RC model repaints and mods

[Wbirdnut]

RAAF Mk VIII Spitfire done.
Mods include paint and decals, fin from Mk IX to Mk VIII and made the top front
of the fusy removable.




Flight soon hopefully.


RNZAF P40n Kittyhawk finished as well.


This one getting closer, have heard it said Italians painted their warbirds a bit
like their pizzas.

[Wbirdnut]

This one was so much fun and turned out way better than I first imagined,
the mods worked out so well, the paint job and decals really made her.

Have painted as a bit of a tribute to the late Guido Zucolli who had a Fiat
G59 in Australia for many years, Guido was one of the founding fathers in
the early days of Warbird aviation in the country, thanks Guido.


The side on profile really shows off her looks, that long nose and pointy tail
really gives her the sleek look of an Italian stallion! Those mustang legs will
go as she will be a hand launch/belly lander, warbirds with gear hanging out,
no no?


When I first started thinking about this model I discovered there where three
Italian WWII fighters which all looked very similar. The Fiat G55 Centauro,
Macchi 202 Folgore and the Reggiane Re 2005 Sagittario.

They are very similar in looks and had the same power plant I wonder if the
manufactures got together. The Macchi is almost the same as the Fiat and
the only major difference with the Reggiane is her tail? Be interested to hear
if anyone out there knows a bit more about this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.55

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggiane_Re.2005

[Wbirdnut]

Link to this little high winger.
https://www.horizonhobby.com/product/ai ... c-eflu3950

Two cell 700mm foam Timber’s turn to get some mods and new clothes, didn’t
go too crazy on the mods, added Cub struts and a couple of extra legs to the
undercart. Both of which are removable probably make very little difference
function wise but add to the look. I also moved the nose landing lights out
under the port wing. Was very tempted to leave her naked as she looks okay
without all the stickers.


The new tail wheel set up is functional, did this to my Cub as well, I found after
repeated hard landings the tail wheel wire becomes loose. Could see it could
also damage the rudder hinge so moved the whole set up forward, lengthened
the leg and linked it back to the rudder horn. The black join is cotton thread
soaked in CA went a bit over with this wanted it strong.


As for looks went a bit rad on the paint, bush plane, bush paint found a nice
scheme on a Just Aircraft Super Stol, the look of the Timber is very close to
these so she’ll do! I decided not to paint under the wing and tail plane for
orientation reasons, have a few camoed jobs and you can loose them down
in the tree line, I’m hoping the light grey may help with this as well?


Use water based acrylic, have to do two coats to get a good coverage, yeah I
know added some weight which will detract from the flying performance.


The spots are rain drops, started to sprinkle when I took the pic’s.



Still have a little touching up to do then she gets aviated.

Link to the real Justaircraft Super Stol.
https://justaircraft.com

[Wbirdnut]

Converting a Mitchell to Manchester, this one a bit special for me, my wife's great uncle
died over Germany as an air gunner in a Manchester. These were not so popular with
their crews, while reading up on them found an interesting quote, "there are two types
of Manchester pilots, those who have had and engine failure and those who are about to!"


Bit more progress, fins fitted and hooked up also has steerable tail wheel. Bit of recycling
with this one, used the tail cone turret for the upper turret, stage shaped thing! Upper turret
from Mitchel as the bomb aimers dome. The canopy is the original for the front half and the
top section of the nose from the Mitchel as the rear half, not 100% scale but close enough.
Will fly her soon to get her trimmed, a few scale more scale details then slap on some paint.
No flying today pissing down with a few claps of thunder out in the Tasman at present!


Often have two on the go, also converting a Wildcat to a CAC Boomerang, have flown
her as she appears, was a little nervous as I have moved the wing and added diahedral.
Flew better than expected just a little aileron trim and she was fine.

[MiG_Eater]

These are stunning. They'd be good enough as static models but keeping the weight down enough to fly them is just nuts!

Really nicely done.

[Wbirdnut]

Thanks mate, weight is the enemy of these light 1 and 2 cell models, all the scale
details take away performance with the weight they add. all about finding a
balance between the two. I also like to try and fly them close to scale speeds.

[Wbirdnut]

Bit of paint on the Mitchell to Manchester, canopy and gun turrets painted also
having to paint the fuselage roundel as don’t have one with yellow surrounds
in my spares box.


