David H Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Lovely progress on the beastie so far, General. I especially like the transformative effects of those Equipage wheel sets. i know there aren't a huge number of aircraft that feature 6-wheel main bogies, but the shock strut arrangement on the Backfire is interesting. Never seen a big strut make a funny, ski-jump like curve on the bottom end like that. Knowing modern Russian design philosophy however, i'm sure it gets the job done. Thanks for posting. david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phartycr0c Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Superb work (again) thus far Melchie. looking forward to seeing this beast built and as has been suggested a nice line up of Russian hardware for a picture shoot wouldnt go amiss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 (edited) David, you're quite right it is unique, even more so because Trumpeter got it a bit wrong here sadly the actual beam isn't as curved like this, As you can see the whole front end with support struts is wrong, but to be honest it would be a lot of extra work for little effect once the units are fitted, the only thing I might do is replace the single kit strut with the two either side of the long strut, (which itself is wrongly located, it should be fixed between the front wheels..why Trumpy did this with so much data available,well who knows!! )... Just a little update, I've added the two anti shimmy struts to either side of the long shock strut as these are quite evident whilst looking at the real thing... Thanks Pharty, I'll certainly have a go at getting a line up together later on in the year, (if I can find enough space to get em all together in one shot!! )..... Edited March 28, 2010 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Uncool Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 put on some good mood music, I find Metallica or Dvorjak usually helps... Aw, Sssshhhheneral, Metallica...? Couldn't it be something else, like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor or at least Children of Bodom? Did ya mean Dvorak = Classical music? If so, couldn't it be some of Tarja Turunen's Nightwish era, like The Pharaoh Sails to Orion? That Anette Olzon chic sucks (Tuomas Holopainen's) bottom. AWESOME! Master of Puppets for the epic win! See...? Master of Puppets was the song with which my mum would lull me to sleep back in 1986... Me likes Anthrax and Slayer of that same time period. Megadeth as well; but nuthin' compares to Iron Maiden (without Blaze Bayley, please). Mötley Crüe would make me laugh! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Uncool...you got a serious Scandinavian fetish going on there fella!..... ..agree with you bout Maiden and slayer though!! Yep Dvorjak, Grieg, Carl Orff, Pachelbel or Mussorgsky, depends on how I'm feeling...(usually well chilled with just the smallest hint of psychotic manic insanity!!).. Bit more done on the undercarriage bays and bomb bay, I've decided on a pack of six KH-15's mounted on the rotary launcher and a full compliment of FAB 250's on both the under fuselage pylons. Might add a KH-22 on one of the wing pylons, just have to wait and see how the TwoMikes ones come out as the kit parts are inaccurate...( surprise, surprise)... Some more pipework will go into the bays later, though not a lot can be seen of the roof of the bomb bay once the rotary pack has been fitted so any extra detail will be wasted to be honest.... The small missile bay covers have been fitted and filled and the stub inner wings fitted... Another area that needs attention are the two locating stubs on the tailplanes as these are very delicate and easy to snap off. As I wanted the surfaces movable I went down my usual route of replacing them with brass rod....much better! The intakes are poor and lack any detail at all!!...here's the real deal, quite a lot going on here!... So out with the Evergreen and masking tape... Then the backplate for the doors were sprayed and added at a suitable angle, ( they actually close completely ala MiG 29 but are rarely seen like this), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz greenwood Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) Lovely work as always Andy! I really love the attention to detail! But you would have thought for such an expensive kit, you shouldn't have to do extra work! Can't Trumpy get anything right? Edited March 29, 2010 by daz greenwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Thanks Daz...you're dead right, for this sort of money it should be right!..strange how some parts are spot on yet others are way out, I can only guess that different people deal with different parts of the kit. It costs just as much to make an incorrect part as it does a correct one. Their research seems dubious to say the least that's why I much prefer companies like Amodel whose research is meticulous and precise and though their kits need care building they are always accurate from the outset. You end up doing just as much remedial work on these kits as you do fettling the limited run stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Comrade General, Yet again Bexy is late