DesTROYers 1/48 RAN Grumman S-2G Tracker

[DesTROYer]

I just recently completed part one of my redemption for the neglect of the RAN in my built collection by building a Collins class Submarine (not posted here on ACAM). April 1st signalled part two with the beginning of my build of a RAN S-2G Tracker.



For the build I will be using the Kinetic 1/48 S-2F Tracker kit, Nova scale decals, Big Ed photo etch sets and most likely, but not confirmed the scale aircraft conversions white metal undercarriage, as I am still trying to decide if I am going wheels up or wheels down.


I started up adding PE sets to the cockpit parts.




And today I have spend most of my time putting together the Torpedo bay.


Man, is that stuff fiddly.

More to come during the coming week and weekend. Thanks for watching.

For those interested, there was a RAN Tracker reunion on the weekend at Nowra, and as a part of the weekends activites, they started up and taxied 844 which on the way to being restored to flying condition.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/703844286295816/permalink/1607294885950747/

[Wedgetail]

I'm looking forward to this build Troy. A few Havana Club rums and a comfy lounge await me.
I have the Kinetic Hawkeye which I intend to do as a French Aeronvale version.
The Collins Sub looks the ducks nuts.
Cheers
Wayne.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Looking good there Troy! Destroyed your eye sight with all that PE yet?

[DesTROYer]

Back in the office today and working on... well, the office.










After a failure dipping the cockpit windows on an old batch of future last night, I dipped them in windex to clean it off, washed out the old dipping jar and replaced with a new batch of the good stuff then dipped them again, so the windows will have to wait until tomorrow for masking and painting. Tomorrow I start on the engines and wings.

[Wedgetail]

Great looking office Troy, some nice work on the instrument panel and seat belt set ups.
Cheers
Wayne.

[DesTROYer]

Cheers Wayne. Here's todays progress.
I started out withe drilling and filing out holes for the exhausts. For some reason Kitetic don't include them in the detail in the kit. I just used some brass tube for mine.



I then got to work adding the PE detail to the engines.



I corrected one of the intake vent locations and filled the locating hole where Kinetic would have you put it.



Then continued on assembling the wings. Still lots of PE to fit to them though.



The cockpit windows look pretty simple to mask and a test fit showed that it fits into the fuselage very neatly and little fill on the seams will be required, if any. However, I seem to like to do things the difficult way. I wanted the inside colour to be one colour, the top windows clear green and the outside of the cockpit painted white the rest of the plane. So I masked up the inside and out side windows, primed the inside black then sprayed the outside top windows clear green. I'll leave the paint now to cure until tomorrow, when I will then mask off the outside top windows, paint the inside of the window frames, attach the overhead instrument panels, remove the internal masks and finally install the windscreen onto the fuselage.



Thats it for now. More work on the wings and start on the undercarriage tomorrow. I love long weekends.

[oz rb fan]

looking the dogs knackers mate.....nice job on the exhausts

[Wedgetail]

What Oz said, the canopy turned out OK going by the photos.
What a difference the exhaust mods make.
Cheers
Wayne.

[tor lives]

Really impressive build so far Troy.
TOR

[DesTROYer]

Thanks guys. I Slept in till 10:00 am, then went and visited Dad in hospital until 2:00, so not as much got done today on the Tracker. Still I am very happy with my progress. I need to figure out what to do with the spot light. Kinetic don't supply anything but the cover and surround. I'll either have to use the PE one I have in the exterior detail set but that will take some head scratching, or I will find another way.
I also need to figure out the wing hard points. The kit has three per wing, but the photos of the RAN Trackers I've seen only have two per wing. What set of locators do I use, or are they different again when there are only two? I looking for a good front on shot that will let me figure this out, but I think all front end shots I have are from after the hard points were removed for retirement.