Dornier Do 18 D-3, 1/72 Revell/Matchbox reshaped

[JWM]

Hi

Next "odd and old" German - Dornier Do 18. Kit by Revell (named D-2/G-1) rebox of former Matchbox.

The kit is not very accurate (as was already discussed several times I think on BM). The main flaw is that In real thing variants D-2 and G-1 had different noses (G-1 more sharp or "cruiser-like") and side-floats (G-1 larger) as well as engines and turret, whereas the plastic parts are the same in box (except the turret). After looking on photos I came to conclusion that side-floats are rather that of D variant but the nose is neither of them (but closer to G). So I decided to do D-3 variant, which from what I've lerant had smaller engines, sharp nose like G but small side-floats - so it should look like D-2 with G-type nose. The propellers in my model are resin copies of A-model Do-26 ones, front prop spinner is from drawer, rear spinner is also from Do-26 (civvie variant). I added fabric structure on fin, enforcement ("side walk") on top of fuselage, added new coolers, bombs, relings, add EZ rigging, reshaped air intakes and a made out of scratch beech buggy (or rather two buggies). The surface was sealed and re-scribed, and the nose was also corrected a bit.

Painting scheme is from late 1939-early 1940 where large additional white crosses were introduced on all D-18s. The k6+IK is from 2/Ku.Fl.Gr. 406. The machine was lost on 28.09.1940. The unit emblems I took from Revell BV 138 (the unit use BV-138 after Do-18). Paint - Humbrol 243, 244 and 65

Here she is:

(Edited on 23 July - I removed one photo and added four new)

 

 

Comments welcome

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

Edited July 26, 2017 by JWM
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[russ c]

Great work on the improvements Jerzy, nice one

[JWM]

Russ, many thanks

[Darby]

I like the old Matchbox 18

[JWM]

Thanks! - I changed some photos today

Cheers

J-W

[KRK4m]

Great improvement What a difference a background makes...

Cheers

Michael

[Luis Alfonso]

Hi Jerzy!!!

Watching your nice work I have a nice time, and its great to watch many more items from Jerzy's Skunk Works!!! Its wonderful check and enjoy the pictures of this work. Its a kit that has not been kitted by any other manufacturer, a unique kit as your nice job. Without a doubt all the knmowledge you have is pu in each build and that way you can make alterations that go right hand by hand with thruth!!!

I have had this one in my hands some three years ago and have no had any idea about how nice this model can turn...but anyway, one thing that make the journey to your hands always turned in a different thing in the hands of other person. I have had desire to buy her but have had a money shortage and also have bought too many kits at the time I watched her, but maybe one day another one find my hands way.

Without a doubt we modelers have to be always in debt with Maurice Landy to get inspiration to direct his soldiers in Matchbox to get won the battle to offer simple kits to enjoy and special subjects too. Recently a friend of mine told me he have found in any strange hands a nearly new in box Matchbox Privateer...this is a kit that I always have desire to have since the kit reach the market for first time in the 80's...he offered the kit to me in Q125.00 and I told him I will look later...I went to the Local Hobby Shop and found the new box Revell from Germany in Q350.00...and when I watched it, called the guy I will go right there to buy it....

This one you shared with us, the one I told you here and many more are kits that have not been made by any mainstream company, unless they use the same old and sometimes neglected Matchboox tooling!!!

Thank you very much for sharing!!!

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

[71chally]

Great to see so much effort and skill going into this old classic, looks superb.

I loved the way Matchbox kitted really unusual types, I built a couple of these, but no where near the standard of this one.

[JWM]

Luis -Alfonso and James - many thanks for your comments

Cheers

J-W

[stevehnz]

Nice job on this one too, as are all your models. The new Humbrol colours look good to me as well.

Steve.

[mustang1989]

I don't remember ever seeing this aircraft before. You did a great job on it though, I can tell you that Jerzy.

[Mario]

Hi Jerzy!

As always nice work and interesting subject!

As you used EZ line for the rigging: Have reasoned to buy the stuff for the Revell Stearman Kaydet, but found out that there are different thicknesses. Which would you recommend for 1/72?

