Author Topic: 1/48 Sea Beau  (Read 36922 times)

Offline Old Wombat

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1/48 Sea Beau
« on: November 10, 2018, 04:51:10 PM »
Base kit is a Tamiya 1/48 Bristol Beaufighter TF.Mk.X to which I'll be adding parts sourced from the remains of an Italeri 1/48 S-2E/G Tracker.

Those parts will be the wing-fold interior details & the hook ... Possibly plus anything else which may look cool & serve a potential purpose.

At the moment it's all just a pile of sprues in the workspace & a vague plan forming in my head.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2018, 05:21:14 PM »
So clearly you are back in country and back at the bench. Unless you took your travel build kit ;)

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2018, 08:16:39 PM »
Yep. Great holiday ;D spoiled by having to return to work three days ago (Thursday) :icon_sueno:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2018, 02:56:15 AM »
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2018, 03:21:48 PM »
Thanks, Greg! :smiley:

Yeah, something like that but I'll probably have the fold further out (although that screws with the 3-part wing plan) & lose the machine guns.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2018, 03:26:37 PM by Old Wombat »
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Camthalion

  • The man has done a pink tank...need we say more?!
Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2018, 05:43:22 AM »
looks interesting

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2018, 08:29:27 PM »
1st cuts made & glue applied.

Hook & hook fuselage section of the Tracker reduced by about 6mm, which is roughly 210mm (81/2") IRL, & glued back together, narrower & shorter.

Outer wings glued together, as I need to be able to gauge how to work the fold parts into the wing, which has a much deeper chord than the Tracker but only about 2/3 the span, & I'll probably do the tail & tail-planes before I go to bed.


Note: A quick check of the Beau against the Grebe shows the Beau to be smaller in comparison than I expected, although most of that difference is forward of the wings.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2018, 09:27:35 PM »
Wings cut 5mm out from the air intakes on the leading edge.

Excellent spot for the wing fold, if losing the .303 Brownings isn't an issue (&, apparently it wasn't as I've read that Coastal Command Beaufighters often had the wing guns removed) but it looks like I'm going to have to scratch-build at least 3/4 of the wing structure & fold mechanism because there is no way the Tracker's fold pieces are suitable as is (far too small).

Photos will be coming but I've got to get a new debit cash card up & running to get my SmugMug subscription up & running again (it ran out while I was on holidays & so did the current Load-&-Go card).


Now, gents, a question: As I have to scratch build so much, do I make the wing fold a manual system or a hydraulic one? ???
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline tankmodeler

  • Wisely picking parts of the real universe 2 ignore
Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2018, 03:40:51 AM »
Now, gents, a question: As I have to scratch build so much, do I make the wing fold a manual system or a hydraulic one? ???
It's a big heavy wing and swinging it around a pitching deck would be a right pain and dangerous to boot. Hydraulic. Plus it allows you to have the aircraft bombed up (say rockets on the outboard stub pylons) and still unfold them where manual would be a bit much to expect. It makes for greater operational flexibility and faster turnaround on deck.

Or so the Sea Beau deck crews always said...  ;)

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2018, 06:33:45 AM »
Now, gents, a question: As I have to scratch build so much, do I make the wing fold a manual system or a hydraulic one? ???
It's a big heavy wing and swinging it around a pitching deck would be a right pain and dangerous to boot. Hydraulic. Plus it allows you to have the aircraft bombed up (say rockets on the outboard stub pylons) and still unfold them where manual would be a bit much to expect. It makes for greater operational flexibility and faster turnaround on deck.

Or so the Sea Beau deck crews always said...  ;)

That was my thinking, too, but I thought I'd ask for suggestions, in case there was a safer & more efficient manual system rather than purely muscling the thing into place.

