Have the basic bits cut out for a 1/48 CAC Wirraway.
Pictures to follow when work progresses further.
Cheers
Gordon
I propose to finish her A20 -128 24 Squadron Rabaul 1942
The attachment below is 137 -"U " was 24 Squadrons code.
Look forward to it.
Lou
Mustang done. CAC CA-15 nearly done.
Will now divide my time between the Wirraway and the Vindicator.
Gordon
Where the Wirraway is at.
Cheers
Gordon
There is some slow progress.
Fuselage roughly shaped . Requires a wee bit more work.
Wing has had the wheel wells added . Need to hollow these out.
proceeding slowly
Cheers
Gordon
Coming along nicely.
Lou
Looking good Gordon, regards Paul J.
Proceeding very slowly.
Cheers
Gordon
Still proceeding slowly. Cleaned up the fuselage and put a coat of primer on it. Surface finish on tail plane and wings has been completed.
Just need to check some details and add dihedral to the wings , add tape to tail plane for rib tapes.
I was thinking about doing a clear canopy and hollowing out the cockpit area. A bit undecided at the moment.
Cheers
Gordon
Wing cleaned up a bit more. All fabric lines have been marked out.
Fuselage has had the stringers done with doped cotton thread . In the process of cleaning it up and using a small amount of fine filler to simulate the fabric. See how it goes.
Cheers
Gordon
Where the Wirraway is at.
Nothing is glued yet . Just pinned together.
Fuselage separated from "mandrel" . Have tried to "lessen" the optics of the doped thread stringers with filler.
I think the trick here is to use almost a slurry . Apply,dry, smooth, apply , dry (repeat as necessary).
WhenI work out some new technology I will attach a picture.( It's a wee bit big) I am not happy with the result but will push on.
Decals have been printed for A20-727 . All silver , Black anti glare which extended to canopy framing, roundels in 6 positions , Yellow trainer bands on fuselage only and serials carried underwings.
Front of cowling has not been cleaned up. Wing fillets yet to be done.
Has been flown around lounge room a few times.
Cheers
Gordon
Learnt some more technology . Still learning.
Result for Wirraway.
Cheers
Gordon
Decals are done. Fin flash is useable but I may redo it.
The reference to Stinson Reliant is a future project .
Cheers
Gordon
The fuselage ribbing came out fantastic. I always have trouble getting those right. The decals are as good as aftermarkets as well. What did you use on the silver finish?
Lou
PS my 1/32 version of the Stinson Reliant Gullwing
Thank you Lou.
The last coat is Tamiya Bare aluminium. Got about 2 squirts left in the can. Because of lockdown the local hobby outlet is using click and collect.
Their website is a bit clunky and you can't really see what they have. After some 1/2 round Evergreen plastic for the wing join.
Hopefully the decals will work. I have intermittent issues with "cracking" when applied. Just make another one.
Always liked the Reliant. A38-1 was an impressed machine. Light Yellow with Maroon(ish) . early stage with it yet.
Stay safe
Cheers
Gordon
They rolled over or rubbed off but never cracked. Can you describe what happens?
Lou
When applying and smoothing out the colour seems to pull away . Looks like the bottom of a paddock dam that's dried out in the sun.
So it is either the particular paper ( the carrier). Or the spray gloss I use. The Wirraway decals have been sealed with a satin of the same brand of gloss that I've used before. I'll see how they go when comes the time.
Like everything its a bit of discovery learning .
Cheers
Gordon
Progressing.
Wing fillets added. More work needed. Stabiliser required a bit of quality control.
I was going to do the cowling separately but changed my mind hence the feverish activity around the front end.
Onwards !
Cheers
Gordon
Coming along nicely Gordon.
Lou
Terrific project. Really nice work. It's so hard to get these less mainstream types in 1/48 in that other medium (shush!).
I worked on a Wirraway restoration (1:1 scale %~)) when I was a teenage volunteer at Australian Aircraft Restoration Group at Moorabbin many, many years ago.
Thank you Kookaburra.
Would have been great as a young volunteer working up close and personal. I managed to get out to Moorabbin ( via public transport and Shank's pony )when I was on a course in Melbourne years ago. Excellent visit. They had on display the turret off the Woomera.
That will be another project further down the track.
Lot more info seems to be surfacing on the net on it.
Cheers
Gordon
Finally able to get to the local hobby shop.
Got the right size evergreen half round and have replaced the wing join covers. Cleaned up a bit of hanger rash on the wings.
Working on getting the cowling right.
Cheers
Gordon
Was just reviewing the thread on your Wirraway when I remembered this photo. I was involved in a restoration of a Harvard MK IV back in 1992. Here it is getting ground checks completed prior to flying to the paint shop. The canopy frames were painted prior to installation. The aircraft is still flying by the owner, here sitting in the front seat. It was a lot of fun!
FRASER
It would have been great fun.
You can see the "lineage" for the Wirraway.
Undercarriage done. Main wheels from balsa discs. Legs brass with tubing added. Bit of refinement required. Tail wheel - insulated wire wrapped
Around suitably sized bamboo skewer. Leg from a bent pin.
Clipped together. Bit of motivation.
Propeller is the next challenge.
Picture to follow.
Cheers
Gordon
Progress .......
It is always a pleasure to see your progress shots.
Lou
Looks great sitting on the gear! Almost ready for a few circuits around the patch🙂
Fraser
Fraser
A few short hops were done.
Bit more done.
