pinky coffeeboat Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Hello, Returning back from my spell overseas and having the next week off from work, I can push on with the first group of airliners and even consider starting some more... As per the title, the Revell Super Constellation model is my next victim. I like this kit quite a lot; there are a few issues with it (here we go again) namely the flight deck clear cover is a bit too shallow and doesn't correctly portray the increased size of the windows introduced with the L1049. The windows were about 4" taller than those of the original L049 series. I'm not really sure of the best way to correct this - on the few I've built I haven't really bothered and for this one I may choose to ignore the issue and build "as-is". Also, the rear of the fuselage is a bit off in shapes and sizes, but again in two minds to even point this out. On the model, you can see I've previously marked out some areas that needed to be altered for the intended colour scheme I had in mind at that time (I think it may have been Eastern Airlines). And also for the Aerlinte Eireann/ Irish International Airlines/ Irish Air Lines aircraft the cabin windows will need to be altered to be in the correct place. The decal sheet from Classic-Airlines.com is nicely produced and has the windows included in the cheatline. Therefore, to save time, I may fill the windows and use the decals (slowly, model by model I'm increasingly using decals...heresy I used to think!!) The only other choice to make is - Aerlinte Eireann http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aerlinte-Eireann-%28Seaboard-Western-Airlines%29/Lockheed-L-1049E-01-Super-Constellation/1096247 - Irish Air Lines http://www.airliners.net/photo/Irish-Air-Lines-%28Seaboard-Western-Airlines%29/Lockheed-L-1049E-01-Super-Constellation/100798 - Irish International Airlines http://www.airliners.net/photo/Irish-International-Airlines-%28Seaboard-Western-Airlines%29/Lockheed-L-1049H-Super-Constellation/183416. Jeff 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Nice choice, with the decals, I like opotion one, as it would make people ask who the hell is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share Posted August 23, 2016 (edited) This one has received some attention too. With the decals including the windows in the cheat line, I've had to fill the kit apertures. First, I glued in the clear windows and the followed up with Tamiya filler on one side and gap filling CA glue on the other side. The Tamiya side has shown the sinkage that I feared would happen. Using CA glue gives better results; it cures quickly and sands beautifully. However, I've noticed that the plastic kit seems to have "shrunk" from around the glue leaving very faint outlines. The flight deck has been assembled, painted and put aside for installation. I wont add any detail as I've absolutely zero interest in adding any kind of detail that will not be seen at all. The engines exhausts have been drilled out - the uprated engines used in the L1049 Constellation was the Wright R3350 Turbo Compound that had three power recovery turbines fitted. They look a bit crude at the moment but a bit of tidy up and a rusty, oily, sooty exhaust paint job will give them a bit more life. It's not long before a model of the most beautiful piston engined aircraft ever built (IMO) appears on the bench!! Edited August 23, 2016 by pinky coffeeboat 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Lovely subject! You have given me a welcome nudge to build my Revell Connie and use a set of Whiskey jack decals for a Nordair machine. I may even get a start on it very soon now that I have got a couple other models finished and out the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share Posted August 23, 2016 Thanks Paul, the kit isn't too bad and it goes together quickly - but then most airliner models do (stand fast the Eastern Express efforts). I'd like to see the Nordair colours on the Connie. Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Lovely choice Jeff. I saw one of these complete at last years Telford show and it looked superb in the old Irish Air LInes livery. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient mariner Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 This early Revell release was for sale at the US Nats...........a bit too rich for my blood (and wallet) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share Posted August 23, 2016 Thank you Chris. I've got a question that I'm hoping someone could answer. Flicking through a book about the Constellation, I came across a photo of one of the Irish airlines machines in New York. The caption accompanying it stated that on the left side was the gaelic writing and on the right was the English language equivalent. I wasn't aware of this, I know that the aircrafts name is done this way, but the main titles? The problem is, the aircraft were used for a short period (under lease from Seabord and Western from about April 1958 until December 1960) and during that time the airline changed its name from Aerlinte Eireann (1958) to Irish Air Lines (1959) before Irish International Airlines (1960) and then the Connies left. So each year the name changed, but was there ever a time when one side was written in gaelic and the other English? And the aircraft on the decal sheet had square tipped blades... Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Nice to see a Connie in the GB, this is the later tool kit I assume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Nice to see a Connie in the GB, this is the later tool kit I assume? Yes it is. The original kit was 1/128 as you may well know.