1/7th F-14D Scratch build thread

[Thomas_W]

Here's a little update on the progress so far today. Cut up 8 sheets of balsa into 1/2" wide planks to prepare for planking the fuselage. Did a bit more work to the nose section planking up to just below the canopy frame (still have to adjust the canopy plug bulkheads for the sheeting thickness). Then started working on the top aft portion of the fuselage and the inlets. Here's a few pictures, I should have a few more later this evening.

[3Dguy]

Wow! It's like you're building a boat.

[Thomas_W]

	Quote: Originally Posted by 3Dguy
	Wow! It's like you're building a boat.

Thats what it feels like! And i haven't even gotten to the bottom of it yet!

But i now remember why i never built that Ziroli panther kit i had.... strip planking is horrible and tedious.

more photos:

[Thomas_W]

Some more pictures from tonight:

[Thomas_W]

Lucky for you all, my business trip was canceled last minute. So i've gotten a bit more work done. The fuselage cockpit deck is done, i just have to make the canopy plug deck and attach the canopy plug bulkheads and then i can complete the planking of the upper part of the fuselage. Then i'll start working on the sides of the aft fuselage and getting the female sockets for the vertical stab spars installed in the fuselage and getting the upper part of the fuselage sheeting finished. Once all that is done, i'll throw on a layer of glass to keep everything from getting dinged up, then it will all be removed from the jig and the bottom will get started.. Somehow my parkzone suhkoi found its way into the picture.. I'm fairly impressed with this little model. its a blast to fly, and the more tweaking i do to it, the funner it gets..

[Thomas_W]

So my plan to get the canopy done tonight isn't going to happen. After getting to the point of where it was time to start planking the canopy, I ended up staring at the plane for about an hour and a half trying to figure out how and where i was going to start. So i decided its probably a good point to stop and come back to, seeing how i want to make sure the outline of the canopy is accurate. I did get the front windscreen shape close enough. Its hard coming up with that shape, as is is completely flat and the canopy around it is curved. Should be fun when it comes time to vacuum form up the glass. But i did get the remainder of the top of the nose planked, and the aft portion of the fuselage turtledeck.. So here's some pictures:

[ABD]

Thats one big project.

[3Dguy]

It's not big enough.

[Thomas_W]

Here's 5 hours of work on the canopy that i'm not happy with. The outline of the forward windscreen just doesn't look right, so i'll probly end up tearing it all off and starting over...

[Vic3D]

Is it something a little filler can't fix?

[Thomas_W]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Vic3D
	Is it something a little filler can't fix?

unfortunately not. the good thing, is its just the forward windscreen, and its only the bottom portion of it where it meets the fuselage, so i may be able to remove one or 2 strip planks per side to fix it... i'm not going to touch that plane for the rest of the day,and come back to it this evening and have a look..

[Paul5992]

[Thomas_W]

Got to looking at the photo's from last night, and figured out what i needed to change on the canopy, so an hour later , i got the canopy completely planked and it fixed to what i think is acceptable. Its a pain getting these canopy shapes close to accurate... Anyways, here's version 2. Lemme know what everyone thinks...

[3DFreak576]

wow...very impressive! The F-14 has always been my favorite "modern" fighter.

[Thomas_W]

Alright, special update for everyone tonight... didn't do much at all, just adjusted the wing box aft bulkhead so the wings could sweep back completely, and got the vertical tail spar sockets installed in the fuse, and a few other little things... if the weather sucks tomorrow, i should get the remainder of the upper fuselage sheeted, and possibly some of the sides, so it can come off the jig and outside for some full size shots