Fiddler's Green Gloster E 28/29

[willygoat]

Hey all. I'm doing this on the FG forum as well, but thought I would share here. This is my first tutorial of sorts. The Gloster is the newest model in the FG hangar, and it looks to be a nice model so far. I decided (okay, i opened my big mouth and then decided to put up or shut up) to build this plane with clear canopy and detailed cockpit. My methods are absolutely pre-school to most of you, but this is the first time I've really tried to go beyond on a kit, or even (gasp) try to kit bash.

I started by removing the tabs from the parts and converting them to a strip. I recently started doing this after I built the F-84 from photo paper.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6463.jpg

I then added the strip to the part and cut slits to make tabs.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6464.jpg

This turned into a nice fuselage section
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6465.jpg

Here is the nose section built up with this method. I love the smoothness of the shape.http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6458.jpg

Then, I built the air splitter and installed it into the nose
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6467.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6469.jpg

Next comes the canopy section. This is my negative mold for my canopy. I will fill this with clay so I can pull the plastic over it.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6460.jpg

Lastly, the test of the interior. I'm going to kit bash pieces (seat, gauges, maybe a part of the box) from the Ju-87 model. I'm going to need to nearly double the size to get it close.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6462.jpg

That's all for now. It'll be a few days before I can get back to this again. Busy end of the school year fun :cool:

[Texman]

Your on the right track willygoat. I too gave up the tabs in construction a long time ago, and have never looked back! Best of luck on the canopy.

Ray

[Don Boose]

Good work, Brett! I got the announcement of this kit from Chip and am glad to see you building one.

I find this kind of step-by-step description very helpful and I know that a lot of new comers to the craft, as well as the old timers and guys in between, like me, will be grateful to see how you put it together.

Don

[birder]

Looking good Willygoat!:)

[billy.leliveld]

Nice going Willygoat ,looking good, it's exactly what what I like in FG-models,They are simple to start with, but you can go as far as you want..

[NOBI]

Willygoat, I think your paper is too thin or maybe you need to change your glue to not be a waterbase glue...I see some wrinkle at fuselage seam and thinking that is come from glue...but anyway great start.

[willygoat]

You're partially right on both cases NOBI. I used 67 lb (145 gsm) but probably should have used 110 lb (200gsm). I really don't mind though. It's not as easy to see in person. The camera catches the shadows too well.

[Don Boose]

And you are going to use that canopy as a mold for a transparent one, anyway, aren't you?

Don

[willygoat]

You got it Don! I'll fill it up with some pretty stiff plasticine modeling putty. Then I smooth it out a bit to make a smooth mold. Even though I only need the small glass area, I'll probably make the glass for the whole canopy area, just to anchor it to the skin better. Plus, I won't have to worry as much about getting the narrow frame pieces glued as securely :D I'm all about making things easier.

[Yu Gyokubun]

I think making things easier is the best way, willygoat.
Good luck in your canopy build!

[redhorse]

Please post lots of pics of your canopy building technique!!

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I have this model now and want to build it also. I might try the large size one.

[willygoat]

I'll have pics, don't worry. I did get the rest of the fuselage done last night. But it was too late to find the camera and gets pics. I'll try to start the canopy process tonight.

[bob martin]

Can't wait to see that canopy Willy:D I'm working on the regular one with the clear tape:)

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

When I have make clear parts for my shadow boxes and faerie viewers, I use cellophane from cigarette wrappers, and thin plastic wrap from various packages I buy. It can be bent like paper but it is fragile some time.

[willygoat]

This is what i use for molding canopies
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_0003-1.jpg

It works pretty well. You just heat it up with a candle and pull quickly and really hard over the mold. I went through a couple of small scrap pieces practicing last night. The clay was too soft after forming though, so I'm going to remake the mold and let it dry out while I make the cockpit interior.

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

You can buy clay that harden either in the air (Pronto) or in the oven (Sculpey)

[willygoat]

I think mine will harden in the oven too. The last time I used it though, I didn't have this problem. I'll try something tonight.

[birder]

Hey there Willygoat nice to meet you! You're using the good stuff, I just use leftover packaging plastic, but your plastic looks much better. Is it expensive? I use sculpy or better super sculpey. Oh I don't use a candle anymore as my wife has a heat gun from her stamp making days and it seems to control the heat better.

