Intake/Nosegear well problem

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by Rexxxx » 12 Aug 2005, 17:42

Hopefully someone out there can offer some suggestions for a problem I'm currently facing.

In building my 1/48 Block 40, I've acquired a few aftermarket detail items. Two of which happen to be Aires' detailed wheel wells, and Cutting Edge Modelworks' seemless Big Mouth MCID intake. Here's the problem:

I love the intake, but the detail in the nosegear well is a little lacking. However, the Aires wheelwell detail is outstanding. How, then, do I get the Aires wheel well into the intake kit without ruining both?

Has anyone dealt with this problem and been successful? I've thought of a couple solutions, but am not sure which to pursue:

1) carefully cut out the wheel well in the intake completely, and then fit the Aires wheel well into the hole from inside the intake. Then use putty to fill in the gaps and smooth out the inside of the intake.

2) VERY carefully try to cut/scrape/sand the details out of the intake wheel well, and then cut/sand the extra resin around the Aires wheel well as much as possible. Then try to slide the Aires wheel well into the hole in the intake kit from the bottom (gear door side).

I'd prefer #2 because, if it works, it preserves the integrity of the intake (part of the reason for buying the intake in the first place!). However, I'm not sure I'll be able to fit the wheel well in through the hole for the nosegear door.

Anyone have any experience with this? Habu? :)

Thanks!

Rexxxx


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by AfterburnerDecalsScott » 12 Aug 2005, 18:38

Oooooh, man you are a better man than I am, LOL!

Both those options are unsavory, and Aires stuff is notoriously difficult to make fit. I think it would be extremely difficult to get the floor on the gear well thin enough to accept a new well without either punching thru, or having to alter the height of the Aires well. The solution to all this, for me at least, is intake covers, LOL!

The easiest solution would be to add some detail with extremely fine solder and styrene strip and try to spruce up the CE intake well.

Otherwise, the way this usually goes is CE part....nice intake, bland nosegear well.

Aires gear well.....add intake cover.

The one for the Hasegawa MCID is available from Steel Beach

http://spruebrothers.zoovy.com/category ... cessories/


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by Rexxxx » 04 Sep 2005, 05:27

Ok, well, I was able to figure it out! What I had to do was to carefully sand down the detail in the wheel well on the intake. Then I sanded down the outer edges of the Aires nose gear well. Once I got the edges paper-thin, I cut the sides off, being careful to leave the detail pieces from the sides attached to the "roof" piece off the wheel well. I cut the aft bulkhead off as well, filed it down, and wedged it into its space in the intake wheel well. Finally, I sanded the "roof" down a little and slid it in, gluing it in place. As I feared, I did poke through a couple times into the intake section, but I was able to seal the holes with very little effort, and a tiny bit of sanding and a thin coat of paint on the inside should do the trick. I'll try and attach a picture or two.

It Can Be Done!

Rexxxx
Attachments
model 021.jpg
model 022.jpg
model.jpg
Last edited by Rexxxx on 04 Sep 2005, 06:01, edited 1 time in total.


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by Habu » 04 Sep 2005, 05:58

Man, you're dedicated. Good work! But like Scott said dude, much eaiser to just throw an intake cover on...works for me! :D
Do your homework, Tiger!


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by Rexxxx » 04 Sep 2005, 06:03

Thanks, Habu! Just felt like I was cheating with the intake cover! ;-) Must be the fighter pilot/engineer in me. :bang:
62FS, Luke 02-03
524FS, Cannon 03-06
560FTS, Randolph 06
50FTS, Columbus 06-10
13ASOS, Ft Carson 10-


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by Habu » 04 Sep 2005, 06:11

Dude, look at most Vipers on the ground! What do they have? That's right...intake covers! They don't all have exhaust covers, but some do. But many of them have intake covers. And you can have fun with them, by adding unit emblem decals, like I did on my MI and CA ANG jets:
Image

Oops! I only have a pic og the MI ANG jet right now, but you get the idea ;)
Do your homework, Tiger!


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by Rexxxx » 04 Sep 2005, 06:37

Nice work! That is pretty cool. Is that a foil intake cover or a plastic one? I may still do a cover just to have the option of putting it on there, but I wanted to do my jet as it looks when I walk out to fly it. Just prior to the pilot's arrival, the crew chiefs remove the intake covers and pull all the pins for the ejection seat, landing gear, and arresting hook, but they leave the pins in the EPU and the external tanks and any live weapons on the jet. I just like the way the jet looks when it's sitting there "ready to go"!


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by Habu » 04 Sep 2005, 07:54

It's aluminum foil, primed, then painted, decaled and flat coated. Eh, sometimes the covers stay on until they're ready to start the engines. They look you described is the same one I used when doing my 1/32 F-16CJ. And it's god thing, because the judges said they liked that approach :)
Do your homework, Tiger!


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by Rexxxx » 04 Sep 2005, 19:33

Hmm, they shouldn't stay on that long. Normally when I walk out to the jet, if it's not off yet, I'll take the cover off my self 'cause I have to take a look down the intake during the preflight. You'd be amazed at what gets left down there and what guys have flown with! Anyway, that probably doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of modelling.

By the way, I wanted to tell you nice work on the CJ. That thing is awesome! Sounds like you had a fun trip, too. Congrats!


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by Habu » 04 Sep 2005, 19:40

Thankya thankya....yes it was the trip of a lifetime!
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by rickster25 » 13 Apr 2008, 15:23

Hi guys. How do you tackle (making it seamless and to paint it) the 4 piece Tamiya Block 50 Viper intake without buying an aftermarket part? :?
I'ved been a German (WW2) armor and prop modeler recently that is why I need a lot of help with my Vipers at hand. :wink:
when in a mix, check six.


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by Habu » 13 Apr 2008, 18:24

Well, I di it the easy way...made a FOD cover! :D But otherwise, I suggest the regular way, fill and sand away. One technique I've heard of, but yet to use myself, is to add filler, let it dry then wipe away with a cotton bud, moistended with acetone (nail polish remover). It's supposed to work like a charm. Good luck!
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