**** DONE: 1/48 RF-8A Crusader – VFP-62 Operation "Blue Moon" 1962

[rochie]

nice job Vic, glad your raising the wing

[B-17engineer]

Looking gooood!

[Airframes]

I like it ! Looking forward to the next bit.

[T Bolt]

Wow Vic! This one is going to be great!

[Vic Balshaw]

My thanks to Karl, Harrison, Terry and Glen for your interest.

Before I go into today's report, one thing is bothering me about this kit and the Revell that I also have. Neither kit advises using weights in the nose to stop it from being tail heavy. Can anyone tell me if they are a must in the model at there is not a lot of room to fit any, particularly as I noe have a host of side and under side windows in the nose.

Not much to report today, I found a scratch on the forward canopy so had to spend time working that out, successfully I'm glad to say. With converting to an RF-8A we also have an airframe change which also changes the nose wheel doors. The resin doors provided with the conversion kit were just plain Jane pieces of resin with no detail in them at all, so I decided a little manipulation was in order.

6-5 Wheel Bay Doors.jpg
The kit wheel bay doors and the substitute resin doors.

6-6 Wheel Bay Doors.jpg
Using the kit doors, I filled down the back of each one until I just had the teeth like strengthening members left.

To file the back of these doors, I use a small piece of the anti slip material to hold the piece while rubbing it up and down the file board. It's the liner used in the bottom of drawers. You can get a couple of rolls for a few bucks here from the $2 shop.

6-7 Wheel Bay Doors.jpg
The modified doors.

[Lucky13]

[T Bolt]

Very inventive Vic! I wouldn't have of doing that.

[Vic Balshaw]

I have to confess Glenn that my inspiration and motivation is drawn from what I have seen and learned from you guys in this forum and I'm enjoying every minute and every challange.

[tonyb]

Very ingenius indeed Vic,nicely done sir!
Cheers,
Tony.

[Crimea_River]

Great stuff Vic. This one's going to be a beauty.

[rochie]

nicely done Vic

[magnu]

Very nice work Vic.
I would recon that you will need to weight the forward end to get it to sit right, if there is enough space you could try and fit some lead strip in the upper part of the forward fuselage and then more under the engine bay as long as it sits forward of the COG then every little bit will help.
I use the lead strip that is used to weigh down aquatic plants and have some spare if you want it.

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks for the offer and advice Lewis, but I think we'll be right, I picked up a couple of packets of small lead shot when out at the DFO last week and your right, a bunch fitted behind the cockpit over the air intake should do the trick. I can shove some in there with blu-tack and tape the two halves together and check the balance.

[Airframes]

Nice work on the doors Vic, great stuff.
I think you're right to add weight, it never hurts! For others in doubt, do a dry-fit of your model, with the wings in place if possible. Then, balance the model on your finger tips, by the wing tips, or around the point of the main landing gear legs if wings not fitted. If the fuselage even pretends to fall towards the tail, it need weight!!

[T Bolt]

Agree with Terry. When in doubt, pack in every once of lead you can fit. Nothing worse than doing a beautiful job and ending up with a tail-sitter.