highway Posted July 8, 2010 Posted July 8, 2010 Jeff, better cut off that gun! No unfair advantages regarding removal of the competition! Aw, but that takes the fun out of it!! What's the fun of a warbird if you can't shoot something! I'm just kidding, of course, and on the serious side, this is looking interesting. I have about four other Community Builds going on right now, but I think I just might see what I have on the shelves. I'm not much of an aircraft modeler, but the major modifications I have going on with the others, this just might be a nice break.
1320wayne Posted July 8, 2010 Posted July 8, 2010 I'm definately in on this as well. I am currently trying to weed through the best options that I have onhand to use. Most of my WWII kits are radial and wouldn't be the best choice for an air racer. I'm trying to figure out the best inline kit that I have.
jeffs396 Posted July 9, 2010 Posted July 9, 2010 Yeah, building these things with the intent of polishing the paint does require some planning ahead. The P-51 gets the exhaust stacks glued on before the fuselage halves get glued together. If I do that, polishing around the exhaust would be tough at best. What I did was cut the nose open. That way I can use tweezers to install the exhausts through the nose. The hole will then be covered by the prop spinner. I'm glad to see someone else getting started on this build. I was beginning to think Jairus and I would be the only ones building a race plane. Others have expressed interest here and in the Chat room, but have not started building. Any ideas on what you'll do for paint? Yes, pre-planning is a big one on something like this...I once did an F1 car that required the same...cockpit in before smoothing seams! Not sure yet on paint, maybe polished aluminum, or a bright eye-catching color. Jeff, better cut off that gun! No unfair advantages regarding removal of the competition! No guns? What fun is that? Hey all, I can sign off the airworthiness on these when finished, I'm an A&P mechanic!
1320wayne Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 I've got two lined up for this. First is a 1/72 scale Spitfire. It's a rather crude resin kit from overseas that I could never forsee doing anything with until this idea. The second, although not the best choice for an air racer, is a Revell 1/48 scale P47D Thunderbolt. I have some really cool graphics planned for both. I will have pics. of the Spitfire sometime on Sunday.
roadhawg Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 I'm glad to see someone else getting started on this build. I was beginning to think Jairus and I would be the only ones building a race plane. Others have expressed interest here and in the Chat room, but have not started building. If I didn't have such a full plate right now, I'd be all over this! Beautiful work so far, guys, keep it up!
Eric Stone Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 I did some work to the P51D kit I have yesterday- smoothing seams, removing raised panel lines, cleaning stuff up, clipped the wings slightly. I toyed with an old F16 canopy, but I think I'll just use the stock P51D bubble canopy. If this was a more detailed kit, I think I'd be more motivated to put more work into it. Not sure on a paint scheme, but I've got colors in my head.
Dr. Cranky Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 Wow, I just poured through all the posts in this thread and I am feeling a bit confused. Sorry about my thick-skullery, folks. J, what is it that we could do with this? Can I build a car influenced by WWII fighter planes? The way Hollywood Jim does here? Or do we have to build only the plane? Or can we build the plane and the matching car? I am really interested in this, and I apologize for not getting the basic premise of what the CPB calls for.
Jairus Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 (edited) Wow, I just poured through all the posts in this thread and I am feeling a bit confused. Sorry about my thick-skullery, folks. J, what is it that we could do with this? Can I build a car influenced by WWII fighter planes? The way Hollywood Jim does here? Sorry V, but this is about aircraft only. However, it is about taking pictures so if you want to build a full ground crew with vehicles... Italeri does make quite a few 1/48th scale vehicles and ground crew that you could "modify" to your liking. The premis is take any scale model of a WW2 aircraft like this P-51 Mustang.... And turn it into a full tilt Reno Air Racer! Like this... Paint it any color and scheme. Take a few pictures and post the build up. By summers end we will each post three pictures in a voting thread and let the forum decide. The above is called "Precious Metal" and runs a highly modified Rolls Royce Merlin with countra rotating propellors. The cockpit has been cut down and the lower radiator heavily modified for lower drag. Mostly it is just a curbside contest to get peoples minds off cars and into the purity of modeling and painting. Beause it is all about the paint with this one! Edited July 10, 2010 by Jairus
Dr. Cranky Posted July 10, 2010 Posted July 10, 2010 Oh, okay, I see. Very interesting. Thanks for clarifying, J. I'm still excited about the possibilities and influences into vehicles. I will definitely stay tuned in. Cheers, V.
highway Posted July 11, 2010 Posted July 11, 2010 Did it fight in WW2? I guess since it says on the box that Jimmie Doolittle flew it to a record in 1932, I guess not. Doolittle did, though, does that count? I guess my search continues.
