PBY Catalina Consolidatrd Vultee Flying Boat

[zathros]

You can do the "sock method' for large parts of this plane. You attach the skins together off the plane, only those skins that will slide over the frame, you check for Fit, you always, ALWAYS check for fit on this method before gluing, and you slide it in without touching any of the sides till it is in place and all or most of the frame is in place. You are the arbiter of whether it is good enough, or not.. if it fits well, the apple copious amounts of glue to the frame and slid that section over. You use a lot of glue for sections that might not be touching the frame. The glue will harden, filling any gaps and you're all set! This method should be used on many many models. A variation of this is used on the construction of real aircraft, like the Stealth Fighter, the F-117. You get a nice hold without the "skeleton effect". As you apply the rest of the frame, you make the skin sections off the frame, using strips of paper to hold the seams together (this method allows for perfect seams), and then you dry fit, and adjust accordingly. You let the sections you make dry before you try to make fit them of course.

 

[MAC99]

 

[zathros]

Very nice!! This is a big model, and big models are hard to build. You're doing a great job. I love it! This is not an easy model to build. It's great to see it being done.

 

[MAC99]

I jumped into this model with little building building before hand. Some of this has taken a lot of time and trial and aire to my surprise some of it works the easy way better then the hard & a lot of effort way.
I am once thanking zathros for turning me on to the paper I needed.
I discovered the way to making straight trailing edges and a tail cone with no creaceses

 

[zathros]

Those parts are incredible done well!! You've got it nailed.

 

[MAC99]

Engine and blister work proceeding The blister seems to be harder then first thought
I will be at this one to completion I really do not under stand why in the pic's there is color shift in panels

 

[zathros]

The blister looks great. Personally, I would have cut the panels out and tried the frame with clear tape as windows, or heated up some plastic. If you make a paper blister, then use some two part epoxy, you can use the paper blister as a mold for the two part epoxy putty, then heat up some plastic over a candle and stretch over the mold. However, yours looks so good , and it fits the rest of the model, which also looks great! This isn't an easy plane to build. It is one that everyone recognizes though and yours is unmistakeably a Catalina!

 

[MAC99]

I agree with you about the blisters they would look quite good see through.
Starting out I thought about it and all windows see through, I decided to build this one as is and learn then tackle the stretched glass on a other model. I started this thread along time ago and should finish it and move on. There are a lot of diddle parts with this one, I am not sure how he intended the air intake to go on and strut fairings are the first thing removed (next to wheel skirts) and not put back on ever. Looking at the pby pics I only saw one.

 

[zathros]

I think those wheel fairings where a liability, which is why no one used them. The model looks great!! I have to build me one of these. There was a beautiful at the New England Air Museum, but a Tornado took it and some other irreplaceable ships from us. It was a real shame. These models are a way of keeping history alive, and a lot easier to show to your friends and family, and give short historical blurbs. You would be surprised how many people do not know it was one of these Catalina aircraft, "Strawberry 18", I believe, that spotted the Japanese fleet and gave us the edge at the"Battle of Midway". There was no other craft that could have pulled that off. Being able to handle representations objects present at such pivotal moments makes them so important, IMHO.

The New England Air museum has been relocated from that location and now houses a perfectly restored B-29 bomber, an F-14, that was flown and taxied into the air museum, and many other fine aircraft. Those that were lost in the Tornado were irreplaceable though.

 

[MAC99]

Well I believe it has been more than a year,two printers three different inks and a bpy that looks a mess as far color. Most of it is different in the camera then to the eye. I jumped into a model that was above my skill level made many mistakes but learned a lot I did not learn to stay a way from models above my head!!

 

[MAC99]

It looks like the B36 is the only one that didn't take a hit what a tear able loss, could make you cry
Strawberry 18 they sent out several pby's each on a it's own heading Strawberry 18 refereed to it's heading