Marek's Do-335A

[f18fixer]

Well Ive started this model and so far so good. I finished the nose, but had a hard time with the instruction's for the canon parts #'s 4c and 4d, the instruction don't tell you anything as far as how they are to be placed on/in the nose section, so I surfed the net for detailed pictures of the actual nose section.
Anyway look's like they had a couple of different way's the gun's came out of the cowling, so I took an educated guess and came up with what I have.
Other then that the front comes together really nice, I took out my paints and did some dry brushing to the ends of the exhaust to give them a bit more detail, but other then that, nothing else.

Now for the problem...I started to build the nose wheel well and was going to dry fit it into the back of the nose section, and there is a HUGE fit problem, either the wheel well is to BIG or the opening for the wheel well in part # B is to small. Here are the pictures to show you guy's what I mean.... I followed the fold lines on the wheel well and I know I printed everything with NO SCALING, so I don't know whats going on.
Thanks for looking in

Craig:rolleyes:

[jagolden01]

I'll be following this, Craig.
Very interesting plane and want to see how Marek handled the esign.

[member_3]

That's a documented problem with the nose wheel well. The cutout in bulkhead B needs to be enlarged to match the width of the wheel well. Watch out for fit problems in the cockpit rear bulkhead area and around the bottom intake aft of the wing. I had to modify parts in both those areas. Strangely enough I think the 1:50 version is OK but the 1:33 version suffered when it was enlarged.

[jagolden01]

OldTroll, i remember a build that pointed up a number of these types of problems in Mareks Do-335. Can't remember who's or where.
Ultimately it came out quite nice!

[f18fixer]

OldTroll, thanks for the heads up on the fit issues, I guess Ill have to do some very careful surgery on the front bulkhead, cause I really don't to rebuild that part again.....HAHA
Anyway thanks again
Craig

[f18fixer]

Well, since oldtroll pointed out the problems he had, I pretty much scraped what I had and started all over again, I think I got the fuselage done pretty well, and to say there are fit problems with the dog house under the belly is an understatement, I messed with dry fitting and trimming and all that crap for about 2 hours this morning before I was happy with what I had, anyway, Ive included some pictures of what I have so far, the first pic show's how far I had gotten when I decided to start all over again...the top plane is the first one, and the plane below that is the new one.
The other pics just show how far I have gotten...The great thing about being over in the middle east is after Ramadan, they take a week off, so I have nothing but time to build for the next week

thanks for looking....Craig:D

[Foxbat]

I'll be following your topic closely, Craig. I've got that model in my "To do".
Very nice work so far.

Sergey

[f18fixer]

Correction to my above statement...about the first picture, the top model is the new one and the bottom one is the old one....sorry about that

Craig

[Wyvern]

I'll be following your progress with interest, Craig.

Stay cool,

Wyvern

[flying rasta]

Wow...only if you could build the 1:50 version...just to see how that comes out...great build so far...will follow with keen interest.

cool runnings....

[cgutzmer]

looking pretty good! Keep em coming :)

[f18fixer]

well today I wanted to add fuselage detail such as the exhaust, the supercharger intake's and all the other stuff.
I got a little carried away and added both prop spinners and both upper and lower vertical stabilizers...So far so good, no other issues with this kit and its starting to look like a Do-335.

Thank you for all the comments and thanks for looking.

Craig:D

[member_3]

Looking good (and a lot better than my was looking when I trashed it!) I don't remember any specific wing issues other than my usual problems with wheel wells so you should have relatively smooth sailing from here on out.

[Wyvern]

That fuselage looks real sharp, Craig!

Wyvern

[flying rasta]

lovely pics....especially love the nose section

[cgutzmer]

great job! love the work :)
Chris

[f18fixer]

Well today I had it in mind to get the wing rib's and spar's laminated and assembled. So I laminated the parts and while I was waiting for them to dry I decided to cut out all 13 parts that make up the nose tire ! DID I SAY 13 PARTS FOR THE NOSE TIRE:eek:
Anyway putting this thing together was BRUTAL to say the least, I wish there where some aftermarket ones available here in Kuwait, because I'm not looking forward to the other 2 tire's.
I got the ribs and spar's assembled and started skinning one wing, and no fit problems at all, everything seems to being together nicely.

Thanks for the comments and thanks for looking

Craig :D

[Wyvern]

that is looking REALLY good!

What? 13 parts for a TIRE? One more reason I model my a/c gear up!

Wyvern

[jagolden01]

Just beautiful, Craig.

Super clean in the cuts, folds and glueing. Also, looks big - scale is 1:33 right?

I prefer gear-up too, in my case though it for easier display. There's almost always room to hang something, but almost never enough space to put on a shelf or table.

