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Revell 1/144 Airbus A330 - Air Inter


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Hello all,

 

Can't remember when I started this, a few months ago but I've finally finished it! A couple of times I nearly threw it away!!

 

It's the Revell A330 with the old Airbus house markings boxing. I'm not sure what the Aer Lingus etc boxing ones are like, but this one was really ropy so I hope the later ones are improved! 
That or it may be the fact it was a bad apple from the start and throughout, both problems with the kit and problems I done, it was badly jinxed!

1. I put the nose gear the wrong way round, didn't notice until near the end when I put the wheels on, so it's not in the right place but too late to fix it!
2. The landing wheel detailing bit's were useless, and the axles snapped so had to glue the wheels to the gears!
3. The front nose gear snapped in half, had to glue that back together which wasn't easy!
4. I totally stuffed up painting the engine cowlings white, it's come out rather lumpy :(
5. I didn't realise the rear light blue decal goes through the horizontal stabilizers, I only noticed after I already glued them in!! So had to cut the decal to fit around the stabilizers with some help!
6. The wing fit left a noticeable gap, filled it with krystal clear so I could paint over it, then I couldn't remember what paint I used for the wing, so I left it, I can't be bothered to fix it :lol:
7. The extra decals I used for the stenciling wasn't easy, some of the numbers in the instructions didn't match the decal sheet, or some numbers were missing leaving you to work it out!
8. A fair amount of filling was required, even I managed to stuff some of it up!
9. Small decal bit's ended up in the water monster, so didn't bother with those in the end
10. I used a dark grey on the top of the wing, as I say can't remember what colour, but I'm not sure it's right to be honest??


BUT here it is, finished, and to me look's like an A330. I used Liveries Unlimited 'Air Inter' decal sheet, along with the Thai Airway's sheet from Revell's other A330 kit for the stenciling.

37126693773_6adc94cbfa_k.jpg

 

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37126689553_92dd274c31_k.jpg

 

37796885861_cdd1eebb5d_k.jpg


Thanks for looking! C&C is welcome, but yes I do know it's not accurate :P


James.

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Hello James -

Hey, so you don't walk on water - welcome to the club! At least you've done something I haven't been able to do in 30 years... finish a model! I keep getting images in my mind (no, not THAT kind of image...) of a  Mona Lisa perfecto model. And when I screw something up, like I ALWAYS screw something up, I test the aerodynamic properties of model airplanes. And take it from me, they're sadly lacking! At least you DID something. Did ya learn anything? I'll bet you did! So good on ya. Keep at it, you're doing better than I am!

Besides, that's a real nice photo job.

Thom Ream

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That's a nice A330 - but I'm not familiar with the livery but all the same, that's a very nice model.

 

The A330 is one of the only civils I have not flown on and I've always wondered if the last few rows of rear seats are a gradient higher to match the slight incline of the window line, or do the rear rows just get a higher window?

 

Nice 330, a regular outline in the skies above my head everyday

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1 hour ago, Gimme Shelter said:

That's a nice A330 - but I'm not familiar with the livery but all the same, that's a very nice model.

 

The A330 is one of the only civils I have not flown on and I've always wondered if the last few rows of rear seats are a gradient higher to match the slight incline of the window line, or do the rear rows just get a higher window?

 

Nice 330, a regular outline in the skies above my head everyday

Thanks guys!

 

I'm not familiar with Air Inter either to be honest, I do have a habit of buying out of production decals that is a long gone airliner in an unusual livery (I tend not to go for classic stuff like TWA, Pan Am etc).

 

In regards to the rear windows, from what I recall the floor is sloped as well, but I can't remember if it was something to do with the angle of the fuselage or if it was to increase space underneath at the back... :wonder:

 

SPGhost - Thanks! Have you got some projects yet to finish then? I have learnt a lot, but I have already learnt a few things which sounds like something you learnt, something always goes wrong :lol:. I think all my kits are not 100%, I have never used all the parts required as I can't seem to manage fiddly bits!

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I think it was Einstein who said that the person who never made a mistake had never tried anything new so well done for finishing the model and posting it.

 

I must have built the Revell A330/340 six or seven times and based on my experience here are a few suggestions to help you with the next one.

 

I find the best way to fit the nose gear is to attach everything except parts 6 and 8 at the initial stage.  It's an easy job to add parts 6 and 8 and the wheels after the model is painted which minimises the risk of anything getting knocked off.  It's usually necessary to enlarge the hole in part 6 slightly to allow the axle to slide through easily.

