VALOM NORTH AMERICAN L-17B NAVION

[adey m]

I love the kits coming out of the Czech Republic for their quality and unusual subject choices and I could not resist the attractive boxings of Valom's L-17 Navion.

The only problem I find is choosing which of the attractive subjects to take home with me. At Scale Model World I had the chance to study the different offerings and I chose the Olive Drab US Army boxing.

When I arrived home and went looking for photos of Navions on the web I changed my mind and decided to model a USAF aircraft instead.

 

The main parts were nicely moulded in a sand colour and there were two lovely injection canopies, one open and one closed, etched brass parts for such as the instrument panel and flap actuators and some small resin parts.

You get two very tempting flight control wheels for the cockpit but photos of the military Navions seemed to show that they had control sticks instead which are also included. The control wheels are for the civilian versions.

 

Construction of this small model appeared quite straight forward at first but for some strange reason Valom have you make up a big box section from the etched brass which you glue to the lower wing centre section which basically boxes in the undercarriage bays.

If I were building this model again I would not bother with the etched box as the wheel bays on the real aircraft were boxed in individually and I would do this with plasticard.

 

Anyway construction of this midget proceeded quickly and I soon had it complete and stood on its wheels. Then I noticed that something about its stance looked wrong when compared to photos of the real things.

It looked too high off the ground, the undercarriage legs seemed too long. I cut them down as much as I dared and still things did not look quite right. Then I realised what was wrong, the wings dihedral is too flat and that is why the model sits too high off the ground even though the undercarriage legs are the correct length.

 

And something else seemed wrong too, it's the vertical tailplane, it is not tall enough. So I increased it slightly with plasticard.

 

There was a bewildering number of Navion versions and trims. The instructions tell you to fit undercarriage doors but the military versions appear not to have had them so I left them off.

 

There are many tiny etched flap actuators to fit under the wings and for such a small model with few places to get hold off they are a real problem when handling the model.

 

I wanted to be able to display the model with the canopy open or closed so I fitted small brass pins to the opening part of the canopy which fit into holes drilled in the fuselage at the open and closed positions.

 

And then it was time to paint the model, the part of model making I like the least.

 

I wanted a shiny Navion and as an experiment I brush painted the model with Humbrol 191 Chrome Silver and when it was dry I then buffed it with a soft cloth.

 

I then managed to find some USAF decals in my spares box and then finally three weeks after starting it was finished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cheers, Adey

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by adey m

[glyn]

Sorry but cannot see pictures.

 

[adey m]

11 minutes ago, glyn said:

Sorry but cannot see pictures.

 

Hi Glyn, sorry about that......I had to relocate from the living room when the dreaded TV came on.......................

 

cheers, Adey

[invidia]

Great looking model. interesting aircraft.

[glyn]

Ah now i see it.You don't see these very often.Nicely done adey.

Glyn

[Killingholme]

Wow, nice job and the first one of these I've seen built. Seems odd to me 70 years later that such high ranking generals would go up in warzones in small aircraft like these with no defences, radar, sophisticated pilot aids, or most fundamentally- a spare engine in case one conked out!

 

Any tricks for painting the black window surrounds so neatly? They certainly really add to the overall finish.

 

Will

[polo1112]

Lovely little Navion!!!

Great job. Congratulations.

[adey m]

24 minutes ago, Killingholme said:

Wow, nice job and the first one of these I've seen built. Seems odd to me 70 years later that such high ranking generals would go up in warzones in small aircraft like these with no defences, radar, sophisticated pilot aids, or most fundamentally- a spare engine in case one conked out!

 

Any tricks for painting the black window surrounds so neatly? They certainly really add to the overall finish.

 

Will

Any tricks for painting the black window surrounds so neatly? They certainly really add to the overall finish.

 

Hi Will, all I can say really is firstly use a quality very fine paint brush. Attach the canopy to something you can handle such as a pencil rubber with Blu Tack . Then try and relax your breathing, rest your painting forearm and wrist on the modelling table, take a breath before painting your line. Do not panic if the line goes somewhere it should not or is too thick in places........just clean your brush in white spirit and use it to wipe away the paint where you don't want it.

