Bonehammer Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 It is a well-known fact that I *never* finish anything, mainly because I'm waiting for the opportunity to use my airbrush, but the Hobbycraft Lavochkins have a particularly troubled history with me... the first one went straight into the bin because it would not look right. A couple of years later and with more reference (remember the days before the Internet?) the second one was made into a passable resemblance of Kozhedub's plane, only to mess up the finish. What's left to do but to try, try again? I started this project when the Hobbycraft kits were the only game in town in 1/48, not only for La-7, but for GPW Soviet fighters aircrafts in general! (Remember their I-16?) The weak points of the kit are well-known by now: tail fin, canopy, fuselage, gun bulges, Karman, wheel wells, surface detail in general. In the meanwhile the Gavia kit had become available, but their 3-gun version costs like a mortgage (for an extra bit of resin), so I converted mine since I was going to perform surgery on the cowling anyway. So nya-nya-nya-nyaaa-nyah to them. This is where I am now... Whoops. I made the reinforcement strips by eye and by memory, and they're too wide. The interior is not terrible, and the control stick is even right for this version, but the Legend set was so cheap... My first attempt was not so great, however. I ripped the parts off the fuselage (that's why the starboard one has a hairline crack), sanded them MUCH thinner, as in i-can-see-my-thumb-on-the-other-side thinner, put them back. Lots better. This is the point that's stalling the build... I've corrected the wheel well outline (see the white bits at the back?) but making the vanes has escaped me so far. (It's also the reason why the companion of this kit, a razorback La-5, is slowly decomposing in the loft). I've seen Milliput being used to make rather complex shapes, and I'm going to try that next. Bit of work done today... remedying the fuselage shape: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Good work so far Bone. Hope we get to see this one finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 (edited) Welcome, looking forward to seeing another shelf queen finished Edited January 18, 2015 by Mish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonehammer Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Bad news. The Milliput wheel wells so painstakingly carved during the last days are now AWOL. English doesn't have foul enough words to describe my disappointment. In fact as I was searching I may have reinvented the Black Speech. I'll have to start from scratch, which usually causes the lost ones to resurface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 The only comfort I can offer is that you have proved yourself capable of making them once so will be able to do it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonehammer Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 (edited) I remade the parts and progressed beyond the stage I had reached with the old ones - but they still don't look right. I know best is the enemy of good and it's a part of the kit that few people will ever see, but I'm tempted to start again and take away the middle section while I'm at it, since it's incorrect as well. How they were done - I kneaded some Milliput and pressed two blobs where the undercarriage bays ought to be. Kept the surface of the putty quite wet to prevent it from sticking to the plastic. Shaped the wet Milliput with dentist tools. Finished with sandpaper and rat-tail files after it had set. More of the same, working with smaller shapes: I reproduced the depth changes in the wells and the radiator ducting - didn't manage to obtain a perfect symmetry. See why I'm not too happy about it. Ta for now, Bone Edited February 8, 2015 by Bonehammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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