Nakotne 1/72 Tupolev AHT-5

[Tweener]

Following in the footsteps of the iL-400b is another Soviet corrugated metal fighter, this time, the Tupolev AHT-5, the prototype of the I-4.

 

The kit is originally by Latvian company Nakotne and has since been boxed by Encore, and most recently, by Zvezda. It allows for 3 versions of the I-4 to be built, the AHT-5 Prototype, early type I-4 with full size lower wing, and I-4Z, with reduced span lower wing. Some scratch building could yield the I-4bis, which lacked a lower wing altogether. The kit allows for overwing rockets and underwing bombs to be fitted, but such options would not be appropriate for the AHT-5.

 

Other differences include a flatter or more pointed spinner, and the vertical stabilizer & rudder shape, and engine cylinder covers.

 

Although I have seen the Encore and Zvezda boxings receive some criticisms, the only issue I have had with this original molding is the hardness of the plastic, which makes it difficult to remove and clean parts.

 

 

Here, some of the engine detail has been added to the left fuselage half. The exhausts still need to be glued in their proper position. 

 

 

The interior is not the most detailed I or you have ever seen of course, but includes a floor, seat, control stick, rudder pedals, and instrument panel. I've yet to paint the seat cushion on.

 

Once that is done, the two halves will be joined. Dry fitting reveals a perfect fit. Hopefully this will remain the case.

 

Thanks for looking, Tweener

Edited September 26, 2018 by Tweener

[Courageous]

Never heard of it but it's an interesting 1/72 subject.

Will be interesting to see what you do with what I think, is a rather heavy 'corrugation' but what do I know.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

13 hours ago, Courageous said:

Never heard of it but it's an interesting 1/72 subject.

Will be interesting to see what you do with what I think, is a rather heavy 'corrugation' but what do I know.

 

Stuart

I think it is definitely a slightly heavy corrugation, but I don't plan to do much about it. The only idea I had was to fill it with a tiny bit of super glue so that the lines aren't quite as deep. Having not done much work with super glue before, I think I will wait to try doing such until I come back to the I-4 or I-4Z.

[Courageous]

52 minutes ago, Tweener said:

tiny bit of super glue

I wouldn't use CA in this case, to hard and you'd sand down too much plastic, I'd use something softer.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

39 minutes ago, Courageous said:

I wouldn't use CA in this case, to hard and you'd sand down too much plastic, I'd use something softer.

 

Stuart

Any suggestions?

[Courageous]

'Perfect Plastic Putty' or similar. You can fill in your corrugations and when dry, you can sand it or you can remove what's necessary with a damp cotton bud or a wet finger.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

On 9/27/2018 at 2:33 AM, Courageous said:

'Perfect Plastic Putty' or similar. You can fill in your corrugations and when dry, you can sand it or you can remove what's necessary with a damp cotton bud or a wet finger.

 

Stuart

Ah, that sounds like a far better idea. I'll pick some up once I get the chance but I doubt I'll use it for this build. There are at least 3 other variants of the I-4 I can and intend to make so I'll look into it one of those times.

 

Thanks, Tweener

 

Edited September 28, 2018 by Tweener

[Tweener]

A quick update:

 

In the last few days, I have gotten the two halves together, bottom wing and rudder installed, and have finished a few more engine cylinder fairings.

When installing the lower wing, be careful to make sure it is aligned properly - and to reduce the step between the back of the wing and the bottom of the fuselage. This can be done without losing any detail by laying your hobby knife flat against the fuselage and pushing towards the wing.

 

Next up: landing gear and tailplanes, and the remaining cylinder heads.

 

Thanks, Tweener

 

 

  

[Courageous]

That looks a fat little thing.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

2 hours ago, Courageous said:

That looks a fat little thing.

 

Stuart

In ways it reminds me of a Russian Biplane Peashooter. I certainly find it a fairly attractive bird.