on parade, however, having now caught up with your latest escapades, it seems your standards of have not slipped in any way what so ever. Superb work Andy as always, especially as recently you seem to be redesigning kits that are meant to be rather good, it seems unbelievable that with todays information access basic and simple mistakes are still being made. Oh my music of choice is Queen or Iron Maiden........... Eddie Rocks!!!!!!! Bex von NotBonkersEnoughToFollowGeneralsMadIdeas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard of Effingham Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) not bad general, not bad at all. what will you do next? something with RAF roundels i hope..... however, pulling up a chair and readying the and see you at cosford [i'll be with the what-if SIG by the nose of the bristol 188, btw] Edited March 29, 2010 by Howard of Effingham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) Thanks folks, Bex, yep it's really annoying that you have to do all this to a kit that you need a mortgage for!!.I don't know if they will ever produce a kit that doesn't need some work done on it but we live in eternal hope!!.......(TU-22 Blinder ...P L E A S E !!!)... RE the tunes, I met Bruce Dickinson on a flight to Krakow on an Astraeus flight which was nice !!........what was even better was the fact that he was the co-pilot and I got to sit up front for a short time...........couldn't do that now!!!, Treveor, thanks, well one thing with roundels on it ....... ..hush, hush...(can't tell you what it is though.....I'd have to kill you several times over if I did !!.. Andy Little update , added more detail to the cockpit hatches including first aid boxes and roller blind housings... And the Gsh cannon... Along with the engine facings, bomb and undercarriage doors, Edited March 29, 2010 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Uncool Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Nice build, Sssssssshhhhhhhheneral...!!! This 1/72nd scale bird would be more or less the same size than the 1/48th TSR, aye? Awesome detail, as ever, mate. Uncool...you got a serious Scandinavian fetish going on there fella!..... ..agree with you bout Maiden and slayer though!! Yeh, me guesses me's got it; actually, when I grow up me wants to be just like Morten Veland during Tristania, more than in Sirenia... oh, and while at it, me wants to marry a sheila who looks exactly as Meiju Enho in Ensiferum. Can ya imagine whut'd be like being married to a Viking sheila, yes, yes, yes, yes, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessss...??? Nikki Sixx would be outraged! Oh my music of choice is Queen or Iron Maiden........... Eddie Rocks!!!!!!! Hmph, that's quite a wide range, Bexster girl, but me knows where ya're comin' from. Remember when ya started up this band in college? Louise would play bass guitar and ya were the frontgirl. Sort of a catchy melody. Whut was of yer other friends in the band, gal? Married already? They're kinda cute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Melchie, we are having a little get to gether at 12 by the TSR2 at cosford so we can put some faces to names, and we dont have a table at the show! Nice work BTW! I do like russian stuff. Must add some more to the stash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Thanks fellas...Uncool , I think the term'identity crisis' comes to mind here!!....hope you are happy with the way things turn out bro...... Can ya imagine whut'd be like being married to a Viking sheila, Yes I can............only mines a Valkyrie... .... Rich, I'm sort of hoping it will, but it's going to be a close one as I have a lot of real life stuff to do before then!!.yeah you really can't beat the Rooskie stuff for originality ..some truly awesome designs. It always makes me chuckle when I hear folks spouting on about how infereior their equipment is , this aircraft is a prime example of how they get it right!! Rich, I'll be there, just need to wax the old Walrus and press the uniform and I'll be there looking forward to bullying off for the big push!!...hang on,.NO Table...what happened there then??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Slight cock-up on the table front Im afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) Good Grief man!!....what a way to run an Army!!...sorry to hear that.........blag your way onto the Cold War table, I'll bring some extra recliners.. I've cut the inner flaps out and reshaped the inner faces.It appears that the ends of the fairings seem to slide into the main section, (sort of like the Victor 2's slipper tanks)...............that'll be sorted a bit later!! The wings have now been done and fitted to the inner sections. One thing that needed doing first though were the dark metal areas, part of the wing VG strengthening.....The wings were glued into place as the flaps, slats, and airbrakes will all be deployed and I don't really want them all sheared off by accident! also I wanted to ensure the correct anhedral... The undercarriage location area is wrong too, there should be fairings half covering this area so these were made up from thin gauge Plasticard and fitted.. The weapons pack...six KH-15's