The more things change, the more they stay the same

Well, about 8 months since my last post, and there's so much to write about.

Over the Covid lockdowns I looked more seriously at buying a second hand in NW Wales, for holidays and maybe some rental income.  The houses I ended up looking at became more expensive, and the dear Wifey said that I'd need a job up there to afford them instead. Hmmm...15 minutes later in Google, and I'd found one worth applying for.  

To my amazement I was asked to do a first interview very quickly over Zoom, then invited in for the second interview on site where I was offered the job as I went to leave.  They must have been desperate!  I of course accepted, and the rest is (recent) history - a hectic 3 months later we moved to the Lleyn Peninsula, right next to amazing slopes and a fantastic flat field club on my doorstep.  

The change in industry and product has done wonders for my mental health, and we're starting to feel more settled each week.  The workshop shed was erected 4 weeks after moving in, but has only recently been cleared enough of moving boxes and other "stuff" to allow me to build a bit.

The 3D printing business is still going flat out too, so it's a fine balance at the moment between keeping customers happy and getting to aeromodel, but I'm getting there.

I recently bought back my SBD that I missed quite a bit (seller's regret is terrible!), and picked up a 3rd hand JP to fill that little space left by the selling of my mass build one many years ago.

At the moment I'm concentrating on getting those few repairs that I've had hanging around for a couple of years sorted out before getting back into the B24 build, which I'd like to finish for the PSSA's May meet.  This includes the Spitfire (fus repairs, flap addition, paint), the Panther (new nose, wing retention re-work), the Sea Hawk (awaiting paint after repair) and the Stuka (re-work wheel retention system, wire up for multi-plug separation).

I've also 3D printed a couple of PSS machines, but more to come on that front.

Douglas SBD "Dauntless" for PSS - Weathering and finishing up

The SBD is coming along well, with only the wing servos left to install.

I mounted the engine in the cowl with a medium balsa brace (painted black) across the back of it:

So I thought it's about time for some weathering on this beastie:

Oh, and I've painted those control horns now too, to match the rest o the airframe.  Not a lot left to do - underside weathering, servos in the wing, balance and set up on the Horus.

Douglas SBD "Dauntless" for PSS - new (quick!) build

The SBD was a pretty sturdy and effective aircraft from WW2.  Not only a dive bomber, they were used as scouts for the carrier fleet and due to their overall ruggedness, the pilots took no crap from enemy fighters and engaged them aggressively when threatened. 

Hobbyking do a lovely all-built-up ARTF SBD for not a lot of money, and I splashed the cash a week or so ago for one.  Of course, they are set up for IC / EP with an undercarriage etc, but they also come with impressive dive brakes and centre flap; some lovely scale detailing on the covering; a decent cockpit set; a glassfibre cowl; and of course retracts.

Hefty all-electric retracts:

Lovely split dive brakes: 

An FG cowl:

A fattish semi-symetrical section:

Nice detail all over, really: 

So, to work!  Retracts out, centre flap servo hole boarded up (I will do this differently), e-flight bomb release slot added:

The retract wells get covered up by some lovely heavy-plastic gear doors (not shown yet).

Wings joined with wood glue on the heft quarter inch ply joiners:

Cockpit detailed up, re-painted, and weathered where necessary.  I converted the single-piece cockpit to the four-piece type as shown in the full size photo above, and as used in combat:

9 cylinder radial drawn-up and printed, pushrods added, ready for primer:

So she's about like this at the moment - servos and control rods just going in, then some more weathering, and then the serial decals etc.

More to follow!