Progress on my 1/48 P-3

Well, it has been a long time coming but I am making some headway again. After yesterdays success with the forward gear bay I though I would get the canopy squared away and start finishing up the flight deck. Unfortunately, the Tigger canopy is fictious-like, not even in the universe!



It's hard to see, but it only has a single flat pane in the front... not at all like the P-3's I've seen:



Notice on this image how there should be a point/edge at center and two panes each side. As such I spent most of today making a new master to pull a vacuformed canopy from. I waxed the inside of the Tigger canopy, then used BONDO to fill it. Bondo dries hard fast, and is hard unlike plaster. I then removed it from the mold, sanded some with 36 grit and applied more to get the shape right at front center.



After some sanding and refilling I was close:



Next i primed it, let it dry and masked the clear areas with Tamiya yellow tape. I then did an aggressive sand starting with 220 and ending with 400 grit to get the 'edges' right, flat places flat, and rounded places round. More primer adn some green #m for pin holes:



In the morning it will get a final sand and a reprime if neccessary. Should have a shiny new-correct-canopy tomorrow!

I also got some work done in the flightdeck area. Built a FELC and the 'table' on the other side-painted them up, as well as the cockpit and seats. I used some Steal Beach E-2C seats-close enough. Still have some detail painting to do but they look the part! Detailed trhe FELC with Eduard brass for the E-2C as well. I have no idea what this should really look like, but it is certainly Shep Paine busy for what you will see through the canopy.



Once I have the canopy made I can get the panel, center panel area and side panels finished up. Also the overhead panel.

Looking good sofar!

Cheers

Pat