LetLetLet ~ Warplanes
Let Let Let - Warplanes => Aircraft Modeling => Topic started by: Second Air Force on May 12, 2013, 05:14:08 AM
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Courtesy of Eduard (and No.1 for sending the kit to me) the new R-2800 engine kit will be reviewed here. This is specifically engineered for the Eduard F6F Hellcat line of kits but could easily be adapted to other manufacturers models as well.
Typical of Eduard products, the kit comes carefully packed in a sturdy box with lots of foam padding and a nice instruction booklet:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1718_zpsc504921e.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1718_zpsc504921e.jpg.html)
Here are all the resin parts unpacked and the second photo shows the PE fret:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1722_zps12fcf83c.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1722_zps12fcf83c.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1721_zpsef8ae2d4.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1721_zpsef8ae2d4.jpg.html)
Following along with the start of the build, I removed the pour stubs from the various parts and then cleaned up the remaining flash, which is quite minimal with the casting method used. The cylinders were left on the pour blocks for ease of painting and I'll cut them off just before installing them. Even the complex exhaust stacks were easier to prepare than I had thought they would be:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1787_zpsfb097698.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1787_zpsfb097698.jpg.html)
The final step this evening was to trim the VERY thin cowling sections from their pour blocks and then remove the appropriate sections from the kit cowling. This cowling is a left-over part from the Eduard Hellcat I recently built so it's being modified for this engine project:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1789_zps56aa19c8.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1789_zps56aa19c8.jpg.html)
Next will be to start painting!
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Great number of parts, this will be so detailed :))
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After cleaning up the small amount of flash on the forward cylinder exhaust pipes I sprayed the cylinders with MM Aluminum and the crankcase and reduction gearbox with medium grey. Later the exhaust pipes and induction tubes on the front cylinders also were painted the appropriate colors. After the paint was dry small holes were drilled (the indentations are provided by Eduard, just need to drill them through) in each cylinder baffle to allow the PE spark plug wires to penetrate.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1792_zpsbc127459.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1792_zpsbc127459.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1798_zpsb6a2e71f.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1798_zpsb6a2e71f.jpg.html)
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As well you have seen this engine in live, painting should not be problem for you ;)
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Soooo many parts on this small engine!! :-tri :-eek
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Sall, I can comment on the number of parts--they fit together so well that this is actually a relaxing thing to construct! The only tedious bit is having eighteen cylinders to paint with different colors. Also the ignition harness routing will require patience to complete, but this will all be worth it in the end. I've built a few resin radial engines and they generally don't include the pushrod tubes as part of the castings as Eduard has here. That means cutting many small pieces of styrene tubing to the correct lengths--THAT can be very boring and time-consuming!!!!
No.1, I've actually worked on a few real R-2800s and this small version is definitely more fun (and a LOT cleaner!!!!).
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Tonight I was able to install the eighteen cylinders onto the center section. They fit nicely with positive positioning into the crankcase and the cylinder baffles fit together on each cylinder just like the real thing!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1817_zpsc2411af0.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1817_zpsc2411af0.jpg.html)
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It look like complex but I guess it is pleasure to do ;)
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:-clap :-clap
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This is really not hard to do but it is quite repetetive. One thing I did do was to install the cylinders first with "regular" glue instead of CA so that some movement could still be done before the glue dried. That idea was only partially successful and I had to re-glue several cylinders with CA later.
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In this latest installment I took on the ignition harness assembly. Eduard thoughtfully sends along two complete harnesses but I was able to get the first one installed without breaking it. The holes I drilled in the black baffles on top of each cylinder now come into play as the rear plug wires for each cylinder are routed through these holes. Sorry I didn't take any "in progress" photos of the process, but it is relatively easy. I simply removed the harness from the fret and glued the ring onto the crankcase mounting tabs with all the wires still flat. After the CA glue was dry, I used a tiny point tweezers to route each of the 36 wires into the proper position.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1818_zps5a5ebf91.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1818_zps5a5ebf91.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1821_zps5055ac8e.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1821_zps5055ac8e.jpg.html)
Also, after the harness was complete, I glued the reduction gearbox into place. The next procedure will be to install the intake tubes on the rear of the engine.
