#11
|
|||
|
|||
I think that rotary engines dissapeared after the Great War....
__________________
Constructive criticism of my builds is welcome - if I messed up and allowed others to see it, I certainly deserve it Michael Krol |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
except in Mazdas. But wait that's different...
__________________
Jim |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Yeah I figured they were older, but I also couldn't really believe it when I first realized they rotate. Thanks for the clarification.
Anyways, here's the Dauntless engine, supposedly a Wright R-1820. I could've made the cylinders more rounded, but eh, I was worried the cowl would hit it and there is nothing to fill the gaps that would've formed. Here are all the segments, some glued, sitting beside each other. I need to do some more prep work before gluing them together, like attaching the prop. Luckily the USAF insignia came out fairly aligned, but it's slightly off on the other side.
__________________
- Kuba |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
The engine looks great, Kuba. My Shiden also has similar flat cylinders. I think they do a good job of providing some sense of depth in the engine while being of relatively simple construction.
It looks like the fuselage segments are matching up well -- although I am sure your craftsmanship is playing a major role there! The insignia lined up very well. Technically, it is not a USAF insignia since your airplane is a Marine Corps SBD and the US Air Force wasn't established until 1947. It was so long ago that the distinctions among the Army Air Service (1918-1926), US Army Air Corps (1926-1941), US Army Air Forces (1941-1947), and USAF (1947 to date) have tended to fade, but they were different names for the US Army's air arm until 1947 and the separate US Air Force of today. The Army still retains its own Aviation Branch for direct support of Army ground operations. The Navy has always had its own air arm that remains separate from the USAF. And your beautiful Dauntless is a US Marine Corps airplane. Here is the Naval Historical Center's page on US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft national insignia: Aircraft Markings You can see that the red-outlined insignia on your Dauntless was in use from May to September 1943, so we can date the time your airplane was flying with some precision. But whatever you call the national insignia, your Dauntless is really excellent -- as always with your models! Don |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
Heh, as soon as I woke up this morning I was thinking how I called it USAF... and totally saw that coming! Thanks for not disappointing
It's interesting though, I've been noticing the slightly different markings as I build these things but never paid it much thought. I read most of that link you gave, but I'm still a bit confused. Is the National Insignia common to all the various groups, but some other markings are specific? As always thanks for the backstory! I learn as I build.
__________________
- Kuba |
Google Adsense |
#16
|
||||
|
||||
Kuba --
I kind of figured that the "USAF" thing was a slip of the keyboard, but thought I would make the comment anyway. With regard to your question about standard insignia: Over the years, the basic US national insignia for aircraft has been standard for all the services, but there are often variations among the services, or even within the services, based on unique requirements or compatibility of the insignia colors with the aircraft colors. For example, since 1947 there has been one standard US national insignia: a white star inside a blue disk with blue-outlined white bars on either side and a red bar inside each of the white bars. It is used by the USAF, the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the US Coast Guard. However, each service has sometimes used variations on that basic insignia. For example, when the Navy's aircraft were painted overall dark sea blue, they just stenciled the white star and bars, and the red bars on the airplanes, leaving the basic aircraft color to represent the blue parts of the insignia. And all the services have sometimes used black or dark gray stencils to represent the white and red parts of the markings for low-visibility color schemes or to avoid making the aircraft vulnerable to infrared-seeking weapons. It's a complex topic, just for US insignia, but it also adds to the unique appearance of some aircraft and helps to identify when and where the airplane in question served. Always keep in mind that when I make these kinds of postings, my comments should always be prefaced by the words, "As far as I know" or "According to the sources I have available to me." And if I am in error, one or more of the other friends in the Forum who are also interested in these things, like Charlie C. or Shrike or GreMir, will always weigh in with a friendly comment to set the story straight. And none of my comments are ever meant to criticize another modeler. In the end, what is important is what pleases the model builder, regardless of historical accuracy or other considerations. Don Last edited by Don Boose; 02-23-2009 at 01:54 PM. |
#17
|
||||
|
||||
Hehe, yeah I saw your "sources" comments before.
Wasn't a slip of the keyboard, more of my brain - I just don't have any background in anything really. The comments are always appreciated, definitely.
__________________
- Kuba |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
And don't forgot one of Don's best prefaces to erudite statements of ponderous pontification..."I had a dream!" Just kidding, Don - in addition to being the Forum's most proliferative poster you are also one of the best sources of good, solid historical info. Keep 'em coming!
|
#19
|
||||
|
||||
Just one bit of progress for today.
I'm almost done the prop. The original construction was a circle with the blades attached, and I don't know how you were supposed to make it not terrible. I cut that apart, and put a shaped toothpick in each blade. I added a former for the cone (since there wasn't one), and put in another toothpick as the shaft. I'll hide the toothpicks and then paint it alumnium next time. The real one can be seen on this page: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.co...ey/walk536.htm Right now I have to get back to school work yet again... got some tests tomorrow.
__________________
- Kuba |
#20
|
||||
|
||||
That's an excellent prop assembly, Kuba. And the photo resource is very useful.
Don PS: Ron -- In my dream, it looked like a Corsair. Probably of VMF-214. |
Google Adsense |
|
|