Wildcat to Boomerang also getting some paint, south west pacific scheme for
her, a machine that served with 4 Sqn RAAF late 1944.

[Wbirdnut]

Michell to Manchester very close now, needs squadron codes, she’s ready to
fly may happen this afternoon.



Sanded down the cowls to create the taped look, plastic tubes for exhausts
then weathered using artists pastels. The canopy was made from the Mitchell's
original front canopy and the top of the bomb aimers canopy, 1mm strips for
the framing, perspex painted gloss black then dry brushed silver.

Wildcat to CAC Boomerang conversion close, just pilot to be painted and fitted.


Decals are 1/24th scale which are a little small but wasn’t going to paint them!


Here she is with my Wildcat, fair bit of work to get her from a Wildcat to a
Boomerang, the fuselage is a little long, the wing span too big and the cowl
not fat enough but in the air close enough, stand off scale!


Now to get some air under her wings.

[Wbirdnut]

Got a nice screen shot off some go pro footage of my modified ultra micro
Mitchell to a Royal Australian Air Force Neptune, despite the extra weight
from the mods she still flies nice.

[Wbirdnut]

Couple of screen shots, Fiat.


RNZAF P40.

[Wbirdnut]

Latest modded job, always had a fascination for the little Russian Rata,
Rat, Little Donkey, Polikarpov I 16 since a New Zealander Sir Tim Wallis
recovered then restored five of them back in the nineties, see cool clip!



So have Ultra Micro GeeBee that has seen better days so decided to kit
bash the GB using the wing from a Yak 54.




If I was a super fussy rivet counter I’d call her a little too rotund in
the waste line, lucky I’m not super fussy!



Test flew pre paint, she needed a little lead in the nose, super twitchy
in roll and she dives like a brick, interesting as the real one has similar
characteristics.

[Wbirdnut]

Paint and decals on, from what I have found most Ratas did not have top wing stars,
may put them for jollies, the decals are from my spares box actually for a Yak 3.
Next some weathering, sealer coat, guns, paint the pilot and fly!




More on the chubby little Russian below.
http://www.flying-wings.com/i-16-rata

[Wbirdnut]

Got some okay shots of my rc scale jobs today.

Repainted as the locally based 182.

Avro Manchester.


P47 Thunderbolt.


Zero looks more realistic a little out of focus and in black and white.






Last pic pretty close the the full size Zero replica I snapped a few years back.

[Wbirdnut]

Painted the pilot for my UM Gee Bee to Rata I16 conversation.


Not the best shot but proof she flies.


Where she came from, used a Yak 54 wing with a Gee Bee body.

[Wbirdnut]

Alan Deere’s Spitfire (from Durafly)
Hello all, I’m converting an 1.1 span Durafly Spitfire II to Alan Deere’s the first
Spitfire Alan Deere which he belly landed near Dunkirk on 28/5/40.





Still have some weathering and other details to do, the two lugs on the canopy
are so I can get a grip as it slides into the open or closed position. Have gone
to a bit of effort with the pilot and didn’t want him hidden away.

While I would like to get as close as possible I am not overly fussed if she is
not 100% accurate. She is a flying remote control model so some scale details
will be sacrificed for this fact. I have a few questions which I hope some people
With knowledge on this subject may be able to answer.

1/Would this spitfire have had the black and white undersides with silver under
the cowling, rear fuselage and tail plane? Also would she have had the yellow/
orange diamond shaped gas sensoring patch on the wing?

2/ Would she have had the rear view mirror mounted inside rather than outside
the front cockpit frame? I can recall somewhere Alan Deere had this modification
on his Spitfires.

3/ I also read early in the Spifires combat career they did not carry serial numbers?
Would this have been the case with

4/ Would the first Kiwi have had Kiwi I on her, I hope I am not being out of line here,
being an optomistic fighter wouldn’t be tempting fate to call her Kiwi I as you are
almost tempting fate suggesting there were going to be more? I can understand
Kiwi II and so on, just wondering if the first one would have had a numeral?

5/ While a little off topic but still on early model Spitfires, I have seen some MK IIs
with the larger circular oil filters rather than the semi circular lower profile filter. For
example the MK Is at both the AWM Canberra and the IWM London have circular
oil filters, perhaps these were fitted later?