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Nice to see this small jewel growing :-ok
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Now the actual engine is nearly complete after adding the nose case lower tube and the two distributor pressurization tubes, these parts being provided on the PE fret. The exhaust system sections are painted but I likely won't install these permanently until I mate the engine to the aircraft for final fitting. The next project will be to add the PE parts to the kit cowling halves but I may wait to do this until the kit arrives as I have no ring cowl to set my dimensions.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1823_zps0bbd585b.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1823_zps0bbd585b.jpg.html)
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And I hope yu will have kit soon to complete project :))
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Me too! :)) :-clap
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The kit arrived today!!! Also the excellent fabric seatbelt harness and Luftwaffe toolset, all from our friends at Eduard, courtesy of No.1 for my review.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1824_zpsafe43925.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1824_zpsafe43925.jpg.html)
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Yes :))
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So, the engine is essentially completed and we've moved on to the cowling modifications. This has been the hardest part of the kit, and the Carpet Monster has been hungry!!!!!! :-wall :-wall :-wall First the fuselage halves were taped together and the cowling with the cut-outs already made was taped to the fuselage. My intent with this is to assemble the framework and attach it only to the main cowling, leaving the ring cowl unmodified (my reason will make more sense later). After dropping the parts numerous times I finally was able to assemble all of the cowling fastening angles around the perimeter of the open segments. I have to admit that I let out a few frustrated curse-words during this phase! :-eek
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1830_zps7307268d.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1830_zps7307268d.jpg.html)
After the CA glue had dried the parts were un-taped and this is the final result, ready for the painting phase:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1831_zpsabfacfd5.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1831_zpsabfacfd5.jpg.html)
Now the airplane must be built in its entirety before final fitting of these parts.
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I've decided that I should show the engine fitted to the airplane as a way to complete the building phase of this review. The model might take some time to finish (hummingbird-feeding, gardening and lawn care are taking much of my "free" time nowadays).
First the exhaust sections were installed on the engine with no troubles at all. The next step requires some trimming of the fuselage exhaust fairings to give enough room for the resin pipes. This is spelled out in the instruction sheet. After filing these areas I test-fitted the engine, and it slid into place perfectly! The final step was to slide the cowling on:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1836_zpsa9d2c582.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1836_zpsa9d2c582.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1834_zps23ccb380.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1834_zps23ccb380.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1835_zps627bd008.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1835_zps627bd008.jpg.html)
I also scratchbuilt a stand for the engine. I may decide to display it on this stand for a time and put the kit engine on the airplane. This was my idea earlier, to be able to swap the cowling and engine later. Time will tell on this......
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1839_zps08f049bc.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1839_zps08f049bc.jpg.html)
I've found this new product from Eduard to be a great little project and highly recommend it! The fit of parts is so good, and cleanup of the pieces is so easy, that I would recommend this even to someone who has limited modeling experience and wants to try a resin kit.
Thanks to No.1 and Eduard for providing this for review! :-flo
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Build is great ;)
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Awesome job my friend!! :-clap :-clap
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That thing looks great inside the cowl!
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Tonight I finished the styrene engine that comes in the F6F-3 kit so we could compare the two. I enhanced the engine with spark plug wires and some tubing all made from wire filament. As you can see, the resin engine is a huge addition to the airplane if you desire an open cowling.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1893_zps3f4a9bc4.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1893_zps3f4a9bc4.jpg.html)
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Original engine is also good but not as resin one
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^
I agree! :-clap
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:-salut :-salut :-salut :-ok :-jump :-jump :-jump
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To finish this product review, here are a few photos of the completed R2800 installed in the Eduard F6F-3 I've built on a different thread. First a couple of pictures of the engine installed with the modified cowling:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1952_zpsa6f919c5.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1952_zpsa6f919c5.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1949_zps9e34ab3e.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1949_zps9e34ab3e.jpg.html)
Then I removed this engine and installed the kit-provided plastic engine and non-opened cowling. I've installed the engine on a small stand for display purposes here at home. Should I ever decide to show the model at public showings I'll easily be able to re-install the resin parts.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1956_zps23bbfcca.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1956_zps23bbfcca.jpg.html)
Many thanks to Eduard (and No.1 for shipping them) for these review samples! :-clap
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Sooooo great!! :)) :-clap
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I hope you enjoy in result :-ok
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Yes, I highly recommend this engine kit and it was actually quite like building a styrene model rather than one in resin. I would gladly add this to a Corsair or other machine that used the R-2800!
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Interesting . . . :-razz :-ok