 

The main undercarriage is a bit of a nightmare and I've never managed to make it work by following Revell's instructions.  My own approach is to attach the main legs (72 and 73) making sure that they're sitting correctly, the right way round and with the holes for the pegs on the doors facing outwards.  Then I attach the small jacks (75) followed by the retraction struts (76) and their linkages (74).  Finally I add parts 69 and the wheels.  It is always necessary to ream out the holes on 69 and the legs to allow the axles to pass through freely.  I stress this is only my way of doing it and I'm sure others will have better ideas.

 

On modern jet airliners the top of the wings is usually coated with Corrogard, an anti-corrosion paint, which normally gives a dark metallic grey effect.  On newer aircraft Airbus use a paint which looks less metallic and matches 7004 in the RAL colour chart.  Revell 374 is a good approximation. On the A330 the trailing edge of the Corrogard has a sort of curved triangular section extending aft and isn't a straight line.  See this photo to show what I'm talking about. Never rely on kit painting instructions!

 

Finally, the A330, in common with most modern airliners, only has a narrow strip of natural metal on the leading edges of the wings.  In other words the silver doesn't meet the front of the dark central section.  Have a look at the photo I linked above and also the A330 walkaround on this site.  Scroll down until you come to the photo taken from the top of the steps looking aft towards the left engine (I think it's number 38).  That shows the natural metal leading edge very clearly.

 

I hope you find these suggestions helpful.  I stress they are only my personal thoughts and at the end of the day it's your model and the most important thing is that you're happy with it.  I look forward to seeing your next RFI.

 

Regards

 

Dave G

 

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Thanks Dave!!

 

I can see I have made it way too dark, and wasn't aware of the metalic edge until now, so thank you for that tip too, it is most appreciated and I hope I can do a better job of it next time :)

 

I couldn't figure out the manual in regards to the landing gears, I should have made the hole bigger as you say as it would have helped but by that point the axle fell off, and the other axles had already broken on the sprue anyway.

 

I can't remember what number it was in the instructions, you may remember, but I noticed there's a part (wheel well?) underneath that suggest's you paint it and then cover it up so you can't see the painted bit anyway :huh: It's a cover on the main fuselage by the landing gears so I assume it's a wheel well

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Solotuerk you've just about got it: the rear cabin floor slopes up to give more width at cabin floor level, allowing for more seats there, and more volume in the rear hold without affecting the good aerodynamic form of the rear fuselage.

 

I'd forgotten that Air Inter had operated 330s; I wonder if any of them are still flying.  I think most, if not all of them, went to Air France.

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1 hour ago, stever219 said:

Solotuerk you've just about got it: the rear cabin floor slopes up to give more width at cabin floor level, allowing for more seats there, and more volume in the rear hold without affecting the good aerodynamic form of the rear fuselage.

 

I'd forgotten that Air Inter had operated 330s; I wonder if any of them are still flying.  I think most, if not all of them, went to Air France.

I am always hard on myself! Maybe I need to step back and not worry too much about it..

 

Stever219 - don't know about all the fleet but I did look up my one I built F-GMDB, if your interested it's still knocking around as OO-SFN with Brussels Airlines (re-registered to OO-SFN when transferred from Air Inter to Sabena)

 

*EDIT* - just looked it up, there were 4 A330's, three went to Sabena/Brussels Airlines and are still flying, the 4th went to Aer Lingus as EI-ORD but has been scrapped

Edited by Soloturk
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8 hours ago, Soloturk said:


 

 

Stever219 - don't know about all the fleet but I did look up my one I built F-GMDB, if your interested it's still knocking around as OO-SFN with Brussels Airlines (re-registered to OO-SFN when transferred from Air Inter to Sabena)

 

*EDIT* - just looked it up, there were 4 A330's, three went to Sabena/Brussels Airlines and are still flying, the 4th went to Aer Lingus as EI-ORD but has been scrapped

She's quite an old lady now: MSN037, the 4th A330 off the line in 1993, and her three older sisters are also still flying.  Many of the earlier A340s however have already been scrapped.

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Looks good James, boy that reversed nose gear leg gives the old 'bus a different look.

 

We are all our own worst critics when it comes to your own builds. I am a right 'JMN' when it comes to mine sometimes.

 

As Dave G mentioned we aren't perfect

 

:thumbsup:

 

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Despite the problems,it came out nicely.

I remember Air Inter very well.The airline was a very frequent visitor to EuroAirport  Basel-Mulhouse (Switzerland) back in the days.

They served 4-5 times a day Paris Orly- Basel.

I remember their Dassault Mercure,the A300 ,later the A320 and then in 1994 they were the first airline to use the A330.Although the aircraft was way to big for them,they had an initial order of 15 A330-300s.

The result came in financial troubles which resulted in the overtaking by Air France.

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