LetLetLet ~ Warplanes

Let Let Let - Warplanes => Aircraft Modeling => Topic started by: Second Air Force on June 18, 2016, 04:29:04 PM

Title: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on June 18, 2016, 04:29:04 PM
During the forum upgrade I made a good deal on a Classic Airframes Fiat with floatplane option:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF061/IMG_2931_zpsbz53trk5.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF061/IMG_2931_zpsbz53trk5.jpg.html)

Fortunately the normal landing gear is still part of the kit and the floats will go into my spares box. My intention (and for a long time......) is to build this as one of the Belgian fighters. Specifically I'm intending to build R-17, and Draken has been kind enough to send me a fantastic color profile of R-17 and R-7.

Just a test-fit here:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF061/IMG_2930_zpsasw7dcxu.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF061/IMG_2930_zpsasw7dcxu.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on June 18, 2016, 05:49:08 PM
This will be very something!!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on June 19, 2016, 08:53:30 AM
My pleasure to help you Scott!

I'm impatient to see your work!

Fiats CR42 were the Belgian most efficient fighters during the 18 days campaign of 1940: Hurricanes were ground destroyed at the beginning of the campaign; Gladiators just too weak against Me 109's; Renard 38 not yet in production and Brewster Buffaloes delivered too late... Fairey Fireflies and Fairey Foxes were just "a mouse for the cat" as we say in French.
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on June 19, 2016, 01:07:04 PM
wow, very nice subject, looking forward to see this done !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 05, 2016, 12:56:23 AM
There has been very little time to work on any of my model projects lately, having family visit last weekend and so many gardening and bird-feeding duties..... Finally last evening I was able to set aside several hours to continue with this little Cr.42. The cockpit assembly is just about finished now, only a couple of extra levers and detail touches left and the fuselage can be joined together:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF062/IMG_2942_zpstblb4jey.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF062/IMG_2942_zpstblb4jey.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on July 05, 2016, 05:52:37 AM
Nice interior!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 05, 2016, 06:47:22 AM
Well done, Scott! :-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on July 05, 2016, 10:00:36 AM
excellent, like it a lot !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 05, 2016, 03:54:10 PM
Thank you, friends!

Anyone who has built a Classic Airframes Cr.42 knows that the next step is the second hardest in building this kit--fitting the nice cockpit resin and PE into the fuselage.  On this one I used my experience with the Swedish Fiat from some years ago and did much trial fitting first. This pays off later in an easy joining without interfering with either of the instrument panel sections.
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 05, 2016, 06:25:13 PM
Further movement here.....
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF063/IMG_2956_zpsnvpvm5tr.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF063/IMG_2956_zpsnvpvm5tr.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 05, 2016, 06:35:22 PM
Great! :-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 05, 2016, 06:41:10 PM
Thanks!

I'll mention now (too late really) that I again added a .030" strip of styrene on the fuselage upper joint right in front of where the windscreen sits to widen the fuselage. One of the complaints about the CA kit was that the windscreen is too wide to fit, so I simply added some thickness to the fuselage opening to rectify it. It worked well on the first build and equally so here. The machine gun access panel that sits on top of the fuselage still fits just fine!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on July 05, 2016, 06:49:09 PM
Beauty coming :))
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 11, 2016, 06:43:57 PM
You all must think I am semi-retired from working on models, but I assure you I'm still here. Some small work on the Fiat this weekend allowed me to assemble the upper wing and the forest of struts. I did this one just as the first I built, by installing the jury struts first and aligning the wing struts after. They're fully fixed to the upper wing now and ready for primer and paint. After the struts it was time to unpack and study the resin engine and build-up the cowling assembly:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF064/IMG_2961_zpsshnj7hzh.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF064/IMG_2961_zpsshnj7hzh.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF064/IMG_2962_zpsiea1iwze.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF064/IMG_2962_zpsiea1iwze.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF064/IMG_2963_zpsu2kcutkf.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF064/IMG_2963_zpsu2kcutkf.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF064/IMG_2964_zpshfhoc4q8.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF064/IMG_2964_zpshfhoc4q8.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on July 11, 2016, 06:45:50 PM
This is most sensitive part of work and as I see you run it with great precision :-clap
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 11, 2016, 06:53:13 PM
Thanks, mate!

