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OFFICIAL: Flying Boats Campaign
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 07:15 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Russ,I have not tried the accelerator and with my hands full of airplane I probably could not attempt any. While this is not my first resin or multi media kit, it was not approached correctly. So I will purchase another to build using this attempt as a guide to really take time to make sure of fit before I assemble.

Bob



Bob, I use accelerator frequently for attaching and bonding resin. You could use it with one hand while griping the model with the other or using clamps as it results in instant adhesion, and the glue dries immediately-- you can actually see it working, it's like a lake freezing over in split seconds before your eyes. It comes in spray form, but I prefer to use it from the bottle with an applicator made from one of those micro-brushes. The only drawback is it heats rapidly-- enough to cause a blister if you have exposed CA on your fingers (don't ask how I know). I generally use it with gloves from Costco-- I think it would solve your resin issues. I also use it for difficult styrene joins with CA, or those that need extra strength.
VR, Russ
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
KitMaker: 5,026 posts
AeroScale: 2,811 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 02:33 AM UTC
My Revell PBY-5 arrived today which is two days earlier than stated . Photos later
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
KitMaker: 5,026 posts
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Posted: Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 11:42 AM UTC
My PBY-5 arrived today. It is not washed then some work on the mid section of the wing and paint in the interior.



Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
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Posted: Friday, June 02, 2017 - 09:55 PM UTC
The nose interior that does not have much detail


I scraped the rivets off and put some paint on to see if the surface was clean and now could I start rescribing.


the fuselage is not glued together.


the side blister barbettes were touchy to attach the clear parts to the frames especially since one was misshapen and broken, but success.


the simple engines turned out ok with some paint and dry application of silver.


rivets before scraping and sanding


after
JClapp
#259
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: October 23, 2011
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Posted: Friday, June 02, 2017 - 10:22 PM UTC
hee haw! love those old school rivets!
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
KitMaker: 5,026 posts
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Posted: Friday, June 02, 2017 - 11:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text

hee haw! love those old school rivets!



At least they give me a guide line to follow for rescribing

Bob

Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
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Posted: Friday, June 02, 2017 - 11:10 PM UTC
Bob, nice job so far on an old dog. I did a conversion of an Airfix J2F5 Duck recently to an early Coast Gaurd JF-2 for a museum display. It too was loaded with rivets and panel lines (and is a real dog of a kit). I chose to just sand down the rivets to where they were just barely visible, and using a very fine pointed drafting pencil drew the panel lines into the primer, then painted it with Floquil bright Silver and Alclad primer. I was pleasantly surprised by the results-- scale panel lines with scale (or nearly scale) rivets! It's an alternative in 1/72 scale over engraving (I hate engraving in small scale). I'm amazed at these aircraft though-- the real thing is actually covered in standing out rivets close up. Why manufacturers today choose to depict rivets on aircraft as depressions still mystifies me-- seems it would be just as easy to have raised rivets and engraved panel lines.
VR, Russ
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
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Posted: Friday, June 02, 2017 - 11:39 PM UTC
I was going to do a Revell PBY... but since Bob has made such a good start on his, I think I'll try something different. I ordered this Skywave kit today:


It is still a PBY, just a little smaller!

Lakota
#123
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New Mexico, United States
Joined: November 17, 2008
KitMaker: 1,202 posts
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 12:01 AM UTC
Way to go Tim!
Brings back good memories, I built those Skywave kits when I was a teen. Are you going all out and building both of them?
I'll need to look in the stash and see if I still have IJN flying boats by Skywave.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 01:13 AM UTC
Hi Don,

Hmmmm... I haven't even seen them yet, but at less than 2 inches wingspan each I suppose my house can accommodate two PBYs and the four B-17s too! Are they good kits?
JClapp
#259
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: October 23, 2011
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 02:24 AM UTC
oh, cool! super tiny scale!

be sure to include coins or rulers in your build pics.

half the size of these 1:350 aircraft carrier scale,

definately looking forward to seeing those.

that reminds me of this well known photo of USS Thetis Bay CVE-90 transporting some well worn Catalinas



Lakota
#123
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New Mexico, United States
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 02:38 AM UTC
Howdy Tim
I'd have to say "Good" is relative. They were excellent kits when I was a teen but that's been a few decades. Have fun with them, I'm jealous.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
KitMaker: 5,026 posts
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 03:01 AM UTC
Jonathan, nice photo of USS Thetis Bay. I had to look it up since it did not ring a bell.

