thom Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 (edited) Hello all, This is Tamiya's amazing Storch, with WEM's photoetch (the latter designed by ARC's very own Radu Brinzan). Both are wonderful to work with, and I've only done three bits! Here's what I have so far... The pilot's seat etch is lovely, but I thought the front part would require a slightly stronger mount to stay in place, so I put a bit of stock on the front - you'll hardly be able to see this when the etch is in place: When the etch is secured in place, it looks like this: And from the back: The 'tongue' sticking out of the front of the etch on the pilot's seat represents the control stick locking mechanism, the other half of which can be seen on the control stick itself: I've also put the structure beneath the 'passenger' seat. This White Ensign etch is really very nicely designed, and made of a grade of brass which is just soft enough to be able to work with, without being too flexible to be useful. Very nice stuff. More soon. I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy this one... Edited January 17, 2009 by thom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Thom. looking very nice..you have done a great job on the seat..so very neat and tidy If I may say so ... HOLMES. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slick95 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Cool! Can't wait to see more. SLICK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moeggo Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Awesome!! I'm itching to get one of these sometime! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Thanks guys. A little more progress on the long and winding road to P.E. nirvana. I've made a few sets of lap belts: Also the main rudder pedals: and the secondary (auxiliary?) ones: More tomorrow, probably. Progress is fast when you're bending brass. Edited November 17, 2008 by thom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moeggo Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Lovely work there!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pruz Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 That is nice PE, and you are doing a grand job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
agelos2005 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 nice work with the PE so far mate! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 A few more bits today. First up, the throttle quadrant. I had to make a little rig to put all the bits together, stretching some 0.64mm rod (I think it originally came in some Imperial diameter!) to make a slightly thinner bit which passed through all the pieces, such that the back of the quadrant would be wedged where the rod got a bit thicker. A picture would help at this point... A few more pieces added: And finally it's finished: Some other gubbins: The instrument panel was both difficult and extremely enjoyable to put together. The rings around the instruments had to be individually glued on: The end result, with the kit decal (out of register for the first time on any Tamiya kit I've ever built) sandwiched in between, is well worth the effort: Before I attached the trim wheel, I added a little collar around the shaft used to attach it to the sidewall: Then attached the trim wheel. Some other bits had been added too, so the port sidewall is looking nice and busy and detailed: That's all for now. Thanks for having a look, and if you're wondering what on Earth I'm doing posting to this level of detail on the build, it helps to regulate me, makes me think about every move before I make it. Let's see if that makes the builds a bit better... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Very impressive looking photo etch parts. Looking forward to seeing how this Storch will turn out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moeggo Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 the detail is impressive! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blackcollar Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 That sure looks nice. It sure will be a looker once painted. It's too bad that some models have so much work, yet is hidden from view. This kit is not like that however. Sure is a good one to go nuts in the PE market. Keep it up!! -Al Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cemical Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Nice really nice Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Thank you all for your kind comments. I hope I can live up to your expectations! :) A little progress this evening. The first pic shows off one of the nice features of the PE - there are little connectors for the ends of rods which join to linkages - these are tiny parts, but beautifully done, and really make a difference to the overall effect. The next two show the state of play with the seating arrangements. And yes, I have put a little peg in the control stick locking plate, so it was worth attaching! That's all for now. Loving this kit at the moment, even if I did scream slightly at the seatbelts earlier! Thanks for looking, more soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dragonfly Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Excellent work with the PE. Can't wait to see more. Jerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
