AIrfix Boeing 737-200 Aer Lingus

[Eric Mc]

This kit was started over eight years ago and then ended up sitting on the "shelf of doom" and was later put back into the stash . I've decided to make an effort to get it finished at last.

It's the venerable (1969) AIrfix kit of the 737 which is fairly accurate if you want to build one of the very early versions of the Series 200 737s.. Luckilly, I want to build one of the original Aer Lingus 737 248s that were delivered in 1969 and 1970. The decals are by 2-6.

 

This is as far as I got back in 2008 -

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, I blanked off the cabin window and filled and sanded the flight deck windscreen because I intend to use decals for all the windows. In 1/144 this is my preferred option. More so with this era of Boeing airliners because the windows all featured metal surrounds. Decals are the only way to show this in 1/144, in my opinion.

 

Over the past couple of days I have primed the airframe using Halford's Grey Primer (as usual) and I've primed the engine nacelles in gloss black ready for Valejo aluminium. I've just started using these Valejo metallics and I am quite impressed. Even though I am a fan of Alclad, I think these  new Valejo paints are pretty much a match but are even more user friendly being acrylics.

 

 

 

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice to see a shelf of doomer resurrected

 

I have built a couple of these over the years. A nice simple build.

[Eric Mc]

I'm away for a few days from today so the 737 build will stop for the moment. But it will recommence once I get back. Since the above pictures were taken I've sprayed the engines Valejo aluminium and sprayed Alclad Jet Exhaust on the rear third of each engine. The next step on the engine will be to paint the front ring of the engine another shade of Alclad as they do appear a bit different to the rest of the engine body.

 

These early JT8D engines had auxiliary "blow-in" doors. Airfix moulded them as raised lines but they were removed by me during the sanding and filling process. I'll replicate their presence using squares of metallic shaded decal.

[perdu]

Eric did you mask the rear portions of the nacelles in order to put the Alclad on, or just over spray the Vallejo?

I like the Vallejo colours too, far less atmospheric to use round my house

 

I like that 737 too, reminds me of early family hols in Ibiza flying the Britannia way

 

Blimey, we even got fed en-route

 

Happy days

[Eric Mc]

I initially sprayed the entire nacelle Valejo aluminium. I then masked off the nacelle leaving the rear portion free to accept Alclad jet Exhaust. It seems to have overlaid the acrylic Valejo with no ill effects.

 

The great thing about Valejo acrylic metallics is that they appear to be more robust than Alclad and therefore can accept masking tape without lifting when the tape is removed. This is the first time I've applied masking tape to Valejo metallic paint so it was a bit of an experiment. I was pleased with how it performed and will undoubtedly be using Valejo metallics again.

 

I haven't abandoned Alclad. I still like them. However, when I know that I will need to mask over an initial metallic coat, I'll be using Valejo for that base layer in future

 

The leading portion of the wings and tailplanes as well as the leading edge of the tail fin on 737-200s were also polished metal. So the next task will be to apply Valejo Chrome to those areas.

 

I have a set of 737-200 Corrugard decals for the wings and tailplanes so I won't need to paint those areas again.

 

The tricky part of painting the early 1970s Aer Lingus scheme is getting the curved demarcation between the white on the top part of the fuselage and the light grey undersides where it curves down on the forward fuselage correct. The reason why it has to be correct is because where it the two line end up on the nose cone delineates the diameter of the black radar nose.

 

It was difficulty in getting this right which stymied my previous attempt to complete this particular model.