Another Short 184 from Aeroclub

jamo · 16 June 2006, 04:35 PM

Hi everyone
Floats are now on, and also the wingtip and tail floats. Straps over the top fuel tank have been added from brass strip. The bomb rack is made of brass strip and rod.

I have painted the plane using Misterkit PC12 which has come up lighter than I expected. Some weathering has gone on around the forward fuselage with more to come on the wings and tail. I am nearly ready to put on the top wing. Next step is to make a windscreen and do the rigging for the centre section because it is so hard to get to when the top wing is on.

I have also been painting two different sets of crew figures - three naval officers and a bunch of workmen (not quite finished yet). At some stage I will have to choose between the two sets for the dock diorama I am planning. Which set do you all prefer? Whichever one I don't use with the Short will get used on another naval plane in the future.

Happy modelling!
James

John Masters · 17 June 2006, 04:54 AM

It's too bad you can't use some of each set for the dockside dio. I think that would be most authentic. All in all, the quality is what we have come to expect from you---stunning. I can't wait for the finished work!

From the Factory on the hill,
John

jamo · 17 June 2006, 05:11 PM

I could use the naval officer who is looking at his watch next to maybe three of the workmen, as if he was saying "smoko break is over chaps, time to get on with the job!"

I have a WWII German tool set from Attack which comes with some great fuel tins and also large drums, hand pumps, funnels, tool boxes etc.

Incidently, completely off-topic but have you all seen this stunning diorama:

http://www.carrierbuilders.net/forum...667&#entry2667

Sure some of the details (crew, coke tin) have been photoshopped, but I reckon that is the best diorama I have ever seen. Photography was superb and the lighting. Wouldn't a WWI dio from this modeller look great!

jamo · 24 June 2006, 12:36 AM

Its nearly time for rigging the model. The kit instructions (attached below)don't accurately capture the unusual rigging in the outer bays so I have played around in Paint to show how they should look (second pic). In addition I have shown the additional flying wires that joined the wing half way between the bays, and the wire ladder fitted to many later versions.

Right now I am scratch building a new radiator that has separate plates that you can see through, just like the real thing. It was surprisingly easy to do, using thin black card with card strips sandwiched in between each plate top & bottom as spacers. The white metal radiator casting from Aeroclub has aged badly with production and would be difficult to clean up as you can see.

Happy Modelling
James

WarrenD · 25 June 2006, 02:37 AM

Jamo,
Very nice job. What figure set, etc. are you using for your figures?

Warren

jamo · 26 June 2006, 12:38 AM

Monty's Model Railways. The scale is OO gauge which works out at 1/76. Generally HO figures don't work with 1/72 planes because the scale is too small - 1/87.

http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/

Unfortunately the manufacturer does not take credit cards but some online retailers also stock the figures such as:

http://www.mainlytrains.co.uk/acatalog/4mm-figures.html

Cheers
James

WarrenD · 26 June 2006, 02:53 PM

Thanks James, I'll keep an eye out for them. I have seen some folks use the 1920's pilots and passenger figure set from Preiser to good effect at times, but these didn't look anything like that set.

Warren

Ross_Moorhouse · 27 June 2006, 03:40 PM

Love the radiator. Shame Aeroclub didn't do this in P.E.

jamo · 21 July 2006, 09:16 PM

Rigging finally completed using 0.005" stainless steel wire from Smallparts (grumble grumble they haven't filled my order for more, even after phoning them three times).

Lifting cradle is adding from music (piano?) wire and scrap white metal.

I ended up making yet another radiator out of black card, brass sheet and styrene to get slightly wider spacing between the sheets. I also made it slightly smaller so it fitted better against the exhaust pipe.

The Scarf MG mount is from the Part set for a Bristol F2b, with a scratch built U ring (the 184 is wider than the F2b). Its really a very nice set - I would recommend it!

The trolley is made of plastic strip and card, plus the wheels I featured earlier made out of brass pipe and some 1/48 PE wheels from Fotocut (with every second spoke cut away). I used pictures from the Datafile as a guide.

For those folk planning to build one of these lovely kits I have also attached a guide for placement of the control wires on the wings - its important to understand how the whole system worked so that all the wires end up in the right places. You need to make 12 little pulleys for the control wires - 2 each on the top wings, two each on the upper surface of the lower wings by the base of the 2nd and 3rd rear interplane struts, and two on each underside of the lower wings. Also, remember to make four long bungee cords fitted between the top of 2nd & 3rd rear struts down to the lower ailerons (There was no balance cable).

Next step is the wharf diorama with crane . . .

jamo · 28 August 2006, 03:59 AM

Hi Everyone
Here are some pics of the finished diorama. The wharf is scratch built with some bolts added from Grandt Line. The sea started out as tinfoil, painted green and liberally covered with a clear acrylic stuff called Mod Podge. The crane is mostly scratch built with some bits from a Wills kit. The trolley is a Grandt Line kit and the detail on it is wonderful! Absolutely the finest detailing I have ever seen on a tiny injection moulded kit. Tins, drum and toolkit are from Attack.
Happy Modelling!
James