[willygoat]

it's nice to see the man behind such nice models Glen. yeah, the Squadron stuff is somewhat pricey. It was $9 for a pack of 10 sheets. But, for these smaller canopies you only use maybe half a sheet. I'm just about to start cutting again tonight. After seeing Cdwheatly's bird, I need to raise the standards.

[redhorse]

Where did you get the Squadron stuff? From what I'm finding, it's been out of production for a while and they are looking for a new supplier.

[willygoat]

I picked it up at the local Hobbytown USA store. They usually only have one pack out at a time. I'm going back this weekend to get another pack.

[willygoat]

Here's the update from tonight. Be warned: MASSIVE PICTURE DUMP AHEAD!!!!!

The nose area. After seeing cdwheatly's embarrassingly amazing build of this bird, I borrowed (okay, I stole them) some ideas for improvement. I did the new intake splitter and interior ring. I had noticed a problem with the fit of the interior strip and splitter. I solved the problem by first making the original as is. I dry fit it into the new nose piece. I noticed the gap was only slight. So, I cut open the interior part, traced it, and added about 4 mm to one end. I did a test fit w/out glue and it was nearly perfect. I glued it up and then just trimmed a tiny piece off. I did the same thing for the splitter.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6485.jpg

Oh, and I stole Chris' idea of the extra bulkhead to seal off the fuselage.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6486.jpg

Here is what the new nose section looks like now
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6487.jpg

like the look of the landing gear supports, but the single layer of card is pretty flimsy. So, I did a double print (only because I needed multiple canopies) and cut out the two LG pieces
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6477.jpg

Then, I took one of the pieces and built it inside out
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6478.jpg

I then took the second LG piece and glued it the correct way to the outside of the first piece.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6479.jpg

This was applied to all of the LG pieces
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6492.jpg

w for the canopy. I decided to start over as I had clay issues yesterday. I printed another canopy and made the mold. I removed the joining strips from the glass area and put them on the outside of the canopy. This way it makes a smoother clay mold underneath
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6483.jpg

I then filled up the canopy with clay in the areas I want to have the plastic canopy
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6489.jpg

I will probably let the clay harden for a day or two before I make the glass. That still gives me time to figure out the interior. I hope to be able to do that tomorrow for a little while.

[billy.leliveld]

Maybe this helps..

[willygoat]

Indeed it does Billy! Indeed it does. Thanks! :D

[birder]

Willygoat, thanks for the kind words about my models, it has been a fun hobby:), always something new to try :D

[willygoat]

I have the cockpit and glass finished. I also got the wing built and some more work on the lading gear done. I'll try to post pictures after I get back from the insanely long track meet tonight.:cool:

[Phil]

I can't wait for the next lesson, I like the way you doubled the part thickness, it helped answer a question I once had.
(happy in school).

[willygoat]

I figured out the cockpit and built it up. I like it anyway. I took the cockpit interior from the Ju-87 and enlarged it about 170%. I did it up 160% in Photoshop, but I did an editing thing in Preview first, so I'm guessing at the 170% thing. Anyway, I built up the basic front part of the cockpit with the gauges and pedals. I also created a throttle lever. It needed something along the side. I made the control stick from a picture of the interior (Thanks Billy :D). I used a needle nose pliers to bend a paper clip into the loop.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6498.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6499.jpg

I added some detail to the seat by using the belts in the kit. I made the shoulder and lap parts of the belts.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6494.jpg

The finished cockpit
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6500.jpg

Next, the canopy. I took the clay mold and put it on a pedestal so that I could pull the plastic sheet down onto it.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6503.jpg

Then, I heated the plastic sheet using a candle. The whole place smelled like cookies. I've never been this hungry while building before.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6474.jpg

After 4 attempts, I finally got something close to what I wanted. The length of the glass made it tricky to pull it down over the fairly steep front, and then get smooth along the side. I'm thinking I maybe should have done it in 2 pieces.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6505.jpg

I used CA glue very sparingly to attach the paper to the canopy, but it still managed to get everywhere. Oh well.
A test fit on the fuselage. I had to make a couple of patches to get it to fit right.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6508.jpg

I might try again with overhead transparency. The stuff I made looks pretty ugly on the right side.

[Don Boose]

Nice-looking cockpit interior. Thanks for the photos of the canopy forming process.

