Reaction 54

Bruce Tharpe Engineering

The finished model shown with kind permision of Bruce Tharpe
25. Turbine Installation
Fully assembled and programmed. Motor is my old OS 60 FS - one of the originals.
24. Turbine Installation
15 & 22mm pipe clips for the pump and filter mounts. Right hand image shown the 'boat tail' scalloped out to move the turbing a bit further forward.
23. First time assembled in colour
Model assembled with its scheme. Right hand image is it on display at LMA Gaydon 2017 show. Receoved quite a lot of interest. Would have had the turbind fitted but it was supplied missing the mounts, so was a rather espensive paper weight for 2 weeks.

I use a 2k primer in grey, rubbed back to it was almost gone, then a 2k white, again rubbed back just slightly. I use 2k because it sands away easily (or the stuff my local car paint supplier sells does)

Then a yellow automotive, just picked a colour from the cards that I liked the look of.

Then, and this is a new one on me a fine mist spray of Ziralac a pearlecent pre finish.

The whole air frame was then given a 2k fuel proof lacquer using Klass Kote gloss clear.

I find finishing a model the most difficult part, something always goes wrong, and it did here too, there are some small runs, and an area on the underside (fortunately) where the lacquer is a bit matt in appearance.

The silver are vinyl cut graphics from Tim at www.modelmarkings.com
24. Installation
UTA position on a newly made plate. Longer cable runs tacked in place with hot glue.
22. Steerable nosewheel
FClosed loop run upto a servo. The white plastic connectors are a conscious decision, if the hose wheel takes a knock, they might give out ahead of the servo. In any event they aren't flight control critical.
21. Installation
Rails installed to take the equipment mounting plates, not sure what will go where, but there is plenty of room. Servo seen is for the steerable hose leg, as are the trace wires you can see.
20. Installation
Installation begins, Flap and Aileron servos fitted. Somehow I miss drilled the exit hole for the rudder so the supplied horn wouldn't fit without fouwling. So had to do away with the horn, and used a short homemade connector instead.

Servos:
Aileron - Savox SC1252MG
Flap - HiTec HS5245MG
Elevator & Rudder HiTec HS5645MG
19. Control hinges
Ailerons and Flaps installed, using Robart 3mm Pin hinges. Used the same hinges on the elevator and rudder.
18. Model in primer
2 coats of white 2 pack primer rubbed back, ready for top coat Top coat is a yellow car paint, with Ziralac followed by Klass Kote 2 pack epoxy fuel proof laquer. A bit disappointmed with the top laquer coat, not full gloss all over, and trying to achieve this have a couple of runs. I hate painting.
17. Tailplane fixing
Tailplane and fin glued in place. Final fettle and ready for primer. About time I bought a turbine for it :-0
16. First outing
Model on display at the LMA Gaydon model show in Oct 2016. Lots of interest but it did look out of place with all those scale jets.
15. Finishing
Wing to fueslage fairing - optional in the instructions but had to be done, right? The RH pic show the entire model galssed. The underside of the wing was done with 49g cloth, and the rest of the model in 25g.
14. Assembly
Build of all the big stuff is complete, tons of sanding and shaping to do, and those 1000 little jobs that take as long as the build.
I intend to glass and spray.
13. Fuselage - rectract
Front retract in up and down positions. More than happy with it :-).
12. Fuselage
With the final position established, I remade the front mount from 1/4 ply, with the longer oleo the retract position crashes into the fuselage former, I cut away what I needed, but it was too weak, I didn't want to start moving formers so I remade from 1/4 ply.
11. Fuselage - Front retract
Built as far as I can, and she's on her own feet al last. The front oleo is just clampped in position so I can judge where to put the internals.
10. Fueslage
Again following along with the instruction manual, its a case of ticking off as you go. Now because I'm using slightly longer oleos, I had to ignore the positions of the front retract mount, I opted instead to build as far as I could go, and assemble the model to find the position.
9. Wing - Joining
As part of glassing the wing centre section I have also glassed the undercariage area, around the mount and wells.
8. Wing - Internals
Prior to fully sheeting the top, I have run servo extension cables for all 4 servos and the air pipe for the retracts, The big holes are inspection covers, not sure if I will use them, may just mark their positions in case I need them in the future, but secure in place for now.
7. Wing - joining
Wings joined, no room for adjustment as the massive 1/4" dihedral braces tie everything together. Bottom sheeting done.
6. Wing - Servos
Another modification - the kit shows the servos screwed onto the top surface of the wing, so stand quite proud. I have recessed them as far as I can to try and get the tops flush with the top surface.
5. Wing - undercarriage
More of the same.
4. Wing
Both panels done, servo holes prep'd and wheel wells ready to go in.
3. Wing coming along nicely
The kit comes with stunning manual, so its simply a case of following along and ticking off as you go. Very soon you have a wing.
2. Start of wing and first mod.
First part of build and first deviation form plan. The kit suggests Robart retracts, but I will be using some others I already have, these are air up / spring down, and have slighty longet oleos (about 25mm). The retract holes need to be longer to accomodate, so I moved them 12mm out and extended 12mm in to split the difference in length.

The problem now is that the cutout for the wheel wells have moved so the previous marking out for them doesn't quite fit. I'll make ammends as I go along. I also remade the doublers from 1/8 ply rather than extend them, and have a glue line on a high stree point.
1. The kit
You just know that once I start unpacking it wont go back in the box. First impression count, and this is a supurb kit, all the fiddly bits like chamfers on ailerons / flaps are done, excellent cutting on all ribs and formers, can't wait to start :-).