HK Models 1/32 Do 335

[stona]

Graham, it's the only way I can get the damned things to fit!


As a BTW the 'standard' armament for the Do 335 was the two MG 151/20 cannons over the engine and one 30mm MK 103 firing through the spinner (on the front engine). The MK 103 was based on the MK 101 but was much improved and had a much higher muzzle velocity than the then standard MK 108 30mm cannon (860m/sec as opposed to 520m/sec).


My version is one of the B-2 'zerstorer' prototypes and had an additional MK 103 cannon in each wing, giving it a formidable five cannon (2 x 20mm and 3 x 30mm) armament.


Cheers


Steve

[stona]

I won't have much time today, so I've used this morning to attach the front engine/cannon bay assembly with the in built nose weight.






Along with the weight inside the front engine this is a very clever way of adding some considerable weight in an invisible way.


I've temporarily positioned a very roughly painted fuel tank in the model for this photo which shows the major part of the interior fuselage assembly.






There are a LOT of things that need to line up and I've already test fitted things like engine cowlings to make sure that the overall length and angle of everything, front engine in particular, are correct. You could easily get yourself into a world of trouble later on (I still might) unless you are careful here. The engineering and fit are superb, but it is not always easy to get together.


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

This is looking the dogs danglies Steve can't wait to see this come together.


Scott

[BarryW]

Just catching up on this Steve, she looks a beaut and you as always are doing a superb job of bringing it to life. The seat harness is not ideal but should look fine when the kit is finished.

[Guest]

That is a very impressive fuselage interior Steve, very impressive.

[yak face]

Looking good steve , i have to agree with you about the belts , they look a bit simplified for this scale, very surprising in a kit costing this much. Looking forward to the next pics , cheers tony

[flyjoe180]

Nice clean work Steve. That's really looking great.

[stona]

The next stage would be to start zipping up the fuselage. I haven't been able to do this because I'm awaiting some bits (more later) so instead I've assembled the main body of the wings c/w wheel wells and various other control surfaces for the tail.






Those Ps and Ss are very important as it's not easy to tell which part is port and which starboard and I wouldn't want to risk fitting them upside down


I ordered some replacement wheels from Eduard. The kit wheels are really not very good, the flat side is far too pronounced and they lack detail as well as looking a bit anaemic. The resin replacements are much better. Wheels are a very visible feature of a completed model. It was my dissatisfaction with those on my recent Bf 110 that prompted me to get these.






Eduard have positioned the main attachment to the casting block on the subtly flatted part of the tyre which makes for an easy clean up, I've only done a rough preliminary job for the photo. It took about 30 seconds.


I also ordered some resin exhaust stubs. The stubs on the DB 603 were not all the same and again Eduard have done a good job with a well labelled casting block giving the engine, side and numbered position for each stub.






In this case the resin parts are not a vast improvement on the kit parts. Whereas I would definitely recommend investing in the replacement wheels I would reckon that the kit parts could be made to look perfectly acceptable and that the replacement stubs are an unnecessary luxury. They cost less than a fiver (I had to pay for the shipping of the wheels in any case) so they hardly broke the bank


Once I get the exhausts done and fitted to the engines I can proceed with the fuselage.


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

It is often the little things that mean so much Steve. I think it is worth it.

[Guest]

Very interested in this since it's the first HK model I've watched being built...looking good so far!

[stona]

A little more progress. I have now painted and attached all the exhaust stubs along with their surrounding panels and a few other bits of tubing, pipes etc. This has allowed me to test fit the fuselage sides to make sure everything lines up and the two sides actually meet. Thankfully everything seems to fit okay at this stage. I've decided to leave my roughly painted, never to be seen, fuel tank in.


Here's a couple of images with one fuselage side in place to show just how big this aircraft was. The blue 'background' is an A3 cutting mat!










I now have a load more gubbins (rear propeller shaft, air intake system etc.) to fit before I can finally close up the fuselage.


Cheers


Steve

[stona]

Gubbins installed.






I will join the fuselage halves tomorrow once this has had time to dry and I've had time to triple check everything is correctly positioned.


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

Well done, so far. That looks like a really nice kit... and huge!

[Guest]

Stunning work Steve, very nicely detailed 'gubbins'

[papa 695]

Very nice work Steve