I've purchased another of these Classic Airframes Fiats yesterday........my "biplane sickness" continues! :)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 12, 2016, 01:06:17 PM
I'm impressed by your fine work! Great!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on July 12, 2016, 10:05:30 PM
great work so far, the engine parts looks nice,will be a marble after finished no doubt !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 17, 2016, 03:27:35 PM
Yes, this engine is a nice part of the CA kit! It takes not much time to prepare the resin parts for painting, then just a few more moments to remove the cylinders from their pouring stubs. The fourteen cylinders then pop right into the crankcase with no problem and the PE pushrod tubes are installed. (I confess that I almost substituted wire for the tubes, but they look sufficiently 3-D when the cowling and propeller are installed). Then the fuel injection tubes were added to the lower distribution regulator of the nose case and some spark plug wires applied.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF066/IMG_2967_zpsvyqgipeu.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF066/IMG_2967_zpsvyqgipeu.jpg.html)

First test-fitting:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF066/IMG_2970_zpsp57ej2g7.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF066/IMG_2970_zpsp57ej2g7.jpg.html)

Next step was to begin adding navigation lights. Classic Airframes missed this little detail but it is easily added with a bit of styrene rod:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF066/IMG_2971_zpsrnqmffas.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF066/IMG_2971_zpsrnqmffas.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 17, 2016, 03:30:02 PM
:-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on July 17, 2016, 03:42:42 PM
Very detailed!!!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on July 17, 2016, 07:44:26 PM
excellent !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 20, 2016, 06:31:03 PM
Final sanding and priming on the underside has been completed so time for a coat of Grigio Mimetico:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF068/IMG_2973_zpsowlmrw91.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF068/IMG_2973_zpsowlmrw91.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 20, 2016, 06:38:33 PM
Nice progress, Scott! :-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 20, 2016, 06:54:21 PM
Thank you!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on July 21, 2016, 07:43:13 PM
Nice progress mate ! I almost never use PE parts for round cross section elements, but when I do I use a thick color to paint in several layers and it gives a nice round effect, works excellent on parts which are one side visible like on engine parts
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 22, 2016, 06:07:00 AM
Yes, I agree that PE is not the best solution in a lot of cases. On this one, with the engine being recessed as far into the cowl as it is, I decided to take a lazy way and use the photoetched pushrod tubes.
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on July 28, 2016, 03:07:37 PM
Back from a short trip, time to spray some Giallo Mimetico 3:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF069/IMG_2987_zpsa7diov6c.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF069/IMG_2987_zpsa7diov6c.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on July 28, 2016, 03:15:23 PM
:-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on July 28, 2016, 03:32:10 PM
Gooood!!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on July 28, 2016, 06:29:06 PM
excellent !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 01, 2016, 05:13:49 AM
It was a bit warm painting today--37.5c in my spray area......I even dripped some sweat on the airplane during spraying and had to dry it and wait to paint! Still a few areas to correct before clear-coating.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF070/IMG_2989_zps3naubaau.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF070/IMG_2989_zps3naubaau.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF070/IMG_2990_zpszghishlw.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF070/IMG_2990_zpszghishlw.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on August 01, 2016, 06:22:30 AM
Excellent work and I know how it look like to work in hot conditions ;)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on August 01, 2016, 12:05:10 PM
excellent paint job !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 01, 2016, 05:07:55 PM
Thanks, friends!

The weather has been quite nice in early morning, but I was "inspired" (good coffee does it every time) to start the mottling at the hottest part of the afternoon. Regardless, I still enjoy doing these schemes and could paint Regia Aeronautica aircraft all the time!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 01, 2016, 05:22:12 PM
Very nice!

