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1/48 AeroTeam / Modela L-13 Blaník


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About time I start this.

This is the kit:

ibxxTRy.jpg

And here's proof of purchase:

F50aTGt.png

The picture links to the record of the original purchase on eBay, which won't remain there for much longer. You can also see the nice box, before it was shipped in a padded envelope... Good thing I'm not a hardcore collector.

So what do we have here:

3So36JC.jpg

The plastic is the well known Modela model that was sold under a few other brands as well.

8KRKyyo.jpg

Detail is rather indistinctive and of the raised lines variety (The funny shape at the cockpit wall is supposed to depict a pouch...). Some improvisation will be called for here. Especially so as the cockpit of a glider is about the only opportunity to show some detail and the large canopy gives a clear insight. (The new AZ / Admiral model is much nicer here. But that would have been more than a Tenner...)

qekzeYw.jpg

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This edition differs from the Modela offering in the marking options. Decals are printed by Propagteam. There is a quite nice white variant in blue and red trim (the Czech national colours), and two more Czech markings in more standard livery (one of those with the top-mounted engine; only three of these were ever built).

And then there is the variant I intend to build: A natural metal bird (most Blaníks were NMF for the most part) of the British Air Training Corps.

Looking at the Instructions you can see that there is not a lot to be built on such a glider. Main points are detailing a nice cockpit and duplicating the smooth skin that you try to maintain on these birds. I first thought about giving the Blaník a few dents and dings, but looking at pictures online I found that most of them are kept in pristine condition. On the lower side of the fuselage and the outer lower wing panels some wear and tear probably can't be avoided, but other than that they usually look spotless.

This already brings me to a cry for help from the nice folk on this board: Have any of you been in Air Cadet training? I have no information whatsoever on the inside of this plane. I can make it fictious, but I'd rather stay close to the original. Questions in detail:

Colour of the textile paneling an flooring?

Colour of the seat cushions?

Colour and style of seat harness?

Colour and style of parachute used?

Would an air cadet during flight training wear a uniform? Standard glider-issue pot-hat or Air Cadet beret?

Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.

Also entered in the Training Types GB

Edited by Hotel Papa
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Stringbag is your man to talk to about Blaniks. He had one for quite a while, after rebuilding it from scrap. Not this exact model, but I bet if he doesn't know, he'll know where to find out :)

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Great entry. Even though I was an Air Cadet that was quite a few years back and I only went gliding on a few occasions. The thrill of the flight deviated my attention from checking out the furnishings. All I can really remember is the one's I flown in were painted white not NMF and we wore green coveralls over uniform with possibly a headset but never a beret.

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All I can really remember is the one's I flown in were painted white not NMF

and we wore green coveralls over uniform with possibly a headset but never a beret.

Probably the newer Grob Twins (Viking T1 to the RAF) in GRP then.

So you flew bareheaded? Nobody would allow a cadet to fly a glider without proper headgear here (to prevent sunstroke in the glasshouse). Well, It's GB, I guess you do have a different climate there.

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Probably the newer Grob Twins (Viking T1 to the RAF) in GRP then.

So you flew bareheaded? Nobody would allow a cadet to fly a glider without proper headgear here (to prevent sunstroke in the glasshouse). Well, It's GB, I guess you do have a different climate there.

The Grob does ring some bells. To be honest it was over 15 years ago so my memory can't be relied on. Especially when I can't remember things from 15 minutes ago. :yikes:

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  • 4 weeks later...

Progress is slow. Have prepared some scratched parts, the smallest of which are 0.75 x 1.9 mm. Quite cross eyed at the moment.

Anyway, the first of those are assembled, and that's the result:

8Yg9HYSl.jpg

It's one of four spoilers. Parts for the other three are ready. The spoiler is cut from the 0.1 mm thick aluminium of a Red Bull can. I was hoping that I might be able to use the silver parts of the can directly. No such luck. The can is coated inside and out with some varnish, so I have to grind the surface. The ribs are cut from thinner aluminium food container. Rods are copper wire.

Edited by Hotel Papa
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I don't have any experience with this; it's the first time I use that combination in a plastic model. Copper and aluminium are definitely far apart on the voltage ladder, so your concern is valid. However, for electrocorrosion to take place you need an electrolyte. Only time will tell if ambient humidity and adhesives / paints can serve as such.

I do know that aluminium alloys with copper content tend to be not very corrosion resistant in corrosive atmosphere.

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  • 1 month later...
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