Topics

16

Aircraft Modeling / Tamiya F-84G 1/48

« on: December 27, 2016, 06:27:41 PM »

Just before Christmas I was looking to finish at least one old project that has been pushed to the back of the queue. My eyes fell on this Tamiya straight-wing F-84 that I started during our old Group Build here: http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/forum/makete-aviona-aircraft-modeling/group-buildgt-f-84/msg27651/#msg27651

Rather than bring the old topic out if slumber I'll just pick up the progress here, three years later....... I pulled the model from the box and finished detail painting the cockpit and nose well. When this was done it was a very simple matter to glue the nose well, cockpit with supplied weight, speedbrake well and exhaust nozzle into the right half and then glue the halves together. This is such a beautifully engineered model that only a tiny amount of filler is required at the seams of the fuselage halves. I'll use no filler at all on the wing and horizontal stabilizer joints--they are perfect! The fuel tanks do require a little more filler, mostly because of my clumsy assembly.

17

Aircraft Modeling / Tauro Macchi C.202

« on: October 21, 2016, 01:22:41 AM »

Time for me to get back into the model room again. Here's a project that I started several years ago and have put back in the box at least twice:

This is the first kit from the manufacturer Tauro that I have seen and it requires quite a lot of work. The plastic parts are of a definite short-run appearance with large tree attaching stubs and a lot of flash in certain areas. Here's a couple of photos of present-day progress:

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Aircraft Modeling / Classic Airframes CR 42 Belgian

« 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:

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:

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Combat Warplanes / Texas Raiders

« on: May 23, 2016, 02:29:17 AM »

Today Ellen and I were "reunited" with one of our warbird projects from the past, the Fortress known as Texas Raiders. We did some sheetmetal work on the old girl in 2008 when it was under long term restoration and repairs. This was the first time we've seen the airplane in one piece since then, and the first time we've seen it fly since the late 1980s.

20

Aircraft Modeling / Trumpeter F-106B

« on: May 16, 2016, 05:48:30 PM »

Here's the latest project on my desk, the Trumpeter two-seat Delta Dart. This is another build for my friend at work and a long story goes with this one that I'll tell later.

It's a nice kit with a bit better detail than the old Monogram model and also has recessed panel lines. The main great point of this one is that I don't have to do an expensive vacuform conversion of an A model!

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Aircraft Modeling / Accurate Miniatures Yak 1

« on: April 11, 2016, 07:03:11 PM »

Time to start this little Yak:

22

Aircraft Modeling / Pro Modeler Me 410

« on: March 07, 2016, 06:54:38 PM »

Time to start on this one, it's been staring at me from the unbuilt pile for too long........ It is, obviously, the Revell Me 410 with the extra PE parts from the Pro Modeler series. So far I've found it rather nice.

One drawback is the engine intake scoops. These are molded in an oval shape and are a bit too long. I suspect the moldmaker and master fabricator just didn't spend enough time getting these parts round. The fix isn't all that difficult, mainly consisting of cutting off the end of the scoops and then filing the remaining plastic to a round shape. After filing a bit of aluminum tubing was added and some putty to fair everything to a smooth shape:

23

Aircraft Modeling / Ar 234 Night Fighter What-If

« on: January 12, 2016, 07:19:16 PM »

So this excellent little Arado has been in my collection for some years, having been among the kits I bought at an antique store. No.1 has stirred my creative ambitions by his profiles of the Ar 234 and I'm going to build a four-engine night fighter variant that never actually was built. A little start and some planning is going on now:

24

Aircraft Modeling / Curtiss Hawk 75 Completion

« on: December 30, 2015, 04:25:31 PM »

Quite a long time ago our team-mate Daniel started this Must Have Curtiss. As events unfolded, he worked on this for some time, preparing the wing and fuselage for the photoetch and resin parts and assembling much of the cockpit. Later he very generously sent the excellent kit on to me to finish and I've only just now gotten it on the workbench.

To see the start of the project please refer to this thread: http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/forum/makete-aviona-aircraft-modeling/curtiss-75a-7-mohawk-(musthave!-148)/15/

First a photo of the box to refresh everyone's memory:

This kit consists of the old Hobbycraft P-36/Mohawk plastic parts and the new resin parts, PE frets and beautiful decal sheet that were provided by Must Have, along with comprehensive three-views of the markings choices. It's unfortunate that Must Have ceased operation as their concept and kit are both excellent!