plus rotary launcher and associated plumbing... The decals for the missiles come from the excellent Authentic decals sheet..all five million of them!! And the whole thing put to bed.......The rear housing looks a bit skew wiff here because it's only been pushed into place for the photo (badly).......hey the thing even turns!!, Edited March 29, 2010 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F111Fan Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 hey the thing even turns!!, WOW! How swish! And this is progressing quickly General-I'm impressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Uncool Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Uncool , I think the term'identity crisis' comes to mind here!!....hope you are happy with the way things turn out bro...... Oh, it's okay, mate. Guess I'd only be worried if I wanted to be just like Michael Monroe instead... Aw, "me" sweet Lord; me's got the hiccups now... Incidentally, do ya think this one is Terrence or Philip from South Park? ----------------------------> Cheers, Sssshhhheneral! Me's peepin' yer build. Unc² Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deon Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 tiptop work and rapid too! Nice to a russian lady with all her flaps deployed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 (edited) OOhh-err Deon...that's the way I like em too...................undercarriage down and flaps, slats and slots hanging out........ Should have the thing all glued together this week ready for it's first set of under clothes... Work done between her pipes as there is nothing on the model here at all and as you can see the holes are very evident on the real thing.... Edited March 31, 2010 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Nice holes.....!!! K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Your bomber is looking very good so far! Pity that trumpeter made those mistakes. I'm veeeeeery tempted to buy one of these beasts myself, I'll keep looking at this build with interest !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 1, 2010 Author Share Posted April 1, 2010 Thanks guys, Keef...sorry I was going to post a few more piccies of progress but got caught short as I'm at work and needed to do my bit to keep the Boss happy!! Giorgio, glad you like it, I would certainly recommend the kit to anyone, it's just that as usual with Trumpeter there are silly errors that need correcting...but nothing too terrible.Apparently there are plans afoot for a few AM sets for the kits (M3 and M2) which would make things a lot easier but I'm a terminal masochist and like doing it the hard way for some bizarre reason!!! More progress photos to come.... Melchie........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'V' Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Hi General, At it again I see - brilliant so far, just take care when sloshing paint around with the airbrush !!!! In true army style shouldn't it be painted white ? No doubt I'll see you at Cosford next weekend. Me I'm still spending money on Choo-Choos ..... 'V' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Hey Geoff, thanks, ..yes I can't leave the 'big boys alone...( I really should rephrase that!!)... just take care when sloshing paint around with the airbrush ! Err yes, point taken.... Are you going with the aerobatic lot??...yes I'll def see you there......(if you can squeeze it in can you remember the Warning Star.........looking forward to attacking that one.. ), Good luck with the choo-choo's... Melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 (edited) Right some more work on this one, the FAB 250's and MER racks done and will be fitted at the end, The cockpit was is one of the obvious areas that needs correctional work as Trumpeter have decided to steer clear of reality and make the canopy squared off at the base whereas it should be cut at a 40 degree angle and be rounded at the front more. The easiest way of doing this would be masking the clear plastic and over spraying the area but I didn't think that would look too great so using Plasticard I built up the area and then carefully sanded the canopy to shape, (a new line of rivets will be added along the top of the card). The transparency has been dipped in Klear and tinted gold/blue using Humbrol Cellulose varnish... The windshield is just pushed into place here as there is some internal detail to be fitted to the screen before final fitting... Most of the airframe has been assembled and glued..This took a lot longer than normal as I wanted to retain all the surface detail so it was one tiny bit at a time using Mr Hobby liquid putty and fine grade sanding sticks and Micro mesh to preserve it all.... This area is probably the toughest to get right and just needs final sanding with Micro mesh followed by priming... This is the next headache...a lot more complex than the Trumpeter parts so it's out with the plasticard and rod.... Some more detail tonight....grey/green anti flash curtains, above and below.. very prominent on the real thing. Edited April 2, 2010 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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