SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 (edited) I've made my last few kits straight of the box, so time for something a little more challenging. I picked this up last September from a local scale model expo, I think it cost me ~$5: Inside some very dark green plastic: Transparencies have a bit of flash on them: Gruesome decals: Old fashioned instruction sheet, on what appears to be very low quality recycled paper: So far, nothing special. However, I also picked up this: The conversion parts: A length of wire seems to be missing, but that should be easy enough to replace. Decals look great: Very complete and informative instructions. I can't seem to find any built up examples of this on my quick scan through the forums, or on the web, so any advice would be welcomed! Edited December 4, 2016 by SimonL 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Simon, You are the first I have seen attempt this conversion, even on the Aussie Forums I frequent I have only seen the announcement post for its release. Good luck with the build, from the conversion parts count it does not too difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Thanks Ray - yes I was surprised to see no attempt anywhere considering the apparent simplicity of the conversion. As far as I can see, I can essentially build the model and then add the conversion parts at the end. I won't be trying to do anything clever with the inside of the cabin. My first consideration - what colour to do the cockpit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Some greys I would say... (google is your friend) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Yep - but I also found images that show quite bright green and also grey-green when I did the ol'google search. Having said that, from what I have read about this Italeri kit you can't actually see much inside the cockpit (or main cabin). I think I may settle for grey-green and some tape seat belts and be done with it :-) As for the main cabin, I am seriously contemplating leaving it unpainted as the dark green plastic lends itself to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathasatail Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Hi there! I've got this kit in my stash and I've been thinking about doing the Dakota at cosford in its current RAE colours. I'll be watching this closely Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Yep - but I also found images that show quite bright green and also grey-green when I did the ol'google search. Having said that, from what I have read about this Italeri kit you can't actually see much inside the cockpit (or main cabin). I think I may settle for grey-green and some tape seat belts and be done with it :-) As for the main cabin, I am seriously contemplating leaving it unpainted as the dark green plastic lends itself to that. Simon, the image I posted is of RAAF Dakota A65-95, if you look closely at the centre of the instrument panel you will see the tail number on a dymo tape label 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Well, couldn't wait to get started, so got going with sticking stuff together already. Cockpit is very simple, with just really be seats fitted on to the floor of cabin, along with the bulkheads. Steering columns were surprisingly delicate and fiddly to fix, being made up of two separate parts each. Also in shot the rear cabin cargo door, which was made up of two separate parts. Now for the cabin windows, which are made up of strips of windows inserted from the inside of the fuselage. Care needs to be taken here as each set of windows only fit in one position. I dropped them into place and then carefully ran small amounts of Tamiya thin cement around the edges, allowing capillary action to do the rest. The transparencies fit really well, and as suspected when held the fuselage halves together you can't see much inside the main cabin so I think I will take the quick way out of not painting the cabin. Will be a bit of fun masking these, at least they are a simple shape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Simon, the image I posted is of RAAF Dakota A65-95, if you look closely at the centre of the instrument panel you will see the tail number on a dymo tape label I saw that! The very green one is actually at the South Australia Aviation Museum: http://www.saam.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/c47a1.jpg But I am guessing that if A65-86 was being used as late as 1992 it would be more likely to have a grey cockpit? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Watching with interest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Hope I don't disappoint Mark :-) Exhausts are moulded solid, so some work with a pin-vice and model knife will soon fix that. The wings and tailplanes went together nicely, and then I tried a dry fit of all the main components with the cockpit parts inside. Despite being an older kit, it looks like it will go together relatively simply with only minor need for filler. This exercise also confirmed that precious little of the cockpit or cabin can be seen, and also it is quite a big aircraft! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 9, 2016 Author Share Posted July 9, 2016 Ah-ha! Should have the read the instructions better. Guidance is given on cockpit colours for RAAF Dakotas, they were painted UV neutral Cockpit Green. I have some cockpit interior green that will do at a pinch, it's not really appropriate but again, not much can be seen through the windscreen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempestwulf Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 You can't beat the old Dak for a classic aircraft and for $5 the kit was a steal. There's still one flying out of the Chatham Islands off the coast of New Zealand here that I took a flight in last year, during Wings over Wairarapa. Beautiful plan, noisy but nostalgic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinism Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Great choice of subject. Looking forward to this build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Like a dak, I would like to build Montgomery's one but missed out on the transfer sheet and can't find another. Really like your scheme choice, looking forward to how it turns out. Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 10, 2016 Author Share Posted July 10, 2016 (edited) Thanks for all the support and comments :-) Finished off the cockpit by adding some Tamiya tape seatbelts. Having read about a bit, it appears the attaching the windscreen can be a bit tricky after sealing up the fuselage, so I carefully glued it into one side of the fuselage by running Tamiya thin cement carefully around the edges. Once the cement had cured it was time to bring the fuselage halves together. Again for such an old kit, a surprisingly good fit. Just needed the use of elastic bands to convince the lower rear fuselage halves to come together. I also ran a little thin cement around the other side of the windscreen. The trick of gluing it to one side appears to have worked really well. Edited July 10, 2016 by SimonL 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 You will have this one finished in no time Simon. Nice work on the cockpit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Thanks Ray. It depends on the weather. I intend to use rattle cans to do the main paint job, don't fancy brush painting that much in aluminium and white. However, that means it needs to be warm and still enough outside! I note that Perth was colder this morning than Canberra - ugh! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 This looks like a most interesting project! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teeradej Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Looking good so far. I was really enjoy building this kit once. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Ah-ha! Should have the read the instructions better.We do put a lot of effort and argument into those instructions so we're delighted you read them. not much can be seen through the windscreen!Or the cabin windows... I did full detail on the first Dakota I built. Nowadays I just paint the inside matt black and tell everyone it's fully detailed. It's great to see one of these being made as we have sold dozens and dozens, telling people it's ideal for a first effort conversion. Let me know if you need more info or that missing piece of wire (must be one that the boss packed...!!!) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 Thanks Ed! The instructions are great - very clear and easy to follow. No worries about the wire - should be easy enough to source something of the right dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Only just catching up with this one, you are certainly cracking on I don't have this conversion, but very interested in how it turn out 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmouredSprue Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Looking good. if you need pics from the SA Aircraft Museum Dakota, I'll be able to go there and take whatever your want. just give me a yel. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Thanks for the very kind offer Paulo, but I think with my limited abilities the photos I have already will be enough :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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