Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: trickyrich on January 11, 2015, 04:29:31 AM
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I thought I'd better post something I am actually doing at the moment......well when I can fit it in between other GB's and projects.
This was inspired by a picture of someone else's model, not sure who built it or the original site it was from.
Basically we take a prototype (always a great place to start for these types of builds) and try and figure what it would have been like if it had gone into production and matured as a design. As a teaser I have another one to be started quite soon, take a Anigrand XB-51 and add some inspiration from another members amazing drawings (thank Logan) mix together.......... coming soon!
Anyway in this case an Anigrand 1/72 Douglas XA2D-1 and enter it into RAAF service in Vietnam as a close support aircraft.......with modifications!
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1861_zps0645e0ea.jpg)
Because I haven't gotten all that far I can post the build so far...please enjoy....
The model is actually quite a simple one and for the most part everything is clean and quite well moulded. The fuselage isn't warped though there were some minor issues with the tail, some filler and plastic plus elbow grease sorted that out quickly.
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1862_zpseb1818d8.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1863_zps0fe9926d.jpg)
The wings were ok apart from some bubbles in the tips and the inner leading edge has some moulding issues. Everything else just needed a cleanup....though the ejector seat is for the bin...way too small and dodgy!
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1866_zpse7bdf7fd.jpg)
All the main bits go together quickly and will need only just a wee bit of filler. The cockpit interior is pretty much hidden once the canopy is on so I won’t be spending too much time on that!
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1868_zpsb920e568.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1867_zpsfbbcfe3b.jpg)
As much as I said it will be a simple quick build I am thinking of a couple of modes, have found a avionics “hump” from a Skyhawk and am thinking of modifying to fit. Late series avionics upgrade?? Plus the canopy I don’t like much, so any wondering if I can graft something else on?? Plus lots a weapons as well, these things had/were planned to have up 24 weapons stations/pylons!!!!!
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1869_zps748d42a1.jpg)
Well everything has gone together nicely and I have given it a quick undercoat to find any issues, which I can say luckily there weren’t any.
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1874_zpsd6563444.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1875_zps5b69841c.jpg)
I wasn’t happy with the look of the canopy of the prototype and liked the “Skyraider” one the other person used. So a quick trip to the spare box and I found something quite suitable from an old P-47 Thunderbolt!
So out with the plasti-card and filler.
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/cockpitmodification_zps458d75d9.jpg)
Think it looks much better now, so just need to tidy everything up. I don’t think i’ll fit the ”A-4” hump to the fuselage, but there maybe some other bits added.
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1885_zpsa9cb58b5.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1886_zps9e76dc88.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1887_zps60ef3f74.jpg)
Most of it has been trying to clean up dodgy panels lines.....
Plus I have done a bit on the cockpit as I need to close it up to finish up the work on the new canopy.
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1965_zps2eab13b2.jpg)
(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q722/trickyrich62/Douglas%20A2D-3%20Skyshark%20-%20RAAF%20Vietnam%201967/DSCF1964_zps1ac51bdc.jpg)
and thats where I'm up too, haven't had the time to do much more mostly due to real time issues! I work FIFO so am only home for a week every three weeks which makes life and model building a bit hard.
so this is a bit of a longer time project but I aim to complete this one.......soonish! ;D
thanks for looking.
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Watching this one closely... 8)
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Ditto!!
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Ditto #2
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Great job so far, I like it - particularly the new canopy.
I have a Skyshark for Flight Simulator and it's interesting to fly, more sluggish than I expected.
I must say it's nice to see an Anigrand kit being built and that its quality is reasonable - I've lusted after a couple for years but have never taken the plunge! I'll follow this with great interest!
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Good start, congratulations! :)
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thanks everyone, I just wish I had more time to spend on this one, I'm really enjoying the build!
Hi Tophe, see you are on this site as well, I haven't had a chance to do any drawings of late.......but have a few cunning ideas I need to get down into line work!!! ;)
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Very cool aircraft, I'll look forward to this ........ :D :D
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As part of the backstory, perhaps, as the design evolved, the troublesome XT40 is replaced by the T54 (same twin gas generator design as the T40, but sharing gas generator with the T56/Allison 501). I like where you've taken this so far and look forward to seeing how you develop it.
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Waiting with great anticipation on the end product :P
M.A.D
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Great progress! I agree it doesn't need an avionics hump. If the engineers can't fit stuff into that fuselage they aren't really trying.
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Nice work on that fuselage fix :) interesting airplane overall too