 

Thanks for sticking around, Tweener

[Courageous]

8 hours ago, Tweener said:

Thanks for sticking around,

No probs. When we start on BM, it's good to get feedback on what your building.

Although I build mainly 1/72 British fighters, it's nice to see what others are building in the same scale. You see models, kits and manufacturers that you thought never existed...like yours for instance. Crack on good sir.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

20 hours ago, Courageous said:

No probs. When we start on BM, it's good to get feedback on what your building.

Although I build mainly 1/72 British fighters, it's nice to see what others are building in the same scale. You see models, kits and manufacturers that you thought never existed...like yours for instance. Crack on good sir.

 

Stuart

I definitely agree, especially given that lesser known companies have been a big focus of my recent buys or builds. Beechnut, Dekno, Nakotne, Maquette, etc.

 

 

As for progress on the AHT-5, I deviated from the intended course and installed the gear instead.

 

 

This picture made me realize there is a bit of a step to the bottom of the fuselage - guess I'll have to fix that next before doing the tail surfaces. I will also have to find some way of reshaping

them to get them to fit, as currently, they only real sit against the fin.

 

Thanks, Tweener

Edited September 30, 2018 by Tweener

[Tweener]

Good news! I have still been working, albeit slowly. College work has done a great job of catching up with me, so time has been short.

The tail surfaces took far longer than I would have liked. As they were provided, they just didn't fit. A bit of work was all that was needed to fit the left side, but I sanded down the right side too far, and spent some time trying to figure out how to fix it.

In the end, I used the part of the sprues that have the parts number on them, cut to match the shape of the surface. This was enough to correct the shape, and better yet, to make it sit properly.

 

Try to find the error, I dare you 🤨

 

In addition, the final engine cylinders are mounted. Now, I just need to attach the top wing and figure out where exactly the interwing struts connect to the lower wing. Naturally, there is no spot indicated.

 

That's all for now, Tweener.

[Ed Russell]

Looking nice so far. I saw one built recently and under a coat of green paint the corrugations didn't look so deep. Aluminium finish may be a different story.

All you need now is another one and a TB-1....... !

[Tweener]

15 hours ago, Ed Russell said:

Looking nice so far. I saw one built recently and under a coat of green paint the corrugations didn't look so deep. Aluminium finish may be a different story.

All you need now is another one and a TB-1....... !

I saw one last night that blew me away - the builder sanded the airframe completely smooth and replaced the corrugation entirely, using foil. It looked absolutely amazing. 

 

Perhaps a TB-1 will come in the future - God knows I have been eyeing the Mikro-Mir kit for months now. I think I am more likely to build the floatplane version at first, but we shall see.

 

Thanks, Tweener

[Pin]

1 hour ago, Tweener said:

Perhaps a TB-1 will come in the future - God knows I have been eyeing the Mikro-Mir kit for months now.

That's a really nice kit, you won't be disappointed

[Tweener]

On 11/3/2018 at 7:14 PM, Pin said:

That's a really nice kit, you won't be disappointed

It certainly appears that way. Hopefully I can pick one up in the near future!

 

Until then, more progress. The wing is now on. It came at the cost of a bit of the corrugations on the lower wing, but I have a plan to hide that.

 

The next step is making new struts for the horizontal stabilizer and forward fuselage, as the ones in the kit were either broken on the sprue or too short. I have made one so far, using a paper clip, but I am not sold on its diameter.

 

Thanks for staying around, Tweener

 

 

 

[Courageous]

On its legs, if not its feet. Good going.

 

Stuart

[Tweener]

Well, this really shouldn't have taken as long as it has, but life has that effect, does it not?

 

After spending far too long painting and repainting the AHT-5, I've finally gotten it to a point I'll call good enough.

 

 

Next, I just need to do a small bit of detail painting and find replacement wheels. The kit ones were less than presentable and I've lost one of them in any case.

 

On my next trip back home, I should be able to call this one done - the first finished model in much too long.

 

Thanks, Tweener