04 - THE BODY, part 3.
This story continues with parts-sets 5 - 8, completing the nose.
Unfortunatly I forgot to make a few pictures during the build.... Where needed I will use words instead.
Basically the nose is build-up with again a number of cones: 4 to be precise. When one chooses to use the simple or none landinggear-options there's nothing to say extra: just close the parts to make the coneshape, add the frontal gluetabs and the bulkheads. Now glue one on top of the next and after 4 you're done.
But it is my job to show the most difficult version: the detailed landinggear and opened wheelbays....
Now there's another challenge ahead. This is how I did this job.
First by making the cones with part-sets 5 and 6 but not yet setting the bulkeads in. After these 2 cones were glued together and the glue had mostly hardenend I cut-out the wheelbay-doors. Very useful for these jobs is a true medical scalpel. Very sharp! Try not to do this in one cut: you wil deform and distort the part. When the door is removed, don't forget the slits, the edges of the 'hole' are sanded smoothly and given some edgecoloring.
Finally the wheelbay, part NWK, is glued in place, alined with the slits. Last is the bulkhead.
I used this order because in my experience the shape is the least distorted. Providing one takes the time for it and good equipment!
Sofar with words, time for some pictures.
This is my result:
In the manual designer Cor van Haasteren uses another method/order: first add the closing gluetab, let dry. Cut out the doors and slits at both ends and close to a cone with the remains of the gluetab. Set bulkheads in place and wheelbay NWK in cone 6. Aligned with the slits! Now glue these 2 together.
My fear for this order of making is the due to the thin closingtab the wheelbay will not stay in straight square shape. But on the other hand: this way can easier be done without a scalpel. So take your pick!
Partsets 7 - 8 close the nose. The tiny part 8 I did using the tissue-trick again.
All together now:
How does it look when on it's final place at the body?
Like this:
Isn't she loveley?
But there's an old saying (in Holland): Who damages his/her nose is damaging his/her overall looks!
Therefore the nose-set is not glued in place. First of all there has to be weight added to keep the nose down, later. But more important: when the body during the build drops from the table, it happens to me all the time, it certainly will fall nose-down and destroy her... Think of the weight inside and one can figure how much damage will be done.
For the rest of this you will not see the nose until at the end, as the final stage.
To be continued...