Fiddlers Green

Excellent. I shaped up the P-38 cockpit section and nacelle last night. I made a command decision and decided that the hollow for the supercharger needs to exist. I'm also trying to build in landing gear bays, but I'm not sure how well they'd install (maybe in a future add-on). I've scratch-built three Mustang gear bays that all turned out really well, but that was before I got my magical Wacom tablet.

I found this Russian web site that was linked off of Simviation's designer resources, and downloaded over 200 3-view drawings. Of those, about 40 are usable for models. I can't wait to finish these two!

Rob, this is going a lot faster and easier than I anticipated, so I'm obviously doing something wrong...

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Don't shrink it down too much, FG is slowly moving towards large scale.

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We have enough youth. How about a "Fountain of Smart".

It's going faster and easier than you thought, because there's no black art or arcane secrets involved in creating a model--simply patience and perserverence. A bit of zen will reward you immensely. I'm glad you found my little mini-tutorial of use, and I hope lots of other folks try their hand at it as well. Can't wait to see the finished product--but I will until you're satisfied with the end product. Never rush success.

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-Rob-

Currently working on: see avatar

PROOF!!!

TOO LONG have we surfed the forums and suspected that FG was in cahoots with the card stock companies and printer ink factions...

TOO LONG have we had to weigh the cost of a Sam's Club or Costco membership for the benefit of a ream of 110# paper for only $6.74...

TOO LONG have we considered rising up to throw off the yoke of, uh, the yoke of.... hey, does this mean I don't have to make a smaller version? Because if I don't have to plan for 1:60, then there's more details that I can add into the models, like ordinance, fuel tanks, and photo-recon equipment...

What was I talking about??

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Howzit

Come on Sarge do us modders a favour and add wing tanks, ordnance, etc. You know how awesome the model would be?

Niki

Okay, since you insisted and I have full schematics for the F-5E and F-5G Photo Lightning noses, fuel tanks, cannons, etc. I've also been playing with little extras like creating the small changes that differentiate an E model from a J model (all in the engines).

I ran into a snag on the Cessna fuse because I was trying to build it in as few pieces as possible. I'm going back at it tonight to see if changing the center line from the underside to the top makes a difference.

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Awesome stuff Sarge, really looking forward to both planes.

Niki

Okay, the fuselage is straight, and I invented a novel way to do the nose that is rounded but not starred out (like the Mustang propeller). On to the wing box and the intakes/exhaust!

Oh, and I've got both the P-38D and P-38J engines done (there's a difference!).

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

That's fast, Sarge. Are you SURE you're not channeling the spirit of Kelly Johnson somehow?

If Kelly Johnson built paper models....he would build them secretly in a dark basement that he would later deny the existence of. The world would learn of them only after he displayed them at a paper model convention, and even then they'd be ten years old!

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Okay all, here's where I'm at. I've got a fantastic fuselage and empannage, canopy and wing box. Once I've verfied the fit and dihedral of the wings, I go into "paper sculpture" mode to get the shape of the intake. It's my desire to be able to craft in the engine nozzles on the back side of the wing for a more realistic feel to the bird. Once that's done, I invent the landing gear and wheel wells.

THEN the beta builders will get their hands on it. I'm hoping to have it ready by mid-late March, depending on my day job.

The P-38 is coming along a little more slowly, but it's coming along.

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Howzit

Nice to hear Sarge, that T-37 is going to be a cute little bird to build.

Niki

The design model is 14" long. It will be released somewhat smaller. My philosophy is that if things fit when blown up, they'll fit when shrunk.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229 ... 5Build.jpg

Minor adjustments have been made to what's here already. I'm moving on to the wings and engines!

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Edward Merica
AKA "The Sarge"

Howzit

Nice looking model. Going to be a fun plane to build and in my case, repaint in various colour schemes. Looking forward to it.

Niki

I can't wait to do a paint job on that plane!

Keep up the good work