Some time Ago, Like May of 2012 I Purchased a very Nice 1/144th Scale Trumpeter item No. 01317 Plastic Model Kit.
I fully intended to immediately add it to my Micro PMC 144th fleet. Apon Opening the kit I was pleasently surprised to fine the model was molded with the Upper Half and clear cockpit canopy pre-assembled. The Lower section containing the Weapons bays and wheel wells proved to be completely in the way. It was my original intent to do this great looking Aircarft with wheels down and all bays open to show as much detail as possible. Well after a lot of thought I was unable to craft a way to do this so the model was set aside while I pondered how to get the dual MMX motor tubes and some sort of recovery system into the very confined spaces.
Almost Three years have passed! March 2015. Darn it I really want to fly this great looking model!
I'll have to reverse my approach to building this one. She will have to be Wheels Up and ALL external door will have to be closed.
To get minimum diameter T2+ Body/motor tubes into place a good bit of Dremel mill-end and 1/4" Drum sander interior alterations will be needed. With the limited space available for Motor block, Shock-line anchor, Shock-line and Streamer(s) for recovery seems like dual intake ejected streams will be the best recovery alternative. Will also have to alter the aft jet exhaust ports from closed slots to round openings with two MMX-II motors extending an additional 1/8".
I'll do a cardboard cut-out this morning and try to determine and LCP and proposed CG for this model...could be interesting.
I'm not really sure what if any external stores and drop tanks I'll use as we're just getting started with this build.
Sorry but have not taken any photos other then the Box Art and instructions at this point. I was more interested in fitting the motor tubes then taking before and after photos so you'll only see the After pics where the Nose Wheel Well, Weapons Bay and Aft Exhaust ports have been altered. The cockpit tub also had to be junked instead inserting a dark Styrene false botton inside the clear canopy and a nose section seperator to contain the expected #9 Lead Shot Nose weight I HOPE can be crammed into this limited space.
This on will likely take a while to work out as we go along.
I fully intended to immediately add it to my Micro PMC 144th fleet. Apon Opening the kit I was pleasently surprised to fine the model was molded with the Upper Half and clear cockpit canopy pre-assembled. The Lower section containing the Weapons bays and wheel wells proved to be completely in the way. It was my original intent to do this great looking Aircarft with wheels down and all bays open to show as much detail as possible. Well after a lot of thought I was unable to craft a way to do this so the model was set aside while I pondered how to get the dual MMX motor tubes and some sort of recovery system into the very confined spaces.
Almost Three years have passed! March 2015. Darn it I really want to fly this great looking model!
I'll have to reverse my approach to building this one. She will have to be Wheels Up and ALL external door will have to be closed.
To get minimum diameter T2+ Body/motor tubes into place a good bit of Dremel mill-end and 1/4" Drum sander interior alterations will be needed. With the limited space available for Motor block, Shock-line anchor, Shock-line and Streamer(s) for recovery seems like dual intake ejected streams will be the best recovery alternative. Will also have to alter the aft jet exhaust ports from closed slots to round openings with two MMX-II motors extending an additional 1/8".
I'll do a cardboard cut-out this morning and try to determine and LCP and proposed CG for this model...could be interesting.
I'm not really sure what if any external stores and drop tanks I'll use as we're just getting started with this build.
Sorry but have not taken any photos other then the Box Art and instructions at this point. I was more interested in fitting the motor tubes then taking before and after photos so you'll only see the After pics where the Nose Wheel Well, Weapons Bay and Aft Exhaust ports have been altered. The cockpit tub also had to be junked instead inserting a dark Styrene false botton inside the clear canopy and a nose section seperator to contain the expected #9 Lead Shot Nose weight I HOPE can be crammed into this limited space.
This on will likely take a while to work out as we go along.