 

cheers, Adey

[Killingholme]

Just now, adey m said:

Any tricks for painting the black window surrounds so neatly? They certainly really add to the overall finish.

 

Hi Will, all I can say really is firstly use a quality very fine paint brush. Attach the canopy to something you can handle such as a pencil rubber with Blu Tack . Then try and relax your breathing, rest your painting forearm and wrist on the modelling table, take a breath before painting your line. Do not panic if the line goes somewhere it should not or is too thick in places........just clean your brush in white spirit and use it to wipe away the paint where you don't want it.

 

cheers, Adey

 

Oh no, it's just as I thought... 'some modelling skill required'.

 

Due respect for doing it by hand!

 

Will

[HOUSTON]

Adey..

 

RESPLENDENT,Shiny  lovely  model

 

 

[keefr22]

Spooky - I was literally just looking at these on Hannants and thinking I don't recall seeing one built! I doubt I'll see a better one Adey, as that is a cracking build! Lovely finish on a very pretty little aeroplane!

 

Keith

[adey m]

 

 

The cockpit canopy removed from the Valom L-17B Navion to show the four seat interior and dual pilot controls.

These views show the brass pins attached to the canopy which fit into holes drillied in the fuselage that correspond with the canopy open and closed positions.

Note also the control sticks which were replaced by steering wheel columns in the civilian versions.

Edited January 18, 2017 by adey m

[Ryan Hothersall]

An interesting little aircraft I knew nothing about until I saw one flying in the US in 2013. 

 

 

[adey m]

18 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Spooky - I was literally just looking at these on Hannants and thinking I don't recall seeing one built! I doubt I'll see a better one Adey, as that is a cracking build! Lovely finish on a very pretty little aeroplane!

 

Keith

Hi Keith...now that was spoooky.......and thanks for your kind comments.

 

So which one would you choose then as there are so many choices and much confusion regarding Navions .......I found a photo of a silver one with red wings and tailplane and a ski undercarriage.......I could be tempted.......................

 

cheers matey,  Adey

[keefr22]

2 hours ago, adey m said:

So which one would you choose then as there are so many choices

 

Hmmm, problem that Adey, I think I'd go for an olive drab Army one. Just hope that I can stick to my New Years Resolution & not buy any more kits....!!

 

Keith

[Mountain goat]

Wow, this is rather nice! Quite exotic yet a little familiar too, with those USAF titles. The build seems tidy indeed and the finish looks perfect, you wouldn't know you hated painting from that. In the pics I love how you've included a pilot doing his walkaround, especially the 12th photo is amazing. Thanks for sharing.

 

Jay

 

 

[adey m]

19 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Hmmm, problem that Adey, I think I'd go for an olive drab Army one. Just hope that I can stick to my New Years Resolution & not buy any more kits....!!

 

Keith

The Navion does look good in the Army olive drab finish Keith.....................what did you go making a New Years Resolution like that for................?

 

cheers matey, 

 

Adey

[keefr22]

Because I turned 60 last week Adey - & despite seemingly endless 'stash culls' still have about 600 unbuilt kits to get through...!! (and I managed to finish the grand total of 1 last year!) 

 

K

[Convair]

What a cool model, well built and nicely painted. I like it very much. At a glance, the rear part of the hood (canopy) made me remember a VW beetle . 

[adey m]

19 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Because I turned 60 last week Adey - & despite seemingly endless 'stash culls' still have about 600 unbuilt kits to get through...!! (and I managed to finish the grand total of 1 last year!) 

 

K

 

Hi Keith, I have a stash too but l think there is no harm in being a collector too and just appreciating the boxing and its contents.

 

I keep thinking there cannot possibly be anything new that I would want..............then another beauty from the Czech Republic comes along...........and if my wife is reading this I mean model aeroplane kit.................!

 

adey

Edited January 18, 2017 by adey m