liquid cement along seams, wait a bit and then squeeze them together, oozing out the melted styrene. Now, that almost never happens. 
Maybe I'm squeezing them too soon? Or perhaps the liquid cement isn't strong enough. I don't know, but I even tried some MEK and that was only a little better.
I won't know just how gnarly the seams will look until I get some paint over them. I usually thin some Humbrol Silver 11 down and brush it along the seam. That shows all the gaps and edges and then I'll tackle the problem spots. It's about time for attaching the wings and I need to get out their canopies to see how they're going to fit.
Here are a few photos showing some progress:
There's a sizeable gap on the turtledeck, behind the seat of the MiG-3; I had a much better fit there when dry-fitting (repeadtedly!), when the glue got going hot and heavy, the gap appeared. You'll also note the tailwheel hanging down on the MiG-3. The instructions called for sandwiching between the two fuselage halves resulting in a very dangerously exposed appendage that I will almost certainly break before much longer. Ironically, I thought of a good alternative method of attaching that tailwheel later in the build using a short section of tubing, just minutes after glueing it together! 
Oh well, that's modeling by old folks, I guess! 
I believe I've struggled with each one lately and these two were no exceptions. I used to have no trouble applying liquid cement along seams, wait a bit and then squeeze them together, oozing out the melted styrene. Now, that almost never happens. Maybe I'm squeezing them too soon? Or perhaps the liquid cement isn't strong enough. I don't know, but I even tried some MEK and that was only a little better. I won't know just how gnarly the seams will look until I get some paint over them. I usually thin some Humbrol Silver 11 down and brush it along the seam. That shows all the gaps and edges and then I'll tackle the problem spots. It's about time for attaching the wings and I need to get out their canopies to see how they're going to fit.
Here are a few photos showing some progress:
There's a sizeable gap on the turtledeck, behind the seat of the MiG-3; I had a much better fit there when dry-fitting (repeadtedly!), when the glue got going hot and heavy, the gap appeared.
You'll also note the tailwheel hanging down on the MiG-3. The instructions called for sandwiching between the two fuselage halves resulting in a very dangerously exposed appendage that I will almost certainly break before much longer. Ironically, I thought of a good alternative method of attaching that tailwheel later in the build using a short section of tubing, just minutes after glueing it together! Oh well, that's modeling by old folks, I guess!