Need Help - Inwald's Douglas Bader's Spitfire

[Skyhawk]

Hello all - I am new to paper models and have completed a few easy builds. Having looked at the top downloads on this site (over 4000 people have downloaded this model) - I thought it would be a good starting point. I am determined to complete the Spitfire as my first aircraft build.
It has presented many challenges, I am learning as I build and every assembly is a new challenge. I have had some fit issues with this kit but overall, I am happy with the results so far. I have enjoyed working on this model. I am nearing completion and need some help with the wing fillet parts.
Do you attach the wing fillet piece from rear to front? or front to rear?
Any advice on gluing these parts will be much appreciated. I am nervous about wrecking what I have accomplished to date.
I am unsure as to what part of the fillet to glue first? And how do you ensure a snug fit to the fuselage?
Also - Need advice on what clear sheets to use for the canopy? I have clear photo paper but it does not hold shape - it is too thin. I followed Andrew's instructions and have finished the mold. Every time I attempt to make the canopy - the plastic does not hold the shape? If I add more heat - it deforms and turns cloudy.

[airdave]

Largest contact area is at the rear...its also the most visible area.
So start by lining it up and attaching it there.

Trick is to preshape the part as much as possible, so it fits into place without glue.
Obviously paper only bends in one direction, so there is a trick to forming the piece in two directions at once.

Start with the longitudinal concave, running from the tail end, to about 2/3 of the way up the part (ending at the top edge of the part)

The second curve is a convex horizontally of the leading 1/3 of the part (which wraps around the front edge of the wing).

As I said, if you can preshape the part so it wants to fit on its own, you will have an easier time gluing it into place.

Personally, I glue the rear...wait for it to set up (hours)...then glue more of the fillet, working forwards...allowing more time(hours) to adhere...wrapping the front section last and trimming as may be necessary.

...
Canopy forming? a whole other hair pulling adventure! I feel your pain.

[rockpaperscissor]

What Dave said. Also, when pre-forming, I've found it helps to exhale some hot moist breath on the back side of the paper. It softens it a bit and makes it easier to work with. My preferred aircraft scale is 1/72, and in that small scale I often delaminate the fillet so the piece is thinner and more flexible. Not sure how well that would work on a larger scale model, though.

[Vermin_King]

That moist hot breath trick and pre-forming are about all that got me through the Kings Bounty Royal Snake I did recently. Heartily endorse that.


Another thing that really helps is what they call dry-fitting. Once your part is fairly close to the proper shape, put it in place without gluing and give it a good look before you glue. That way you can see things that need to be adjusted before you apply any glue. Avoiding problems is easier than fixing problems

[Erik Zwaan]

Hi Skyhawk, I concur with the remarks from the gentlemen above. Preshape and dry-fit. Only start gluing when you are satisfied with the fit. Start with the trailing edge, this is the easiest point of reference and you have gluing tabs here. After drying I would suggest to glue a short stretch at the fuselage side, bit by bit, until you reach the point where the concave area turns into convex. Then glue similarly at the wing side, accurately following the markings up to where the fillet has to be glued.
Finally the narrow convex front sides can be glued, likely this can be done at once. Allow sufficient drying time before you glue any next stretch, to prevent moving of the part (likely unnoticed....) during the process. Take your time, don't rush!

Fillets are tricky but can be managed!

Canopies are a different story. Best is to look for general tutorials on YouTube to get an idea how it's done. Not an easy subject that's told in just a few words.... Alternatively you can purchase a pre-molded canopy for the type of Spitfire you're building.

Regards,
Erik

[Skyhawk]

Thanks for the quick replies.

airdave: I will definitely start at the rear and work my way forward as you suggest. I was confused by the assembly drawing that came with the kit, as Inwald has a picture of the fillet piece attached to the wing before the wing is attached to the fuselage. I didn't think that was a good idea. I am learning the importance of dry-fitting before gluing. I am also using fast dry glue and was trying to glue the piece in place in one go. I will use a slow set glue to give me time to reposition as I am sure it will be required. All good

rockpaperscissor: Thanks for the pre-forming breath tip. I will try it when forming the fillet parts. Smaller scale kits are my goal - less space required for display! I was using this larger scale as a learning experience in completing a paper build. I may re-scale this kit and try again - or - start a new project in a smaller scale.

Vermin_King: Lol - I tried to avoid problems but with this build I am constantly fixing problems. I still am having fun.

I went through the First Cuts threads and didn't find one on wing fillet. I did find a thread on Vacuum Forming clear canopies. Great information and it may well be the process I need to follow to build the canopy.

Vacuum form

Another challenge............ More fun than pain so far.................

[Skyhawk]

ErikZwaan: Happy Easter from Canada

Thanks for the sequence - I had it backwards. I was at my workbench as you replied and was about to glue the fillet to the wing before the fuselage. I now see that gluing the fillet along the fuselage makes sense due to the alignment with the plane identifier letters. As a newbie I am impatient and of course want things to workout quickly. I will let you know how it works out.

The fuselage is not 100 % straight as one of the frames buckled during gluing (I have about a 1.5 mm offset). I think too much glue was applied to the one side of the frame.

This offset is causing some issues with the fillet - but - I think it will be fine and not that noticeable. I am learning quickly.

Yes - preformed canopies may be ordered. I am going to give Inwald's method another chance. I will try to source some heavier clear plastic sheets.

Thanks for the reply.

[Lex]

It appears you need the correct type of plastic sheet. Printable slideshow sheets most definitely does not work, you need to experiment with different materials. It's also better to use thin sheets, whether it vacforms easily does not depend on thickness.

[Skyhawk]

Hello Lex: I live in a rural area and am not close to a supply store. I was using clear photo transparencies for the canopy. They did not work. Thanks for the tip on thickness. I will try to source some plastic sheets from Amazon and see what happens. Lots of experimentation required...
Stay safe and Happy Easter