Lancfan's BBMF maintenance build. ***DNF***

[lancfan]

My last PR19 is nearly finished and there are nine days to go- is there time to add another Spitfire to my BBMF collection before the GB ends? Well I am going to try and it will use an Airfix old tool mk.1a kit but rather than open my last James May edition kit (must get hold of some more O/T Spitfires this year) I have sorted out a set of unused parts from my spares box, all for the same basic kit but in three different colours of plastic. The two Aeroclub packs alongside will give you a clue as to what I intend to do with it.


David.

[splash]

Nice, do I see an open nose with the engine showing or an empty nose with the engine next to it?

Regards Splash

[lancfan]

Among other things, you will see an open nose with the engine showing Splash.

David.

[splash]

I look forward to seeing this build.

Regards Splash

[DazDaMan]

Looking forward to this one!

[TimJ]

Looks interesting, I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

[lancfan]

In order to scratchbuild the lower centre fuselage the fuselage halves have been tacked together and the wing panels have been separated from the lower keel of the fuselage, when I did this I mis-cut one of the wing trailing edges and have fished another lower wing half (darker plastic) out of my Spitfire jar and correctly cut off a replacement wing panel.


The next step was to cut away the wing root fairings and fill the forward fuselage aft of the firewall with Miliput and tack the previously removed lower keel onto the fuselage, pressing it into the miliput to set the true shape of the fuselage, this was then set aside to dry.
The fuselage halves and lower keel dry fitted for the camera.


The fuselage/keel filled with Miliput.


The outer shape of the fuselage was next filed into the altered fuselage and the engine and fuel tank cowl were sawn off.


This is the Miliput lump removed from the fuselage, the lower keel has now been cyanoed to the lump.


The two pictures below show at the top, the lump dry fitted to one half of the fuselage after it had been cut back ready to be milled out and the lower picture shows the finished lump milled out to form the lower fuselage and glued to the other fuselage half and ready to be detailed.


David.

[lancfan]

I have been quiet for a few days but this is the current state of play, the wheelwells have been detailed as per the other builds, the wing panels themselves have been detailed following pictures from the airframe manual and the two wings have been joined back together with spar carry throughs. The cockpit is coming along quietly and the fuselage halves should be joined together tomorrow for final assmebly.


David.

[lancfan]

The cockpit was completed and the fuselage closed up last night, today the external wiring loom and the firewall were fitted and the wings were glued in place onto the fuselage.




David.

[lancfan]

With the fuel tank in position I will put this in the background for now, I will concentrate on completing the BBMF SEAC Panther build for today. When that is done I need to clean up and prepare for the TSR-2 GB I lead from tomorrow. I will finish this build here under my Workshop Window.


David.