Tim, two PBY's would be fine. That little kit would hurt my eyes to assemble and that is with glasses along with a magnifying hood.

Bob
Antilles
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: March 22, 2015
KitMaker: 671 posts
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 03:35 AM UTC
Bob: Very nice re-entry. And nicely done engines! How did You removed all of those rivets? Did You use a special tool for scraping?

Tim: This looks cute! Will love to see this one build.

Jonathan: Are there reallly some Jeeps onto the deck ?

The major parts of my Wal are assembled. Some pictures will follow.

Oliver
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 04:50 AM UTC
Oliver, here are all but one tool(a piece of wet/dry sandpaper at the sink) that I use to take off rivets.

TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 04:54 AM UTC
Jonathan,

Thanks for the cool shot of the Catalinas aboard Thetis Bay. I was thinking of doing my PBYs clean, but the pic clearly shows that a heavy weathering job would be correct too - and more interesting. Never tred weathering aircraft in 1/700 before...

(anyway, with these kits I'll bet there won't be the Revell PBY rivet problem to deal with!)

Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 05:53 AM UTC
Tim, ill trade kits with ya then you can all of this fun

Bob
JClapp
#259
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: October 23, 2011
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 06:20 AM UTC
Regarding the CVE's, Thetis Bay was number 90 of 123 ships commissioned by 1945, here is the list. It really is staggering to think of the workforce brought to bear by the US in that time. There were also 24 Essex class carriers built during the war years.

Oliver - of course there were jeeps as well as other types of tractors and trucks at work on the deck of all aircraft carriers.

Also observe the CVE's normal compliment of FM-2 Wildcat fighters and one J2F Duck parked where they could be fit.
Lakota
#123
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New Mexico, United States
Joined: November 17, 2008
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 07:09 AM UTC
Howdy Y'all
That's an amazing photo, I've never seen it before. Just when you start to listen to the arguments for less prominent panel lines and less weathering...
That would be an amazing model to reproduce.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"
Antilles
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: March 22, 2015
KitMaker: 671 posts
AeroScale: 614 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 06:59 PM UTC
Bob: Thank You for the information. Just knives and sand paper. I will try this!

Jonathan: Well, I never noticed this before. Thank You very much for the information.

Fitting the cockpit into my Wal showed the poor fit of it.


There really is a major gap at the bow. Well, I guess I have to make the thing much more smaller or I will loose the proper shape of the bow.

Oliver
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 07:55 PM UTC
Oliver,

It will be a shame to have to mess with that beautifully done cockpit... but you are right about losing the bow shape if you don't!
JClapp
#259
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Massachusetts, United States
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 10:05 PM UTC
looks like just need a saw cut right through the middle, then glue back together, so the seats are closer together.
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
KitMaker: 5,026 posts
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Posted: Saturday, June 03, 2017 - 10:56 PM UTC
Oliver, I agree with Jonathan on a saw down the middle to remove some of the width. As for the knife, I use the back side of the blade to scrape as much as possible not he sharp end.

Bob
Bigrip74
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Texas, United States
Joined: February 22, 2008
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Posted: Sunday, June 04, 2017 - 08:15 AM UTC
I have a question re: the PBY folding tip float well. Was the well area painted chromate or the same color as the under surface of the a/c?

Bob
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
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Posted: Sunday, June 04, 2017 - 09:33 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Oliver, I agree with Jonathan on a saw down the middle to remove some of the width. As for the knife, I use the back side of the blade to scrape as much as possible not he sharp end.

Bob



Bob, I'd have to respectfully disagree, as the Wal had a hatch between the pilot seats, and if you're building an open cockpit version that would be very visible if you cut it down the middle, then you have a possible problem with shape of the fuselage sides or the hatch in the cockpit area. I'd recommend thinning the sides of the triangular area and the instrument panel support on both sides to get the hull to fit together. Is this the Huma kit? I have one in my stash, I don't recall a gap like that in mine, but it's pssoible as this was really a short-run injection molded kit. But there is another kit out there, from Russia, I don't recall who makes it (not Zvezda) but it was also a short run kit. I'm not sure why more major manufacturers don't make these great interwar flying boats (you might be able to detect I'm a big fan of these interwar flying boats). The Wal and boats like the Pan Am clippers have been long neglected. The Wal was a flying boat that used a staging ship in the middle of the Atlantic as a refueling stop, and was catapult launched.
VR, Russ