Have a nice Sunday

Mario

[JWM]

Thanks Steve, Mustang1989 and Mario for comments. I appreciete them very much.

Mario - the EZ i am using is only named "Fine". On the other hand - if the real cable is let say 3 mm diameter - the 0.04 mm would be proper. However - the EZ is rather belt-like, not a circular cable in section. The "belt" of EZ in transection is perhaps some 0.3 mm wide and 0.05 mm thick (or something like that...- I did not measured it). But it is very efficient in use. One tip - to go through drilled openings I am glueing (with CA) on one end an ultra thin piece of styrene sprue as a kind of needle. It can be also a copper wire, for example. It is not neccessary, but helpful : the EZ is picking up some electrstatic charge and sometimes it is difficult to go through openings. Then I am positioning EZ with Tamiya tape using some tension (~10-20% extension of lenght) and then glueing with CA - just by adding a droplet. The geling CA glue is sometimes better (it closing the openings). finally I am cutting of the "needle" with excess of EZ also...

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

Edited August 14, 2016 by JWM

[tonyot]

Looks great Jerzy,......... you`ve done a fantastic job,

Cheers

Tony

[Mario]

Thanks Steve, Mustang1989 and Mario for comments. I appreciete them very much.

Mario - the EZ i am using is only named "Fine". On the other hand - if the real cable is let say 3 mm diameter - the 0.04 mm would be proper. However - the EZ is rather belt-like, not a circular cable in section. The "belt" of EZ in transection is perhaps some 0.3 mm wide and 0.05 mm thick (or something like that...- I did not measured it). But it is very efficient in use. One tip - to go through drilled openings I am glueing (with CA) on one end an ultra thin piece of styrene sprue as a kind of needle. It can be also a copper wire, for example. It is not neccessary, but helpful : the EZ is picking up some electrstatic charge and sometimes it is difficult to go through openings. Then I am positioning EZ with Tamiya tape using some tension (~10-20% extension of lenght) and then glueing with CA - just by adding a droplet. The geling CA glue is sometimes better (it closing the openings). finally I am cutting of the "needle" with excess of EZ also...

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

Thank you for the quick response! Have discovered the fine version of the EZ line in an internet shop. It´s said to be 0,15mm and that would be exactely the thickness of the metal wire that I have used previously. Seems not very cheap, but think it will last for a whole modelling life. The idea with the sprue as a needle sounds interesting.

Have a nice evening

Mario

[KRK4m]

.. On the other hand - if the real cable is let say 3 mm diameter - the 0.04 mm would be proper. However - the EZ is rather belt-like, not a circular cable in section. The "belt" of EZ in transection is perhaps some 0.3 mm wide and 0.05 mm thick (or something like that...- I did not measured it).

But this the way it should be - in real aircraft they are also made from aerofoil-sectioned steel belts, not round wires.

http://www.steenaero.com/Images/Products/flying_wires_collection_ends_small_horiz.jpg

http://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/detail_an2_14.jpg

They lie flat along the plane during the overhaul and you are unable to coil them. The thickness for - say it - Antonov An-2 is much greater than for a WWI Albatros, but 5x20mm (0.07x 0.3mm in 72nd scale) can be considered average.

Cheers

Michael

[Mario]

Thank you Jerzy and Michael for the replies! Much appreciated. Have found EZ line in two different shops here. In one, standard size is sold and it´s thickness is described with 0,07mm! In another shop they sell fine line and describe it with 0,15mm and heavy with 0,3mm. Used metal wire for my Peashooter which had a thickness of 0,15mm and I found it looked ok. Don´t want to buy the wrong thickness as this stuff is quite expensive!

Cheers,

Mario

[Luis Alfonso]

Thank you Jerzy and Michael for the replies! Much appreciated. Have found EZ line in two different shops here. In one, standard size is sold and it´s thickness is described with 0,07mm! In another shop they sell fine line and describe it with 0,15mm and heavy with 0,3mm. Used metal wire for my Peashooter which had a thickness of 0,15mm and I found it looked ok. Don´t want to buy the wrong thickness as this stuff is quite expensive!

