KiwiRho

Great sourced info - thanks Ben.

Trying to remain positive, I see this as a kit with the word 'Challenge' attached to it. The shapes from your excellent detail pics look 'about right' but... and it's a rather large but, what could you do to save it? How good is your mould / seam filling and your 're'scribing. My suggestion is say "To hell with it! It's on!" and break out the milliputt, or Tamiya White, or whatever you use, and just fill everything... and then really show Italeri what kind of kit they should be producing. Good luck (and thanks for your tip on the better looking PAS ATR-72 as well)

Agreed! Those close up pics are very '3D' and seemingly draw you into the model - especially in those close up pics. They might just be what I'm after! thanks for the link.

Yeah, thanks for that. Those 26Decals are a quite nice looking set that but sort of what I have already from Flightpath (less the windows, of course).

Great looking aircraft and fantastic repressentation, John. You have now inspired me to find a Mincraft kit to complete a -52 as used by TEAL / Air New Zealand in 1/144. I have had the beuatiful Flightpath decals sitting around for years - but your work has motivated me to actually get them attached to some paint and plastic!

It's this sort of precise work and attention to detail and accuracy that inspires all model makers. After recently returning to modelling after a 20-year hiatus, this is the kind of reason I've come back - your big bird is just amazing. I've just spent the last half hour going through the entire thread, Tom, and see everything that needs to be said has just about been said (bar the loud shouts of "finished!" by you at some point in the coming weeks of course). Well done, sir.

That cockpit work is looking really good so far - and in 1/72 as well. Wow! No wonder you're finding your Eduard etch work rather "fiddly". Got the Academy F6 and FGA-9 still boxed in 1/48 waiting for me in the model cupboard and, with my desire to avoid teeny tiny, detail like that etched set for me is easier in bigger scale. Am thinking seriously of ETPS Raspberry for the F6 (just 'cause that scheme looks so damn good on a Hunter) and Royal Rhodesian Air Force 1963 (with the sky blue undersides and single large asagai RRAF roundels) as I have the decals for both. You great start has inspired me. Many thanks!

Righto - thanks again. A good heads-up on the laser prints, as I need to cover a teal coloured cheatline - see Air New Zealand DC-10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_New_Zealand_Flight_901#/media/File:Air_New_Zealand_DC-10-30_ZK-NZP_LHR_Jul_1977.png I have the very good looking 1970's AirNZ scheme from Flightpath but I assume they expected ALL 1/144 DC-10 & B737 modellers to punch the windows or something - there were no window decals. You had to source these elsewhere when I bought these decals sets in the late 90's (kept with all my other decals in airtight containters in a relatively dehumidified environment and they still look excellent - so here's hoping they prove so come application time). That appeared strange somewhat as I also have both the Flightpath Fokker F-27 Air NZ and NZ NAC decals sets in 1/144 and they came with window decals. I guess I go back to F-DCAL now and order a DC-10 set of another airline which should come with their fancy silk-screened detail set... and so it goes on! Hahaha!

Yeah, thanks Scott - I also had found the Nazca-decals in my search around - and yes it certainly looks impressive. Not having seen any reviews online for Nazca, I was wondering if there was some other preferred options people used. Anyway, in the absense of anything else, I will order it. cheers

Surgery done! One fail - One success. Oops! Coping saw sadly proved far too agressive for four cuts, so one old Airfix baby-bo fuselage (in three bits) has now ended life in the circular file, with rest of sprue bits to now act as spares. However, despite that inital faux pas, with a second kit, I found if I cut in the middle of each location then sanded back to each fore and aft marks on both section removals (using 150 grit) was a much more subtle and righteous solution. I now have a half-way reasonable looking Boeing 737-130 fuselage lump (photos to come). Now for those after-market engines - the Airfix ones are defintiley too small... Ansett New Zealand's three -100s had the larger bulkier versions http://tinyurl.com/ovqknfj

Just wondering do their offerings provide for an ATR - 72 in 1/144 by any chance?

