Continuation of the P-40 Group Build

[Oceaneer99]

I'm really enjoying the build discussion and photos.  Thank you for taking the time to explain each step.

Garet

[lastvautour]

Let's take a break from the fuselage and set up the dihedral on the wings. When measured the guide tell us that we need to elevate the wing tips exactly 1cm. Small blocks were used to do this. When cutting the wing center portion try not to cut all the way through as even a slight amount of wood left will make the joint stronger.

[lastvautour]

Back to the fuselage. Bevel the front of the air intake slightly. This is not shown in the plans. Mark off the bottom area as per usual removing a small amount of wood at a time. Sand the lower front fuselage to the desire contour. The plan template for the front of the intake is misleading so I did not use it but did this method instead.

[lastvautour]

Lower rear fuselage next. Mark off the corners and remove small amounts until you have the desired shape. Sand off to get that rounded look. I used some black tape pieces to check the contour. You can use the templates also at this point.

[Peter]

Hi Lou,

As always I am way behind your plane . The good news is, I have four days off next week so I should hopefully catch up by next Friday.

Peter

[Balsabasher]

I like the tape idea Lou,another method I use is to run a steel rule along the edge and observe the shadow to see the shape either side of the fuselage,you can use this method on aerofoils as well.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Bits and pieces. The undercarriage covers go one rough and will be sanded in place. Note that they will blend into the wing at the top front.

[lastvautour]

Round off the front of the undercarriage covers (I used a bit of wood filler here) and make the bottom body pan. Note that the body pan extends slight past the trailing edge of the wing.

[lastvautour]

Next apply the contour to the tail feathers. I mark a line approx 3/16 of an inch in and bevel the surface to form the airfoil shape. The tail pieces are just held in place for show.

[lastvautour]

Next came the top engine scoop. I carved it roughly to size and will sand it down once glued. Just attempt to make a good mating surface between it and the fuselage. I then glued the main and tail planes and ensured they were aligned correctly. Once dry I attached the fillets. I cut then down from the plans. That is one area I have yet to figure out how they do it with a one piece affair.

[lastvautour]

Once everything is aligned and dry attach the vertical tail. I use Elmer's wood filler in a tube, Garet has it in a tin so look around for it. I use a wet paint brush handle to form the fillet between the wing and the fuselage. Once dry, sand smooth by wrapping sandpaper around the same brush handle. Place a small amount of putty around the tail end to smooth the transition from the surfaces to the fuselage. It takes just a bit and make things look complete.

PS The P-40K was purchased for a mere $2.00 at the Cold Lake liquidation store. I was lucky to go in just when the clerk was placing it on the shelf. But that is another story.

[lastvautour]

The exhaust stacks is just a notched piece of scrap. The one shown in the plans is legit, but not often used in the field. Using a sharp blade, just do small notches with the rear of the exhaust pipe being 90 degrees to the fuselage side and the front angle 45 degrees. A coat of primer followed and some more sanding. I then sprayed Krylon Italian Olive. The guns are not part of the plans. I made small V cuts in the leading edge of the wing and cut the rods to match the indent followed by super glue. A bit of putty on the tip of my Exacto blade fixed the gaps. Now if this was Dave, we would have no gaps. Once the glue is set, I used a nail clipper to cut the barrels down to size. I made several attempts before they finally came out half decent. I have a colour profile I wish to use to paint the model, however I cannot find a good rendition of the decorations used on the side of the aircraft.

[Balsabasher]

I really like that Green colour Lou,my own Warhawk received the undercarriage fairings and other small pieces today,your tutorial has been a real pleasure to follow.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

I applied light brown this morning and will wait until it is really dry before removing the mask. A constant problem for me. The waiting! Give us some picture Barry.

Lou

P.S. Peter, would love to see some pictures if you have them.

[Oceaneer99]

Lou,

Nice model!  How did you do the cockpit framing?

I like the way you cut the exhaust to show the individual exhausts.  The ID plan shows an unshaped piece, which is what I did with my model, but I always wish I'd shaped it (it was my first solid model since boyhood, so I wasn't up to the technique required at the time).

I did shape my Spitfire's exhaust (both models I made).

Garet