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Revell Douglas X-3 Flying Stiletto and Tractor - Finished


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Now I have finished my Flying Banana and Komet this is going to be my next project:

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This was first tooled in 1955 but I have the last reboxing from 1994:

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This explains why the decals look so nice:

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Here are the sprues:

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Note that the kit also includes a dinky little tractor.

The clear parts look quite good:

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I won't be using the stand though.

The instructions are a nostalgic reproduction of the originals:

46c443b1-efc9-479d-a0fc-b41b0a0c113c_zps

The mouldings helpfully (not) feature raised areas to aid decal placement:

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All the panel lines are raised of course so a big part of this build will be all the rescribing required. Considering the age of the tooling, the detail and quality of the mouldings look to be pretty good though.

In line with Revell's practice at the time this is made to "box scale" which turns out to be 1/65th. It looks like russ c has build this but I don't think anyone has posted a WIP on this, so let's build.

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Oh, yes by Sunday, not sure which one yet though.

Looking around at what I've got here I find this raised lettering under one of the wings:

P1070597_zps996d9913.jpg

So this is one the outside surface, what were these guys on?

Oh, joy, there is more writing on the other side and plenty of sunken areas such as over the location pins:

P1070598_zpsb8efafd9.jpg

All that is provided for the cockpit is this control column which is broken and badly mutated pilot in a seat:

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This is all wrong anyway, this is what the control wheel should look like:

InstrumentPanel_zpsc6cbabf8.jpg

Being charitable you could say that the side of the seat is similar to what it should look like:

CockpitPortConsole-SeatDetail_zpsc706e72

The glazing is nice and clear but the fit is not great, I can probably get it better than this though:

P1070600_zps28eff3f9.jpg

Sorry about the poor photo but the cockpit is going to be quite visible:

P1070601_zps62120dfe.jpg

So its all going to have to be scratch built including a new seat. I made some scale drawings to try to clarify what would be required:

P1070602_zps8a9e2d98.jpg

Good point about the translucent plastic - I would not have thought of that. :thumbsup2:

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A kit almost as old as I am. Nice. I remember the raised detail to help you place the decals. . . In theory, that is. What it helped a young tyke to do is find out how badly he misplaced the decals when they dried and didn't line up withe the raised plastic detail. It was quite good at pointing out just how inept one was in decal placement. Most common comment, "What, you can't even keep between the lines?" (I had coloring issues also, can you tell). So I guess the plan is to completely sand the outside smooth and then rebuild the entire kit? Will any parts from the kit be used or are they just rough templates for your replacement material? And how could you not love that detailed tractor? This is one of those kits you could buy with you lawn mowing money. The plastic is the same color as what the paint should be, so no need to paint. Break the parts off by hand, tube glue them together, put the decals on to kinda match the kit raised detail while the glue is drying and be finished and playing with it within 2 hours of purchase. Then, grow tired of it within the week and blow it up with left over firecrackers. Man, this is a great kit. Okay, the lady at the home just told me it's time to come in now and quit bothering all the nice people.

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(I had coloring issues also, can you tell)

I had noticed but its good thing that you are still practicing. :winkgrin:

The rescribing will involve sanding off pretty much off all the raised external details. I have found a good source of reference pictures and from an initial inspection it looks like I will be creating a lot of new panel lines. I am sure I will be able to use most of the major components. I am also quite excited about the tractor build!

I think I will skip the firecracker stage though.

I thought you would like this g-usa.

Nigel

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After studying my reference pictures I marked up where I thought some scribing was required and also marked the kits raised panel lines, these were mainly for the control surfaces on the wings:

P1070603_zps2fb58a33.jpg

This aircraft does not appear to have many visible panel lines, what there is, is mainly for access panels.

Rescribing is not my favourite modelling task but I knuckled down to it, starting with some hatches on the fuselage:

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Here are some of the early results:

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Here are the wings finished:

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There was just this one line at the top of the tail, I also deepened the existing engraving for the rudder as well as sanding off the silly raised serial number:

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This square feature is only on the right side, I highlighted the raised lines with a soft pencil before scribing over it:

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I got fed up with the scribing so started to make the rear cockpit bulkhead. I first installed a backing strip and then made a card template:

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Here is the finished bulkhead:

P1070611_zps017c7e01.jpg

I won't glue it in until the scribing is finished plus I want to add some detailing to it first.

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ANOTHER great thread begins !

I bet AA is watching also......or is it really him doing all this work ? we only have Nigel's word for it that it is carried out by the household human don't we and not AA ....hmmmmmmmm

Just to brag .....I met one of the Guys that flew that actual Aircraft Nigel

Cheers

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Cheat! I guess our unofficial GB has started then? Unfortunately I won't be able to start my entry until I finish something (does my breakfast qualify?).

I never built this kit but I do remember making repeat visits to the LMS to check out the box. I will also be making an experimental plane for my first entry but mine will be a wonder of British aeronautical engineering (and allegedly an inspiration for M Dassault). Can you tell what it is yet?

Duncan B

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My thoughts exactly Duncan! Ha, so much for discussing this idea over a curry on Friday, the bounder has made headway already.

I'm planning to clear some current(ish) projects off the bench and make space for the Testors Supermarine S6B that's my choice of first tribute to John so it'll likely be a while before I get started. Dare say Mr. Modelling Machine here will be nearly finished by that time :lol:

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I have now finished all the rescribing, I have not added too many panel lines as in reality they are not really evident:

sideview_zps781104d9.jpg

Please check out the state of the engine intakes:

P1070612_zps1697f03a.jpg

That of course will not do and I'll have to create something better - still working on that. This is what the intakes should look like:

EngineFace_zps4c4f4d29.jpg

Is that rat poison up there??

The last bit of scribing I did was this tricky line around the exhausts which needed a custom template. I drew the shape onto some 10mm wide tape:

P1070613_zps2ecc0ab2.jpg

I then transfered the shape to some Dymo tape

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Here is the resulting scribing:

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With the scribing done I could concentrate on the cockpit. I first made a card template for the instrument coaming. Based on what that showed me I modified the design and transferred it to plastic:

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I used my Olfa cutter to create hinge lines and then bent it to shape, added the instrument panel and made a part for the foot well and the floor:

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I assembled those and also glued in the rear bulkhead:

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There won't be much room on it for details and they can be added in situ anyway.

This is more or less where the instrument binnacle will sit, I also made a simple floor for the main cockpit:

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I realised that my binnacle was interfering with the front wheel well area so I tackled that next. First I shaved away the incorrect plastic from around the well:

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This of course meant I lost the mounting point for the front wheel leg. I had a look at the kit leg, which was pretty feeble:

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I am sure I can scratch build something better than that. This is what it should look like:

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Here is the partially constructed front wheel well:

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I had to trim material off the instrument binnacle to get it to fit.

The binnacle is in more or less the correct position here:

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I am quite pleased with how it looks from the outside:

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This is how the new wheel well looks with the fuselage together:

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I will add some more detailing to this, here is what it should look like:

NoseGearWheelWellAftDetail_zps72070777.j

Bye for now,

Nigel

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