K7 bluebird 1/43 scale build

[durangod]

Great project, thanks for sharing progress.

 

[Keith-7]

I added some more panel lines using the photos I took of the real Bluebird for reference.

 

[Keith-7]

I continued the engine cover lines down through the side strip panels as they should and also added the groove where the canopy slides open.

 

[durangod]

great lines, wish i could do that

 

[Keith-7]

I thought I was going to have to live with the way the front sponsons blended seamlessly into the nose section, but I couldn't.

I made these panels out of brass. It was a very tricky job, especially making the second panel, as that had to match the first.

 

[Keith-7]

Because it was impossible to make these panels in one piece, the plan was to make one end out of brass and use wire for the other end for the straight edge and hight of the panel and then fill in the middle with body filler.

 

[Keith-7]

The left side is finished and the right side has been filled, but the filler hasn't been shaped/sanded yet.

I'll know more when it's had a coat of primer, but so far it's looking like it's worked out ok.

 

[Keith-7]

A couple of natural light shots.
I will continue with it tomorrow, as I'm having a day off after making those brass panels

 

[durangod]

I suck at body work, that is really looking nice.

 

[Keith-7]

To make things even more awkward, I only just had enough brass to make the two panels. If the second one went wrong, I would have had to scrap the first one.
They are made from the sprue of a photo-etched sheet of 1/16 Tiger tank parts

 

[Keith-7]

I only managed to get a very thin coat of primer over the panels, as the can is empty. More primer should be arriving tomorrow.

 

[durangod]

What base color did you decide on?

 

[Keith-7]

I made the two brackets out of brass, for the arms that attach to the perspex splash guards.

 

[Keith-7]

What base color did you decide on?

Azure blue RAL 509

 

[Keith-7]

A before and after of the nose section.

 

[Keith-7]

I've started work on the canopy. I think the trimming is done, but I need to make a frame section to fit to the model outwards of the headrest area for the canopy to meet up to.

 

[Keith-7]

The back of the canopy was a little more rounded at the top than it should be, so I made a brass inner frame for the canopy to rest on and made an outer frame that's more the correct shape for the canopy to meet up to.
I've also made the slide rails out of brass.

 

[Keith-7]

Please excuse any dust on the canopy here, as it's not been cleaned yet after making it fit.

 

[Keith-7]

The brass inner frame that the back of the canopy rests on will not be seen when the canopy framework is painted blue.

Some good news....
While trimming the canopy, there appeared to be two layers. It turned out there were two canopies!
It's nice to have a spare one.
Also, I see no reason to have to glue the canopy in place. I may possibly apply a touch of canopy glue where it rests on the inner brass frame, but it stays in position well dry fitted, probably due to the side slide rails.

 

[durangod]

so beautiful