1/24 Bearcat F8F

[Jim Barry]

This is not my primary blog for this scratch build project but I had been blogging it lightly on its original forum and always wanted to finish what I started with the guys that were there with it in the beginning. Look forward to sharing it with some of the current residents of scale-models.co.uk as well. There is some nice stuff here!

To continue though here. Tonight I finished the engine.
Wa Hoo! This was was extremely difficult because I had to learn EVERYTHING about 3D CAD and using a 3D printing service just to get one part done. But now, after a year of faffing about, I can do many things and totally understand it, but it was this engine that started it all after a miserable attempt at trying to make one by hand. People do it, I understand but I've got to have better things to do with my time. For the record this is not super accurate (I know all its short comings and what I did omit) but it's got pretty much everything there generally and looks really cool (I think). There is so much to do with this project and this is mostly hidden behind a cowling so I'm not going to get too crazy. I'll get back to posting some images of the build to date here in the morning. Must sleep now.....

 

[colin m]

Without doubt Jim, it's a splendid engine.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Jim
Always enjoy your scratch builds. Great looking engine.
Jim

 

[yak face]

Engine looks amazing jim, 3d printed eh ? Ive only just got the hang of smart phones!! , looking forward to the rest of the build , cheers tony

 

[Jim Barry]

Thanks, guys.



So.. back to the start. Sept 3rd 2017. I laid out some of the starting pieces on my simple plans.


This is a real hybrid as I also really enjoy building things by hand. Here's the beginning of the pure physical part of the model.

 

[scottie3158]

Jim,

The engine looks great. Looking forward to following this.
Scottie

 

[Fernando N]

Hi Jim, great looking engine.
Will follow along with the others to see how this one comes together.

Fernando

 

[Jim Barry]

Thanks!

Here's more to the story..

Gluing bulkheads



The filling them in with hi density foam something I learned commands respect as it sands away VERY easily (too easily if you are not careful)





Earlier in time I had been working on 3D modelling the cockpit using Fusion 360.



And about this time we got a Golden Retriever puppy. THIS really stopped progress as I spent a considerable amount of my build time raising a very demanding animal (that we love)

 

[Jim Barry]

But... there was seemingly time to work on things virtually since I did not need to disappear into the studio and could still work and watch the dog.

Here's the gun sight I modelled



Landing gear. With CAD, if you did not know it. you need only make one then just mirror the object and with a few clicks you have two. Parametric Modelling they call it. It's a wicked time saver....



And a wheel. The treads will go down as the hardest thing to do in 3D.



A billion years later (it seemed) I finished the cockpit.



Made a whole bunch of other stuff and printed it all off:



Painted the cockpit . Added gauge faces



And then got going on the wings. Model building tech level = 1920 (or whenever they came up with hobby balsa and the idea of even making a model airplane)



Then it kind of looked like this: The cockpit safely embedded before a long series of priming and sanding sessions .


Which brings it to about here today with the control surfaces and the cowling just sort of tacked in there for the pic

 

[Jim Barry]

Redid the first print of the landing gear adding more realism and scissors feature and what I think is tie down ring.

 

[yak face]

Fascinating stuff jim, i wouldnt even know where to start doing a project like this , the bearcats looking really good now , cheers tony

 

[Jim Barry]

Thanks Tony. I started really small doing 1/144 planes. Never took it all the seriously. After 6 of them I sort of felt I graduated and then dared myself to make a 1/24 Fury. I read all the scratch building books like every night at bedtime and got a lot of advice on Large Scales Planes website/Forum.

Today's progress: A canopy I vacuformed. Again just old school stuff.

 

[flyjoe180]

This is incredible work, very nicely done so far Jim. BTW that ring on the landing gear strut is a tow ring

 

[Vaughan]

Jim that's looking spot on regarding the undercart. Here's a photo of the 1/32 Trumpeter Bearcat I built in 2011.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Jim
Modelling great - goes without saying.
Now that puppy - gorgeous. Way back when the children were very small we had a couple of Goldens - Honey and Candy. Brilliant dogs and great with the kids. Honey was our first and lived until she was 12 but sadly died of cancer. Candy followed and lived to a ripe old age but became deaf after a kind of stroke late in life. Didn't seem to affect her though. They are beautiful, intelligent and loyal dogs and you will have a wonderful life together.
Jim

 

[Jim Barry]

Thanks gents.

Towing, yes that makes sense. Thx.

Great result with the Bearcat there Vaughan! Trumpeter makes a nice kit. (and you added some nice detailing for sure)

Jim. They are a great breed. This is our third Golden since 1995. They do not live as long as they should, that is for sure. Ruby's no little puppy now! She is watching my wife drive away here. Mommy's girl.

 

[Jim Barry]

Struggled a bit making this frame but then remembered I had some nice thin aluminum that was just right. I like it.

 

[Wouter]

That's some serious impressive stuff you are showing here mate!

Cheers