Jairus Posted July 11, 2010 Posted July 11, 2010 Starting with a vintage 1973 Monogram FW 190 I received via eBay yesterday, I got off to an auspicious start... The two motors are under consideration as power to spin the prop. The large one is a smooth 5.9v capstan drive for a cassette tape player. The smaller, narrower one is a drive unit used to eject CD's from a CD rom drive. The large one fits the cowling perfect with a minimum amount of trouble. (sorry for the poor photo... I still have not gotten my photo studio set up.) Still trying to figure out how to get the landing gear to go up and down for my "on the ground" and "wheels up" photo shoots. Onward and upward!
LDO Posted July 11, 2010 Author Posted July 11, 2010 Jairus- Just make the "wheels up" photo a "wheels off" photo. I can't wait to see a hot rod butcher bird.
MILD Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 Have some good ol' Australian genius: Rod Hadfield's Merlin V12 equipped 55 Chev. It was road registered at one stage... I think 3000hp was the stated output. This gentleman has built some amazing cars- one debuted last year at Summernats (big Aussie show) powered by an old Tank engine. Google the Warman Special if you are interested.
Dr. Cranky Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 I ran out and bought a Mustang PD4 or something like that in 1/48th scale. We'll see what happens. I think the more discussion about color and graphic patterns the more I am going to get out of this thread, not to mention the impending eye-candy storm that's surging!
Jairus Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 Virgil, that is what I am hoping is the final outcome! It's not so much about perfect wiring or weathering or wheels... it's all about paint and color! Flash and Dash! (hmm... I like that name?) At any rate, here is the German contingent so far. Got the motor mounted to the cowling. Once I get wires soldered to the terminals I will install it permanently. The prop will sit on the shaft with a tight fit and then I can go and make a larger spinner to close up the air intake. The motor is a "Falcon 5" slot car motor. These motors are $9.99 throw away powerplants. They are only used for two races before needing to be replaced. However as a propeller drive... it is very high in the RPM range. I bet even a digital camera cannot stop it.
LUKE'57 Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 Don't know how far along everybody is but...........In the interest of more entries and a real fun experience, might I suggest two categories? One being what most of the early post-war unlimiteds were and that being stock airframe surplus fighter planes with race paint jobs. Easy to build and your imagination is the limit on markings. Sort of like the early Nascar racers when they were mostly stock appearing with even the chrome trim and all the seats. Quick and dirty builds with the emphasis on the fancy paint jobs. Group 2 could be the fighter based but highly modified planes like the Red Baron, Super Corsair and Stiletto from the seventies to the present day. That way everyone could have a go at it within their comfort range and it would still be fun and not restrictive to the ones who wanted to build the later racers. Just an idea born of watching those creative rule benders (is it stock? of course it is, I just spent $20,000 and two months making it stock)that race the stock cars for more years than I care to admit. What do ya'll think?
LUKE'57 Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 One other thing, before you get too stressed about that "spinning prop" shot, that is one of the required pics, there's an awful lot of "horsepower" hidden in the PhotoShop and PaintShop programs. LOL
Jairus Posted July 12, 2010 Posted July 12, 2010 There is NO requirement to having a spinning prop! I just WANTED it for real, and of course Photoshop and other options (cut the darned blades off altogether and say it is spinning) are always available! As for two classes... I really didn't see much difference in your "class structure" other than one is simply a painted unmodified Warbird and the other a modified and painted Warbird. Not enough of a difference to constitute the complication of another class in my opinion.
LUKE'57 Posted July 13, 2010 Posted July 13, 2010 Didn't mean to muddy up the waters. I guess what you're saying is that a "Miss America" P-51D has as much chance of winning as a Red Baron RB-51 since neither have to move, just look good? I was thinking of a showroom stock '49 Merc competing with a chopped Carson topped lead sled in the same class. Guess it doesn't matter with aircraft, huh?
Eric Stone Posted July 13, 2010 Posted July 13, 2010 ...Guess it doesn't matter with aircraft, huh? Not with these.
Jim Gibbons Posted July 13, 2010 Posted July 13, 2010 Just wanted to add this article and video from Autoweek about the Pacific Coast Dream Machines show; in the video, at about 1:08 are a Yak and some Mustangs, including a racing version. Between the cars and the aircraft, it makes me envious towards you west coasters! Pacific Coast Dream Machines
Dr. Cranky Posted July 13, 2010 Posted July 13, 2010 Hey, J, this is as good a color combination as it gets . . . getting ideas!!!
Jairus Posted July 13, 2010 Posted July 13, 2010 Sheesh Virgil.. I am still sanding the wings and fuselage smooth! No time to think about paint yet! Worked out the gear up and gear down thing, so now all that's left is get it all super clean and primed.
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