Halinski Curtiss Tomahawk IIB: A slow but steady build - Page 15

**Olo** · #**141** 02-14-2021, 08:39 AM

The moment when a bird is standing on its own wheels is always rewarding ...good job

**smithdr** · #**142** 02-15-2021, 12:03 AM

Thanks Ray, Gary and Tom!

I got the props made and installed. They were very straightforward. I put a little helical twist in them and there is even a shot proving the Allison runs...

Start-up G-CIIO Curtiss P-40C Warhawk - YouTube

Skip to 0:25. I don't think this is the exact mark, but I do think the engine is pretty close and it's (I think) a P-40C. This guy needs wheel chocks, though...

Some tiny bits and bobs and then it's on to the gun site and the dreaded canopy! Isaac...where are you?

Wish me luck...Dan

**Erik Zwaan** · #**143** 02-15-2021, 01:39 AM

Good progress Dan. Nice feature to include the hydraulic brake lines, those kind of details do make a lot of difference and are very rewarding. Also the prop look great and is smooth running. Good luck with the canopy, don't worry you will pull it off.

So, your MIL is Dutch?

Last weekend was all about ice skating over here, people freed themselves from the lockdown. No politician, police officer or doom preaching virologist could do anything about that. We all needed a break and had to recharge our batteries to be able to survive another stretch of home confinement and curfew. The fun is over now, no more freezing conditions.... back to no-this-is-absolutely-not-new-normal life.

Cheers,
Erik

**smithdr** · #**144** 02-20-2021, 11:02 PM

Hi Erik!

Skating sounds like so much fun. I grew up in Minnesota which is in the upper middle part of the US bordering Canada. It's dang cold in the winter and I have fond memories of ice fishing and playing hockey. Skating was so much fun...you are lucky!

Tonight I have a tiny update with the canopy. I cut out the clear parts paper patterns and made a basic shape that, surprise-surprise (not really...it's Halinski) fits nicely. So I pulled an Isaac and turned that into a mold into which I poured some plaster of Paris. I still need to find some nice clear plastic to use for vacforming but I did cut out the interior and exterior frames too. They still need to be edge colored etc. but that was a delicate job that turned out really nice. Can't wait to form the canopy!

Cheers,
Dan

**wireandpaper** · #**145** 02-21-2021, 02:31 AM

Looking forward to the installation of the clear cockpit!

**smithdr** · #**146** 02-27-2021, 12:09 AM

Thanks WP...I'm still looking for some good plastic to melt. I may hit the LHS this weekend. I can't wait to get it on there.

In the mean time, I spent many fun-filled hours trying to make the ring site on this beauty. I was determined NOT to use photo etch and I came up with this.

I ended up cutting some sausage rings from a plastic handled Q-tip which was almost the perfect size. I then super-glued some elastic thread to the round portion and pulled tight to make the cross hairs. Finally, I sandwiched one more ring over the top to hide/help anchor the thread. You can see the final result after painting. It was a question of a cool idea but not up-to-snuff execution. It'll pass, but someday I may just replace it with photo etch once my ego has been put back in it's place...

I also added the aerials that go from the wing tips to the fin as well as the dorsal antenna.

Man, she is close now...Dan

**Erik Zwaan** · #**147** 02-27-2021, 11:17 AM

Hi Dan, the much dreaded canopy.... if I look at the template that you made, I wonder with this relatively simple form you wouldn’t need to vacuum form at all. I think I wouldn’t have done it. Are you going to leave the canopy open, with the main frame slid backwards? Then vacuuming isn’t necessary at all. I typically use 0.1mm thick overhead sheets for vacuuming or for clear parts that aren’t vacuumed. Good luck,

Cheers,
Erik

**smithdr** · #**148** 02-27-2021, 04:09 PM

I agree, Erik...This is a simple canopy that would work just with flat sheet especially since I will be posing it open!

I just wanted to try vacforming just to see if I could make it work. I have other models with bubble canopies etc. that I'd really like to use this on so we'll see.

I just made the optical site for the cockpit and I'll try and add that along with the machine guns tonight. Then it's just a little exhausting with pastels and get that canopy done!

Oh yeah...the nav lights too!

Dan

**Olo** · #**149** 02-27-2021, 05:09 PM

Hi for that kind of shape use thin piece of PET plastic and you can use hair dryer to from it

**smithdr** · #**150** 02-28-2021, 11:21 PM

Hi Tom,

I bet you are right. It is a simple shape. I may just break down and at least make the rear sliding part since that's really easy. Then try my hand at vacuum forming the front piece. Just on the hunt for some good plastic. I'll use Erik's dimensions which seem about right.

Tonight I put on some exhaust smudges, got my 0.303s on, a pito installed and also added a bit of shine and 3-D to my nav lights with some Testors window maker. I also put some dirt along the bottom wing and in the wheel wells extending to the stab too. Not overdone in real life. Looks nice to me. I'm debating weather to add some more paint chips along the wing root with a silver prisma color pencil but not sure.

Literally, only the canopy, reflector site (though I don't see many of the "Bs" with those) and the rear view mirror and I'll call her done and dusted. So very, very soon...

Thanks for looking,
Dan