Carlos' Helldiver **FINISHED**

[jssel]

Liking this one a lot Carlos.

[Desert_fox]

Really looking good this. You've managed to get a dynamic looking pose for the plane, which is what, for me, makes a diorama. I realise there isn't much going on this one, but the fact is you've managed to make it look like it has movement, which for me makes it a diorama. And a damned good one.

And seeing your photo's of the plane in a dive makes me sympathise with the rear gunners in these planes; imagine having to sit there, facing backwards, and feeling the lurch as your pilot takes you into a dive, possibly with Japanese planes trying to shoot you out of the sky...

[carlos]

Back to work on the Helldiver today....

Had a bit of a blow on thursday - someone had beaten me to the last canopy set in stock at Hannants - but popped in to my LMS this morning, and luckily they had a whole stack of Helldivers on the shelf - so I've picked one up, and will buy an aftermarket canopy for that one at a later date.

I've been trying a few things, and the only way I'm gonna be able to scratch dive brakes better than those I cut off the kit, will be if I drill fewer holes - so instead of the canopy set, today I have ordered the PE flap set suggested by Bruce (BWP) back on page 1
So long as it arrives by the 31st, I should be OK to finish on time - will endeavour to have everything else done by then - In the meantime, I'll scratch substitute flaps with fewer holes as a temporary measure just in case the PE set doesn't get here in time.

Tonight I've painted and attached the canopies, and added a small tubular piece to represent the life-raft container, because it can be seen through the rear canopy, behind the gunner's head.
Only the decals, a few small parts, and some paintwork tidying left to go (plus those flaps)
Pics of progress so far.... tomorrow.

....imagine having to sit there, facing backwards, and feeling the lurch as your pilot takes you into a dive, possibly with Japanese planes trying to shoot you out of the sky...

Yeah, real scary - and to cap it all they were pretty much defenceless in the dive.
I've been reading up, and apparantly, with rear canopy open, and turtleback folded down, there was so much turbulence in a dive that the pilot had trouble controlling it - so would get the rear gunner to close it all up for the bomb-run.
Nuts of steel.

[Dirkpitt289]

Carlos

I feel your pain my friend. I've spent countless hours trying to scratch the dive brakes on my Dauntless to no avail and the Dauntless DB's are a lot less complicated then the Helldiver's. I can't keep a straight line to save my life. I broke down and bought a set of PE yesterday. It should be here Friday. I saw a set of PE for my Academy Helldiver at the same time. The cost is the same price as I paid for the kit, $24. But after all the trouble with the Dauntless I think it'll be well worth it. Damn I'm lazy...

[carlos]

PE arrived today
Had a bit of a looksee, and a measure-up (it's intended for the Academy rather than Airfix), and it will fit - though I need to add about 2mm to the wing fairing where it meets the inner edge of the upper flap - lower flaps fit almost perfect.
Wow! there's some tiny detail on them.



The rest of the Helldiver is almost done. Apart from fixing the flap-to-wing fairing gap.... Just some touching-up, and I need to flatten that glossy finish somewhat.
All painting has been with a hairy stick, and hand-painted canopy frames



To make a Japanese carrier, I found a line-drawing of the Kaiyo, and printed out at a length of just over 3½"
This works out to a scale of about 1:1800



Started with a lump of 'Play-Doh', squished to roughly the right size.

Carved the general shape

Continued to carve and mould


And hopefully, when painted and detailed a little - should look OK
Something like this - but hopefully a tad better


I've just smeared the sides of the ship's hull with PVA glue (Play-Doh has a tendency to crack when it dries out)
I'll probably do some more work on the carrier tonight, and intend to start on the flaps tomorrow.


I've no idea whether the USS Essex ever sent it's Helldivers to attack the Kaiyo - but there were a fair few Japanese carriers of similar shape towards the end of the war (converted passenger cruisers) - so if not fully accurate, the diorama will at least be 'feasible'

[kruaxi]

Really ingenious !

[MerlinJones]

Brilliant!
...And that photoetch is definitely worth it, given anyone would be hard-pressed to replicate that with sheet styrene and a minidrill.

Now just watch James pinch that for this years SMW.

Regards,
Bruce

[JamesPerrin]

Now just watch James pinch that for this years SMW.

Alpha team are on route ETA 5 mins.


Excellent work and should at least provide some inspiration to CBKers working on this year's display.

[Dirkpitt289]

The Helldiver is looking beautiful. I love your idea for the ship. I have plans on putting my Dauntless in a dive also but i was going to just put a photo on the base. You took it 10 steps beyond my imagination.

[carlos]

I stalled there for a few days - realised I had no superglue for fixing the PE parts (Well, I DID have some superglue, but it had set hard )
Then got waylaid by other stuff round the house.

Back on the horse today though - I've extended those wingroots to fit the PE flaps - currently waiting for the glue, and a bit of filler, to dry.
Also made a flight-deck for the ship, from a scrap piece of plastic sheet - that is now glued onto the hull, I'm waiting for that to dry too.
And finally, I've cut a ship-shaped trench into the 'sea' surface on the base - so the carrier will sit flat on it.



Next steps are to touch up the Helldiver wingroots - a coat of Ocean grey on the carrier - and try to approximate a wake for the carrier from filler putty.
Hoping to get that done tonight, and maybe pre-paint the insides of the dive-flaps

[splash]

Well done Great job on the carrier.

Regards
Splash

[carlos]

Nothing major over the last few days - Y'know how sometimes everyday life just seems to eat up all your time...?

I was a little worried about the deadline for a while there, but with a little bit of tinkering between other commitments, have got to the stage where a finish is within striking distance...

All the pieces left to go on the Helldiver are in the following pics - namely the prop, bomb-bay doors, some detailing between the flap hinges, and those two little antennae.(????) things under the wings.
Carrier needs a few extras, and also need to tone down my red a little for the final coat - H20 is a tad bright.

[jssel]

One action-packed dio. Looking very nice.

[Dirkpitt289]

Stunning work so far. The flaps are looking amazing

[carlos]

Almost there...
I'll leave any more photos until finished, because it's currently VERY close to done.

Currently just waiting for touch-ups to dry (mainly the gloss blue of the uppers), before the final clear coat.
If it gets to 8pm I'll resort to using the wife's hairdryer - Humbrol gloss enamel takes an eternity to dry naturally.

In the meantime, adding a little detail to the carrier - and gonna try something to represent a few Zeros on the deck.

It's gonna be tight, but should make the deadline OK