Tonight I made a good start on the Eduard Hellcat II This is one of the profipack kits but I'm building it using their plastic and my own scratch-built details. I'm not doing the drone this time because I've found out that it would need more modifications than I want to be involved with at this point. Maybe later...
The Eduard kit is quite old now - 2008 I think. I've had the particular kit in my stash for ten years so this isn't from a worn-out mould but look at the irritating mould lines and tiny parts on big gates.
--- pic1 not found ---
--- pic2 not found ---
I bet it looked great on the CAD screen, but plastic is soft and moulds have tolerances. I think Eduard was a little too ambitious and I have a kit here which is a bit of a pain in the neck to build. Some see this as a challenge and I have some sympathy with that view, but life is too short and my fingers are too big!
I haven't taken many pictures of the build so far as it's just the boring stuff and most of my time has been spent cleaning up pieces and making things fit. And I forgot, sorry. I remembered my responsibilities when I came to the engine.
--- pic3 not found ---
Good crisp details marred by a little bit of misalignment of the mould halves. It wont be visible from the side so no worries.
--- pic4 not found ---
This is the instruction diag for the photoetch ignition harness. Each cylinder had two spark plugs, one in front and one behind. In this scale I'm taking one wire over the top and letting it represent two real life cables. ('Model' = a simplified representation)
--- pic5 not found ---
--- pic6 not found ---
The crankcase hides a channel into which I planned to anchor the ends of my cables.
--- pic7 not found ---
This is the back of the engine. It wont be visible at all. Id rather have had separate push rods at the front and nothing at all on the back. It wasn't where Eduard spent their design time though.
--- pic8 not found ---
Holes drilled, 18 of them. [Thanks, son for making me that micro electric drill!]
--- pic9 not found ---
--- pic10 not found ---
Another dozen and a half holes to drill but first, a proof of concept which went well.
--- pic11 not found ---
Job done.
--- pic12 not found ---
Wire ended superglued down and crankcase fitted. I'm pleased with the outcome but worried about painting it!
--- pic13 not found ---
I needn't worry really as it won't be that conspicuous once cowled up. I'll tidy up the lie of the wirong when the glue is hardened tomorrow.
