K7 bluebird 1/43 scale build

I want to make a start on the perspex splash guards and have a couple of questions if anyone can help...
What thickness clear plastic sheet would look acceptable and best to work with?

I'm guessing the real splash guards were 10mm thick max, which would be just over 0.2mm in 1/43 scale.

I could make this simple and just use cheap clear plastic, or the ones that come with the kit, but if possible, I would like to use acrylic/perspex.

Acrylic sheet doesn't scratch as easy as the softer dolls house clear plastic sheet and also, I have glued clear acrylic/perspex in the past with the proper adhesive for it and the bond is invisible.

That was 5mm perspex though, which brings me to my next question....what is the thinnest acrylic/perspex sheet available?



I have searched 0.5 and 0.3 acrylic sheet, but the results seem to come up with PETG sheet.

I want the same stuff as what is normally available in 2mm to 5mm that's used for acrylic display cases for example.



I'm hoping to make the splash guards removable in one piece with the attaching arm.

I'm looking into using some photo-etch carrier frame (the sprue) for the splash guards metal mounting strip that runs along the bottom. If this works out, I may attach this brass strip to the model with a little gap for the clear panel to slot into.

You can use clear styrene ,
https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...32,2926&pg=2&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&e=0

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...32,2926&pg=2&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&e=0

solvent weld or
this is a good adhesive for it ,
https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...t=2&u=0&pg=2&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&e=0

Thanks. I'll give the glue a try.
If possible though, I would like to use acrylic for the splash guards, if acrylic is made thin enough. If not, I'll go with the styrene.

1/2 mm ,

https://www.amazon.com/12x12x-02-Pl...4318&sprefix=acrylic+film,aps,132&sr=8-2&th=1

Thanks, I'll probably go for that PETG one, as the normal acrylic perspex doesn't seem to be available any thinner than 2mm. Perhaps that's because it's not flexible and would break too easily if it was thinner.

Here are the mounts for the splash guards.
There is a tiny lip along the top for the clear plastic to slot into.
If I permanently attach the mounting rods to the splash guards, I'm hoping to be able to slot the rods into little holes where they attach to the fuselage and then slot the bottom edge of the splash guards into the brass mounts I've made and they won't need to be glued in place.

Few more pics.

You maybe could use microscope slide covers . ,, I think the slides themselves might go thinner than 1 mm , but the covers are super thin - maybe too thin .
Grind them to shape with a wet diamond wheel . The machines made for working with stained glass would be the best route .
Just an idea .

Yes, perhaps. I did cut some very thin real glass once for a model.

I've redone the splash guards mounts smaller.

To have the wider section at the rear of the mount, I had to cut away the upper section forward of it. Wasn't an easy job to say the least.

We made another trip to Coniston today and I got some more useful reference photos of Bluebird.
I need to make a new headrest.

Also, nothing to do with models, but who would have thought a trees branches would still be the same over 57 years later!

The new headrest. It attached to a peg and is only lightly glued on, so I can remove it and paint it separate from the model

I've finished the cockpit, other than the seatbelts

I finally decided to do away with the engraved panel lines. They were too deep, wide and uneven.
I have decided to get some Archer rivet decals for the panel detail. I need the o scale rivets though and I can't find any for sale here in the UK, so I'll have to have them shipped from the US.

I'll have to have a think about making a YouTube video of the magnetic parts being fitted, as the cockpit, engine tailpipe, hydrofoil and the tail fin only have to be offered up close to their position on the model and they just jump into place on their own, with a nice "lock and load" sound.
Attaching the model to its display base will be the same, with the more powerful magnet inside the bottom of the hull.
It's a shame the sponsons couldn't have attached the same way, but it just wasn't possible because there isn't enough room in the spars for powerful enough magnets to securely hole them.
The brass rods mean that not much glue will be required or relied upon though.

I've started to re-scribe the panel lines.
The archer rivets decals are on their way to me from the states.

The rest of the panel lines are done. Please excuse the poor photos.
They have turned out much better than I expected.
The engine cover panel lines should actually continue through the side panels to the bottom panel line, but I'm quitting while I'm ahead for now.

Another before and after

I was struggling for a moment to understand why the fin wasn't wide enough across the top from front to back and the Pitot tube had to be to long for its tip to be in the correct position above the sloping front edge of the fin.
Then I realised that the fin was too tall.

I cut the fin down lower and got the width across the top and the Pitot tube shorter while still reaching out far enough.