geedubelyer Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Wow! Phenominal patience Thom I'd be struggling it it were 1/24th scale, let alone 1/48th! :lol: The etched parts add another dimension to the cockpit and with all of the glazing, it should all be clearly seen too. I'm eager to see the results of your labour under a coat of paint. That will really be a treat. Terrific stuff so far. ( and great photography too..... :) ) :o Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Really great work with PE ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 22, 2008 Author Share Posted November 22, 2008 (edited) Thanks again for the props, guys, it's nice to know I'm not making a total mess of it! Only a couple of things this time, and I'm afraid one of them is me begging for help! First up, this is how Tamiya does etch: This stuff is absolutely lovely, and look at that attention to detail with the numbering! It's the little touches... One of the parts on this tree is the one I need help with, actually - the photo wasn't taken with this in mind, so the part is way out on the left, part 2. Looks a bit like a control panel to me, and it's meant to go on the starboard side internal cockpit framing next to the passenger/copilot seat, at about shoulder height. The thing is, Tamiya has made no indication that there is meant to be any backing to the etch, so the panel would appear to have holes through it. Is that really the case? If so, what was the panel's purpose? If it is meant to have instruments, I'll have to form some backing from plastic sheet. The second pic shows you what I've been doing this evening - drawing shapes on paper: Tamiya kindly provide exterior canopy masking sheets, but nothing is provided for the interior. My normal technique is to spray the interior framing colour as a basecoat on the outside of the canopy, a fairly common trick. With the Storch, though, that's not going to cut it, so I'll have to spray the insides. That means masking the complex glasswork, which would have been a pain if Tamiya hadn't done half the work for me. All I needed to do was trace the lines on the Tamiya masking, then I'll cut these out in sections and glue them face down on some Tamiya tape stuck to a clean surface. The paper is thin enough that the pen marks will show through the reverse, and I'll be able to cut out near perfect mirror images of the Tamiya shapes to mask the insides of the windows. Well, that's the theory anyway... Edited November 22, 2008 by thom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
geedubelyer Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Hi Thom, I can't help with the position or use of the tiny panel, sorry I do like the idea of spraying the interior canopy framing though. Nice attention to detail that some might miss/avoid. It should really pay dividends to the finished look of the whole interior once complete. At least there are no curved lines to cut........! Have you dry fitted any of the kit yet? I'm interested in the engineering of the model. Recent Tamiya products like the F-16 and Zero fighters have been lauded for their fit. I hope the Storch is the same way as my recent build was an absolute pleasure. ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Have you dry fitted any of the kit yet? I'm interested in the engineering of the model. Recent Tamiya products like the F-16 and Zero fighters have been lauded for their fit. I hope the Storch is the same way as my recent build was an absolute pleasure. :) Hiya. The fit is, as we've all come to expect from Tamiya lately, nigh on perfect. Some of the engineering seems a little bit odd, and I think I'm going to have a bit of fun getting the fuselage halves together. It's all for a good reason, though - every time I question an engineering decision I have an 'ohhhhhhhhhh' moment later on when I realise quite how clever it is. I know I eulogise about this kit quite a lot, but if anyone is after a build to get them back in love with the hobby, this is it. That said, it is worth noting that it's not absolutely perfect. The instrument panel is a scale inch or two far into the cabin, referenced against photos of the real thing - you only notice it if you have a look at the framing tubework. If you build it without adding the WEM etch as I have, there is not a chance in hell you'd notice. The only reason I did was that I was trying to jam one of the etch bits in, and thought Radu had got his measurements wrong or something. Actually, if the instrument panel was pushed back about 1mm, in line with one of the tubing junctions as it is in the photos, the etch would fit perfectly. Unfortunately, that's not very easy at all, so I'm going to leave it where it is and modify the etch instead. The overall impression is one of mild astonishment, though, that a kit can be this well designed. Some balk at the price tag for a 48th scale kit, but believe me it is worth every single penny/cent/other small domination. Thank you, Mr Tamiya, and your whole lovely organisation! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Isaac Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Thom, why don't you carefully re-use the paint masks for the inside of the canopy? The left outside would go on the right inside etc... As far as the small panel, . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BauAir Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Montex-Mask includes masking films for inside (Fi 156C "I") and outside (Fi 156C "E"): Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 Thom, why don't you carefully re-use the paint masks for the inside of the canopy? The left outside would go on the right inside etc...As far as the small panel, . Thanks. I think it must be empty holes then. Bit odd, though - can't imagine what it's for. I had a thought it might be a flare holster, but that just doesn't make sense. As for reusing the masks, it's a great idea, but I'll be doing the interior painting before the fuse is closed, and I want to avoid the chance of any overspray, so I wanted both sides masked at once. Montex-Mask includes masking films for inside (Fi 156C "I") and outside (Fi 156C "E"): If only I'd known! Next time, maybe. Thanks for that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Wow to the interior! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcfay Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Awesome work so far. It looks great, and really neat work on the PE too. One thing with the masks - sometimes the interior mask dimensions are just a wee bit different than the exterior, so they may actually be a bit too big for the interior window dimensions when you try them out. Then again, if the clear piece is very thin (Tamiya is usually great, of course, with their transparencies) then it might not be an issue. JON Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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