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Amodel 1:72 SPAD SA4 - Having Pulpit-ations already! *** COMPLETED ***


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Hi all,

 

I have pleasure (with a liberal admixture of trepidation) in revealing this my next little project...

 

EEC270V.jpg?1

 

Well I'd heard about the reputation of aModel kits for being a bit 'challenging'...

 

The first sprue, comprising wings, tail etc: not too bad - not massively blessed with detail, a bit of flash, but it's a short run production so no great surprises there:

 

SMbVP3O.jpg?1

 

Second sprue, comprising fuselage halves, pulpit halves, a few as yet unidentified blobs: hmmm:

 

QmrfgZg.jpg?1

 

Third sprue, comprising... well, not entirely sure! There's the wheels, I think there's also something there vaguely reminiscent of a rotary engine block, and I'm sure one of those blobs is the prop:

 

Kq92yeZ.jpg?1

 

And finally, a clear sprue: what the...:o

 

J2OvgfN.jpg?1

 

Decals? You can have any configuration you like as long as it's IRAS:

 

n9F1R2G.jpg?1

 

At least the instructions are clear... oh, wait:

 

C9espVx.jpg?1

 

JI6IKMv.jpg?1

 

So, lots of fun in store... I just haven't worked out who for, yet!

 

Wish me luck - or just laugh insanely like I did! :christmas:

 

 

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Difficult to believe that you're going to make an aircraft out of those shapeless blobs of plastic, so will be interested to see how it comes together.

Not seen this aircraft before, looks lethal to the front gunner.

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Thanks all for your encouragement / laughter / prayers! :D

 

No pics this evening as all I've been doing is scraping the worst of the clag from those parts that looked most likely to survive such treatment intact. I have an uncomfortable feeling that quite a few of the smaller fiddly bits are going to be binned in favour of wire or some other substitute. 

 

Interesting to note that there is a thread elsewhere on here about this very kit from about 2011, but unfortunately the pics have been savaged by Photobucks ransom demands.:swear:

 

 

Thanks @limeypilot for the heads up about the PE. I didn't think there was any after market stuff for this kit. I'll see if I can hunt down a supplier, but failing that I guess I'll be 'improvising'! :)

 

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I use Jadar-Model in Poland. I've had excellent service from them.

Edit: I just checked their website and it looks as though they are out of that particular one. Google Part S72 181 - quite a few options seem to be available.

 

Ian

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1 hour ago, limeypilot said:

I use Jadar-Model in Poland. I've had excellent service from them.

Edit: I just checked their website and it looks as though they are out of that particular one. Google Part S72 181 - quite a few options seem to be available.

 

Ian

Thanks Ian, I've just ordered a fret from Super Hobby (also Polish) so hopefully the result might be a bit more presentable :)

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having received the PE fret through the post last Wednesday, I finally plucked up the courage to open it up:

 

kADQzg1.jpg?1

 

It's a good quality etch, but Good Lord there are some small pieces in here! The throttle lever alone (if indeed that's what it is) comprises three pieces! I decided to take as much precaution as possible against the ravages of the Carpet Monster - an extra wide apron made from an off-cut of black curtain material, the loop of which is worn round the neck as normal, the other end is then clamped to the desk, in case anything microscopically small should decide to launch itself into the unknown:

 

kp4vLNQ.jpg?1

 

The trick with it is to (a) remember you are wearing it when rushing to answer the door/telephone/call of nature; and (b) remember to put the damned thing on again when you return to your labours! Ask me how I know... :(

 

The internal cockpit framework is something of a challenge:

 

T4BN6bq.jpg?1

 

qgoeTdZ.jpg?1

 

The seat and the floor plate/control yoke were marginally less daunting:

 

FtWPJjp.jpg?1

 

Eagle-eyed persons will note that the throttle lever mechanism appears now to be made from a very small sliver of styrene sheet :(  Yes, for all my preparations against the Carpet Monster, I neglected to plan for intervention by his near neighbour - the Bench Beast! It's a horrible feeling to know that the part you spent a good hour making (and re-making as the glue didn't take first time) then sails off into some corner of the bench when the time comes to fit it... never to be seen... until AFTER you made and fitted a replacement!!!! :boom:

 

All the main bits were eventually fitted to form the pilot's office:

 

GpO8RBn.jpg?1

 

d9hWxHx.jpg?1

 

A final (for now anyway) act was to try a dry fit into the fuselage half:

 

LGv4mTU.jpg?1

 

Some fettling will doubtless be needed in order to close the thing up when the time comes, but it doesn't look too bad.

 

Thanks for looking in! :)

 

 

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Nice work on the etch...

This is a challenging kit art best.  I have built a few of these AModel SA4's.  They eventually come together into a unique aircraft.  Yes...imagine being the observer/gunner with nothing but wire mesh between your head and the prop?  

 

Also, the whole front nose of the aircraft is hinged on the landing gear and locked in place on top at a single point so the engine can be repaired when not in use...I wonder if it ever came undone during flight?  Terrifying...

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The PE looks pretty damn good from here and a huge improvement, so I now feel safe (having recommended it without yet having used mine!)

 Shouldn't take much to get it to fit height wise, maybe a little more scraping required for the width.

 

Ian

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On 3/27/2018 at 7:10 PM, Courageous said:

Now that etched cockpit does look very nice and should look the biz when all painted nicely :yes:. Good show...even though you let a bit escape :wink:

 

Stuart

Thanks Stuart, I think I will retain this recovered part for a future model. Too much to lose now, I don't want to risk damaging what I've done so far.

