Thunderbird 2 Scratchbuild

KevinD

KevinD

Sr Member
I have finally begun a scratchbuild of Thunderbird 2, my favourite of all the Anderson craft (and possibly the hardest to capture the likeness of). So far, I have made a framework by cutting out a plan and profile in plasticard. Then I stuck some balsa in there to bulk it out. Next off, lots of car body filler. This will be followed by weeks of filling and sanding and tweaking the shape and then repeating it all until I am either satisfied or fed up!

This is it so far.





 
Looks very nice! I thought the head might be a bit too high in the first pic, but it looks great in the second-to-last.

Not having tried this kind of curvy thing before, how thick can you put the body filler on? Is it something which needs to outgas during curing?

Thanks,

Will
 
Thanks. I think the proportions are right, but it's really hard to tell. You can put the body filler on to an inch or so, but not with any accuracy, so you have to be prepared for a lot of sanding and a lot of dust! It doesn't produce any gas when it cures and if it's a warm day it has usually set hard in 15 minutes.
 
Thanks. I have done a bit more, I've altered the intake profile slightly and added a lip to the side boom. This I made from milliput, it will probably need more work when I fit the pod (which I haven't even made yet!). I've put plasticard on the upper and lower wing surfaces, which i've sanded to profile and made the lumps that the legs will attach to.




 
I have not done anything on this model since 2014. I have finally got back to it now. I have resumed work on it by scratchbuilding the tail. I have made it from plasticard mainly. Things did not go well as I was only just starting work on it when my modelling knife missed the plastic and sliced the pad of my index finger off! A trip to A&E followed by about 5 weeks waiting for it to grow back ensued! Anyway, back on it now.



 
Oh no! Hope the finger heals soon. If it's any consolation, it's looking great so far and look forward to the next update when you have the bandages off! :)
 
Thanks very much. Yep, all healed now. It is very telling that when I did it my only concern was how long it would be before I could get back to model making!
 
Yes, the sanding sucks! (I don't know anybody who actually loves to sand:behave)...besides that; it's looking good for sure. Keep up the great work and eager to see it progress.
 
Thanks. I have cobbled together some detail for the fore and aft bulkheads (from random bits of kits). Studying screenshots reveals a total lack of consistency in the detail involved here so I have used that as justification for making it up! That and the fact that it will hardly ever be seen.



 
I never like doing windows in models, they never seem to go easily. For this one I have cut a recess into the filler around the window opening (not easy as the fuselage slopes away in every direction!). I cut out a piece of clear acetate and shaped it by blasting it with a hairdryer. This was glued in place with epoxy and then loads of milliput put around it. This will need careful sanding as most of the clear part will still be body as the windows are small (which is why I've not bothered with an interior). Then there are the lower windows to do!

 
Time to work on the pod. As before, I have made a framework from plasticard. This time though I have had to start by building an interior before doing the exterior. I have made a back and floor from plasticard and a ceiling from aluminium sheet. The detail is entirely made up but isn't going to be seen terribly much. The white lintel over the hatch is because I cut the hole too big!



 
Thanks. As with the main fuselage, I have packed out the pod with balsa and then skinned it over with milliput and sanded it to shape. The grooves were made with a dremel. There is a lot of fiddling still to do to get the shape just right. I will need to remodel the side booms to fit the pod as I expected.





 
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