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Alpha-Delta


Pin

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I have started this kit more than three years ago. It is notoriously inaccurate - I'm trying my best to fix the issues found.

By this morning I have the following:

Windows are way too large - filled with putty - will use custom decals.

Pq2axpQA.jpg

Forward landing gear bay moved 12mm forward:

Pq2azm3A.jpg

Visor length shortened, cockpit windows form changed, nose shape corrected.

Pq2aB8j0.jpg

Panel lines on engine nacelles are rescribed

Pq2aCGAA.jpg

Nose leg

aV1QTGJJ.jpg

Wings attached to fuselage, new visor is made of CD case. Tail wheel bay is cratch built - the one from the kit is pure fantasy.

IMG_1293.jpg

Revell 1:144:

IMG_1338.jpg

Airfix 1:144:

IMG_1339.jpg

Arifix 1:72:

IMG_1337.jpg

The flat surface is about 10 mm too wide both sides!

Ironically, ancient Airfix 1:144 kit depicts this place far more accurately:

IMG_1344.jpg

a bit of plastic surgery

IMG_1346.jpg

Made a template, cut with my faithful Proxxon drill

IMG_1348.jpg

Filled the gaps with sprues

IMG_1351.jpg

putty and more putty

IMG_1354.jpg

One side is ready

IMG_1356.jpg

IMG_1357.jpg

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Great stuff. You've got your work cut out there but it'll all be worth it.

I noticed another small issue with the kit looking at your pictures. Heller/Airfix have moulded the maingear door ends with straight edges and a point whereas they should have a smooth radius at each end. Its a good thing the doors stay shut but a bit of filling and rescribing might be in order.

Phil

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considering the problems this kit has, somebody should be shot for releasing it.....

You would have thought that as one of the most photographed, referenced and iconic aircraft ever, there would be no excuse for it being so wrong in so many areas.

keep up the good work Pin, your doing fine

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This is a great fix it thread for this kit Pin. I have mine to start shortly. I was aware of the nose visor issues but not the others. Looks like another big scratch build job on the way! THanks aslo for the link tot he other build, it has some great ideas. :thumbsup:

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More bad news for us Concorde lovers in 1:72

1. 1:144 is supposed to be twice as small as 1:72. I measured the height of the plain elevation on the belly - on Airfix 72 blank of a model it is almost four times as high!

Far_too_high.jpg

Indeed

IMG_1719.jpg

2. Now compare the width at main wheel bays

Too_Wide.jpg

About 8 mm too wide both sides. Again - compare to the picture above

3. Fairings are of wrong shape, additionally, there must be elevation too, like shown in green

Wrong_fairing.jpg

as well seen here

http://www.airliners.net/photo/0687641/L

Undue hesitation must be avioded, right?

IMG_1721.jpg

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Eek!

Best of luck with this; watching carefully.

With hindsight, would the slimming down of the sides of the belly been more straightforward after its removal? I figure it might be possible to add vertical pieces from card from underneath. What do you think?

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These sad pieces of foil were once the wheel bay walls ...

IMG_1722.jpg

2 mm plastic sheets were used to cover the holes. 0.5 mm used in wheel bay area as wheel bays will be reshaped later and I don't want to cut too thick plastic

IMG_1723.jpg

Gaps filled with two component epoxy

IMG_1724.jpg

Have you ever used power tools of this caliber for scale modelling in 1:72?

IMG_1726.jpg

Sprayed to reveal defects - plenty of them.

IMG_1727.jpg

I will reuse the cone, but the elevation will be done using 2 mm plastic sheets

IMG_1729.jpg

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I think I'm going off the idea of getting one of these....

cost;

fixes;

somewhere to put it when done;

(it's a big beast)

10 out of 10 to you for doing it, and to all the others as well

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Wow... that looks like... erm... fun? :wacko: Quite a hack & slash job to get it somewhere near right, isn't it? I think mine will stay in the stash quite a bit longer after seeing this :S

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Did I say there is good news? It seems like this kit and good news are not compatible.

Take a look at the picture - the wheel bay edge is somewhere in the middle of engine intake lip.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/...rde-101/0675812

Now - air - <censored> - fiix

IMG_1734.jpg

8 mm too far aft!

Ironically their instruction sheet shows correct position of the bays.

Am I surprised (sigh) ?

Edited by Pin
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Noticed one more thing.

Measured relative lengths of "black" vs "white" parts of engine nacelle, "black" is measured from the wing edge

Wrong_Nacelle_Breakdown.jpg

Now parts from the kit

IMG_1736.jpg

Length of the black part - 49mm so white part to the "tooth" should be 49 * 1.77 = 86.73 mm

Let's see:

IMG_1737.jpg

Not quite.

Overall width from tooth to wing edge 127 mm , 127 / ( 1 + 1.77) =~ 45.8 mm,

IMG_1738.jpg

Difference is about 5 mm. Probably not worth correcting ...

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