Cleaned out the cowl with a rotary tool.
I have kept a 1/48th radial engine from an old Texan kit.
Used that and made a mold out of Blue TAC . Used a light spray of olive oil as a release agent and 5 minute epoxy .
Used a bit of scrap balsa dowel and thin wire to make the reduction gear housing.
Next the propeller.
Cheers
Gordon
Excellent talent Gordon. Love to see your posts.
Lou
Managed to get three blades that look ok from 3/32 bass wood.
Will think about prop hub.
Started on oil cooler and have cleaned out wheel wells.
Picture to follow.
Cheers
Gordon
Three blades. I imagine the diameter was reduced and the lower tip speeds would make it a it quieter.
Fraser
I'll check some details and let you know.
I do remember going to RAAF air shows when I was a lad. Solo show by Wirraway. Cartridge start on Canberra and the whistle of the Vampires.
Cheers
Gordon
Lucky that my homemade engine was a bit pliable. allowed me to squeeze it in to the cowling. Bit of modification inside required.
Propeller from basswood (blades) bamboo skewer( shaft). Multi core electrical flex insulation (blade collets?).
Nothing glued yet . Tailwheel done .
Starting to look like a Wirraway.
Cheers
Gordon
Excellent propeller. Looking great Gordon.
Lou
Coming along nicely.
Fraser
Thank you Lou and Fraser.
Getting to the good part.
Cheers
Gordon
Working on additional air inlet on starboard side of cowling and the oil cooler at the bottom.
Cheers
Gordon
Where the Wirraway is at.
Tailplane is attached. Added landing lights to wing. Marked position on wing. Formed some clear plastic over wing with blow dryer.
Bit of .8mm ply as back plate . Painted black. Dab of silver and a dollop of PVA. Plastic trimmed to fit and attached with SuperGlue .
Wing will be attached and final shaping of wheel wells will be done.
Cheers
Gordon
Nice job on the landing light. The prop really stands out in this photo.
Lou
Thank you Lou.
Wings glued. Cleaning up around the wheel wells.
Looking at the few pictures of "727" I have to work out the underwing serial and roundel size. The port wing has a large size (36 inch ? ) and what would appear to be a replacement aileron . The pictures show it after going into some trees at Point Cook.
Cheers
Gordon
Have started to finish her off. Silver applied. Yellow trainer band on rear fuselage done. Not sure about the wing bands.
Closer look at pictures required.
Gordon
I look forward to including it in the 2021 Yearbook.
Lou
Hopefully finished by years end.
Two pictures from the net . The adf serials site has lots of Wirraway pictures. Also IPMS NSW magazine .
Note the aileron and roundel size on port wing underside.
The bottom rondel is almost on the top! The gear is amazingly strong on this aircraft yet it is very simply designed. Bolt on a new outer wing panel, new prop and at least an engine inspection and away it probably flew... and a thorough wash of the cockpit floor of course.
Fraser
Of course !
Had a bit of good weather today and got onto a bit of roll.
Some colour going on. Trial pieces of white decal seem to be ok with white over yellow and silver.
Starting to look like a Wirraway.
Cheers
Gordon
A bit of quality control to be done yet.
Gordon
Great finish Gordon. I know silver can be a pain.
Lou
Looking sharp with the yellow markings.
Fraser
Thank You Lou and Fraser.
Couple of links.
First one is for the IPMS NSW. There is some pretty good stuff on a variety of topics. just drop off the /pdf/23.3.pdf. This on has info on the Wirraway
http://magazine.ipmsnsw.com/pdf/23-3.pdf
This link is to ADF Serials.
http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/newsletter.htm
Some Wirraway info in Volume 8 issue 2. - Also some good stuff on Beaufighters.
Lots of good info.
Cheers
Gordon
Pushing on. Some decals applied. Undercarriage doors made ( from black take away coffee cup top).
Still have to touch up some paint.
Should be finished shortly. Picture (s) to follow.
Cheers
Gordon
Starboard exhaust done using PVA impregnated paper. Need to redo port exhaust.
Gordon
Excellent so far.
Lou
Thank you Lou.
Remaining decals applied. Quality control in progress .
Just leaves undercarriage and propeller to add.
Cheers
Gordon
Everything is attached. Some quality control done. Have left off some details on purpose.
So I'll call the Wirraway finished.
I will try for additional pictures tomorrow ( my time).
Cheers
Gordon
And another.
Awesome silver finish. The yellow bands make it stand out. Well done Gordon. I await your photographs.
Lou
That is a great looking model. The reflections of the fuselage markings on the wing surface shows how nice the gloss finish is. The landing lights certainly add interest to the wings as they are clear.
Again a well done model of the Wirraway.
Fraser
Very nice. I like the ribbing effect.
Thank you Lou,Fraser and Dave.
The Picture showing the underside view is how I interpret the three pictures after "727" went into the trees at Point Cook c.1950.
I assume that the Port aileron was replaced at some time previously. The underwing roundels are 36" and placed further out on the wing.
The Serials at this time were supposed(?) to be 21" high. That's what I've done.
Front on view.
On to the Vampire
Excellent model Gordon. I like the way the number is reflected on the wing of the front port quarter view. All of your models are always pleasure to see.
Lou
Is this bit better Lou ?
Gordon
Yes, thank you.
Lou
Love the gear legs. Really adds to the model.
Fraser
Thank you Fraser.
Putting an undercarriage on lengthens the build a bit .
It was good fun all the way.
Cheers
Gordon