CAC CA-14B Sea Wallaby

[Old Wombat]

What she was doing was sitting on her feeding bench (if we don't feed her up high the dogs swipe her food) trying to figure out a way of leaving without being harassed by four (well, three out of four) dogs.

What she was thinking may be explained by the indecipherable scratches I found this morning on the garage wall, around an equally scratched plan of a wheeled device upon which several smaller wheels, each bearing several sets of large cat-like claws, were mounted. Near this was a scratched cartoon of four cowering dogs.

The scratchings had been erased by the time I got home from work.

[Old Wombat]

After a week of not touching this build (or any build for that matter) due to RW interference, I've started to build two resin radial engines;

1. The original Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp from the CA-13 Boomerang kit; &

2. The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp that I'm putting in this build.

With the R-2800 pumping out a 75% increase in power over the R-1830, I'm expecting the CA-14 Sea Wallaby to move!

[apophenia]

75% power increase ... this is going to be a real beast 

... a wheeled device upon which several smaller wheels, each bearing several sets of large cat-like claws, were mounted. Near this was a scratched cartoon of four cowering dogs...

The felid is a whiffer! Cool 

[Old Wombat]

I have an engine!



The upper, most completed engine (it won't be fully complete until I've finished the engine mount bulkhead & figured out the exhaust lay-out), is the P&W R-2800 Double Wasp going into the Sea Wallaby, the other is the P&W R-1830 Twin Wasp that came with the Boomerang. The unpainted disc of resin is a spacer I'll need to add to create room behind the engine for the exhaust system.



Not much of a size difference from that angle.



Now we're talkin'!

All that work & this is pretty close to what will be visible;



Hopefully, there'll be a little more visible through the main u/c wheel wells & the cowl flaps.


Thanks, All!

[Buzzbomb]

Of course there is always, the every inspection hatch open and fully armed option to go with 

[Old Wombat]

I've got no hope of finishing this before the 30th of November deadline as is, force that on me & we're looking at years!

[apophenia]

... we're looking at years! ...

No probs. We're patient (and armed with popcorn!). That Double Wasp looks a jewel - pity to cover all that detail up 

[Old Wombat]

I think enough is going to be visible without being so visible as to display all the short-cuts & flaws (they're there, just not visible at a distance).

Plus, I want to get this finished by the 14th of December!

[Old Wombat]

After spending most of the last week stuffing about trying to put a whole bunch of stuff in behind the engine I've scrapped most of it, covered over the inside of the wheel wells & moved onto trying to get the front of the Sea Wallaby finished.

At least I have a fair idea of what I'm doing there, I have yet to start work on the V-frame & hook.

[Old Wombat]

A quick & dirty mock-up shot of, very roughly, where I'm at & a comparison with an aircraft with the same engine & a similar role.



Thanks for watching!

[Dr. YoKai]

I never realized the Hellcat was that...beefy, compared to the FW 190. ( I know The Sea Wallaby isn't dimensionally identical, but it looks pretty close.) Keep at it, colleague - it's getting there.

[Buzzbomb]

Interesting comparison.

I would think the Arrestor gear will be a doddle after all that engine work, unless you intend to faff around and make it functional or something

Looking very nice.. eagerly awaiting the painting bit

[Old Wombat]

Thanks guys, still plugging away at it over here.


The Hellcat isn't that much smaller than the Beaufighter, Doc. It's actually a big plane!

I would think the Arrestor gear will be a doddle after all that engine work, unless you intend to faff around and make it functional or something

You're absolutely correct, BT, the arrestor gear shouldn't be too hard, I've already done a similar version for the Sea Beau. It's the fart-arsing around making the 18 copper wire exhaust pipes that's the issue*.




*: Then there's going to be all the PSR, once I've got everything together.

[apophenia]

Seeing the comparison between Sea Wallaby and Hellcat reaffirms what an achievement it is to squeeze that honker of an engine into a Fw! The dreaded PSR Pixies be damned ... full speed ahead 

[Old Wombat]

Yes, it's a tight squeeze but I look at it as a slim-line cowl.

Half way on the exhaust pipes. I find I can get three done, then I have to take a break because of the build up of frustration & anger at how difficult it can be to get a few bits of copper wire to do what you want.

[Robomog]

Looks quite graceful against the Hellcat and yes, copper wire is a pig to work with.!

Mog
>^-.-^<

[finsrin]

Engine build is over the top with such fine bright work.        Airframe looking "normal"

[Old Wombat]

Thank you, gents!

[apophenia]

... then I have to take a break because of the build up of frustration & anger at how difficult it can be to get a few bits of copper wire to do what you want...

"Anger management! ..."  And, remember, once the job is complete, a hammer can be taken all those copper wire left-overs and cast-offs. Revenge is pounding 'em until they squeak! 

[Old Wombat]

Real Life has been interfering with Whif Life & I've fallen far enough behind that I'm more than certain that this won't be finished by the 14th.

However, I'll keep plugging away & put up images of what I have at cut-off. They just won't be in the "Finished" thread.

Tonight I got the engine & cowling glued on but there's a fair whack of PSR needed to get things smoothed out, which I'll start on tomorrow after work.

For those of you who seem to be keen to see this finished ... So am I, so I'll be working on this until it's done, although the lead into Christmas may slow things down a bit*.





*: See? The Real World just can't stop getting in the way of the important stuff!

[Old Wombat]

Well, for me, the Invasion of Japan/Japan ‘46 GB is over & I failed to complete my build.

But! These things happen & life goes on.


Anyway, here are the pictures of where I was at at 2359hrs, local time;








I'll be continuing this build over in the Physical Models: Aero-space forum.

I would really appreciate it if an Admin type could, please, move this thread to that board.


Thanks everyone for following along & shouting encouragement from the stands!

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Greg!

[Buzzbomb]

Still a corker of a build

[Geoff]

WOW!   

[Old Wombat]

Camo paint is on & masking is off & ... I'm a bit disappointed.

I based the scheme loosely on the Hellcat scheme above but with different colours &, although they looked good on the test scrap of styrene, they just look too light (mostly) & just, well, wrong.

It's probably one of those "scale" things with colours, like paint swatches can look great laid out on the table but, once the room's painted, they look like crap.

I'll put up photo's later &, hopefully, you guys can come up with something to assist (without involving a complete re-paint).