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Thread: How to make your own float plane.

  1. #1

    Default How to make your own float plane.

    How to get the clipper1801 bug!
    1. Inspiration, none other than clipper1801.

    2. Project, let me see...aha that will do nicely.

    3. Take 2 Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen Zero’s


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    4. Remove mounting peg. (Discard).

    5. Remove drop tanks (and keep to one side you will need these later).


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    6. Where drop tank was fitted to Zero cut out a slot to receive the central float spar.


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    7. Drill two holes just inside the underwing decal and central to receive outer float support bar.

    8. Drill two holes underwing just where curve of wing joins fuselage to receive the central float rear support bars.


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    9. Using wood off cuts mark out central float and central float support spar.

    10. Level off top of each drop tank. Drill hole slightly forward of centre. Locate and glue paper clip cut to size for strut.
    11. Cut to size a paper clip bend into shape for central float rear support struts.


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    12. Locate and glue central float support spar into float. Fill gap with filler allow to dry.
    13. Repeat process and attach central float to aircraft.

    14. Locate and glue into position the outer support strut/float assembly.

    15. Using a normal mounting peg, cut and grind down. Glue to central float at ‘step’.


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    16. Paint.

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    17. Repeat process for 2nd float plane!
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-22-2014 at 08:02.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  2. #2

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    Nice one Neil, and not an elf in sight
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  3. #3

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    Nicely done, indeed.

    Great tutorial as well. Thanks.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  4. #4

  5. #5

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    Neil,
    Will this help?

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    Saw your thread on stats, so updated the card to match.

    Mike
    Last edited by OldGuy59; 07-22-2014 at 09:21. Reason: Ship Name Change

  6. #6

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    Now he can no longer be describes as "Rufe-less"....

  7. #7

  8. #8

    Thumbs up

    Super Work Neil!
    I wanted to give you some Rep but I have to spread it around first!

  9. #9

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    Mike those are awesome cards. Thank you very very very much. (getting into panto mode now...too many songs to learn and I'm no good with lines).
    See you on the Dark Side......

  10. #10

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    Um -- it's "Kimikawa", not "Kamikawa". Other than that, lovely.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by csadn View Post
    Um -- it's "Kimikawa", not "Kamikawa". Other than that, lovely.
    It could be either. There were four tenders in the class, with those two names and two others: Kiyokawa Maru and Kunikawa Maru

    Customer gets his choice.

    Mike

  12. #12

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    There were 9 merchant ships taken over between 1937 and 1941 and adapted as sea plane carriers/tenders. They carried 8-12 sea planes, launched from two catapults on the well deck and recovered by derrick. Single 6in guns were fitted at bow and stern; and 2 13.2mm AA on the bridge wings. The list of ships, which ranged between 6000 and 9000 grt, were as follows; Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru, Kimikawa Maru, Kinugasa Maru, Kiyokawa Maru, Kunikawa Maru, Sagara Maru, Sanyo Maru and Sanuki Maru.

    Kamikawa Maru was lost as a sea plane tender in May 1943, the others were re-converted to transports 1941-43.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-22-2014 at 14:07.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  13. #13

    Default

    • Kamikawa Maru
    • Displacement: 6,853 long tons (6,963 t) gross
    • Speed: 19.5 knots (22.4 mph; 36.1 km/h
    • Crew: 65 as cargo ship
      Armament 1937: • 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 AA guns
      • 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns
      Aircraft carried: up to 12 float plane

    Career (extract), fate
    Date Contents
    18 September 1937 Enlisted by the Navy. On 19 September, classified to Auxiliary seaplane tender.
    1 October 1937 Assigned to the 3rd Fleet.
    1 December 1937 Assigned to the 3rd Carrier Division, 3rd Fleet.
    1 February 1938 3rd Carrier Division was transferred to the 5th Fleet.
    1 July 1938 Assigned to the 3rd Fleet.
    15 December 1938 Classified to Auxiliary aircraft transport.
    15 November 1939 Classified to Auxiliary seaplane tender, assigned to the China Area Fleet.
    1 April 1940 Assigned to the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet.
    15 November 1940 Assigned to the 6th Carrier Division, Combined Fleet.
    10 April 1941 Assigned to the 12th Carrier Division, 3rd Fleet.
    7 December 1941 Sortie for the Battle of Malaya.
    10 March 1942 Assigned to the 4th Fleet.
    18 April 1942 Sortie for the Operation MO.
    20 May 1942 Assigned to the 11th Carrier Division, Southeast Area Fleet.
    28 May 1942 Sortie for the Operation MI.
    15 June 1942 Sortie for the Operation AL.
    14 July 1942 11th Carrier Division was moved to the 2nd Fleet.
    23 August 1942 Sortie for the Guadalcanal Campaign.
    1 April 1943 11th Carrier Division was moved to the Southeast Area Fleet.
    15 April 1943 11th Carrier Division was disbanded.
    29 May 1943 Sunk by USS Scamp at northwest of Kavieng 01°36′S 150°24′E.
    15 July 1943 Removed from naval ship list and discharged.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  14. #14

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    Excellent how-to, Neil...
    I'll have to acquire 2 more zeros now... The things you make me do...