Bit more detail on the sliding canopy mods, hopefully you can see the 1mm black rods
attached via a block to the sliding portion of the hood.

[
These slide into plastic tubes that are mounted both forward alongside the dashboard
and rearward under the sides of the rear section of canopy. The whole set up is quite
solid as it will be in the slipstream. Have also added the gun site, cut and refitted the
dash as it was sloped and should be vertical. Also you will see a magnet set up for the
radio mast, I knew there was potential for both knocking this and damage due to the
inevitable nose over. Still have some weathering and a few more details to go.

[Wbirdnut]

I am the only rc pilot where I live, had a visitor take up my Wirraway and
so got a couple of pic's, she is converted from a Dynam Harvard.



Have also been privileged to see the real machine mine is modelled on.






Couple of pic’s of my Clipped Wing Cub.




Fisken’s Buffalo Brewster




Alan Deere’s first Spitfire.

[Wbirdnut]

Also weathered out my mini Zero, may have gone a little over the top?!


Bit more on my Dunkirk Spitfire, weathering using pastals and dry brushing.


They applied red doped fabric to stop dirt getting into the runs, I used thin
tissue paper applied with foam safe CA then dug out where the guns fired
through the fabric then painted red, applied black pastel to create the cordite
stains.


Some Spitfire pilots moved the rear view mirror from onto of the front canopy
frame to the inside to reduce drag, even heard some polished their machines
to make them more slippery, glossy warbird, no!


So decided to mod my Turbo Timber into a Turbo Wilga.


Made the tail section of the fuselage skinnier, rear window with strengthening
scale ribs, scratch but, fin and rudder, new tailplane in new position.


Beefed up the tail wheel for those hard STOL landings, split the control link
as the rudder horn is above the tail plane tail wheel below.


A couple of Wilgas, re-paint of an old Hobbyking 1 metre span span foamie there
is actually a real one painted in a similar scheme in Western Australia.


Turbo Timber to Turbo Wilga conversion, windows painted, lights sorted still
no post mod maiden as weather has been cold windy and wet!




This one was originally all white with orange trim, mods re-paint, ultra micro
leading edge slats, larger bush wheels and some fake lights.

[Wbirdnut]

Okay the latest from the plane crazy plane factory, picked up a couple of these
Ultra Micro 2 cell Mustangs a while back when they were on sale. Plan has always
been to convert both of these to something else?




Even when they were putting these out at a semi regular pace we never got any
Axis or Brit aircraft. So first up going for something a little different, how about
a Movie Messerschmitt? The Hispano Buchon or HA1112 came about when the
Spanish acquired a number of 109G airframes, the Germans ran out of Damiliar
Benz engines so they were fitted with British Merlin powerplants.



A number of these had just come out of service at around the time of the filming
of the classic late 1960’s British pic the “Battle of Britain.” Flown by Spanish Air
Force pilots a number of Buchon stood in for the Luftwaffe against the RAF.
This film Is sometimes credited with the beginnings of the Warbird movement
as we know It today. Movie Messerschmitts, Buchons also flew in the recent
“Dunkirk,” “Memphis Belle,” even stood in as Mustangs in the movie “Patton.”

As is obvious I’m a bit of a fan and was lucky to attend the 2018 Flying Legends
At Duxford where a lot of the scenes from the “Battle of Britain” was shot.






This rare two seater was used for in cockpits shots in the “Battle of Britain.”






The number of airworthy Buchons increased in recent years when famed
Warbird pilot and collector, “Connie Edwards” sold his collection of six
Buchons, a number of which are featured in my photoss above, very cool
Clip below of Connies barn!


Coming along with my Mustang to Buchon conversion, one of the reasons
I chose a Merlin powered Buchon over a Daimler Benz powered 109 I didn’t
have to lower the motor meaning a whole lot more work. The after market
1/24th scale canopy is perfect and again a whole pile of work saved.


Will fly her as you see her to check I have decalarge correct, wish me luck!


Walter Oesau
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2018/07/1 ... oesau.html

Buchon page
https://www.aircraftrestorationcompany.com/buchon

[Wbirdnut]

Couple of screen shots of my UM Turbo Timber to Turbo Wilga conversion.


