Pin Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I have started this kit more than three years ago. It is notoriously inaccurate - I'm trying my best to fix the issues found. By this morning I have the following: Windows are way too large - filled with putty - will use custom decals. Forward landing gear bay moved 12mm forward: Visor length shortened, cockpit windows form changed, nose shape corrected. Panel lines on engine nacelles are rescribed Nose leg Wings attached to fuselage, new visor is made of CD case. Tail wheel bay is cratch built - the one from the kit is pure fantasy. Revell 1:144: Airfix 1:144: Arifix 1:72: The flat surface is about 10 mm too wide both sides! Ironically, ancient Airfix 1:144 kit depicts this place far more accurately: a bit of plastic surgery Made a template, cut with my faithful Proxxon drill Filled the gaps with sprues putty and more putty One side is ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 Today I did the same operation to the other side My reference books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 Another big problem - notice where "cylindrical" forward part of fuselage merges with "flat" - almost at main gear wells The model: The problem could be solved as follows (14th post from the top) : http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/viewtopic_t_30759.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHIL B Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Great stuff. You've got your work cut out there but it'll all be worth it. I noticed another small issue with the kit looking at your pictures. Heller/Airfix have moulded the maingear door ends with straight edges and a point whereas they should have a smooth radius at each end. Its a good thing the doors stay shut but a bit of filling and rescribing might be in order. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 good luck...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks More putty. I afraid I haven't caught the shape right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xffw45343tg Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 ...nose shape corrected. What's wrong with the nose shape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 What's wrong with the nose shape? It is more cone-like than ogival. Add incorrect visor length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 considering the problems this kit has, somebody should be shot for releasing it..... You would have thought that as one of the most photographed, referenced and iconic aircraft ever, there would be no excuse for it being so wrong in so many areas. keep up the good work Pin, your doing fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 ... one of the most photographed, referenced and iconic aircraft ever .... ... does not have available plans / line drawings. If anyone has seen any - please shout! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 This is a great fix it thread for this kit Pin. I have mine to start shortly. I was aware of the nose visor issues but not the others. Looks like another big scratch build job on the way! THanks aslo for the link tot he other build, it has some great ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) sprayed some primer to reveal defects of liposuction Need to correct asymmetry Edited January 27, 2012 by Pin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 More bad news for us Concorde lovers in 1:72 1. 1:144 is supposed to be twice as small as 1:72. I measured the height of the plain elevation on the belly - on Airfix 72 blank of a model it is almost four times as high! Indeed 2. Now compare the width at main wheel bays About 8 mm too wide both sides. Again - compare to the picture above 3. Fairings are of wrong shape, additionally, there must be elevation too, like shown in green as well seen here http://www.airliners.net/photo/0687641/L Undue hesitation must be avioded, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xffw45343tg Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Eek! Best of luck with this; watching carefully. With hindsight, would the slimming down of the sides of the belly been more straightforward after its removal? I figure it might be possible to add vertical pieces from card from underneath. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Boy, I'm glad you are going through all this before I touch mine I had noticed the height difference in the earlier pictures but thought you noticed and were going to leave it. You can't turn back now! Onward and upward.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 These sad pieces of foil were once the wheel bay walls ... 2 mm plastic sheets were used to cover the holes. 0.5 mm used in wheel bay area as wheel bays will be reshaped later and I don't want to cut too thick plastic Gaps filled with two component epoxy Have you ever used power tools of this caliber for scale modelling in 1:72? Sprayed to reveal defects - plenty of them. I will reuse the cone, but the elevation will be done using 2 mm plastic sheets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I think I'm going off the idea of getting one of these.... cost; fixes; somewhere to put it when done; (it's a big beast) 10 out of 10 to you for doing it, and to all the others as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Wow... that looks like... erm... fun? Quite a hack & slash job to get it somewhere near right, isn't it? I think mine will stay in the stash quite a bit longer after seeing this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Did some drawing today printed on paper and cut to try on Good news is that wheel bays don't need reshaping Edited February 3, 2012 by Pin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Did I say there is good news? It seems like this kit and good news are not compatible. Take a look at the picture - the wheel bay edge is somewhere in the middle of engine intake lip. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/...rde-101/0675812 Now - air - <censored> - fiix 8 mm too far aft! Ironically their instruction sheet shows correct position of the bays. Am I surprised (sigh) ? Edited February 3, 2012 by Pin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Noticed one more thing. Measured relative lengths of "black" vs "white" parts of engine nacelle, "black" is measured from the wing edge Now parts from the kit Length of the black part - 49mm so white part to the "tooth" should be 49 * 1.77 = 86.73 mm Let's see: Not quite. Overall width from tooth to wing edge 127 mm , 127 / ( 1 + 1.77) =~ 45.8 mm, Difference is about 5 mm. Probably not worth correcting ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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