SPA Modeler

I consider a cutting mat one of those items that will eventually need replacement so I try not to spend too much money on them.

The main gear legs on the Dora kit can be susceptible to breakage. I know that first hand as I snapped one on my Yellow 11 build as I was inserting it into the landing gear well. Being nervous about the added weight that the Eagle resin cockpit as well as the Henri Daehne prop adds to this model, I decided to take a look at some metal replacements. I opted for the G-Factor brass legs. Visually, they seem to be identical to the Hasegawa parts, with no added detail. There is a slight, irregular mold line that runs down both sides of the legs that are visible but not overly noticeable. The gear legs are molded in one piece with the oleo scissors molded into place.


After priming the brass legs with Mr Surfacer 1000, I discovered that the locating pins on the legs didn't match the corresponding holes in the landing gear doors. Placing the G-Factor legs next to the kit legs reveals that the G-Factor legs are a touch shorter than the kit legs. It's always SOMETHING not quite right with these aftermarket parts!


To make things fit, I decided to grind off the pin closest to the wheel end of the G-Factor strut and glue a new pin more towards the end so that the pins would correspond to the holes in the gear doors. This seems to be an acceptable solution. I will add the brake lines to the gear legs before priming and painting.


Eduard promptly answered my email about the flap snafu and have committed to sending me a replacement. Confident in Eduard's promise, I tried my hand at folding one of the flap pieces with the new folding tool that I got.


This is the upper flaps after folding the end pieces up at right angles.


Each rib is carefully rotated 90 degrees before final fold is complete. I can then secure each rib individually using CA glue.


After the ribs are glued into place, I clean off the excess CA glue using debonder.

Hmmm... not much interest in the brass flap folding eh? The Dora build continues as I add a brake line to the G-Factor gear struts. I used stiff wire mounted with small sections of brass tubing. The last section of brake line will be added with lead wire after the gear legs have been painted.



Fast forward a couple of days and the gear legs are painted. The paint chips very easily off the metal legs... perhaps Mr Surfacer 1000 isn't the best primer for this metal. The data plate decals are from the Eagle Editions decal sheet. The legs were painted various shades of RLM02 and dirtied up with a dark wash. You can see a little chip off the black brake line that needs to be fixed.


The actuator arms have been given a similar treatment.


The insides of the landing gear doors have been painted as well. I will still add some weathering to the landing gear components before I call them finished.


The radiator face and the insides of the cowl flaps have been painted. I added cowl flap actuator rods using pieces of stretched sprue.


Here's the view of the flaps and rods from behind.



And finally... the radiator face placed into the Eagle Editions radiator cowling. The oval holes at the top and bottom of the radiator face are depressions that have been painted black. Should I drill them out? Not as simple as it looks since there is a lot of plastic behind the depressions from the locator holes that are used to attach this piece to the forward fuselage.

Awesome work on the gear legs and the flaps. I was thinking of getting that PE folding tool. Does it help?

Medicman71 wrote: Awesome work on the gear legs and the flaps. I was thinking of getting that PE folding tool. Does it help?

Thank you for the comment! Yes, a bending tool helps very much and I strongly recommend The Small Shops products. I started with a Small Shops "The Bug", which did everything I need to do in folding parts until I purchased the Eduard Flaps for this Dora build. Due to the long size of the flaps, The Bug was too small to use. So I purchased 5.5" bending tool from Small Shops. It can everything that The Bug can do but I'll probably keep the Bug on the work desk since it is so small and can handle MOST of my bending needs.

A little more work on the Dora to report. I test fit the landing gear components minus the doors to check fit/appearance.


I decided to fit the one assembled flap piece to the wings. The part I previously folded is supposed to replace the molded detail on the inside of the upper wing half. This molded detail needs to be removed to accommodate the brass piece.


I used my Tamiya cutters to snip off the rips. A curved bladed x-acto knife to shave down the remnants and then sandpaper to finish it off.


Similar treatment is needed to the lower wing half. This took longer due to the nature of the removal... shaving down a strip of area down one level.


After the plastic removal, the upper flap piece was dry-fit into the wings. This will add a nice bit of detail and complexity to this area.



The actual flap looks to be a tougher fold but I have two sets to play with so I can afford to make a mistake.

This build is so interesting to watch/follow!

And even if I might repeat myself, but the pictures you take are outstanding!
I am speechless.. sort of ... of them!

- Kari

jkim wrote:Hmmm... not much interest in the brass flap folding eh?

Oh, for sure a lot of interest on my side of the pond. But just nothing smart to contribute, lol!

Fantastic work, John. This thread is like a good newspaper article; I enjoy it with a pot of hot coffee in my favourite seating.

mostrich wrote:

jkim wrote:Hmmm... not much interest in the brass flap folding eh?

Oh, for sure a lot of interest on my side of the pond. But just nothing smart to contribute, lol!

.

Likewise, from the next county north of you... the flaps are quite impressive work. As is the landing gear.

Man those flaps really look nice. I'm gonna get one of those bending tools cause they're on sale at Micromark.