[member_3]

Looking mighty fine, Craig. My solution to the "tires of many pieces" was to laminate a bunch of 1mm disks to the right thickness and then round the edges (like 99% of the designers have us do.)

[jagolden01]

That is the way, Old Troll. Look the best too, imo.

[cjwalas]

Looks great, Craig! Great looking prototype and the model really captures it.
Chris

[flying rasta]

beeeautiful!....skin the wings!...skin the wings!....(with care of course!)

[f18fixer]

Well today was all about getting the wing skinned and looking at the fit to the fuselage.....I also wanted to add a scratch built landing light for the left wing leading edge....After that was finished I completed the skin work and here is where I started to have fit issues.
The top look great and the joint on top came out SWEET, its the bottom that I'm going to have a problem with, there are very large gap's at the wing root at the leading edge on both wings, and there is a gap right down the center line...in between the bomb bay doors, I think I have the answer for that one but Ill be scratch'en my head about the leading edge's.
Anyway I'm pretty happy so far and that's it for today.

Thank you for the comments and thank you for looking in...:rolleyes:
Craig

[jagolden01]

Looks good, Craig. Thee landing light is a nice touch.

Not too bad on the bottom - it'll be some more work but shouldn't be too much.

[Ron0909]

Craig, I've been following your build of the 335 since you first posted. My apologies for not commenting earlier. I really like the way this one came together, especially the front cowling and the flawless segment joints. That aircraft is definitely distinctive and I can see the attraction to it as great subject to model. Fantastic choice! I can't wait to see the outcome with the two props and the tricycle landing gear
More pics Mister!

Ron

[f18fixer]

Well this morning I wanted to fix up the area's on the wing roots, and finish getting the wing tips glued up and, well I'm pretty happy with how everything came out, I did some touch up work with the paint brush and I think I have a Do-335 for my collection, now for the gear and all that stuff;)

Thanks for looking and thank you for all the comments....

Craig:D

[member_3]

That is a mighty fine job you have done with a model that is not always cooperative! I'm going to have to print this one out again and give it another go, hoping I can do as well as you have. Well done!

[f18fixer]

I started building the landing gear, and took a couple of pictures to show you what I came up with...:D

Thanks for looking in....Craig

[jagolden01]

The "fix" on the bottom looks completely natural!

Landing gear has to be the neatest I've ever seen. Nice!

[Texman]

I think the fix for 'fixer is spot on!

[GreMir]

Strut looks very good (as is the rest of the plane), but one question...
I don't see any wire sticking from the strut so how are you going to mount the wheel on it?
Glue it to the fork? If there is no wire in the fork itself, you might have a problem with undercarriage buckling under the weight of the kit....

[jagolden01]

Strut looks very good (as is the rest of the plane), but one question...
I don't see any wire sticking from the strut so how are you going to mount the wheel on it?
Glue it to the fork? If there is no wire in the fork itself, you might have a problem with undercarriage buckling under the weight of the kit....


Hmmmmm ...

[GreMir]

I don't have this kit so I don't know how this is designed, but some of Marek's kits have a straight wire sticking down from the strut into the wheel itself.

[cdavenport]

YOu have done a fabulous job with this model. I have the GPM version and am wondering which is the superior kit. I suppose I will just have to find out for myself.

I was wondering if the Marek kit has provisions for a cockpit interior; the GPM kit does.

[member_3]

The GPM is probably superior. The Marek model has a rudimentary cockpit (which doesn't fit well) and is lacking in the "fiddly bit" department. This was one of Marek's early 1:33 and appears to have been scaled up from his even earlier 1:50 version. It is definitely not in the same league as his efforts of the past couple years but can still be made into a fine looking model (as we have seen here.)

[flying rasta]

ooooh landing gear!......sweeeeet..... i must have a fetish

[f18fixer]

My method of construction for the landing gear, is to have a solid core, this being a stick that is used for BBQ, its made of wood and the card was rapped around that wooden core....so the strut will not buckle from the weight of the kit, I plan to make a semi axle that the wheel will connect to...I thought about this while I was building the landing gear and...well I think I can come up with a solution, but I do have a problem in that I did not add weight to the nose and I think this kit will be tail heavy, so I will have to come up with a way to bring this sucker to its nose gear...
Anyway...thank you for all the comments and thanks for looking in...

Craig

[f18fixer]

Well after a week of work and no time to build, Boy I miss that 9 days off...LOL, I broke out the x-Acto and the glue and finished up the landing gear the gear doors and the front prop blades...I think Ill be able to finish it in the next day or 2.
I'm pretty happy with how its turning out, it sure is a big plane.....
Well thanks for looking and thanks for the comments...Craig:D

[flying rasta]

very, very clean and beautiful model...congratulations

[cgutzmer]

Great build! thanks for sharing the progress with us :)
Chris