( as per the image by ancient mariner) Not a bad one for the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share Posted August 28, 2016 (edited) I really love the Eastern Air Lines colours shown on the box top posted by Ancient Mariner. I've got a set of Vintage Flyer Decals I'm itching to use!! Now, one of the problems with the Revell kit concerns the main wing dihedral. Gluing the main wing parts together "as is" produces a nice tight fit with minimal gaps all round. However, the wings are pretty much flat and don't have the up sweep of the actual aircraft. To overcome this, I first removed the top wing tabs (they locate into the fuselage). Then, I did a bit of angled sanding along the fuselage/ wing join. Now the wings were all fitted and with elastic bands and masking tape, the underside joins were held tightly to remove any step that would form. I gave that a few minutes to take hold, then each wing was pulled up to the correct(ish) angle before flooding the join with gap filling superglue whilst masking tape was run around the wingtip and over the top of the fuselage to set the angle. A nice generous amount of filler was slathered on afterwards. The aircraft on the decal sheet (N1008C) has a rear side cargo door. On a previous Constellation I built in the markings of Flying Tiger Line, I scribed on the cargo door but did it a bit too heavily. For this build, I'll fill the panel lines and just allow the decal sheet door outlines to do the rest. So, the rear panel lines were filled and left aside to harden. Next, the clear bits were added. The nose cone was first to be fitted. It's fit isn't too bad at all, just requires a quick fill and rub down. However, the flight deck cap was another story... It all looks a bit grim, but as I mentioned the nose cone is OK, but just look at that cockpit piece!! If only Paul Fisher would scale down his 1/72 Heller replacement part ( http://fishermodels.indiemade.com/product/corrected-nose-and-cabin-constellation-ec-121-172?tid=4). I'll give up all hope of keeping clear windows with this one and just fill and sand to a more representative shape!! Edited August 28, 2016 by pinky coffeeboat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share Posted August 28, 2016 Here is the Connie, waiting for a bit more attention. Now the observant will observe something strange... I haven't produced a tail sitter - I've produced a perfectly balanced model!!! The cocktail stick under the nose is supposed to be there to support the aircraft because the rear cocktail sticks are in the main undercarriage mounting holes! It doesn't lean forwards, it doesn't lean backwards - perfectly balanced! Jeff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient mariner Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 Here is the Connie, waiting for a bit more attention. Now the observant will observe something strange... I haven't produced a tail sitter - I've produced a perfectly balanced model!!! The cocktail stick under the nose is supposed to be there to support the aircraft because the rear cocktail sticks are in the main undercarriage mounting holes! It doesn't lean forwards, it doesn't lean backwards - perfectly balanced! Jeff 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted September 24, 2016 Author Share Posted September 24, 2016 Progress (of sorts) An attempt has been made to deal with the horrible flight deck cap. Looking at the picture, I think I've forgotten that I will use the decal sheet cockpit windows because for some reason I've applied filler as if I'm trying to preserve them!?! The blades have been painted. I used AK Xtreme Metal aluminium for the outer portions and Humbrol matt aluminium metalcote for the spinner and inner parts of the blades. I've also decided not to square off the blade tips. Again, the unforgiving close-up nature of pictures reveals a seam line around the trailing edges of the blades that is a lot less conspicuous in "the flesh" so to speak. The clear nose and cockpit roof have been blended in to my satisfaction (that is until I see the photos) and a light coat of white paint has been applied to the fuselage to check for joins, gaps, seams and scratches. More pictures will follow when more progress is made. Jeff 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 A lovely choice of subject Jeff and it's coming together very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted September 25, 2016 Author Share Posted September 25, 2016 Thanks Cliff. I was in two minds about which colour scheme to do for this one. I had previously marked out the fuselage with pencil markings for an Easter Airlines Connie in the colour scheme shown on the Revell box top in Ancient Mariners post above. The first photo I posted shows some of these guides. I think I needed to add a couple of windows and fill a couple of others. The Constellation is a particular favourite of mine, so if I didn't build the Eastern one for this group build it would still have built at some point in the future (don't we all say that!!?). Other options I considered were either Air France or KLM. But they'll come later... Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 So you will be filling the rest of the cockpit cleat part? I find it interesting that the the nose cone piece is clear, would is be to allow for a landing/taxi light that hides in there somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Hi Ray, I'll more than likely fill the cockpit windows. The cockpit area is the one part that really spoils this kit for me. It looks more like the earlier Constellation variants than the Super version. I've always been meaning to experiment with a roof cap to see if it's possible to file out the windows and enlarge them. PVA glue could then be used for the glazing. The clear nose cone does have a moulded representation of the lower lights. I've applied a drop of masking fluid to it and painted the nose black in preparation for its full paint job soon. Hopefully I'll make a bit of progress on this one shortly. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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