Cheers,

Mario

Hi Mario, Mike and Jerzy!!!

Thank you very much for the lessons using EZ line...for sure we have learned a great thing today, so we can sleep very very well. I add me to the band wagon beacuse have been reading about the Guatemala Flying Pioneers and have got news that Mr. Dante Nannini Sandoval from Guatemala have achieved four victories in WWI and plan to make -as future plans but hope not so far from now- some of the earlier aircraft flown here AND the use of something like EZ will be needed.

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

[JWM]

On 15.08.2016 at 11:59 PM, Luis Alfonso said:

Hi Mario, Mike and Jerzy!!!

Thank you very much for the lessons using EZ line...for sure we have learned a great thing today, so we can sleep very very well. I add me to the band wagon beacuse have been reading about the Guatemala Flying Pioneers and have got news that Mr. Dante Nannini Sandoval from Guatemala have achieved four victories in WWI and plan to make -as future plans but hope not so far from now- some of the earlier aircraft flown here AND the use of something like EZ will be needed.

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

 

Have you approach to this build already?

Cheers

J-W

 

[RidgeRunner]

Very nice, Jerzy

 

Martin

[Luis Alfonso]

9 hours ago, JWM said:

 

Have you approach to this build already?

Cheers

J-W

 

Hi My Friend Jerzy!!!!

No, not yet, just advanced to buy the Eastern Express/NOVO/FROG Bleriot XI to at least get the kit and a pair of nice photo etched bicycle wheel detail sets just gathering all the material, all that was essential to go ahead. The only thing that gave me a huge concern is the way the bicycle wheel sets use...so need two kits to take both kit wheels and sand them to leave a flat side and then glue the bicycle wheel detail between two sanded wheels...so I am planning to find some two pair of wheels to use there...wheel I have been reading the GUatemalan Early Aviation History, a big article dealing with the birth and subsequent fights of Guatemalan Airman....and BTW have been discovering many interesting things related with them as there are tales about many old and unknown aircraft types bought at that time apart of the two AVRO 504  and one made in Mexico given as a gift from the neighboring country named there ANAHUAC and here christened as BENITO JUAREZ...and looking for many more info about that time and the pioneers flown Bleriot Moinsant aircraft when Dante Naninni was the teacher here.

Cheers,

 

Luis Alfonso

 

  

[JWM]

Thank you Martin and Luis-Alfonso for comments.

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Luis Alfonso said:

just advanced to buy the Eastern Express/NOVO/FROG Bleriot XI to at least get the kit and a pair of nice photo etched bicycle wheel detail sets just gathering all the material, all that was essential to go ahead. The only thing that gave me a huge concern is the way the bicycle wheel sets use...so need two kits to take both kit wheels and sand them to leave a flat side and then glue the bicycle wheel detail between two sanded wheels...so I am planning to find some two pair of wheels to use there...

Luis-Alfonso, have you seen on WIP some month ago was a thread how to make a set-up for doing "bicycle" wheels. Very simply and genious! 

In my build of Potez 25 & 29 I a trying to avoid scheme with such wheels but I am not sure if with success... We wiil see. I have also photo-etched set but I am not sure if I will be able not to destroy it in seting up

Cheers

J-W

[Luis Alfonso]

On 27/7/2017 at 1:38 AM, JWM said:

Thank you Martin and Luis-Alfonso for comments.

 

 

 

Luis-Alfonso, have you seen on WIP some month ago was a thread how to make a set-up for doing "bicycle" wheels. Very simply and genious! 

In my build of Potez 25 & 29 I a trying to avoid scheme with such wheels but I am not sure if with success... We wiil see. I have also photo-etched set but I am not sure if I will be able not to destroy it in seting up

Cheers

J-W

Hi Jerzy!!!

WIll look for that, as this is the really hot point about the building of this kit...as Think is really important to show a nice aircraft with this old but nicer model.

Cheers!!!

 

Lusi Alfonso

[JWM]

Many thanks