  15. #15

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    Superb Neil.
    I have only just caught this thread.
    It does explain other things. i now get your oblique reference, when I was bemoaning the lack of availability of Italian float planes.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  16. #16

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    Very nice conversion, Neil.
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  17. #17

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    Just finished number 2. Used cocktail sticks for the floats. Otherwise everything else was the same.

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    See you on the Dark Side......

  18. #18

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    Outstanding job on the conversion. I am always amazed by the talents of those in here.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    There were 9 merchant ships taken over between 1937 and 1941 and adapted as sea plane carriers/tenders. They carried 8-12 sea planes, launched from two catapults on the well deck and recovered by derrick. Single 6in guns were fitted at bow and stern; and 2 13.2mm AA on the bridge wings. The list of ships, which ranged between 6000 and 9000 grt, were as follows; Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru, Kimikawa Maru, Kinugasa Maru, Kiyokawa Maru, Kunikawa Maru, Sagara Maru, Sanyo Maru and Sanuki Maru.

    Kamikawa Maru was lost as a sea plane tender in May 1943, the others were re-converted to transports 1941-43.
    Francillon shows it as _Kamika Maru_ -- looks like a paste-up error there. Oh well.

  20. #20

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    There were 5 sister ships in the Kamikawa Class too.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  21. #21

    Dom S's Avatar
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    It's worth noting the Rufe was more commonly used from shore installations though - it wasn't in service in time for the initial Japanese attacks, and afaik only two seaplane tenders (Kamikawa Maru and Chitose) used the Rufe to any great degree - most had a mix of Petes, Daves and Jakes, although some had at least a few Rufes later on - Chiyoda seems to have acquired 6 of them at some point, although probably only briefly - it looks like she ferried them to Truk rather than them being her own air group.

    (Opinions seem to differ as to whether the Rufe was in service for Midway - some OOBs say the Chitose and Kamikawa Maru had Rufes by then, but others, which I'm more inclined to think correct, give Petes and Daves on the Chitose, and Petes, Daves and Jakes on the Kamikawa Maru, which got its first Rufes in August '42, before deploying to the Guadalcanal area.)

    The Rufe was used fairly extensively in the Solomons (chiefly from Shortland and Tulagi) and the Aleutians though, where it proved very handy at times.
    Last edited by Dom S; 07-24-2014 at 03:04.

  22. #22

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    Thanks for the info Dom. I have most of that. With a derth of floatplanes and this being the simplest conversion, for me anyway, this is what it will be until the Petes, Daves and Jakes come along.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  23. #23

    Dom S's Avatar
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    Yeah, it's definitely the smart one to start with.

    The Pete and Jake can be found in 1/200, but only at rather steep prices (at least one German manufacturer has them in their ship fittings range) so the Rufe is a rather more practical bet.

    Dom.

    PS - Link just in case - no photo of the Pete, but the Jake looks fair enough, if a little basic. Looks like it needs a home build canopy though, which will be a joy....
    http://shop.marinemodellwerft.de/ind...sting_count=96

  24. #24

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    Great find Dom. Cheers.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  25. #25

  26. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dom S View Post
    (Opinions seem to differ as to whether the Rufe was in service for Midway - some OOBs say the Chitose and Kamikawa Maru had Rufes by then, but others, which I'm more inclined to think correct, give Petes and Daves on the Chitose, and Petes, Daves and Jakes on the Kamikawa Maru, which got its first Rufes in August '42, before deploying to the Guadalcanal area.)
    Given the A6M2-N didn't first fly until Dec. 7 '41, I somehow doubt the Japanese were able to produce any in times for Midway; at any rate, nothing I've seen documentation for says they were deployed any earlier than just before the first US air attacks on Tulagi.

    Side note: _Pete_s were actually used as "auxiliary fighters" by the IJNAF; their maneuverability made up a bit of their lack of speed and firepower.

  27. #27

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    Inspired by Neil, I had to have one or two! Still not sure on the colors to do . . .



    Thanks for the great instructions!



    Thinking the pink is kinda cool . . .



    Gotta let the glue dry . . .


  28. #28

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    Another well executed job there Dave.
    I hope you can find room for them amongst your vast array of models.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."



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