TonyW Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) I'm in! I dug an old Matchbox Dornier Do18 out of the loft. It's going to be finished in the civil scheme, at the moment at any rate, and might even get a water base to sit it in/on. I bought a couple of plastic cake stands(?) at Aldi a while back that looked like they could have a kit based future. They might fit the bill here. We shall see. The kit itself looks OK, if a bit heavy on the panel lines. I have a few ideas as to how I could build this one but as yet I'm undecided which to go for. A basic build, sat on a suitable base is favourite at the moment. A Matchbox promo display is also a maybe. I like point of sale shop displays and have made a few of my own in the past. I'll get the plane in one bit and primed first. By that stage it will have told me what direction to take. I find that initial plans for builds get changed, sometimes beyond all recognition, as the build progresses. A scheme that seemed a dead cert suddenly becomes somehow wrong and a new direction is taken. Whatever route I take, I'll post the results here. Tony. Edited October 13, 2017 by TonyW 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Hi Tony, Welcome to the GB! A Do 18 is a nice choice to add to the other similar builds going on. It's always good to see different approaches to the same kit Good luck! Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Good luck with this Tony. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 I've assembled the bulk of the model now, filled and sanded seams and what nots and hit it with a bit of primer. Taking a long, hard look at it, I find that I can't carry on with plan A, the simple build sat on a simple base. The kit needs help. The shape looks good to me, very graceful and of that happy period before the big punch up started. I like it a lot. The trench like panel lines are a bit overpowering though. Filling and re-scribing is an option that does not exactly fill me with joy, it has to be said. I have a pack get out of jail cards I use in situations like this, and I'm now going to use one of them to backdate the build somewhat. I'll finish the build as a sort of solid scale/Woodason type model. A model of a model in fact! I'll have to take myself back in time a bit, much like this desktop picture I set up a few years ago, all period stuff in this case. I'll be aiming at a decently finished wooden kit look for this current Dornier. You didn't get much in the box way back in the days before plastic, as seen in the picture below, and you were pretty much on your own as far a references go. A copy of Aircraft of the Fighting Powers out of the library would be luxury for a modeller back then. I'll be cherry picking suitable period tips, styles and even some materials for my build. There's also going to be a fair bit of current tech used as well, glues, paints, plastic card etc. You can take this nostalgia thing too far sometimes! That's todays update filed, a decision has been made and work in that direction started. Epic stuff. More pictures as it happens, Tony. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 well, there was enough mentioned so far to intrigue me so I'll be hanging around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Yes, also curious to see where you've arrived already. Looking forward to pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 16, 2017 Author Share Posted October 16, 2017 Progress so far... Trenches filled, and a whole lot of rubbing down commences. Fill, sand, repeat. This is the boring bit, paint will follow soon enough, along with a bit of period detailing. A couple of different display ideas are forming, more info as it unfolds at this end. When the model is in bare primer, it starts looking very much like a wartime ID model. I built a few in that style last year. I had a few less than perfect built kits with bits missing, silvered decals, etc etc. I filled and rubbed them right down and hit them with a bit of satin black aerosol. They looked the part to me, especially when sat on a couple of cheapo paper spikes. The Dornier could end up like this if I manage to cock up the build running at the moment. See what I mean about Get out of Jail cards! Tony. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) Not much to report today, more filling and sanding. Yawn. I dug out a copy of Aircraft of the Fighting Powers from 1941. The Dornier makes an appearance and gets a bit of a pasting for being out of date, an easy target and generally not a lot of cop. I guess in 1941 the Germans were never going to get much praise from a UK publication. The plans look impressive but the few pictures provided contradict them in a few places. The pictures look to have seen a bit of airbrushing, so it's all of passing interest only really. I've also been messing around with one possible display idea. There's the beginnings of a Lufthansa Travel Agent display here. Or not. We shall see. There are a couple more ideas to try yet, but I'm waiting of an Ebay delivery or two before I can give them a go. More later. Edited October 17, 2017 by TonyW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Your idea of an ID model looks good, as well as using it like in a travel agency display. Great pictures in the book! Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I like the globe display idea. Martian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) The real world got in the way of modelling for a bit, back on track now though. Returning home found an envelope on the mat containing a 1939 Readers Digest map of the Atlantic... Initial thoughts were to hack it up and mount part of it on a curved backdrop base for the Dornier. Now it's here I can see that the map is a fair old size, and that it might look even better used whole on the back of a display case with appropriate models inside. I have an Airfix Sunderland and Catalina that would look good in front of the map, for instance. There's also part of me that struggles with damaging something that has survived in one bit since 1939! Cutting the map up feels wrong now it's here. Copying any required sections is an option I guess. I'll be having a think over this one for a while... Tony. Edited October 19, 2017 by TonyW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Hi Tony, I think it would be a shame to cut such a beautiful map with almost 80 years old. Your idea of using it for a larger display with period flying boats sounds excellent! Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 8 hours ago, TonyW said: There's also part of me that struggles with damaging something that has survived in one bit since 1939! Cutting the map up feels wrong now it's here. Copying any required sections is an option I guess. I'll be having a think over this one for a while... I'm with you on cutting up that map. I like your display case idea.... could you have the map inside the display case but with the bottom of the map on the bottom of the case, then a nice curve allowing it to flow up the back of the display case? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 33 minutes ago, hendie said: I'm with you on cutting up that map. I like your display case idea.... could you have the map inside the display case but with the bottom of the map on the bottom of the case, then a nice curve allowing it to flow up the back of the display case? I think that's the way forward with the map. B+Q sell sheets of pre scored MDF board that takes a curve very well. The map could be mounted on a sheet or two built to fit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 Here's an old FROG 1.96 scale airliner set on a BEA route map, giving an idea of how the Atlantic map might get used with the Dornier. I restored the plane from a rather beat to death built model and now it displays OK for me. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Excellent restoration, I'd say! Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 21, 2017 Author Share Posted October 21, 2017 A bit of silver paint applied, just to see how things look. Rattle can silver, over white car primer. There's a bit of sinking going on. Curses. Some of the panel lines are peeking through here and there. I'll leave the model in the warm overnight and take another look in the morning. Tony. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 I like the map in the display case idea. I also like the Dornier on the globe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 That looks a fabulous stylised rendition of this aircraft Tony. What a fine idea! I too like the globe option. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 I dunno if I'm entirely sold on the globe option. (purely a personal opinion) What about half a globe ? or half a globe coming out of the map? (not the good map though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 I've mocked the globe and plane up a dozen times, trying to find a way forward. it looks good for a minute, then somehow looses balance and the globe starts to dominate things. It's early days yet, I've yet to try out the map in any way. It's always possible neither option will work here. Fooling around, trying ideas is a nice way to spend a bit of hobby time though. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 The silver paint finish is very good and gives the model a beautiful look! Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) On 21/10/2017 at 11:37 PM, hendie said: I dunno if I'm entirely sold on the globe option. (purely a personal opinion) What about half a globe ? or half a globe coming out of the map? (not the good map though) Half a globe could well work, well spotted that man! It would be more in proportion with the plane, dominating it less. The globe shown is also an old one going by some of the country's shown. I can't hack that up, I'll have a look around to see if I can find anything else that fits the bill. Edited October 23, 2017 by TonyW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 I'm sure I've seen some old kits (Aurora perhaps?) come with a stand that was a transparent globe, or at least a section of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted October 24, 2017 Author Share Posted October 24, 2017 (edited) Got a bit more done on the Dornier. Decals on now, no problems to report. Red band painted onto the tail and a bit of artistic license used where the swastika should be. I'm not comfortable with the thing. I can respect a desire for authenticity and historic accuracy, but don't ever use them on my builds. My compromise has been to use a Lufthansa logo, that was on the Matchbox decal sheet, in the middle of a white circle on the fin. It works for me. I've pencilled in a few panel lines on the wing top and made a start on the glazed areas. I'm using black paint here, it helps with the simple look I'm after. A couple of clear plastic discs have been pressed into service as running props and look like they will work just fine. The plane is shown flying over a gigantic tin of Humbrol paint, just off the coast of Brazil! More later. Tony. Edited October 24, 2017 by TonyW Punctuation. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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