I read the differing opinions re window preferences and it's obvious modellers far more experienced than me have some firm preferences. So I will add my 2 cents... I used to punch and fit clear parts but never felt they looked close to real in 1/144 - that is until I saw Strangeways Vanguard. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980133-airfix-1144-vickers-vanguard/ Wow! What an absolute standout model that is. He states he replaced the windows with clear resin. I assuming he is referring to the cabin windows (and not the cockpit as that looks like the kit issue to me). Those cabin windows appear so subtle and realistic it's hard to criticise anything about them. Having said that, I would be quite happy to fill them in on my own old Vanguard kit and apply the set of Liveries Unlimited window decals I have along that fuselage cheatline. It would look just as good I believe. I like window decals a lot more than I used to, and also state respectfully, they look so good on well made models they hardly look like toys to me.

Hi guys I'm after a couple of detail sets of the above. I used to get the AHS details sets back in the day but I'm sure they're long gone. I know F-DCAL supply a superb detail decal set with their various liverie options (I just today recieved their stunningly beautiful 1/144 Air New Zealand B767-300 decal set - with winglet decals as well no less), but I just need the DC-10 detail set alone. Any recommendations as to who would be best to source. thanks again Dave

Exactly! Could not have put it better than Toby myself. Well done - it looks great!

I like your concept of a challenge. Getting those flaps right is something I for one can't wait to see how you did. Nothing since 2011... did you finish it?

I suggest it will look better in larger scale. Say 1/72 (and above, if anyone does produce it bigger).

Hoping, well intending at some stage, to undertake a Mount Cook HS748. This thread has indeed helped hugely. So thanks Callum. Was thinking the Welsh Models kit 1/144. I'm not scared of vac-form at all (enjoy the challenge actually) but having read all this, I kinda like the idea of your 1/72 S & M kit too.

Fantastic. Just what I wanted to know. Many thanks, Good Sir!

Hi ALL This is a query to all, but I also highly suspect Jessica will already know the answer or at the very least be able to offer a suggestion. I also expect that this topic may well have been covered before, however... My research tells me with regard to the early-body Boeing 737, the 30 made examples of the -100, were 1.90 meters approximately shorter than the later standard lengthened -200 version. I wish to create an early-Ansett New Zealand B737-130, reg: 'ZK-NEA'. Applying this to 1/144 scale, how much exactly fore and aft of the fuselage needs to be chopped out - and, if you also know, are there any plans on the net to show exactly where the cut goes? many thanks - NB, Being a relatively straight forward surgery, I have no fear of applying "the chop", having previously created a B747-SP from a -200 using a Fine Scale Modeller's conversion article from 1995 (instructions were intended for 1/144 but I downsized it all again to 1/200 on a Hasegawa) - so feel free to advise how brutal you think this alteration might be. Cheers!

Ha! Just read this thread for the first time today. Start to finish, it looks like this has turned into a mission where failure is no longer an option. Well done, Callum - I feel for you but am looking forward to the flourish finish. Watched the progress of the RNZAF Andovers from the late 70's until its retirement (and on to the sad sample that was / is used as the fire dummy at Whenuapai). Always thought they were pretty cool - a Kiwi airshow stalwart back in the day. Liked the spotless regal executive-white with outlined blue stripe and grey scheme best myself, but do recall well your chosen scheme. Nice job.

Many thanks for that link, Jessica - working on my order form now - cheers!

Hi All - this may well have been covered in some previous forum but... I have a 747SP build underway that I started (would you believe started approx. 1995!) - using the Hasegawa 747-200 heavy surgery conversion to SP instructions provided in Fine Scale Modeller magazine at the time. Looking reasonably accuarate raw and unpainted - certainly it's better than the Sasquatch lump next to it I must have got at the time of the build as well. However, still a very long way to go. It's been a long time I know (I have got my modelling mojo back after numerous distractions) but I found I have a set of BRA-Z Rolls Royce engines dry fitted, which suggests I was looking construct an early-look Qantas SP. I still want to now. As I am looking to get this underway again, I was hoping somebody knew where to get an accuarate Qantas 747SP 1/200th 'first liverie' decal set. Cheers.

Stunning! Inspiring! Have the older original and the Liveries Unlimited BEA decal set. You've got me going now. Sigh.