Viking

Such a graceful looking airliner! At its absolute best in the red square scheme, so I'm looking forward to seeing it. (I'll give you a slow motion race Eric, 'coz I have the kit & decal sheet too. The build is not due to start anytime soon as I have too much half done on the workbench. Some time in the next couple of years should see it done!). Cheers John

Now that really is a classy looking airliner! Cheers John

Another winner there Steve, I really must get one of these seeing how good yours have turned out. Cheers John

Sounds like it was a real dog of a kit, but you've made a real beauty from it. Cheers John

Thanks again for the comments guys! Progress is slow but steady, the wings are now lozengend & rib tapes on, all except the top surface of the top wing. I noticed after this picture was taken that the very inner sections of the lower wings have a grey/green panel on them. so sprayed some decal sheet and cut out the required shapes & applied them. Wheels are now fitted, ready fro the lower wings to go on. I prepared all the struts and kept them in numbered bags to ensure I got the right ones in the right place. The struts were glued into the lower wings, along with lengths of 4lb Maxima Chameleon fishing line, into pre drilled holes. It is much easier to do them before the top wing is on. The whole was the flipped upside down with the top wing push fitted in (not glued) and the upper ends of the struts pushed into their locating holes in the top wing (again not glued yet) to ensure they dried in the correct position. It was left like this for 24 hours for the lower wing & struts to dry. After 24 hours, turned over and the top wings removed. Notice the lower wings are sagging due to their weight. All will be ok when the top wing & struts are glued on & the whole becomes a strong unit A view of all the rigging lines glued in Top wing & struts now glued and set. The rigging lines are threaded with turnbuckles made from 'stretched sprue' cotton bud tubing, threaded up through pre drilled holes right through the top wing, secured with cyano. Looks yucky, but makesa good strong join and allows you to pull the lines tight. The excess will be trimmed off. This is why I don't lozenge the wings yet. Turnbuckles are just floating free on the lines at the moment, they will be pushed to the ends and secured with a drop of white glue later. Note the lower wing has stopped sagging and the whole unit is now a strong accurately lined up 'cell', especially with the rigging adding strength to it all. Just like the real thing! The cotton bud tubing, heated & stretched over a candle flame & painted. Short sections are trimmed off to make the turnbuckles. Ends trimmed off, excess cyano sanded off flush, and white milliput placed over each hole. When hardened tomorrow I will sand the milliput down to make everything tidy, and respray the dark green ready to start another round of lozenge decalling & rib tapes. There is a lot of work here, but I am enjoying every minute of it. I'm glad I left the rudder & elevator off as I managed to whack the back end and knock the tailskid off. There is so much twisting & turning and weilding the thing around the workbench whilst rigging, that experience has taught me to leave the vulnerable bits off. Thanks for looking. John

Excellent, a really nicely built Hawk. Got agree with you that the wrap around scheme is one of the best it wore. Cheers John

That is a real work of art! Cheers John

Looks good Mike, very, very tempting. I'm going to need to do at least 1 of my several Airfix Lightnings with this set. Cheers John

Superb collection Russ, the Spitfire is my favourite. Cheers John

Good man, having a go at a vacform! That's turned out rather well, and gives you a model of a nice rare type that no one is ever likely to produce as a mainstream kit. Love it. Cheers John

I've got to join the chorus praising your natural metal finish and the exhaust staining Dave, they are beautifully done. Agree with you on wanting some photo real windows for this (& the DC-4, DC-7 & Connie). There is very little that looks better than a 'Big Doug' in a classic scheme from the 50's/60's, as this little stunner proves! Cheers John

That a little beauty Marty, it typical full glorious technicolor so beloved of the Albatros Jasta's! The rigging look great too. I was warned some time ago of the lower wing wing dihederal problem by Leutnant Von Jonners of these forums. I gently make a cut half way through the topside of the 'stub' on the wing that fits into the fuselage, bend it up a couple of degrees and flood it with liquid cement. It seems to solve the problem. I know what you mean about needing a break from lozenging & rib tapes! Cheers John

That looks fabulous Alex, there is no sign of a struggle there. What a shame that there turned out to be problems with fit, it is such a good looking kit 'in the box'. Especially as assembly of their previous Tristar was almost faultless, and near perfect where the rear section with the tailfin joined the main fuselage. Thanks for all the tips on what to look out for. But it looks like it was well worth the effort, it captures the look of the MD-11 very well indeed. Cheers John

This is beautiful work, I don't know how I have missed it up to now! The metal foil parts are excellent, I have noted your technique and may well try them myself. Cheers John

Great rescue from the shelf of doom, it's a real beauty. I love that AA windscreen. I flew on an American Airlines one from Ottawa to Chicago, back in 1998. Almost 20 years ago - that is scary how rapidly that time has passed. Cheers John