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Macchi M.39 Speedbird: radiators


DMC

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21 minutes ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

BB has recently been distracted by ‘Reality TV. Please excuse the oxymoron.

Oh dear, poor you.

 

We usually go over to the Isle of Man for a short break every year to visit my wife’s elderly aunt.  A ride on the island’s steam train is de rigueur.  There are, I believe, two of these lovingly restored locomotives.  I forget the name of the other one but it is equally as polished and buffed as this one.  A ride in one of the old carriages will take you back a bit.

 

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Well, never gave a thought to weighting the float tips and consequently this bird rocks back it’s on stern when, with that big engine up front it should do just the opposite.  And, in every contemporary photo I’ve seen of them they were on a dolly or floating.  So yesterday I knocked out a couple of trolly/dollies similar to the ones I’ve seen in the photos.   Just in primer now but a little weathering to be added later... if I can find out if whether they were metal, timber.or, most probably, a combination.of both.

 

I’ll still have to cement them to the floats and then cement the dollies with the nose down on a ramp or something as that’s the way they are in my best photo reference.

 

Cheers and thanks for looking.

 

Dennis

 

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Good shot of the M.39 on beaching gear.

 

 

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Tightened up the gaps between the wing and horizontal stabiliser.

 

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Thanks for looking

 

Dennis

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2 hours ago, greggles.w said:

Just so stunningly beautifu

Thanks, Greg, I’m assuming you mean the model as well as the original.  Not much to do now: a windshield similar to yours, rigging and just a bit of a polish as, in the photo above, they only had a bit of a sheen.  

 

Dennis

 

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11 hours ago, Courageous said:

Looking very nice. Not far now

 

1 hour ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

What an epic! Nearly there

 

Thanks guys, it’s as close as I’ve been to a RFI since I enlisted in BM.  I used to wonder, because of all my unfinished builds, if I might have a touch of ADHD, but soon realised that switching from one build to another is actually quite common on BM.  Now if If can just refrain from from peeking into another kit box, well......

 

And I note, Steve, that you’ve begun your epic journey of “a zillion” likes.   Really, now, that would take up far too much of your time and deny us all the pleasure of following your own “epic” builds.   I absolve you of the zillion, one or two from time to time will do very nicely.  

 

Dennis

Edited by DMC
Yikes! Wrong emoji
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Quote

I used to wonder, because of all my unfinished builds, if I might have a touch of ADHD, but soon realised that switching from one build to another is actually quite common on BM.  

Well it doesn't mean you don't have it either. I sometimes suspect I have a tinge.  I do have way too many builds in progress but I do (more or less) finish them. I managed 8 completions last year and so far this year I have 7 under my belt (2 Scratchbuilds, 1 OOB, 4 OOB with new camo and markings) and I have 9 Wips ( I think) (4 scratchbuilds, 1 rebuild, 2 conversions and 2  oob) which I might actually get done this year. I think I have some 50 items in my stash and plans for at least a dozen scratchbuilds.

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5 hours ago, Marklo said:

I think I have some 50 items in my stash and plans for at least a dozen scratchbuilds.

 

Well, Marklo, you’ve got me beat by a country mile.  But, sounds as though you’ve got it, more or less under control.

 

Dennis

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7 hours ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

Finally updated all of the promised and well deserved ‘likes’. 

 

Can I have a front seat now?

😀, thanks, Steve.

 

Pick a seat, any seat.  Plenty of room.

 

Dennis

 

 

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Plunged a windscreen (pic later), attached the stub exhausts  and sprayed it with  a bit of Vallejo gloss medium.  I thought just polishing the final coat would do but I went through on a couple places so, after a retouch, went ahead with the gloss.  Looks okay but I realise that next time I need to pay a little more attention to prepping the primer before I apply the paint.  Number “5” won the trophy in 1926 and I was lucky to find a five on a decal sheet.   It’s a bit on the lean side but close enough to not bother looking for a perfect match.  Also don’t think any of the ‘26 Italian entries had the rudder painted in tri-colour.  I like it though so I’m leaving it that way.   Everything just stuck in place now.  Can’t attach the floats until I part rig them.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Dennis

 

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Plunge moulded a windscreen using my routine clay and balsa method.  Framework is a scrap of red purloined from a Monogram decal sheet.   This piece was so small, besides being transparent, working on it really taxed my vision.   Needs a touch of Vallejo scarlet and gloss medium to finish it.  Stub exhausts look okay.  Glad I made a spare I as messed one side up removing it from coffee stirrer ‘handle”.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Dennis

 

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14 hours ago, Courageous said:

Imagine doing that in 1/72!

No, couldn’t find it on the workbench.

 

14 hours ago, Courageous said:

She's looking rather charming, not to far to go.

Thank you, Stuart.

 

13 hours ago, greggles.w said:

Very much so! Lovely craftsmanship, almost there ...

Thank you, Greg, learned a thing or two on this one.

 

Dennis

 

 

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I like models that are displayed on a base of some sort, so I thought the Macchi might look okay on a slipway diorama.  In 1926 the race was held in Hampton Roads, Virginia.  Surly the slipway, not the ramp, must have been concrete as it was located on the Navel Base.  Something like this will do with, maybe , water splashes and a few oil stains.  Tastefully done of course.

 

Dennis

 

 

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2 hours ago, DMC said:

I like models that are displayed on a base of some sort,

I'm very much in agreement Dennis and it's something I've got to do with my small but growing 1/72 stuff. I'm thinking of a ramp like something for my SH-2 amphibian.

So Mr Dennis, crack-on.

 

Stuart

Ps. Just found this for myself, you might be interested.

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19 hours ago, Courageous said:

it's something I've got to do with my small but growing 1/72 stuff

This stuff might interest you then, Stuart.  Last year we bought a couple of pieces ( hurry, sale ends this weekend!) from Oak Furniture Land and it came packed with sheets of it.  I saved a few, because that’s what I do, thinking it might be useful for something some day.  Sturdy, easy to cut and no weight at all to it.  OFL have 99 stores in the UK and there’s probably one near you.  I’ll bet they throw away stacks of this stuff after they unpack their display furniture.  Just a thought.

 

Note: I am not affiliated in any way.

 

Dennis

 

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Finally got my nerve up enough to start the rigging.  Previously, every time I thought now’s the time I mysteriously found something else to putter around with.  However, yesterday I bit the (styrene) bullet and got started on it.  Went okay, really, and I only snapped off one of those crystal-like bits you see in my trusty Tamiya drill.  I used metallic gray lengths of stretched spru and glued them in the holes with fish glue.  Very sticky, quick (enough) dry time and reversible.  One thing, however, I should have pre-drilled the holes while the floats were “in the white”, to use a luthiers term.  Pressing on now with the remaining few bits. 

 

Thanks for looking

 

Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

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