Shaun's Bodging Bench * replaced for 2018*

[giulio_gobbi]

For the winsg curtains, Leonardo (aka Supertorchio), an Italian modeller friend of mine, used with good result, two simple strips masking tape:



Here the fuul thread (sorry, all in Italian): http://tomcatters.jr.forumfree.it/?t=70485149

[Blueberryruby]

I've been trying to find photos of the real life wing curtains but have failed. Has anyone got link to one so i can see what all this chat is about?!

[AndrewR]

It's looking good. Have you thought about kitchen foil, or wine bottle foil for the wing slot curtains?

Nigel

He means "champagne" Shaun

[Stuart]

It's looking good. Have you thought about kitchen foil, or wine bottle foil for the wing slot curtains?

Nigel

He means "champagne" Shaun

[ShaunW]

Many thanks for your comments, hints, tips and witty banter chaps.

Wine?!?!? You'll be telling me next that there are people who habitually turn right when they board an airliner. I only do that when I slum it on the Learjet.

After messing about with various materials I finally went into the cellar, selected a cheapy 50 year old bottle of fizz*, guzzled the contents and used the foil for my wing slot curtains. Fiddly as a fiddly thing to do but the results are passable enough for me and will look OK under paint I think. The foil was fixed using two-part epoxy resin glue. I tried Tamiya tape but couldn't stop it sticking where I didn't want it to. Giulio's friend is obviously more dextrous than I am.





Next up I'll fit the tailplanes and the tail itself and then have a look at what Giulio is doing with his engines.

BB - I use Google Images constantly these days as a reference source. If you want to have a look at F-111 wing slot curtains, Google something like F-111 wing flaps and then select images.

Thanks for looking. Sorry for the whistle stop visit but I've got a rush on to cook tonight's tea.

* It was a bottle of Jacob's Creek sparkling white really - but you don't tell and neither will I

[Stuart]

* It was a bottle of Jacob's Creek sparkling white really - but you don't tell and neither will I

a likely story - I can see Moet written on the side of it and besides, ONLY a learjet? I thought Gulfstreams where the in thing these days!

Lovely work on those curtains - I doubt I could have done that well after a bottle of plonk!

[giulio_gobbi]

Next up I'll fit the tailplanes and the tail itself and then have a look at what Giulio is doing with his engines.

I have an idea, this evening I hope to show you somenting.

[ShaunW]

* It was a bottle of Jacob's Creek sparkling white really - but you don't tell and neither will I

a likely story - I can see Moet written on the side of it and besides, ONLY a learjet? I thought Gulfstreams where the in thing these days!

Lovely work on those curtains - I doubt I could have done that well after a bottle of plonk!

Mrs W drank most of it Stuart. I find drinking and modelling just don't mix

[ShaunW]

Next up I'll fit the tailplanes and the tail itself and then have a look at what Giulio is doing with his engines.

I have an idea, this evening I hope to show you somenting.

Good man, I'm very interested to see your take on this issue.

[ShaunW]

Emerging from the mess of the workbench is a now almost complete F-111 airframe. The tail and tailplanes were a decent enough fit with only a little filler being required along the base of the tail. As you can see, I have modelled the tailplanes in the down position, which is quite typical of parked F-111s. On the underside I have fitted the ventral strakes to the rear fuselage and tail bumper between them. The strakes fitted OK and only required a smear of filler along their upper edges where they meet the fuselage.





There is still a bit more work to be done, with further detail to be added to the flaps and engines and also the front of the cockpit under the glazing needs some work as there is a nasty seam line (which is currently hidden under the masking tape). I will also check photos to see whether the underwing weapons pylons are applicable to the Bicentennial aircraft. Then there will be the obligatory final sanding and checking of joins before the paint goes on.

Thanks for looking.

[Sunray]

Shaun that looks excellent, it definitely looks the part with the way you have done the flaps, etc.

[ShaunW]

Many thanks Ian. So far I have enjoyed this project immensely. I like to do a bit of classic kit bashing from time to time and to try my hand at some scratch building. Results vary though, consistency is not my middle name

[Ratch]

I'm not really familiar with this aircraft, but I can appreciate the work you're putting in

[ShaunW]

Cheers Ratch. TBH I wasn't very familiar with the F-111 either until I started this build. It's amazing what staring at 100's of images of an aircraft on Google Images can do to raise one's level of expertise

[Dazzled]

Another stunning bit of rework on an old Airfix classic mate.

Wasn't that F-4 enough for you? Will you ever turn to Hasegawa?

Seriously though, keep up the inspiring work. You're definitely encouraging me in the direction of making ill-judged moves into super detailing my ever growing collection of classic loft insulation.

Especially if I have to empty bottles of booze in the name of accuracy