Topic: H9 81" P47 Refurb

Hi Folks,

I was in two minds wether to post this or not. But what the heck.

I picked up a 2nd hand 'just add rx' H9 P47. I've wanted one for ages for a little project, but when I tried to get one last year I discovered they were discontinued  Although I hear whispers they will be available again one day 

Anyway, I hate the nasty 'Hanger Shine' covering, it's so wrong on a warbird IMHO, so I peeled it all off, what a job! it tends to leave the colour on, but I found using a wipe soaked in thinners got it off.
The join where the top section fits was awful, removed the ally lugs used for bolting it on, installed a couple of dowels at the front, I put thick cling film over the lower half of the joint and P38 filler on the mating surface of the top half, squidged it together and let it set. It looked ace to start with...

More in a bit

So then I took to the body work on the fus, it was in quite a state, the film covers a multitude of sins, but with filler in hand was looking much better after a couple of evenings work.
Then I glassed it, and the tail feathers, being frugal with the resin, conscious of weight. Sanded it and gave it a second thin coat to fill any pinholes, which worked fairly well.
It again looked great until I put a lick of primer on, this showed up more areas to fill/sand, only apparent wit the matt finish. I've spent about 2 days filling and sanding but I think I'm flogging a dead starved horse. Anyway a few pics. I'm hoping once I get some panel lines on, and some grime it'll look better. A little more sanding/filling to go  









Mud

Been looking forward to this one as I want to do the same thing but on a different model.
It is surprising as you say how a film finish covers up so much that a painted finish shows up.
Keep at it, its going to be worth it.

Simon

I'm glad you started this thread ~Mat, I have been looking forward to this.  I see what you mean about the join but like you say once all the panel lines go on and the paint job I would think it will show less and cant be worse than the shiny finish!

I did a little more before work this morning  it's getting better. What you see there is just about as far as I have got at the moment, about 40hrs work fun!

40 hours 

How did you find the glassing, something I have never done yet but will some time in the future on my Galaxy Mustang.

To be fair, some of that 40 hours was trying to keep the lid on with magnets, and making a homebrew hatch latch, but scrapped that idea as there was too much slop, so I opted for a good old fashioned screw  .
I enjoy glassing, and I like the result (so far!) I have only used Zpoxy and find it ok, on the wings I will try some fighteraces resin. The only thing that was putting me off that stuff is the 2/1 ratio, but I have some syrenges for that now. Another must for me is Fighteraces rubber spreader and the surface filler (the red stuff), it goes off a bit quick for my liking but it's damed good and easy to sand.

I did a bit more filling/sanding early this morning. It looks better now. I'm knackered tonight (hard day at the office!) and only got enough energy to apply the panel line tape (another from Fighteraces  ) to half the fus.





Mud

That's a kinder light in those pictures and the lid looks much better, I bet that tape took some time to apply, nice job 

Nice work mudders - and well done on the thread.
Shaun - I've never glassed either (apart from on cars years ago, but that was a little thick for models  )  I'm guessing it's the same approach tho ? (fibreglass cloth, then spodge on the resin ?)

Cheers,

Darren

I think it's a bit different Darren, different resin, light cloth rather than chopped strand and just enough resin to wet out the cloth 

Mudders does the vid approximate what you did (less the roller and type of resin)?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRoFMDj7mz8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRoFMDj7mz8</a>

too much slop, so I opted for good old fashioned screw  .


Mud

And then how did you fix the hatch on Mudders? 

So is the fuselage and the wing all balsa skinned?

I think it's a bit different Darren, different resin, light cloth rather than chopped strand and just enough resin to wet out the cloth 

Mudders does the vid approximate what you did (less the roller and type of resin)?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRoFMDj7mz8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRoFMDj7mz8</a>

I'll watch the vid tonight and let ya know, but I would imagine it is. If you like I can do step by step piccys on the wings when I get to it 

So is the fuselage and the wing all balsa skinned?

Yes

Yes please step by step is good, I'm a visual person and can gain more from pickies, often text just don't sink in 

Mud,

I realize it's too late now but, regarding the use of magnets on the hatch, did you try the rare earth type?  I'm using them on the belly pan of my Hellcat, two 1/2" magnets at the front and two at the back, and I can lift the entire 10 pound airplane by the belly pan.  Aftrer a flight it's just about impossible to get the oily belly pan off in fact!  I think I could have used 3/8" diameter magnets and been just fine.  Anyway, I'm sold on them and will be using them often.

I too am re-finishing a big H9 Jug and your comment about flogging a starved horse is right on the money!  Not sure why they chose to go so light on the sheeting but it sure makes it tough to get a decent finish.  Like you, I'm hoping the panel lines and some weathering will cover a multitude of sins.  Good luck with it!

Regards,

Chad Veich
CWVeich Models - Scale Model Design & Construction
Scale Model Design & Construction

Hi Chad,

They were rare earth magnets, but quite small ones, maybe bigger ones would have been better. They held the lid on ok, but didn't really pull it down tight to keep that gap as small as possible. I'm now thinking along the lines of recessing the screw in the lid and making it so the little mast slots in covering it up.

Last night I finished the fus panel lines, added a small amount of detail bits (moulding here, bit of sanded tube there, that sort of thing) and stood contemplating the tailwheel gear doors. The cover supplied really doesn't fit well (like the lid!). I'm thinking of making some new doors, either using the supplied as a base or starting from scratch 

I seem to spend alot of time just staring at it 

I seem to spend a lot of time just staring at it 

Is it age cos I'm doing that with women now 

Is it age cos I'm doing that with women now 

Dunno mate, I'll tell ya when I get to your age   

Been muckin about in the shed  (as usual says Mrs Mudders  )

I have the retractable tail wheel installed and working with the doors, but more on that later.