She’s a bit twitchy in pitch, I’m guessing as I have moved the tail plane back a
Fair way from where it was orginally when she was a Timber? Low rates and
a bit of expo tamed the beast!


Screen shot of my cameo Timber.


Modelled on this real beast!


Couple of snaps from yesterday's rc flights, CA15 "Kangaroo" the real one all
Australian design, larger all round than a Mustang, Rolls Royce Griffin powered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAC_CA-15

STOL take off, FMS Super Cub, love flying this thing leisurely and fun!




Have the little Turbo Timber to Turbo Wilga sorted.

[Wbirdnut]

Finally last nights efforts getting paint on the conversion of an UM Mustang to
Messerschmitt (Actually a Hispano Buchon) Have a couple of surprises with
this little job, no prise for guessing what colour the nose will be?


Mustang to Messerschmitt, (well Hispano Buchon to be accurate) converted
from a 2S UMX Mustang.


Conversion main mods included adding the razorback, after market 1/24th
canopy end up being perfect, cut down original tail plane and scratch built fin.


Paint and decals, was always going to have a yellow nose, the purists will
query why I went Buchon and not a BF 109? Firstly, less work as lowering the
motor would have meant a lot of work, secondly the Buchon doesn’t get a
whole lot of love and she is a genuine warbird. I am an absolute fan of the
wonderful British film, the Battle of Britain, it is the reason, to this day, I am
a big time warbird fan. Such films as Memphis Belle and Dunkirk would have
no choice but to use CGI for Messerschmitts without the Buchon!


Yes that is a bomb and yes have used a servo on the sixth channel so it
can be dropped, after the Battle of Britain the Germans used 109s to do
Wild Sau raids, a lone fighter would cross the channel and bomb random
Targets. Will try and get a video of her in the near future.


Markings, “White 13” flown by Hauptmann Walter “Gulle” Oesau out of St
Omer-Nord/ France August 1940, on the 18/8/40 shot down two Hawker
Hurricanes, one over Cap Gris Nez and another over Canterbury.


She flies, a little surprised needed the CG a bit further forward than expected.


“White 13” over the white cliffs of Dover!

[Wbirdnut]

Have to admit to having just short of an obsession with what could be argued one
of the most beautiful machines ever created, Mr R Mitchell’s Supermarine Spitfire.
While we did get an Ultra Micro 1 cell Spitfire of which I have two wanted one with
a little more presence and the power of 2 cells.

So next cab off the rank from the palm island plane factory a suitable opponent for
the recently completed Buchon, an early model Spitfire. Very much favour the earlier
baby, pre MkV, Spitfires no cannons the clean lines of that beautiful wing shape.

Well that was a little dramatic how about I shut up and share some pic’s as to where
I’m up to so far?


Started out with a 2 cell Mustang which is fairly close to the shape of a Spitfire.
Moved the motor back 2.5cm nose to front of the wing much shorter than the
Mustang, cut off the front section of the wing and added blue foam section.


The fuselage is the tricky bit, a lot thinner and narrower, cut off the top of the cowl
then sanded the fuselage to shape, tail plane and fin cut to scale.

Pretty close to a test/trim flight always like to fly them before finishing in case it all
goes horribly wrong, C of G may be an issue with this one seeing as I have taken
so much off the nose, relocating the battery from underneath to on top behind the
motor which should help.

Bit more on the Mustang to Spitfire conversion, a lot of foam to achieve the shapes
required, top of the engine cowl, razorback, wing tips and wing fillets. Blue foam is
perfect for these jobs really fine grained so great to sand and shape.


Need to sort out the tail control surfaces, will fly as is to check C of G and trim.

Conversion of an ultra micro Mustang to early model Spitfire coming along,
a few small details yet to be completed, she may get decals today.




MK I & II Spitfires












Mustang to Spitfire conversion complete, couple of books used as reference,
If you want to view extreme top shelf scratch built scale modeling buy David
Glen’s book on this Mk I Spitfire build.




Similar angle in black and white trying to simulate a wartime photo.




No I didn’t make two Spitfires decided to do two sets of markings, if there is
such a thing as a good return for investment in wartime the real Spitfires I
have depicted are just that. KL-T flew with 54 Squadron, her Pilot New
Zealander Colin Grey, below the victories he achieved 13/7/40 to 3/9/40.

