Pete's Wildcat

[stillp]

Thanks Tim. The 'walk-around' portable tanks for US bomber crew were green, but I can't find any images for US fighter oxygen tanks. British ones were black. Although I think it should probably be green, black will look better - if green it'll just fade into the background colour.
Pete

[Guest]

I've seen variations of silver, cream, green and black.

I guess you can take your pick!

[stillp]

It's black now:

Left the fixing straps green for a bit more visual interest.
Pete

[yak face]

Great looking pit pete , is the bottle going to be visible though ,once the fuselage is joined ?

[stillp]

Probably not Tony!
Pete

[stillp]

Added the IP and the forward bulkhead, and dry fitted it in the fuselage:

Not sure why the bulkhead behind the seat is slightly forward of the fuselage - everything else fits perfectly. It'll be easy enough to fix though. Just repainted part of the cockpit as the instructions show the boundary between the green and the grey too far back.
Pete

[scottie3158]

Pete,
Looking good mate.

[stillp]

Fit in this kit is very good - the paint on the fuselage inside was stopping the two halves meeting, so I've had to sand the edges of the IP and the bulkhead to create enough space.
The join is pretty good - not quite as good as I'd like, but will only need a little sanding.

I held the headrest panel in the right place and added a drop of fast CA, which seems to have done the trick.
Also made a start on painting the engine:

Vallejo metallic black, then drybrushed with steel to highlight the pushrods and rockers.
There are a few choices to make - it'll be wheels down, probably cockpit open, but can't decide whether to use the folded wings or not.
Did Douglas Bader ever fly one of these?:smiling:

Pete

[Guest]

Nice Pete, love the look of the engine. And that poor pilot! :flushed:

[stillp]

Idiot alert!

I assembled the nosegear leg, which is quite a complicated assembly of 7 spindly pieces, then realised I should have done that, and fitted it, before joining the fuselage halves!


No way it'll fit in now. I'll either have to build it 'wheels up', or take the legs apart and try to reassemble them through the wheel bays, or take a saw to the fuselage.

The last of those options seems best; I could maybe cut through where there's a panel joint on the real thing. The straight bit in line with the wing leading edge would be pretty simple, but how to cut a curved line from the wing root to the wheel bay?

I used to have a jeweller's piercing saw somewhere...

Take note children, this is what happens when you don't read the instructions properly. :anguished:

Pete

[yak face]

If it were me pete I would just cut a straight line just underneath the bump , it would be easier to fill and mske good as theres no panel lines or rivets in this area

[stillp]

Yes, good point Tony, thanks.

At least if I cut the fuselage open I can repaint the bulkhead behind the engine - I followed the instructions there, and painted it in cockpit green, when it should be Grumman Grey.
Pete

[BattleshipBob]

Bugger, you are not the first Pete

Done it myself far too often. As you say. Read the plans!!!

Sure you will sort it out!

[stillp]

Thought I'd better get this cut before I lost my nerve!

I used one of the Tamiya PE saws that I bought at Cosford last year. They're really, really thin, so there shouldn't be much filler needed as long as I can get the parts to line up, and the engine cowl will help with that. (Note to self - don't glue the cowl! The engine has to go in first!)
Off to the garage now to repaint that bulkhead.
Pete

[Guest]

I would glue some thing plastic sheet to the front of the fuselage, the thickness of the saw or slightly more, and when dry, trim it to shape. Then add the front cowling.