Author Topic: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber  (Read 42913 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #50 on: March 27, 2013, 03:19:30 AM »
You have mad kit surgery skills! That last pic is truly the "money shot"!

Nice work, kitnut!

Brian da Basher

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #51 on: March 27, 2013, 03:48:03 AM »
You sir are a true plastic surgeon!  ;D  Can't wait to see more, I love flying boats!

Why are you making new engines?  Something happen to the old ones since those photos?
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #52 on: March 27, 2013, 04:35:24 AM »
 :-[  :-[  :-[

Mike, the plan was to remodel the nacelles into something that didn't need to be as long.  I also didn't want to chop up the originals as they will still be used on a RW Dart Dakota.  As I have described in an earlier post, the original exhaust is just a round pipe sticking out the side, I've changed that to a rectangular one that goes up and over the wing which is how a lot of Darts were configured.  This new exhaust still exits the nacelle in the same place, just it's different.

I've been teaching myself how to make moulds and cast (with some friendly advise from various people), and the idea is to make a master and then cast a bunch of replicas.  I've a few other projects where this will come in handy and save a lot of time making multiples of everything individually (especially as we've only got five weeks here (possible 7 if we get an extension).

In these pics below you can see how much I've changed the nacelle from the original.  I've added a prop shaft and a tapered fairing to the intake, the fairing matches the props I'm going to use.  Then I had to slightly reprofile the rear end to match the Sunderland nacelle and of course carve out the hole for the exhaust pipe.  From here I'll make a new mould, then cast as many of these things as I need.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #53 on: March 27, 2013, 04:45:46 AM »
I've also got a name for it now;  Short Salcombe  (thanks to Rheged on the What-If forum)

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #54 on: March 27, 2013, 04:50:00 AM »
Kit, the work you're putting into it is definitely showing, don't lose the faith!  Those new engines will be worth it man and don't worry, this is my GB, an extension will be coming and might even be longer than 2 weeks...shh... ;)

Think "Plastic Surgeon" needs to be added under your name  :)

Salcombe looks like a nice place too, good name  8)
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #55 on: March 27, 2013, 06:10:50 AM »
Kit, the work you're putting into it is definitely showing, don't lose the faith!  Those new engines will be worth it man and don't worry, this is my GB, an extension will be coming and might even be longer than 2 weeks...shh... ;)

Think "Plastic Surgeon" needs to be added under your name  :)

Salcombe looks like a nice place too, good name  8)

Cheers Mike,

Many a vacation was spent at Salcolme when I was young, it was the place of choice for my parents who had five kids to tow along.  Rheged had come up with it and said it was the closest town on the coast that is near the River Dart. 

Offline father ennis

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #56 on: March 27, 2013, 09:05:34 AM »
This is a great build you got going. I've been following this closely and really enjoying this ,not to mention what I've learned.
I may be old but I'm not dead ... yet anyway ... !!!    And NO I did not know Richard III !!!!!!

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #57 on: March 27, 2013, 09:49:25 AM »
Got heck of a build/project going on.
Doing a cool conversion  8)
Please keep posting pictures  :)

Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #58 on: March 29, 2013, 03:58:39 AM »
Looking good..... :)

Offline father ennis

  • I got paint older than most of you guys ...
  • Our Scifi, armour-building Rennissance Priest...
Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #59 on: March 29, 2013, 06:25:32 AM »
From the looks of it, I'm sure it will be worth the wait !!!  I'm sure enjoying your build !!!
I may be old but I'm not dead ... yet anyway ... !!!    And NO I did not know Richard III !!!!!!

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #60 on: March 29, 2013, 06:42:09 AM »
Thanks guys, more updates later this weekend.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #61 on: March 29, 2013, 06:43:20 AM »
Thanks guys, more updates later this weekend.

Tease!

Brian da Basher

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #62 on: March 29, 2013, 07:00:14 AM »
Well I'm hoping to get the engine nacelles all cast up.  Tomorrow (as long as SWMBO doesn't have other plans) I want to do the new moulds. By Sunday I should be able to start casting.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #63 on: April 01, 2013, 12:50:49 AM »
The mould has been done, the plan didn't go as I wanted and made it yesterday but it looks like it will be ok.

Top pic, ready to be slip into the mould box (tube to be exact)
Middle pic, ready for the rubber,
bottom pic, made ---

I'll have a go with the casting later today.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #64 on: April 01, 2013, 01:02:55 AM »
I also decided to just move the cockpit forward, it seemed the easiest and quickest modification considering I want to try and get this done.

Top pic is of the result,
Next pic shows that after cutting out the cockpit opening and top of nosing, I added a bulkhead from top to bottom.  I glued the original cockpit floor onto it.  The cockpit was moved in RW measurements, three feet forward and 6 inches down but the floor was just moved forward at the same level it always was.  Looking at interior photos of Sunderlands there seems to be a lot of headroom over the pilot seating area so if the canopy came down 6" is doesn't seemed to be a problem.

The two bottom pics show the cutout,

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #65 on: April 01, 2013, 01:05:48 AM »
I've still got quite a bit to do to the interior, namely the wheel bays, and the water tanks and cargo floor. So I made the whole cockpit top decking in one and at the moment it's removable so I can keep taking the fuselage apart as I fit the various parts in.  I will finish the nose once I glue the whole fuselage together though.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #66 on: April 01, 2013, 01:19:00 AM »
A couple of pics taken to show how the new nose looks from the front ---

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #67 on: April 01, 2013, 02:11:26 AM »
Wow you've been busy, kitnut!

I really like the look of the new nose! I never thought a Sunderland could be sleek!

Brian da Basher

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #68 on: April 01, 2013, 03:59:24 AM »
She's shaping up nicely man!  Good luck with the casting  :)
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline kitnut617

  • Measures the actual aircraft before modelling it...we have the photographic evidence.
  • Holding Pattern
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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #69 on: April 01, 2013, 06:53:16 AM »
Thanks guys,

Well I now have four new nacelles --- although the mould is now almost toast.  More to do with how I hoped I could have the mould than the mould just crapping out, but I'll have to give it a rethink because I won't do it this way next time.

Offline Cliffy B

  • Ship Whiffer Extraordinaire...master of Beyond Visual Range Modelling
  • Its ZOTT!!!
    • My Artwork
Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #70 on: April 01, 2013, 07:09:46 AM »
They look good to me man!  Time to detail and mount on the wings  :)
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline kitnut617

  • Measures the actual aircraft before modelling it...we have the photographic evidence.
  • Holding Pattern
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  • I'd rather be dirtbike riding...
Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #71 on: April 01, 2013, 07:36:21 AM »
I'm quite pleased with them Mike, and now I've got something major out of the way, the wings should progress quite quickly I think.

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #72 on: April 01, 2013, 12:21:09 PM »
"I really like the look of the new nose! I never thought a Sunderland could be sleek!"  Agree,,, must 2nd Brian on that.
Took on a complex build and you are doing fine on it.  Engines are perfect  :)
Am I turning green or what !

Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #73 on: April 02, 2013, 04:18:50 AM »
this is going to look great.....

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sunderland TP Amphibian Fire-Bomber
« Reply #74 on: April 02, 2013, 11:33:39 PM »
Thanks, I've got the engines glued on one wing and I've started the modification to the other wing.  Doing a test fit-up with the props temporarily stuck on the one side, it's taking on a Short Maia sort of look to the front end --- pics in a day or so