Room for one more? I bought this SMER Polikarpov I-153 off eBay, thinking it was
a repop of the Heller kit. I was quite surprised to find it wasn't! It's my first group build
and I've not shown any of my builds here, so at least you might all get a laugh!
I'm building SFTB in a winter camouflage, like this-



Here are the kit's mug shots-











Right, tovarischii! To work like Stakhanovites!

There is always room for one more so welcome aboard Gaz

nice choice of subject and scheme so looking forward to seeing her built.
btw might be an idea to remove one of the banners please

Good luck with that. Look forward to seeing your progress.

Gaz....


I am really looking forward to this..


HOUSTON.

Progress, comrades!

Assembly of the glorious Tchaika fighter, which possesses 2 sets of wings
where the capitalist lackeys of the Imperialist West make do with only one,
is proceeding. Images obtained at great human cost by our secret camera
show progress.
Here is the pilot's office.

And here it is fitted.

A dry-brushed instrument panel. (Shows up better in the (original)pic than in the plastic!)

Closed and clamped.

It has now been "set aside to dry"!
Adhesives by Revell Contacta.
Paints by Revell and Humbrol, all enamels, applied with a hairy stick.

That's a dinky size (or should I say dinski).

soo cute!

like the look of them there clamps!

Yeah, they're brilliant. They are the fabled Berna Assemblers
or "Berna clamps". Bought them a couple of years ago at SMW.

<(oozes smugness and sips a wee dram.)>

Hola, amigos! Oops, sorry, that's the wrong GB!
Anyway, I've made good progress today. Here
is the fuselage.

And upper and lower wings assembled

That means............





Test fits!


Big gaps at lower wing roots and at front & rear of the upper wing centre section.
Igor, break out the Milliputski!!



Having got to this stage, I'm now running around the room, holding the model at arms' length,
making "Nneeeeeoooowww" noises! (really must control these urges!)

Greetings, Comrades!
Further progress has been made in constructing the glorious icon of
Soviet high technology that is the Polikarpov I-153. The airframe parts
have been assembled.



In order to achieve the smoothest contours of the surface texture of this heroic
aircraft, Milliput filler has been employed to ensure that the flaws created by
Western saboteurs are destroyed.

The Lycra thread for rigging has arrived from the Imperialists at Aeroclub, and
seems well suited to the job.
A further report will follow soon.

sweet little ting ain't she!
keep up the good work Komrad Nurzmentalist Gazki

A short report without pictures this time!
Airfame has been primed in a satin
pale grey. I've got no pictures because
it actually doesn't look any different!

Dinky little Chaika! Neat! Ive always wanted on in 1/48...

Further progress. I have now applied some colour coats.
The underside in Humbrol Russian Blue- will be drybrushed
in a lighter blue later. And touched up (oo-er, Mrs) where
the hairy stick slipped!



Annnnd.... the uppersurfaces in Humbrol Dark Green (30), just to give a "camouflage"
undercoat for the winter white finish.



Don't these big pictures show up every flaw!! These images are actually bigger than
the model!

Just a quick progress report. White colour coats on the upper
surfaces are beginning to achieve coverage, but apart from that,
I have to report that I haven't touched the Tchaika since new year.
I've been in touch with Aeroclub, who are out of stock of the cyano
accellerator that is essential for the rigging technique I want to try.
I've never rigged a biplane before, so the rigging may have to wait
as they don't expect to restock before the GB ends. Still, I'll press
on. Does anyone know a good source for cyano accelerator (liquid,
not aerosol)?

Just a couple of pics of the white colour coat going on:





A couple more coats, then a touch-up session, decals, rigging and final bits adding,
and we're done. Not a lot if you say it quick!!
Only 18 days till
and feel like a

Nearly done, now! Here are some more build pix. The paint to the main airframe is done.

and


The decals (always a weak point for me!......Just one of many!) are on as well.




and that's where we're up to!
Clear coats and detail parts next then it's all over.

groovy Gaz

nearly there and looking good!

Thanks, Walrus!
Just paint touch-ups (I was always a bit enthusiastic with the
Revell Contacta Pro) and then.............
........ the rigging to go now!

good luck with the rigging Gaz!
such a sweetie!

(the Tchaika- not you mate! sorry!)

well, I've been attempting "The Rigging" this evening. I started out using Aeroclub's lycra thread, but in the
end had to give it up as a bad job. Not having the proper Cyano/Activator combination meant that I was
mostly sticking the rigging wires to my tweezers rather than the model!
So, I stretched some sprue and used that. That's why I have no pictures! I will need to use the "match trick"
to tighten the wires up. Plus I need to clean up the mess I've made of the finish with all that glue.
Still, it's my first attempt at rigging for many, many years- about 30, I think! And I do think the Tchaika
looks better for it (or she will once I fix the mess I made!)

Well done Gaz!

sweet little gal ain't she!
well done mate and thanks for posting in the gallery
loverly job!!