TOPIC:

Cheers guys, building this one's really a trip to memory lane.
I'm just working with the stuff I have at hand, I would've had a go at doing the shell with plasticard and styrene glue otherwise...
Not that I'm complaining about the strength it seems to have acquired now.
Looks messy still but I can already see it being a feisty red Hopper.

Man, that rear axle dampening works nicely already.

It's even adjustable (in hardness) 'cause a screwdriver can reach the shafts from the top (through one of the holes).

Very tidy

Decided to glass fiber reinforce the nose...
Tip was done separately here but the whole surface will get the treatment, new approach is to pour the resin on the fiber mats :



Hoping to achieve a smoother surface like that, which would mean much less sanding :



Some extra fibers on the sides and going for an additional bit of reinforced surface :



Smoothening out - after lots and lots of sanding (no images of that) :



Front end had a piece missing that's fiber glass now :



Starting to look alright :



More coming when the rain stops...

Very good idea it will be fatter and good for the direction

Shell really was a bit flimsy there. Couple o'cracks too. Gonna do the roof the as well.
And then figure out a good way to fix the missing piece on the wing...

On another note (so I won't have to start a new topic) - anybody know a good alternative 18 teeth 0.8 module pinion?
Brass originals are quite expensive and apparently the one I got is alloy. So that's a ninja star by now.

Bit of primer on the outside to see where I'm at. Going alright :

sterling effort on the body starting to look very nice

If you remove the 540 adaptor, You can put a hornet pinion in aloy