Messages

4756

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Fw 189

« on: March 11, 2011, 07:22:02 PM »

I've been slowly working on the '189 a bit at a time. I am trying (with limited success so far) to vacuform the clear parts. Actually, all I've done so far is waste plastic sheet and electricity! Most of the major assembly is compete and I painted the underside lichtblau today. Some of these days I'll get far enough to take some more photos of the little airplane.

4757

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 11, 2011, 06:37:44 PM »

I lied a little the other day--I was going to spray the undersides but other duties got in my way........ Today I dusted off my old paints and got the bottom of the airplane painted:

The paint I used came from Humbrol tins that I bought in 1979. I was pretty skeptical when I opened the first tin, but it mixed up perfectly. The second tin of darker blue took only a few stirs to fully mix. I tip my hat to the "old" Humbrol products for lasting all these years without losing performance.

I'll keep plugging away, Sall--hopefully I can finish the project by the end of the month.

No.1, your finished product looks great! Is the April build going to be the Corsair?

4758

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 10, 2011, 05:40:20 PM »

Excellent result, as usual. I'm going out now to spray the underside of the larger version as the temperature here is much warmer......

4759

Warplane Art / Re: Short Stirling

« on: March 10, 2011, 07:33:11 AM »

One captured Stirling flew in Luftwaffe markings!

With a patched-up, taped-up forward fuselage, also! 

4760

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Zvezda MiG-21Bis 1/72 + BalkanModels

« on: March 09, 2011, 06:23:59 PM »

Sall, you might be able to use .005 sheet styrene for those vanes. I've used it for similar items over the years with good results.

Keep up the good work on this project!

4761

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 09, 2011, 05:31:48 PM »

It really is a "therapy" kit in that you could probably build one all the way up to the finished model in a day with no interruptions. I have another single-seater just waiting to be built and I look forward to finding a two-seat version for the future. I can highly recommend the 1/48th scale version and No.1 will probably agree about the 1/72nd kit.

I'll probably spray the undersides this morning if it gets a little warmer in the shop.

4762

Warplane Art / Re: Short Stirling

« on: March 09, 2011, 05:23:06 PM »

If I were a billionaire one of the first things I'd do is resurrect a Stirling to airworthy, from scratch if necessary! The airplane's performance may have been less than the Halifax and Lancaster but I really find the Stirling fascinating, especially that undercarriage!

4763

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 09, 2011, 07:25:39 AM »

It's fun to watch your progress, and hard to believe that we're working in two different scales from the photos. Everything is identical between the kits including the areas that need a bit of filler.

One item I did differently on mine was to attach the aft landing gear struts to the wing structure before I installed the fairings. I was concerned about getting the fairings on crooked (even though there is an engraved outline on the wing) and then having problems with the struts later. I will probably do it the way you did on my next one.

4764

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 09, 2011, 07:18:39 AM »

I'll give that a try, Profa. Since the flat overcoat is somewhat porous I am pretty sure your idea will work.

4765

Warplane Art / Re: Halifax MkBIII

« on: March 09, 2011, 07:15:47 AM »

All beautiful!  The Halifax is another of my favorite four-engined machines.

4766

Warplane Art / Re: Curtiss Hawk 75

« on: March 08, 2011, 07:33:10 PM »

I would very much like to build that Iranian marked airplane someday. If we can ever confirm the fuselage striping (I would bet your profile is correct) I'm in for that one!

I've always had in the back of my mind to build one of the fixed-gear Hawks that the Chinese Nationalists purchased.

A very interesting aircraft type operated by many nations!

4767

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 08, 2011, 07:01:26 PM »

Very nice progress. It's rather a fun build isn't it!?

When I was working on the landing gear I found that modification was necessary. It's called out in the AM instruction sheet, so it pays to read ahead during construction. The main struts include the cross-axle for the skis. You must cut this axle off but leave stubs on each strut leg for the wheel to attach to.

Here are the landing gear fairings after assembling them. The left one didn't fit all that well when I offered them up to the wing. Nothing a bit of filler and filing won't fix, though. I rather like having the gear doors molded onto the opening in this case.

I had the air compressor in use this morning so I got a first coat of primer on these two projects.

4768

Aircraft Modeling / Re: SBD/A-24 Group Build

« on: March 08, 2011, 06:52:46 PM »

Looking great!

4769

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 07, 2011, 04:47:40 PM »

Yours is definitely the little brother of the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 kit--I can see the fuselage sides through the bag in your third photo! Hopefully your landing gear fairings will be more cooperative than mine were. The left one on my larger example has some fit problems. Nothing that some filler couldn't fix, though.

4770

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Il 2 Group Build

« on: March 07, 2011, 05:29:38 AM »

A further update with some pictures of the upper wing joining. I was a bit concerned with how the fuselage, lower wing center section, and upper wing panels were all going to fit together when I started looking at this model. I'm happy to report that it fits VERY nicely and doesn't appear that any filler will be needed except in a couple of small areas. The photos are pretty self explanatory.

The fit is so nice that all I had to do was to apply glue to the indentation on the fuselage side and to the mating surface between upper and lower wing skins, then slip it all together.

This is the bottom of the airplane before installing the outer wing panels. They also fit very cleanly and won't need a lot of work.