 

On 3/27/2018 at 8:52 PM, Martian Hale said:

That's some very nice etch work going on.

 

Martian

Cheers Martian, much appreciated :)

On 3/27/2018 at 9:58 PM, John D.C. Masters said:

Nice work on the etch...

This is a challenging kit art best.  I have built a few of these AModel SA4's.  They eventually come together into a unique aircraft.  Yes...imagine being the observer/gunner with nothing but wire mesh between your head and the prop?  

 

Also, the whole front nose of the aircraft is hinged on the landing gear and locked in place on top at a single point so the engine can be repaired when not in use...I wonder if it ever came undone during flight?  Terrifying...

Thanks John, yes I think it took a certain kind of man to place himself at the mercy of a pilot, and whoever made and fitted the securing bolts to the top of the cradle. I have read in places how they were somewhat susceptible to flipping over on landing, due to the weight of the cradle and gunner and all his kit altering the centre of gravity. Not a pretty sight, by all accounts, when this happened... :( No great surprise that with the advent of interrupter mechanisms into French designs, the SA-4s were quickly offloaded to the Russians, who amazingly continued to use them even beyond the end of WW1!

On 3/27/2018 at 10:26 PM, limeypilot said:

The PE looks pretty damn good from here and a huge improvement, so I now feel safe (having recommended it without yet having used mine!)

 Shouldn't take much to get it to fit height wise, maybe a little more scraping required for the width.

 

Ian

Thanks Ian, I'd have to say although the etch is of good quality, I've found the instructions thus far to be a little on the 'brief' side! :)

 

This morning's progress - the gunner/observer's office:

 

hijgI4C.jpg?1

 

I'm off for a lie-down in a darkened room!

 

Thanks for watching, and your comments - much appreciated :thumbsup2:

 

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On 12/03/2018 at 6:19 PM, clive_t said:

I have pleasure (with a liberal admixture of trepidation) in revealing this my next little project...

 

38961643260_3b001216ca_b.jpg

 

Well I'd heard about the reputation of aModel kits for being a bit 'challenging'...

Hi Clive,

 

I just came across this thread. You have indeed chosen a challenging brand and a challenging subject I think. In 1/72 too, what a hero!

From what I can already see though you are making an excellent start on things. I love what you have achieved with that etch.

I shall follow with much curiosity, interest and total admiration!

 

Good luck

Terry

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Thanks Terry, glad to have you along!

 

As predicted, a deal of de-plasticisation (is that a thing? Who knows :) ) of the fuselage interior was required, as well as some hurried repairs to the PE in a couple of places where over-zealous 'persuading' caused a couple of the joins to pop. Eventually, however, I managed the desired outcome:

 

BGeEdoc.jpg?1

 

7NMJSQ1.jpg?1

 

Hopefully I can now move on to painting the interior and get this part zipped up.

 

I think the trials I had with fitting the pilot's office will be a stroll in the park compared to what the gunner's cradle is going to need! That will be for another day, though.

 

Thanks, all, for looking! :)

 

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2 minutes ago, clive_t said:

I think the trials I had with fitting the pilot's office will be a stroll in the park compared to what the gunner's cradle is going to need! That will be for another day, though.

 

Yes, I fear for you when dealing with the gunners cradle ................ :worry:

 

Looking really good so far however!

 

terry

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Thanks Terry

 

Yes, looking at it again I have the feeling it will require some fettling of the brass floor plate as much as anything else! This does not bode well for my dodgy CA glue joints... 

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On 3/30/2018 at 4:08 AM, caseyjones said:

Brilliant work, Clive.  You will find the missing PE later on and wonder what the hell it was off.

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen, I found it after gluing on the replacement :( - no matter, I have stowed it safely for next time I need to detail a 'pit!

 

My intuition about the pulpit was, unfortunately, justified... After removing as much of the plastic as I dared from the interiors of the two halves, 2 things became apparent to me: (1) I put the side pieces on the wrong way - the etched detail needs to be facing in towards the seat, where it will be visible once properly installed; (2) yet again a combination of having sausages in lieu of fingers, and dodgy gluing, has caused the seat back to part company from the seat on one side... I think I need to dismantle it as far as I can and re-build. That will be tomorrow's mission, should I choose to accept it!

 

All was not lost though. I did however have a modest success with the fuselage - not ready for paint yet, as I first needed to apply some PE to the fuselage exterior. The instructions seemed to hint at cutting the plastic in some way, eventually I decided to cut the entire panel away:

 

IMsPVg4.jpg?1

 

I am guessing that this is some kind of inspection/maintenance access. If anyone can enlighten me, please feel free!

 

Having repeated the exercise on the opposite side, I then fitted the PE covers over the holes, as well as another smaller access doors (absolutely no idea about these!) :

 

8ORKbP5.jpg?1

 

Not much progress I'll grant you, but in amongst the backward steps there were a couple of forward ones :)

 

Thanks for looking in!

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Impressive etch skills! Could you give us an insight into your techniques? any tools you use? type of glue you use?

 

I have found PART must dimension their etched cockpits on the assumption that the modeller is going to thin the plastic fuselage sides down to almost scale thickness- I've had to do that a couple of times when using their etches!

 

Will

Edited by Killingholme
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