Ok so I guess its about time I shared my conversion with you guys after admiring the work that has been done in the forum.
I started my conversion over a year ago but with other builds needing to be done first the Lizzy got shifted to the back of the garage. I had to get some kind of progress shown though in Oct 17 as we had our anual Model Transport exhibition where she was suppose to have centre stage at our clubs stand.
So here is some commentary to go with some pics I have taken as I have undertook the conversion.. Hope you all enjoy ;-) Feel free to ask anything you like..
I needed somewhere to hide the switches so with there being a natural hatch on the side of the Lizzy it seemed like bit of a No Brainer really. So made a frame and a door and put some magnets on it to keep it shut. It opens down rather than up as the real aircraft did because its easier to get to the switches without the door being in the way.
I also wanted to add lights to the spats so set about finding parts that I could use with the spot light unit I had bought some months earlier.
I am quite happy with the result as its glassed into the inside of the spat and quite substantial.
I cut the cowl too and added some detail to it at the same time..I also got an exhaust 3d printed and glassed one side. I blended it into the cowl using Car filler. Not worried about weight as I think I will need more anyway.
I also wanted the rear section of the canopy to slide so put rails into the Fuz following the real lines of the lizzy. Unless you have done this before I would not try this as it was a real pain to try and get it to slide smoothly.
Other things I have done so far is a detailed cockpit. I used a lot of gauges from a 1/5 scale Spitfire and Hurricane set which contain the standard set of instruments and other items which were standard for the period.
I also quite early on decided to do a Special Opps Lizzie so really needed to make a munitions carrier which I did but then the headache of how to secure it to the underside.
After much head scratching here I just tried to copy the original as best I could and its worked really well.
I realise this will prob throw the CofG way out but not got to balancing it yet.
I went for the FG60 engine wise and have run it a couple of times while its been attached to the Fuz... Really love the sound!
I also made a ladder which is sprung so it just fits in the holes in the Fuz and holds itself in.
I had to paint one side of the Fuz for the exhibition and decided to go for the yellow edged randal, not scale I know but I think it looks better and I like it ;-)
So just one side to paint and the other wing half to cover and paint.