To quote myself from WhatifModelers, when it was suggested that a manual system would be more "in period";

Quote from: Old Wombat
According to information I have the Avenger & Hellcat both used hydraulic wing fold systems on the more complex "Sto-Wing" aft folding system due to the weight of their wings & they definitely fit the period (even the Wildcat had a hydraulic system for a while but it was heavy & Grumman found that the fold could be achieved by 2 men just as quickly, so they stopped fitting them).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bh3CKw_HLk

My fold is pretty close to half of the Beaufighter's wing, which would make it easily heavy enough to justify a hydraulic wing fold & is (over) vertical which makes it difficult to do manually. However, if someone can come up with a suitable (read "easy & safe") manual system I'm all eyes!
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2018, 07:44:43 PM »
Quick update, as I still can't do pic's yet. (Soon, I promise!)

As certain parts will be open & some of the innards will be visible I'm doing some internal detail work. Nothing exact or consistent with any one type (it's getting both Bristol & DAP details, some of which are inconsistent) but at least make it look like the inside of an aircraft.

I should be finished with them tonight & I intend taking some photo's which I hope to be able to show you tomorrow.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Kerick

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2018, 04:57:59 AM »
Ah, hope springs eternal!

Offline Robomog

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2018, 07:33:17 AM »
Some day my prints will come !

(Exits stage left............)

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2018, 10:24:14 AM »
Good one!

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #14 on: November 23, 2018, 12:43:47 PM »
Well, I didn't get the job finished BUT I did take photo's & sort out my SmugMug account!

So, here are the few photo's I've taken so far;

Folded wings:







Interior detailing (I'm slow at this):









There's still more detailing (a few more electrical boxes, radios, folding map table, pipes & wiring - things like that) & painting of the interior to go before I can button her up.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline tankmodeler

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2018, 01:02:52 AM »
Oooooo! Me likey!
 :-*

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2018, 02:24:25 AM »
Looking good so far.  One question for you though, what about your wing guns?  In the interest of weight-savings would there been wing guns.  Since there are four 20mm Hispano's in the fuselage would the .303s be necessary for the torpedo attack/anti-shipping role? 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #17 on: November 24, 2018, 03:24:07 AM »
Looking good
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #18 on: November 24, 2018, 06:36:45 AM »
This is shaping up nicely, my preferred scale is god's own 1/72 scale but I have to admit the bigger scales allow much more scope for detail.  Like the concept too Mr Wombat.

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #19 on: November 24, 2018, 07:31:45 PM »
Thanks, guys! :smiley:


@ Jeffry: In Reply #4 I mentioned losing the wing guns & have since discovered that, more often than not, the Coastal Command TF Mk.X Beaufighters (Torbeaus) had their wing guns removed & the aircraft relied only on their heavier 20mm armament to save weight. So, yeah, as a weight-saving & space-for-the-hydraulics measure, the wing guns are going ... I just haven't puttied up the gaps, yet. ;)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2018, 03:49:39 PM »
It appears I'm not the only person to build a folding-wing Beaufighter.

Marcel du Long sets a high standard to aim for:



http://www.marceldulong.com/plastics/raaf-target-towing-bristol-beaufighter
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2018, 04:13:21 PM »
I hate those, "Slam, cop that done it before" pix. it is gorgeous though.

Time for you to put your own stamp on this idea. Plus I actually think you wing fold placement is more practical as he oil cooler is still integral to the wing

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2018, 05:01:22 PM »
Time for you to put your own stamp on this idea. Plus I actually think you wing fold placement is more practical as he oil cooler is still integral to the wing

Workin' on it! ... Actually, I'm in the study avoiding being subjected to "Home & Away" ... But I will be working on it after 2000hrs! ;)

I considered where the wing fold went quite carefully before I made a decision. The major points for its location are (1) to reduce plumbing for the oil coolers & (2) to allow the outer wing to fold down over the lower wing to reduce the height of the aircraft. The penalty for that is a slightly wider foot-print but it's not that much wider than the tail-planes & I believe the lower height to be more important than taking up slightly more deck space.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline KiwiZac

  • The Modeller Formerly Known As K5054NZ
Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #23 on: November 28, 2018, 05:45:23 AM »
Man, those panel lines... :(
Zac in NZ
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: 1/48 Sea Beau
« Reply #24 on: November 28, 2018, 06:20:59 AM »
Man, those panel lines... :(

Yeah! just horrible -- and German style tires (tyres)   ???  not seen any photos of any Brit aircraft that had tires like that during the war.