Meister 1/5 scale P-47
03-05-2015, 09:33 PM
#1952
This is something that I have not looked into doing on this plane. Not sure if anyone has done it yet. One of those scale fetchers that would be fun to do, but that would go largely unnoticed, even by judges.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-05-2015 at 11:19 PM.
03-08-2015, 12:11 AM
#1953
I realized how the pilot got a little extra head room under the handle above his head as the canopy slides back. It raised slightly just after it was unlocked. You can easily see this on the canopy track in this picture. This is the right side of the cockpit. As it is, it is hard to have the pilot seat up where it would be, and still have the handle on the canopy. It hits his forehead. Never understood why till I saw this picture. Some day, I will copy this action.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-08-2015 at 12:17 AM.
03-08-2015, 10:31 AM
#1956
My speciality is scale working details, as a builder for over 30 years in construction I have learned to engineer my own projects.
My weak points are in the finishing of modles, painting and weathering so I have a ways to go there. We will see what I can come up with.
TB
My weak points are in the finishing of modles, painting and weathering so I have a ways to go there. We will see what I can come up with.
TB
03-08-2015, 10:49 AM
#1957
My specialty is scale working details, as a builder for over 30 years in construction I have learned to engineer my own projects.
My weak points are in the finishing of models, painting and weathering so I have a ways to go there. We will see what I can come up with.
TB
My weak points are in the finishing of models, painting and weathering so I have a ways to go there. We will see what I can come up with.
TB
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-08-2015 at 12:53 PM.
03-08-2015, 02:33 PM
#1958
Turtle deck and area behind the pilot. These Meister parts need modified slightly to correctly create the area just below the armor plating. I have seen this area in bare aluminum, and also painted various colors including flat black, cockpit interior dark green, grey, and primer. I will leave it in RA primer and leave the color up to John. On the front of this you could see the structure that formed a roll bar sort of protection that ran up from under the cockpit to under the armor plating. I left this detail off at this point because the rear of the cockpit is not installed yet. Still need access to things behind the cockpit at this point.
also
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-08-2015 at 02:37 PM.
03-08-2015, 03:50 PM
#1967
Yes I have. The problem is that no two electric motors run exactly the same. Opening is not such a big deal, but it only takes a slight speed difference to twist the canopy enough not to close properly. I have tried it with another system, but I have seen the same problem with these, and worse. If one stalls or doesn't work at all, you really have a problem. I have resolved myself to using one motor in the middle when going all electric, which is most of the time now. I have two Corsairs I will be doing soon both with electric cowls. I don't mind the open or closed senerio because that is usually where you see them. On the check list for landing in WWII was to open the canopy.
03-11-2015, 07:49 AM
#1970
Canopies, canopies. Sliding canopies are Not my favorite part of building, but, a scale plane without a sliding canopy is just not right IMO. So, here we go again.
When to do the canopy varies for me. The Corsair for instance is more easily done early on, as it takes (4) rails and two of them are in an area not easy to get to later on, plus, the canopy is easily removed. The Meister P-47 requires a later install because of the three piece fuselage, and all that needs to be done before you join the fore and aft sections and then the turtledeck. This means that I don't do it till the very end, on the Meister. The P-47 canopy is not easily removed, at least the way I do it, using the rail system that Dino sells for this plane. So, I make the cradle system independent of the canopy, so the airframe and canopy can be painted separately, and then when all is done, the canopy can be glued to it's cradle system with RC 56, never to be removed again. More on this later.
So, it begins. First, I do NOT cut the canopy apart until it is cut and fit and marked on the fuselage. I locate it perfectly (the rear embossed framework on the canopy should overlap the turtledeck), then screw the front section down to permanently locate it. When I'm ready to permanently install the canopy, I'll replace these screws with countersunk ones of the same size, and add a few more for scale effect. Pan heads are just easier to work with at this point.
BTW, at this point, and really through out this process, there is no reason to remove the protective covering that comes on the outside of the canopy. I have another 47 in the shop that someone else did most of the work on, and they cut the canopy to shape and then pealed the covering off. These things scratch easily. No need to do that.
When to do the canopy varies for me. The Corsair for instance is more easily done early on, as it takes (4) rails and two of them are in an area not easy to get to later on, plus, the canopy is easily removed. The Meister P-47 requires a later install because of the three piece fuselage, and all that needs to be done before you join the fore and aft sections and then the turtledeck. This means that I don't do it till the very end, on the Meister. The P-47 canopy is not easily removed, at least the way I do it, using the rail system that Dino sells for this plane. So, I make the cradle system independent of the canopy, so the airframe and canopy can be painted separately, and then when all is done, the canopy can be glued to it's cradle system with RC 56, never to be removed again. More on this later.
So, it begins. First, I do NOT cut the canopy apart until it is cut and fit and marked on the fuselage. I locate it perfectly (the rear embossed framework on the canopy should overlap the turtledeck), then screw the front section down to permanently locate it. When I'm ready to permanently install the canopy, I'll replace these screws with countersunk ones of the same size, and add a few more for scale effect. Pan heads are just easier to work with at this point.
BTW, at this point, and really through out this process, there is no reason to remove the protective covering that comes on the outside of the canopy. I have another 47 in the shop that someone else did most of the work on, and they cut the canopy to shape and then pealed the covering off. These things scratch easily. No need to do that.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-11-2015 at 09:43 AM.
03-11-2015, 08:11 AM
#1971
Now I cut it apart and add the former to the front section with RC 56. I leave this removable until the cockpit is done and she is all painted. No need to rush to glue this on. The little screws will always locate it perfectly no matter how many times you need to remove it.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-11-2015 at 09:33 AM.
03-11-2015, 08:35 AM
#1972
Now the real work can begin. Locating and gluing in the rails is the tricky part for me, and most of my time in a canopy is in this part of the process. Here I have it figured out. The rail needs to angle in as it gets close to the front section so the beam with it's aluminum mount is just inside the front section. I also make the rail parallel to the outline mark of the canopy that i drew on the fuselage earlier. You can also see the notch in the turtledeck just behind the rail so that the beam can slide in from the rear. The full scale has a similar notch. This is covered up by the canopy, when in place.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-11-2015 at 08:37 AM.
03-11-2015, 08:52 AM
#1973
Now I make a cradle for the canopy out of aluminum flashing. I slide the beam in the rail, and glue this cradle to the beam while in place, lining the bottom of it up with the outline of the canopy drawn on the fuselage. CA glues this to the rail quite well. The beam can be the full length, because of the notch in the turtle deck. When fully open, it simply slides out the rear and provides good support in the open position. This cradle is removable so the fuselage and canopy can now be painted. It is completely covered up by the canopy, so it needs no other attention. It is also now an easy thing to fit the canopy to the front section. You simply trim it, place it in the cradle test fitting it until it closes perfectly against the wing screen.
OK, you might ask, why not just glue the canopy to the beam? Because it must slide in from the rear, and after the front former is glued to the sliding canopy, it will not slide over the turtledeck. You would need to glue the former on after sliding the canopy into the rails, install the magnets, and then paint that former in place. Not easy, for me at least.
How do you guys do this? I do something the way I'm comfortable with until I find a better way, and I'm always looking.
OK, you might ask, why not just glue the canopy to the beam? Because it must slide in from the rear, and after the front former is glued to the sliding canopy, it will not slide over the turtledeck. You would need to glue the former on after sliding the canopy into the rails, install the magnets, and then paint that former in place. Not easy, for me at least.
How do you guys do this? I do something the way I'm comfortable with until I find a better way, and I'm always looking.
Last edited by ram3500-RCU; 03-11-2015 at 09:27 AM.