Here is some of the work that Draken has already completed before he sent the project on to me. I've simply taped the wing and fuselage together for test-fitting in this picture. Next was decision time for me. I already have several Wright-powered Hawk 75 series fighters and have in my mind to build this one as a Pratt & Whitney powered craft. Since Must Have is no longer in operation this isn't a review article anymore, so I've gone into my spares and gotten out an R-1830 cowling set from one of my other Curtiss builds. Then I cast an early R-1830 that is appropriate for the airplane I'm building:

Here are some of the excellent Must Have PE parts, firstly the seat that Daniel assembled, ready for paint, and the instrument panel that I've started building up:

Next is the assembled instrument panel with detail painting yet to be accomplished and the floor and control stick ready for paint. The white semi-circular styrene piece is the front of the fuel tank that is visible through the oval hole in the aft cockpit bulkhead:

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Aircraft Modeling / 1/48 Eduard R-1820-97

« on: December 21, 2015, 12:55:29 AM »

Finally it is time to start the review of this product from our friends at Eduard. This kit is stock #648191 and consists of four engines and cowlings for either the Revell B-17G or B-17F in 1/48:

Here is what comes in the sturdy Eduard shipping box:

I'll concentrate on one engine only for our review purposes. First step was to remove the parts from the resin plugs and frets and clean up the sprue attachment points:

Next the propeller governor and oil sump were installed on the reduction gearbox, then the major parts were assembled for the first time. I've added a Revell kit engine and cowling on the left for comparison:

Next step was to try the new engine on the kit nacelle, and it fits quite nicely so far:

All of this was done in the matter of an hour or so. Now the parts get a bath to remove any possible mold release and then the painting stage can begin!

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Aircraft Modeling / Guadalcanal P-39 Eduard 1/48

« on: October 13, 2015, 11:23:03 PM »

Here is another of the long series of releases from our friends at Eduard of the P-39/-400, the dual set #1161.

Inside are two complete kits, Brassin resin wheels of numerous designs, four photoetch frets, two sets of masks and a wonderful decal sheet with eight SWPA P-400s and P-39s. Also the excellent instruction sheet as contained in the Eduard kits:

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Aircraft Modeling / Tamiya Bf 109E

« on: September 01, 2015, 07:11:02 PM »

Here's a kit that has been neglected in my collection for long years, the Tamiya 1/48 Emil. Several years ago I pulled this one out to do a comparison with other makes of the E variant but then put it back into storage for another day. Since I've built the Hobbycraft, Hasegawa, Airfix and Eduard Emils I felt it is time to finally take this one onto the bench. (I confess that my inspiration was when Santynus returned and did some new profiles here: http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/forum/vazduhoplovna-umetnost-warplane-art/bf-109e/ )

All in all, this looks typical Tamiya--I've set some of the principal elements together with no glue or tape and the fit is excellent! Reading reviews of this one (first edition) tells me that the nose is too short and there are some other issues, but it looks like an Emil to me!!!

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Aircraft Modeling / Hasegawa Typhoon 1b

« on: July 06, 2015, 02:41:49 AM »

Since the Sea Fury project is finishing up I've decided to do it's "ancestor" next, the Hawker Typhoon. I wanted the early "car door" style of Mk. 1b so I found an old Hasegawa kit:

I've read some reviews about this product that weren't very complimentary, especially about the fit of the cockpit section. You see, Hasegawa designed the molds so that the kit could be updated to the bubble canopy version with relative ease, and their solution was to make the top of the fuselage a drop-in section with either car door or bubble details. As you can see by the next photo, some care is required to fit these sections in place, but it isn't the huge problem I've read about on the web. I simply taped the fuselage halves together and then carefully fitted the insert parts with glue and aligned these as the glue cured. It still requires a little filler, but not anything we haven't had to do on other kits. Other than that little issue, this is a fun kit so far!

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Aircraft Modeling / Hobbycraft Sea Fury

« on: May 03, 2015, 02:45:26 PM »

Here's a kit that I found hiding in the bottom of a box the other day. I don't remember buying this one at all........it was a long time ago though. It's not up to the standards of modern kits but isn't too bad to put together. The cockpit isn't terribly detailed so I'll leave the canopy closed and just build it for the fun of building!!

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Aircraft Modeling / North African Spitfire

« on: April 02, 2015, 06:55:08 PM »

This is such a busy time of year with new growth in the garden, but this Tamiya Spitfire Vb also needs my attention! I'll be building another machine that probably flew over my father during his time in North Africa, adding to the "Tunisian Collection".

Tamiya provides both Vokes and Aboukir tropical filter lower cowls as well as the normal smooth unit, so many options for markings can be conjured up!