Don

[willygoat]

Thanks Don! I would have had a picture showing me pulling the plastic around the mold, but alas, I only have but 2 hands. I would have asked my wife to help, but she was feverishly working on a paper for her grad class and did a great job of ignoring me :p

[willygoat]

Well, I got back to work on the Gloster last night. Here's the update:

I was very fed up with the craptastic one-piece molded canopy I did, so I rebuilt it using two pieces of plastic. I used some regular injet safe overhead transparency film for the glass. But, instead of trying to glue everything together and making an unholy mess, I used a tip from a fellow on another forum to use sticker/label paper for the frame. Sooo, I got some Avery "Ink Jet Sticker Project Paper" (#3383). I printed the canopy page (#2 on the large version) onto the printer paper.

I cut out the frame
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6517.jpg

And then I stuck it onto the plastic sheet (notice the magic floating appearance)
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6518.jpg

As the sticker paper is fairly light, I decided to stick the entire piece to plastic for reinforcement. I had to use CA glue to get the tabs to stick ( the extra piece between the tabs is an olive colored strip for the interior to cover the gap between the glass and the cockpit)
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6519.jpg

Because of the reluctancy of the plastic to bend with the paper, there were a few gaps in the joints between the frame and the fuselage. Here are a couple
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6524.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6526.jpg

To fix them, I used colored sections from the sticker paper (that's why I printed the whole page, not just the canopy) to fill in the gaps
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6525.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6527.jpg

They aren't super, but they do the job.
Once the canopy was secured, this is the final result
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6521.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6522.jpg

The finished landing gear
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6533.jpg

The dry fit tail assembly
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6535.jpg

Walk around shots so far
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6528.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6529.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6532.jpg

There it is. In the next couple of nights it should be finished up.

[ccoyle]

I've often wondered if there isn't some suitable substitute for overhead transparency film, which, like you say, is reluctant to bend. Something thinner, but still readily available. Anybody have an idea?

[Yu Gyokubun]

This isn't substitute but I used to build clear canopy using overhead transperancy film.
My method was to make mold from balsa wood because it is easy and fast to shape it. One of characteristics of overhead transperancy film is its stiffness. When we apply heat to it, because of its stiffness divot and dent on balsa surface less reflect on film provided that applied heat is moderate. To do that, I wrap the film around the mold then hold film ends and apply heat slowly until the film changes the shape but not too much.

Even though we apply heat we have to make canopy dividing into a couple of sections like willygoat did.

Another advantage of using overhead transperancy film is that even after apply a bit of heat it still has clearness.

Attached are pictures of mold and one of finished canopies using this method.

I think this method isn't sophisticated way :( but one of easy ways....

[Yu Gyokubun]

Me again
Perhaps because of old age I forgot my main purpose to visit here.
willygoat, your Glostar is coming along

[willygoat]

That's a pretty cool idea Yu. I'm sure you go through quite a bit of balsa block though.

[birder]

Willygoat, looking fine! Should be a nice model. Yu-san your technique is about identical to mine, but use sculpy for mold..after baked hard the sculpy can be sanded to give nice smooth surface similar to the balsa probably:)

[Yu Gyokubun]

Thanks Glen-san for the info about 'sculpy'. I found it is sold in Japan as well. I placed order for it;)

[willygoat]

Well, it's all done. I finished it up today by adding the final four details. The main landing gear doors. Here's the photographic evidence

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6541.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6539.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6538.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6537.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6540.jpg

I call this one "Take-Off Rotation" aka- Nose weight was an after thought and I barely got enough in it to sit down properly
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6543.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6542.jpg

I hope you enjoyed the journey. I know I did. This project had many firsts for me. The biggest being the scratched/bashed cockpit interior. The canopy was a big exercise in frustration, but I think I found a method I like for most things now. Yiipeeee!!!! :D

[Yu Gyokubun]

Saweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!

[member_3]

Very nice build!

[redhorse]

Looks great! I'm really impressed with what you do with the Fiddler's Green kits.

[billy.leliveld]

Nice one, Willygoat
Yep, that's why I love those FG models,they end up as pretty as you want...:D

[birder]

Nice wittle jet there, Willygoat

[billy.leliveld]

It's British,
So it should be; marvelous, cherio and well done,old chap:D

[dansls1]

Nice model ;)

[willygoat]

Thanks guys! This is by far one of the best designed models from FG I've ever built. It went together so nicely. The only issues I had really were the front glass section of the canopy and the wing fillets. Any other fit issues were caused by me. I highly recommend this one to all of you. Thanks for the support :D