I have 'cleaned up' the plastic add ons from the kit, and re fixed them. Done some more filling and sanding, and then some more, given the whole fus a lick of silver and had a stab at rivets.

I should like to re iterate at this point, this is a sport scale build, the whole intention being to make it look better than shiny film 

I have completed half the fus rivets. Trying to get a good temp on the iron was a trial and error task, I like it 'cool' I can touch it with my hands (for a second) without it burning me.

Here you can see where I had the iron a bit hot, the tube needed to be cleaned every 20 or so rivets.



But by the time I got to the tail I think I got it about right.







I'm hoping to get better with time 

Steep learning curve but you have done well this is going to look 100% better and a very good sport model if not a pretty good scale one 

Well, I was glancing at this one, they weren't a perfect finish

Top job Mat, fancy tarting up a 'stang once you've got the knack    

That other model doesn't look as good.  What scale is that then?

This is my dads H9 bolt that he stripped, glassed and painted,

Very nice Greg  , got any close ups? What paint did he use?

Top job Mat, fancy tarting up a 'stang once you've got the knack    

I got enough to do mate  and by the time I have got 'the knack' I reckon that tripe will be done, then you can have a go your self 

Pretty DG mate....like it 

There are some shots of my dads bolt from this years nats on rcmodelphotography.co.uk

Done some more 

Rivets on the other side are complete, along with some raised panels done with sticky aluminum tape (used by ducting firms on building sites  ) The rivets are jus pressed in here.
The whole other side took 2hrs to do (burned rivets only) you can cover quite a area if you keep at it 







Also, the rear supplied tail wheel cover has been glassed on the inside all over, and an extra 3 layers over the factory made slot where the wheel used to exit. This was then filled and sanded on the outside, the glass cloth formiing a backing. The fit of the door cover was a poor fit, unfortubatly it still ain't great, but is ok IMO.

 I made a 3mm ply former and installed a robart tailwheel, the door were cut in half and hinged. It woorks a la the 'Ivorfannyitch' method with a rod sliding inside the door, and the doors held shut with a laggy band.









The fus is about ready for a top coat (looking forward to trying to spray WBC ), I won't do that yet, I still have a cockpit to bodge in and the wings to start, I will do the top coat when it's all at this stage of completion.

Mud

Looking very good. 

I spoke to my dad tonight and he suggested taking lots of close-up pics of all the areas that he changed. There are quite a few.

However, don't want to hijack your thread any more than I have done, unless you are OK with it?

Looking very good. 

I spoke to my dad tonight and he suggested taking lots of close-up pics of all the areas that he changed. There are quite a few.

However, don't want to hijack your thread any more than I have done, unless you are OK with it?

Yer mate fire away  (as long as there not toooo good cos that;ll make mine... well you know  )

Mud

Not wishing to make more work for you Mat......would you like a set of 3-view drawings that show you where all the rows of rivets for former, ribs & stringers are............other than just around the panel edges as you have it now?

Phil

Yes please Phil, I have put some former rivets in but only where I could see them on the piccys of fullsize P47's I have. A detailed drawing would be ace 

Cheers
Mat

No probs.......I have a full set of 1/24 3-views which has all the detail on them, I'll stick them in the post to you..................drop them back whenever you are done

Phil

Thanks Phil, top man 

Yer mate fire away  (as long as there not toooo good cos that;ll make mine... well you know  )

Mud

Great, if you are happy then I'll explain what was done.

•   The whole model was stripped, glassed and sprayed. Stopped at doing rivets though. Plenty of panel line detail and weathering but no rivets.

•   All surfaces were taken off and re-hinged closer to scale.

•   Elevator had been stick on so it was made removable. A single carbon pushrod was used which remains inside the fuz exiting in the centre at the back. Its hidden in the rudder as this was also fattened up at the bottom to get it closer to scale. The elevator horn has a square hole and the elevators have small brass square tube allowing the removal. Hard to explain so will get some pics as promised.

•   A retract tailwheel was added.

•   The retracts were swapped for air operated and larger wheels used.

•   A new engine box was made and the air vents at the front were added and do allow the hot air out.

•   The top hatch was changed. No more bolts holding it on. Just a single spring clip on the top now.

As things progress, and with some success with my D.VI homemade silencer, I think I will have a go at making one for the Thor45 on the snout of this one. The supplied silencer sticks out the side quite badly, so I think I'll hace a go at one in this configuration.

Piccy shamelessly lifted from Just Engines website 



I don't quite know HOW I'm gonna do it (meaning where to get the materials from) but I'll have a chat with the fitter at work, he's a good ole boy 
I already have a new unscathed cowl bought when I thought I would be chuckin the Thor in the bin, but thats sorted now and the engine is sweet.

Mud

So no more grief with the engine then matt ? Thats good mate ! Mickey

As things progress, and with some success with my D.VI homemade silencer, I think I will have a go at making one for the Thor45 on the snout of this one. The supplied silencer sticks out the side quite badly, so I think I'll hace a go at one in this configuration.

I don't quite know HOW I'm gonna do it (meaning where to get the materials from) but I'll have a chat with the fitter at work, he's a good ole boy  
I already have a new unscathed cowl bought when I thought I would be chuckin the Thor in the bin, but thats sorted now and the engine is sweet.

Mud

If you get stuck for getting it welded up , give me a shout and I can sort it for you Mat. Ali or stainless.

Simon

So no more grief with the engine then matt ? Thats good mate ! Mickey

Yes mate, sorted for the Hop, I got some top advice from a top bloke, and it worked!