1:48 Classic Airframes Vampire FB. 5/9

Howdy, sports fans.
Kevin’s latest commission is the Classic Airframes Vampire FB 5/9. I've been puttering away since end-of-year, to-and-froing with the Andover.
(Yes, more to come on that thread. I haven't forgotten you.)









I like CA kits. Many do not.
Sure, parts location is ‘analogue’ at best but I do love the resin goodies. It’s nothing to drill for wire pins or add styrene tabs to align halves before glue.

In the excitement of kit-bashing I ordered the PE set, with the flaps. I decided that cutting slots in the wing and dropping the PE flaps in is the easiest way to pose it flaps-down.
PE duly arrived . . . and it was the FE ‘zoom’ set. No &!$$##?! – ing flaps. One’s ghast was truly flabbered. Serves me right for not reading things proper.

Time to drag out with the saws and files. Again.

Meanwhile, the Moto-tool helped mount the cockpit inserts. Ground off the kit plastic (a recurring theme you'll come to notice) to let in the resin walls.











I had to remove some of the resin detail, like plumbing. Simply too much flash.

Scaled up profiles and elevations. The main wings have a subtle double-taper, and the rudders have broader chord than the kit parts.

Cut off the fins and added strip plastic to ‘beef’ them out. This also means I can paint them separate and add after, duly pinned secure.
The clean butt join will look a tad more scale.







Kevin wants it Green/Grey.
Idon't mind the user-friendly idea of camo. Still, would look a pearler in HS Silver. I'll have to one for me.

Regards

Bishop wrote: Watching watching...

Ditto

Gentlemen.

Apologies for the slackness.
Progress has been committed and the 'coal hole' has profited from much-needed PE.

Had minor conniptions sorting the NG leg axle.
I wasn't sure I had a drill bit small enough. I think I used No. 78.

Rule # 19 - Don't throw out wire twist ties.
The wire I used for the axle is 0.015"and perfect for 1/48th axles.

Classic Airframes love their thick styrene parts. So parts join halfway on walls like the main gear wells.
I don't need the aggro of trying to fill and sand impossible gaps.

Took to the resin inserts with a file. Measured height req'd and replaced with thin Evergreen.
Ye Olde trusty Moto-tool ground the wing plastic and give nice, thin edges to mate the new inserts.

More head-scratching with the PE main panel. how ot mount at correct angle.
Test-fit, test-fit, test-fit.

Mounted the tub in right half, carefully placed the IP to centre, whacked it with thin CA.
Then removed and added heel and rudder support PE.

You'd never know they're in there. But I do.

The past three days has been remedial wing surgery and assembly.
I highly recommend the Hobby Craft Vampire T.11 as training for CA kits, which are Tamiya quality in comparison.

Regards

Dear, oh dear.
Somebody got a tad distracted. That's an Imperial 'tab', which is longer than the Metric 'tad'.

What with the 2nd Airfix B(I)8 on the table, an F/A-18F and tinkering on the Andover, one's concentration on poor Vampire was strained.

Once I had wings on the donkey work began.
Filling gaps to improve the dubious engineering of CA's parts alignment certainly tests the hardiest of souls.

Still, wings are now on.
Despite the tried-and-true LEGO jig gaps still appeared. Prudent forethought avoided potential drama more than once.
And the time-honoured adage - 'slowly, slowly, catchy monkey'.

On with pics.



Gave the U/C doors some TLC. I do like things thin.



Then the plaque broke out. Nothing says 'Progress' like patchy mess.











But wait, the madness ends.









Truth be told, I dallied over the sitrep. Between kit-bashing and posting WIPs, the latter is more often than not requires a heavier KUTA.


Hopefully I see no more squirrels from now.
I even stowed the other kits to avoid distraction. But they call so seductively . .

Regards

How-do, gentlemen?

Best wrap this up, with something of closure.

Good news is I finished it up midnight last Friday (13th July).
Original plan was to scoot to Rotorua Saturday, after the Hoby Expo. But he broke the good news he'd be stopping in at the R/C booth.
We could 'meet in the middle' and he could pick up the Vampire.

Of course, I had a bunch of little things to tidy u, over the week. All going uneasily well by Thursday evening, then she started bucking and snorting after lunch Friday.
By midnight I added the last fragile bit, pitot. And sat back with a huge sigh.

Happily propped her on the table in Taupo.
So it promptly plopped on its tail.
AAARGGH!! !

Could'a sworn I'd gauged the nose weight right.
Then the mains started sagging. Frapping glue hadn't set, after setting all night.
Nabbed some CA glue from Chris (thankyouthankyouthankyou), bought a set of micro bits and pinned the MLG.

Success. First time I've done 'bashing at the Expo, as a matter of fact.
Kevin arrived as the last wheel went on.

Bad news is, completely forgot the photo shoot.
Caught up in Expo routine I was on the way home before the face-palm.

Can't believe it.
Ah well, I have to do another FB. 9 anyhoo.

On with the Eduard Tempest V .. .

Regards

Ross

I was able to buff it out with some 1000-grit.


The clear coats saved it. You couldn't notice it.