Fine Molds Falcon Cockpit Woes

[PHArchivist]

Sorry for starting another thread for this, but I wanted to get some attention.

Quartz and I have been studying the cockpit, and various indicators point to the fact that it is too long, if only by milimeters.

I thought I had a solution in using a cockpit part from the Ertl kit, but I'm afraid it is too short.

I need input, insight, and opinions before I go slicing up a cockpit from a $200 plastic model kit...

Thoughts...?

 

[burningman]

can you make a copy somehow and slice that up instead? Vacform or resin hollowcast?

 

[PHArchivist]

Thought about that... My own casting skills, however, prevent that. I'm a bit limited in skills and really could only pull off a solid cast.

On the other hand, if any gracious soul had an extra Ertl canopy, that would be a starting point for experimenting/prototyping.

 

[cobywan]

Or you could just make it out of sheet styrene. Just a little drawing before hand should get you the pattern you need.

 

[PHArchivist]

What are your opinions of the Ertl compared to the FM?

Which seems closer to correct?



Of note, the diameter at the front of the canopy (the smaller disc) is onle .5mm different between the two.

The FM canopy is only half a milimeter smaller in diameter compared to the Ertl, though in the pics above the illusion is that the Ertl has a larger diameter than that.

 

[QuartZ]

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Jun 11 2006, 09:55 AM) [snapback]1260125[/snapback]</div>

What are your opinions of the Ertl compared to the FM?

Which seems closer to correct?



Of note, the diameter at the front of the canopy (the smaller disc) is onle .5mm different between the two.

The FM canopy is only half a milimeter smaller in diameter compared to the Ertl, though in the pics above the illusion is that the Ertl has a larger diameter than that.
[/b]

So the Ertl cockpit almost fits diameter wise? Wow. I never would have thought. The length looks dramatically different though.

-Dana

 

[PHArchivist]

Hey Q (got your PM)...

Yeah a common complaint with the Ertl kit (and subsequently a common modification) is the cockpit - its too small...

But since the FM bird IS a smaller scale, I figured I try the cockpit put of my Ertl cut-away kit (which will never be built)...

And, as hoped, the tunnel diameter is precisely the same -- exactly.

So, now... What to do about the length...?

IIRC, the FM deficiency in length was abot 1.5mm... That would hold to my impressions. I think the length difference was 4mm, and the actual length SHOULD be closer to the FM, based on the appearance in the pics above. So increasing the length of the Ertl cockpit by 2.5mm (I think) would be just about right.

 

[eFXBarry]

The easiest fix to correct the cockpit it to rebuild the front window section.

The whole diameter of the cockpit is a little off as the cockpit tube sits further below the sidewalls than it does on the actual studio model. It's not by much, maybe 1mm or so, but it throws things off.

The window section is definitely wrong. The small "square-ish window" is too rectangular on the FM model and the long window forward of it is too long by perhaps 2-3mm. Also the angle of the windows on the side is a little too steep. For what it's worth.

Barry