A classic build continues
With the main fuselage, tail and wings completed attention turns to the engine nacelles. Each nacelle is in two parts and they align easily with a tab and slot on the underside, however watch the sides are flush and the slot for the engine turbine faces has very thin plastic and can easily crack.
Now we reach another well documented problem with this kit, if you mount the nacelles as they are, you end up with a step between the upper wing surface and the top surface of the exhaust reheat assembly.
This is a curved surface and if you try to add plasticard and filler you will end up with the exhausts all wrong. Better we mount the reheat assembly to the wing first, then modify the profile of the nacelles to fit.
My method for gauging the amount of material to remove from the nacelles is careful measurement each side with accurate callipers, it worked out as 3mm on the outer faces and 2mm on the inner.
The outer face has a slight step that needs to be removed first, then using the calliper mark at the rear edge, score a line direct to the forward edge. Using flat edged cutters the excess material can be nibbled away and filed flat.
Now we are flush to the wing surface, much more accurate and presentable.
The intake ducts have some injector pin marks that need filling before it can be primed and pre-painted.
The flow dump vents can be drilled out and using a scalpel trimmed to shape. It should be noted that Airfix have moulded these opening outwards, which I am not going to change, but in reality they would have opened inwards.
Ducts all clean and smooth, the pre-painted turbine faces can fit into their locating slot.
Inside the ducts are the flow ramps and splitter vane, some more injection pin marks to deal with here before again pre-painting, as you won’t reach these when assembled to the nacelle.
Fitting the vertical splitter vane first, the ramps align onto the vane, but you will need to clamp into position before gluing to ensure they stay horizontal.
Notice at the join area of the two nacelle parts I have added some L shape styrene strip to increase the glue area onto the lower wing surface.
Paul Ainsworth says
“Hello,Mick” – That’s an epic build of a very-challenging kit but your results speak for themselves in those photos.
I’ve seen this kit (unmade) and saw how daunting a prospect it is to build.
You’ve made a fantastic job of it and she’s a magnificent tribute to the legendary ‘Concorde’. Superb modelling.🏆
Best Regards,
Paul.😉👍