[Mobutu's personal Congolese AF Alouette III (Heller 1/72) +++ FINISHED +++]

Oh Dear....Why am I enjoying this more than my own builds ?  🤔

 

mike

[Surely the most elegant of them all.....]

Eye candy 🤤

 

Thanks for posting 

 

mike

[1/72 SAAF Buccaneer (Airfix) - run aground....]

Been focusing a bit too much on my other build, but the Buccaneer hasn't been forgotten.

 

Started with the cockpit and ejector seats :

 

 

Eduard etch set en-route to add some extra detail and colour

 

Inlets and outlets next :

 

 

Dry-fitted the bits and pieces into the fuselage

 

 

I must admit that I'm really enjoying this kit. Very clever engineering 

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

Crew have emerged from the changing room and the co-pilot looks a bit like Rob Beckett?  May have to put some carpeting down in the front office :

 

 

Took some of the home-made decals for a test drive on the fuselage :

 

 

The benefit of DIY markings is that I can rip these off and print some more 😆

 

mike

 

[Rooikat]

20 hours ago, SoftScience said:

...and mix my own colors. I enjoy the puzzle aspect of paint mixing....

 

Crikey! I hate the painting stage of any build so mixing my own colours would be like getting flogged with a cat o' nine 🤣.

 

IN the meantime, I'll sit back and enjoy your build. 

[Rooikat]

Excellent progress.

 

With regards to paint, not sure if you've seen these ?

 

 

I used them on my build and tI was really impressed with them.

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

Clear window strips sealed in on both sides before polishing them to death. Also tried out the front door frame which has been cut from vinyl. (The remnants will be used as a mask when I get around to painting)

 

 

Speaking of painting - time to get back into the cockpit.

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

So while I've been waiting for the clear strips to set in the fuselage halves, I've turned my attention to the markings. The plan is to paint the cheatline segments using masking and a tonne of patience, but with regards to logos and other elements, I thought I'd take the easy way out by asking Classic Airlines if they could rescale their 1/144 sheet ? Unfortunately, I've heard that Nick is dealing with more important things in life and I never had a response. This meant that I had to take the long way around and after a few hours of messing about with Photoshop, I managed to make markings for Z-WPB "Great Zimbabwe" with a couple of instrument panel decals thrown in for good measure :

 

 

 

Here's the inspiration :

 

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/194923

 

...named after the largest stone structure south of the Sahara :

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-zimbabwe/

 

(Who says model-building isn't educational?  😆)

[Aer Lingus Boeing 720]

Excellent stuff 

 

Thanks for posting.

 

mike

[Speedjack Trident]

Excellent work all round 

 

...and one for the British Airways version too 

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

I've left the aircrew to their own devices for the time being as I was keen to have a crack at fitting the transparent inserts into the fuselage halves.

 

Here's the port fuselage with the clear strip just visible above it :

 

 

The corresponding rectangular section of the fuselage was removed using a scriber - very thoughtful of BPK to provide a guide which would leave a supporting frame behind for the clear strip 

 

Fitted the strip; allowed the glue to dry thoroughly and then sanded the edges in, using various sanding sticks, Micromesh and a buffing pad.. Started fitting the starboard panel but then opted to tape the fuselage halves together to see the effect :

 

 

Quite pleased with the way it turned out. Far easier than I expected 

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

Not really the way I wanted to do it, but sometimes, stuff just happens.....

 

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

Two steps forward - one step back. 

 

Cleaned up the basic pieces for the cockpit and promptly fed a trim wheel to the carpet monster. Punched out two replacements from plastic card.....

 

 

 

...and assembled the whole lot.

 

 

....and then the flight crew arrived........and they didn't fit....

 

I could have always amputated their legs, but as they were already having to rely on one arm, I opted to rip out the control columns and rudder pedals before extending the back of the seats

 

 

Self-inflicted set-back for trying too hard 😆

 

mike

[Mobutu's personal Congolese AF Alouette III (Heller 1/72) +++ FINISHED +++]

Dear me! What type of microscope are you using? 👀

 

😆 mike

[1/72 SAAF Buccaneer (Airfix) - run aground....]

Let's face it - Airfix deliberately released this in time for the Group Build, so it would be rude to ignore it.

 

Bits and pieces :

 

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

On 2/16/2021 at 6:42 PM, Smudge said:

Looking forward to a nice colourful example  (good luck with the decal hunting)

 

I've been looking at a number of options and I figured that if I'm going to crash, I may as well go down in flames 😆. 

 

After a "nudge from Smudge", some tinkering on Photoshop, and a lot of "I think I can, I think I can....", I'm opting to return to my roots - Zimbabwe.

 

Starter for 10 :

 

 

mike

 

(P.S. My profile pic will be "flying the flag" during the Group Build 🤣 )

[Rooikat]

Built that kit and had a blast with it. The only issue I had was the undercarriage, but that may have been down to my impatience.

 

Enjoy 

 

mike

[An African Safari - entered voluntary liquidation]

Evocative box art 

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

10 hours ago, CliffB said:

...I do hope it's moulded in white plastic ......

 

Thanks Cliff. Pleased to report that the important bits are moulded in white plastic, with other parts in grey, clear and a bit of etch thrown in....and rubber tyres.....

 

 

Not too many parts, so it should be a bit of a doddle..... 

 

I think that at this point, I should thank @TheyJammedKenny! for sharing pics of his 737 finished in British Airways colours (or "colors" as he would say). Truly inspirational and the real reason why I've pulled this down from the shelf, and not something easier like the Airfix 1/48 buccaneer ! 🤣.

 

In the meantime, just waiting for the flight crew to arrive from their pre-build flight briefing at the Big H warehouse control centre.

 

mike

[L-100-20 Hercules - TAAG Angola Airlines]

One of my favourite colour schemes and certainly an option I was considering for my 737 🤔

 

Here it is on my 1/144 777-300 I built some time ago :

 

 

I'll be watching your build with interest.

 

mike

[Alitalia Boeing 727-200, Airfix 1:144]

Class 

 

One of my favourite schemes 

 

mike

[1/72 Boeing 737-200 Air Zimbabwe]

Something civvie from me 🥱

 

I've had this kit sitting on a shelf for more years than I care to remember - I think the dust is testament to that :

 

 

Should fit into the Group Build restrictions quite easily as the Boeing 737-200 has been flown by airlines in 34 African countries. There should be plenty of colour schemes to choose from but decal availability could be a serious issue. 🤔

 

Guess I'm going to have to do it the hard way, but at least I can aim for this as the bare minumum if I manage to get to the painting stage :

 

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/6306437

 

Buckle-up ! I'm expecting there's going to be turbulence on our flight over Africa 😀 

 

mike

 

 

[11 Years this took me, 11 years! 1/72 DC-7C conversion from Heller DC-6 donor kit]

11 years ?!

 

All I can say is that it was well worth the wait !

 

Simply brilliant.  

 

mike

[Africa GB chat]

,,,at the risk of being left behind, I'll throw my name in the hat too if I may?

 

Having said that, (and knowing my recent track record with Group Builds), I may have to start my build in the WIP section - just to save the mods from having to move it later 

 

...two engines and no weapons... !

 

mike

[No Man But Ajax May Vanquish Ajax (1/72 Airfix Spitfire Vc)]

Sorry to hear about this. Thoughts are with you and the family.

 

mike