Trumpeter 1/32 Bearcat F8F-1B

[treyzx10r]

Vaughan shame about the tail wheel but the builds looking great all the same

 

[Vaughan]

Hi All

It's been a while but here's my progress so far and I'm reaching the final stages. Here are some images to update everyone. The Tail wheel has been repaired and is suitably protected. Tail planes and wings attached and masked ready to spray the dark sea blue and then detail around the exhaust ports. Klear coats added prior to adding some of the decals. Then disaster struck and the Bearcat decided to nose dive off the work bench snapping off two of the machine guns:emo10: (why didn't I protect them like I eventually did with the tail wheel well you live and learn). Any tips on how to repair them would be greatly accepted they still protrude from the leading edge of the wing and I have the broken bits. Wing tips fixed in the raised position. Undercarriage, canopy, drop tank, bombs and rockets still to be added and then a final flat coat (and of course sorting out those machine guns).

Vaughan.

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[Kressy13]

Hi mate, that is a great looking build so far. Shame about the guns though. Being that it is 1/32 are the guns thick enough to get a tiny hole drilled in either end? If so you could try drilling out a little bit then using thin wire as the guide to glue it back together. Give it a stronger join also. Mind you its easy to say when the model isn't in front of me. Good luck with it anyway.

Cheers

Kresten

 

[papa 695]

Hi Vaughan been watching this FANTSTIC build even with the misshaps its looking great can't you just glue the ends of the guns back on ? then just rub a little filler into the joint i know it will be fiddley but can be done . Good luck with it any way

 

[Vaughan]

Thanks guys for the comments and encouragement regarding the repair of the machine guns just need to work out the best way to fix them without mucking them up completely. I don't think I can drill holes in them as they have a small diameter but gluing them and cleaning up afterwards might be an option just need to ensure that they are straight otherwise they will look awful.

Vaughan

 

[yak face]

Looking good vaughan, as for the machine guns ,it looks as if they are just straight with no perforations or anything so you could just cut them off and replace them with brass tube, I usually do this on most of my builds as it looks better, is a bit stronger than plastic and you havent got any nasty seam lines to tryand clean up ,plus its easier to add them at the last stages of the build. You can get it at the online shop, i should say about a 1.3mm -1.5mm dia should do it ,remember to cut it with a stanley knife blade on a hard surface with a rolling action,this avoids flattenning the ends which is what happens if you try to snip it with pliers etc. hope this makes sense, cheers tony

 

[Vaughan]

Hi Tony

Thanks for the advice. Here's some images of the gun barrels showing the size I think they are coming in at 1mm. They are slightly fluted at the end but I suppose you could recreate that by inserting a pin or similar to carefully stretch the ends. My main worry is how to remove the existing barrels? and in doing so not damaging the wings? Also I presume you would need to replace both sets of barrels. Thanks again for the advice and suggestions.

Vaughan

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[Vaughan]

Hi all

Have had a go at repairing the barrels by gluing them. They will obviously need to be tidied up but hopefully they will look ok. If not brass tubing will have to be the way forward.

Vaughan

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[papa 695]

Hi Vaughan they look ok just some very fine sanding should do the trick good luck and well done

 

[Vaughan]

Hi All

Gun barrels are sanded and sorted thanks everyone for your tips. The Bearcat was all prepped ready for the flat coat which I sprayed about 2 hours ago. Bombs, rockets and drop tank fitted. Tail wheel still very fragile and the weight of all the extras is not helping. Light not good enough tonight to take some final pictures so will take some first thing tomorrow.

Vaughan

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[papa 695]

:clap3:Hi Vaughan just had a good look at the guns and i cant see any join well done on that fix. Now looking forward the the finished pictures

 

[Vaughan]

Hi All

Well it's taken 2 months with a few trials and tribulations even down to enough light to take some photos. Thanks to every one for advice, tips and including reference photos. Anyway here she is.

Vaughan

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