In Spitfire KL-T 11 X destroyed, 4 X probables, 11 X damaged

13.07.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Douvres Deal
24.07.40 Probable Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Nord Ouest Margate
24.07.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Nord Foreland
25.07.40 Damaged Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Est Douvres
12.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Douvres
12.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Cap Gris Nez
15.08.40 Probable Do 17 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Maidstone
16.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Est Hornchurch
16.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Est Hornchurch
16.08.40 Damaged Do 17 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Est Hornchurch
16.08.40 Damaged Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manche
18.08.40 Destroyed (1/5) Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manston
18.08.40 Damaged Do 17 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Kent
18.08.40 Destroyed Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Clacton
18.08.40 Damaged Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Clacton
18.08.40 Damaged Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Clacton
24.08.40 Destroyed Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Douvres
24.08.40 Damaged Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Douvres
24.08.40 Damaged Me 109E Spitfire I - R6709 “N” Sq 54 Douvres
25.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Faversham
26.08.40 Probable Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manche
28.08.40 Damaged Do 17 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manche
28.08.40 Damaged Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manche
28.08.40 Damaged Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Manche
31.08.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - X4238 "W" Sq 54 Maidstone
01.09.40 Destroyed He 111 Spitfire I - X4238 "W" Sq 54 Est Biggin Hill
01.09.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - N3173 "N" Sq 54 Est Biggin Hill
02.09.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - N3173 "N" Sq 54 Chatham
02.09.40 Destroyed Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Hornchurch
03.09.40 Probable (1/2) Me 110 Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 North Weald
03.09.40 Destroyed Me 109E Spitfire I - R6893 "T" Sq 54 Côtes Françaises

Spitfire Mk I Q-AZ
Spitfire Q-AZ of 234 Squadron was the machine Paterson Clarence Hughes was
flying when he was killed attacking a Dornier DO17 bomber during the Battle of
Britain. This machine was also a high scoring Spitfire with 10 victories. It is also
unique in that Pat Hughes was the sole pilot to fly the Spitfire during its brief but
successful service life of just 3 weeks. Completing 21 sorties Hughes claimed a
total 9 victories in 5 separate engagements including 5 Me109, 3 Me110s and a
Do17 with an additional probable Me109 for a total of 10 victories from his
wartime total of 17 (the others being in several other Spitfires).

Included the probable shooting down of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the famous
“One That Got Away.”

The remains of his Spitfire have been acquired by the Hunter Fighter Collection based
in Scone Australia, this machine will be restored to flying condition over the coming
years. Combined with the fact that the aircraft was only flown operationally by Hughes
makes it one of, if not the most famous and significant of Spitfire restorations ever
undertaken, certainly this is the most significant Australian flown Spitfire.

Link Re Spitfire X4009
https://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2021/ ... australia/

We will always be indebted to these young men who gave so much so we can have
the lives we live today, Colin Grey was twenty six years old in 1940, Pat Hughes was
twenty three years old when he lost his life.

[Wbirdnut]

Next cab off the rank, first time I saw one of these beasts I was hooked, one
of those machines that falls into the beautifully/ugly category! Two big noisy
radials, cool camo and STOL how can you go wrong! Caribous served the
Royal Australian Air Force to forty five years, two of which are maintained in
airworthy condition by the Historic Aircraft Association at Wollongong on the
east coast of Australia.



So mine is being created from an ultra micro B25 Mitchell, mods so far major
fuselarge cut and shunt, as is the case with the wing opposite crank to what she
was. Used the nose canopy from the Mitchell for the nose cone and battery hatch,
used the tail plane as well, scratch built fin and rudder. These things came light in
the tail so hoping my mods don’t mess up the c of g too much?





Next up tail plane and rudder control inks, some filling in of gaps here and these
hopefully a maiden not too far down the track?

Couple of tube clips

[RS2]

Enjoy seeing all your repaints, how many models do you have ?

[Wbirdnut]

Enjoy seeing all your repaints, how many models do you have ?

Just did a rough count 62 bound to my radio and a few stashed un
assembled in the attic waiting for their day, don't tell my wife!

[Wbirdnut]

Wanted to fly her pre paint but weather has just been very un seasonally windy for
summer, did her in the scheme that the RAAF Caribous wore in Vietnam.



Hopefully she will get some sky time soon?