Model Builder International Pilot Issue Model Builder International Pilot Issue | Page 7

Fig 1 Wiring

Fig 2 Rusting the exhaust

The engine is a complex little model in itself.
With all the detail of the intake manifold and
separate exhausts, oil return lines and valve covers
on every cylinder, I spent the better part of an
evening at the living room coffee table cleaning
things up. I painted most of the parts separately
and gave them a dark gray wash before assembly.
I decided right away that I would add plug wires
to the ignition harness. A #75 drill and 10 minutes
gave me the good attachment points for the wire
I was going to use, FIG 1. I measured and cut the
lengths of wire I would need and added them
one size at a time to keep everything organized.
Some final detail painting and I was ready for
the exhausts - I gave them a base coat of Model
Master Burnt Iron Metalizer. From there, I mixed
some Warpigs pigments in Polly Scale clear flat and
applied it with a stiff brush to give the ‘rusty used’
look a random appearance, FIG 2. The assembled
exhausts made the engine look great, FIG 3.
While doing a major dry-fit I noticed something
that didn’t look right. The size of the opening for

Fig 4 Redoing the exhausts

Fig 3 Completed Engine

the exhaust stubs seemed out of proportion to the
rest of the engine. A fast check of my references
showed I was right. The kit openings were double
the size they should be. It took a little thought
on how to correct this. There is an aftermarket
set, but I decided to use styrene strip to close
the opening closer to what it should be. I left the
forward part of the opening alone opting to just
deal with the main shape and size. Once I inserted
a curved length of strip I taped over it with clear
Scotch tape. I poured some white resin into the
cavity of the opening. Once cured, a fast clean up
with a sanding stick proved this was the way to go.
After another dry fit I realized that the kit exhausts
would not fit into the new openings. What did I get
myself into? Photos of the exhausts show the exit
angle to be rather steep, but the kit has a much
shallower angle, which is why the opening was so
large. There was really no way to manipulate the
kit exhausts to work without re-engineering them
to the engine, so I decided to build new exhausts
from tubing. Since I had to order the tubing I