Latécoère 631 Air France, F-RSIN 1/144

[Mach Turtle]

I do like the flying boats.

For my second entry into the group build, I will do the Latécoère 631 in 1/144, using a resin kit from F-RSIN.

The Latécoère 631 first flew prior to the Second World War, with at least one example hidden in the French countryside to avoid German capture. The type remained in service until 1955.

I think it's one of the most beautiful aircraft ever, right up there with the Constellation.

You'll see it call the Late 631 as well, though calling your airliner a Late seems unwise, sort of like calling your car a Dodge.

Latécoère is still in business, making door assemblies for Airbuses.

The F-RSIN kit comes with markings for F-BDRC, lost in the South Atlantic in 1948, not far from where Air France 447 crashed 61 years later.

Here's the box:

Here are the few parts, including the massive solid-cast fuselage and the cast metal props:

Here she is after very little effort in sticking the main parts together:

Thanks for watching.

[EricP]

This looks very nice! Did they supply a jig for wing and tailplane dihedral, or you just eyeballed it?

[CliffB]

Superb!

How were the parts MT? I've got an F-RSIN Arc-en-Ciel with a most beautiful sinusoidal shaped wing!

Cliff

[Mach Turtle]

The parts are nicely done. A few bubbles on top of the fuselage, and some flash on the trailing edges that sanded right off. Engine detail looks good, and fit so far has been super.

The wings and stabilizers were fitted with pins that got the dihedral right without too much trouble.

It's not a cheap kit -- EUR 75 -- and I would have liked a second marking choice for that money. But for me, for whom four completed kits is a big year, it's all right.

[Mach Turtle]

Hello again. I've been busy with other things, but I have made some progress on this project. Here are some filling-and-sanding shots to give you an idea of how it all fits together.

Upper wing roots and fuselage top:

Upper empennage:

Hollows on the underside:

It's going to look good, I think. I recommend the kit.

[CliffB]

I'm sure all this preparation will be worth it in the end!

Cliff

[JosephLalor]

Nice to see that there's a Latécoère 631 in 1/144 scale. I have a 1/200 resin kit but it doesn't allow you to model it floats extended without a fair amount of hacking about and scratch-building. I must look out for the F-RSIN one.

Joseph

Edited April 29, 2013 by JosephLalor

[Mach Turtle]

Dropped it!

All the back-and-forth between sanding and spraying, and I dropped it.

Six pieces.

But not too bad. I have already glued it back together, mostly. This will just prolong the sanding.

[AnonymousDFB1]

Damn, that must have been extremely annoying to say the least.

[EricP]

Dropped it!

All the back-and-forth between sanding and spraying, and I dropped it.

Six pieces.

But not too bad. I have already glued it back together, mostly. This will just prolong the sanding.

Looking at the "intro" pictures, didn't the actual kit come in 5 main parts? Ouch ...

[madaboutmodels]

looking good, what a monster!

[Mach Turtle]

Yes, five main parts in the first place, though the damage knocked off one wing, one horizontal stablilizer, and knocked two chunks out of the rear of the fuselage.

I have it all pieced back together now. Just a little more sandling and filling, and I'll be back to where I was before.

It's a busy time at work, and I've just found out we're apparently going to move house soon, so I'm a bit pressed. But if they could keep a Latécoère 631 hidden in farmland during the occupation, I can finish a resin model of one. As they say: Démerdez-vous! And I will.