I'm impatient to see it with Belgian roundels...
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 01, 2016, 06:37:50 PM
Me too! It will be a bit though, maybe not until next weekend.......
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 07, 2016, 05:06:45 PM
Just to quickly update, finally some clear gloss is applied and curing--next, some decals!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 08, 2016, 04:57:49 PM
:-ok
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 08, 2016, 08:05:30 PM
One photo, still quite a lot to do here......
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF071/IMG_2992_zpskyxh59la.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF071/IMG_2992_zpskyxh59la.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on August 08, 2016, 08:46:13 PM
I guess a lot of work just to have small progress ;)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 09, 2016, 03:59:30 PM
Well, a lot of work but none of it in my model space! Gardening and hummingbirds (and job also) are all we seem to get done right now! The problems of summer months, I reckon......
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on August 09, 2016, 04:03:41 PM
Hummingbirds :))
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 09, 2016, 07:08:47 PM
Hundreds! :)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 09, 2016, 09:18:18 PM
I must say I'm impatient to see it finished...
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on August 10, 2016, 09:37:21 AM
nice start with the decals,this will be a very nice bird
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 10, 2016, 07:03:28 PM
Thanks, everyone!

Here I must present another reason that our Forum is so great--Daniel sent me a PM mentioning that the Belgian Fiats had only one set of codes under the wing rather than the two sets as I'd applied. This proved two things, that I didn't pay attention to the reference photos that I had here on my computer and that you shouldn't always trust the instruction sheet when applying markings! So, with careful use of some Scotch tape, the "extra" decals were slowly removed and an extra R was sourced from my spare CR. 42 decal sheet. All that remains now is to reapply the flat clear and assembly can continue.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF072/IMG_3000_zpslyysydjz.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF072/IMG_3000_zpslyysydjz.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF072/IMG_3001_zpsxrtfcty5.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF072/IMG_3001_zpsxrtfcty5.jpg.html)

Thank you, my friend, this is now a more accurate build and my mind will be clearer!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on August 10, 2016, 07:06:18 PM
This is why forums are made, to support people who work and try to gain something :))
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on August 11, 2016, 11:27:47 AM
the repair fell out nice, well done !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 11, 2016, 07:28:53 PM
Excellent repair, Scott! Splendid!

...And correct now ;)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 22, 2016, 06:48:31 PM
Slowly but surely this little Fiat has come together over the past couple of weeks by working on it a few minutes at a time. Special thanks to Daniel for all the great resources he has shared about the Belgian machines!

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF077/IMG_3017_zpsip9x0uqt.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF077/IMG_3017_zpsip9x0uqt.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF077/IMG_3018_zpsgz8bp6xx.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF077/IMG_3018_zpsgz8bp6xx.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF081/IMG_3027_zpsg4f1cg9n.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF081/IMG_3027_zpsg4f1cg9n.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF081/IMG_3026_zpsljafkzr9.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF081/IMG_3026_zpsljafkzr9.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF079/IMG_3022_zpsdwkffnjx.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF079/IMG_3022_zpsdwkffnjx.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF080/IMG_3024_zpsm96kudjq.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF080/IMG_3024_zpsm96kudjq.jpg.html)

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/2AF078/IMG_3020_zps5vz9jdkw.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/2AF078/IMG_3020_zps5vz9jdkw.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: modellius on August 22, 2016, 06:55:10 PM
excellent, nice job my friend !
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: No.1 on August 22, 2016, 07:14:09 PM
Excellent work!!!!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 22, 2016, 08:50:25 PM
It was my pleasure to help, Scott; and the result is simply beautiful!
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 22, 2016, 08:54:15 PM
http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/interbellum/Fiat%20CR.42/Fiat-CR42%20R17.html
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: Second Air Force on August 23, 2016, 05:07:25 PM
Thanks friends!

I must say these Classic Airframes Cr.42 kits are addictive and only building one is impossible. The third one I have is still in planning stages, but I think it will either be one that served in North Africa or the Battle of Britain.
Title: Re: Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian
Post by: draken35 on August 23, 2016, 08:29:21 PM
Thanks friends!

I must say these Classic Airframes Cr.42 kits are addictive and only building one is impossible. The third one I have is still in planning stages, but I think it will either be one that served in North Africa or the Battle of Britain.

I think I have some documentation in French about the Italians fighting during the Battle of Britain... Will try to find that, at least for the photos. Article published in a Brussels Air Museum Magazine...