fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 A vac built 5 years ago, before the injected kit was available. It was worth it all the way, though. Execuform kit of the Sikorsky S.43 runs along the lines of its design philosophy: simple, basic shapes provided to the modeler as a platform to build up a replica with some work, accessories and material that the builder has to provide. In my sample vacuformed wheels and engines were present but ultimately discarded in favor of more faithful items. I also discarded the molded float’s struts and tail wheel. A piece of clear styrene and a length of fishing line for rigging were tacked to the back of one of the two molded sheets. Good plans and some references, as well as building instructions complete the package. As said, it is meant as a starting point, so you will need some materials, decals and whatever you want to provide for the interior, as well as any exterior detail and surface detail. Now, all this does not discourage me, au contraire, it spurs my building interest. First of all, references. I decided to build a civil machine, so I gathered info on six candidates: -A Russian machine, CCCP H-207. -An Inter-Island Airways livery from Hawaii. -A plane privately owned by Vanderbilt and, predictably, full of luxury trims. -A restored plane, N-440. -Two machines that operated in Catalina Island, Avalon Air transport and Amphibian Air transport. Catalina Island is a beautiful place which I can see from my window at this very moment. All had some appeal for one reason or another, and since interiors varied a decision can not be postponed indefinitely. Once the parts were separated from their backing sheet the step of sanding the parts joining edges flat begun, with some moments of doubt regarding the area of the engine gondolas, for that I will refer you to the kit’s instructions. Holes were cut in the fuselage sides for the wheel wells, and the kit parts that represent the wheel wells were dry-fitted to satisfaction. The access hatch was also cut out. Unless you pose your model with the wheels retracted, you will have to scratch the landing gear mechanism. Now the moment of drilling the windows arrived, for which you have to make a choice too, since not all window arrangements were equal. Same goes for the strakes, which run mostly on the nose area of the fuselage and cabane. I decided to go for Avalon Air Transport N326, which has a white and dark blue livery. This particular machine has a slightly different window arrangement, missing also some of them at the fuselage back, and also possesses two doors there according to photos. Another access hatch to the left and behind the cockpit was cut out. Barrel-like oil radiators hang from the engine gondolas, and a red beacon was scratched as per photos that goes on top of #1 gondola. A football balloon antenna offset to the right close to #2 gondola was added too as per photos. Recesses were created for the landing lights; MV lenses were used to represent them and clear curved covers fabricated. Exhaust tubes were made and cutouts performed in the cowls, since that arrangement was particular to this plane too. Study your references! The parts for the internal structure of the fuselage (as in partitions, shelves, bulkheads) and cockpit and cabin details were made. New embossed tail surfaces were scratched, since the kit ones did not have ribbing detail. This created the need to represent said ribbing on the wing surfaces that partially had it, namely the control surfaces and the aft part of the external panels. This was done by masking and spraying with primer to create some relief. The wing was also engraved to create the control surfaces and some panel lines. The cockpit windows were opened after all the internal structure was secured (to avoid flimsiness). The interior was finished and painted, and some extra details (like vents and lights for the passengers, curtains, toilet, sink, etc) were scratched too. As usual, some tabs were glued along the fuselage halves’ joining edges to assure a good bond. Clear plastic circles were cutout using a sharpened brass tube to create the windows. Very thin wire was coiled and cut to make seats for the said windows, glued recessed into the window openings on the fuselage sides. This way the clear parts can be added later on and would rest against those rims, without falling inside the fuselage. As it happens sometimes with brilliant ideas, the liquid mask I used (Microscale’s) did not work at all, becoming a rigid dried thing without any “rubber” feeling or behavior at all and had to be removed causing damage to the paint and ruining some of the metal rings that were pulled away attempting to remove the mask. Next time, Humbrol Maskol for me, thanks very much. Jim the PugetMaster provided props and wheels from his spare parts bin. Thanks Jim! The landing gear elements were scratched, adapting Jim’s wheels and constructing the main gear mechanism with wire and styrene, at about twenty eight parts each side, including new multi-part wheel hubs. Wing and stab struts were made from assorted Contrail and Struz airfoiled material, engines were white metal items from Areoclub. Decals were created and printed at home. What defines a Classic? It is hard to tell, but not hard to acknowledge when you see one. 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazey Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 lovely! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Another cracking model from the Moa line! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Superb! And it looks as if fabricating passenger seats kept you out of mischief for quite some time… Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 I have a Special Hobby kit of this plane and yet I doubt a I can even get close to this result! Fantastic stuff, as always. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 2 hours ago, kapam said: I have a Special Hobby kit of this plane and yet I doubt a I can even get close to this result! You will. Just think, like Neo: "there is no model" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 I love your descriptions of the build process... Very meticulous. I bet the money in your wallet has all the presidents' heads facing the same way! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 2 minutes ago, Uncle Pete said: I bet the money in your wallet has all the presidents' heads facing the same way! I must confess they certainly do. But in my personal country the heads on the bills are those of Eric Satie, Federico Fellini, Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Casals, Leeloo from the 5th Element... I shall call myself to silence. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 1 minute ago, Moa said: in my personal country the heads on the bills In mine the heads on the bills are Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and John Coltrane! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 3 minutes ago, Uncle Pete said: Charlie Parker Oh! Wonderful short story with him as a disguised subject (and Jazz as metaphysics) by Argentinian writer Julio Cortazar (original title: El Perseguidor, translated as The Pursuer) https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pursuer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 11 minutes ago, Uncle Pete said: John Coltrane I bet a John Coltrane bill can buy you at least a week of happy afternoons 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 5 minutes ago, Moa said: I bet a John Coltrane bill can buy you at least a week of happy afternoons Unfortunately, Kenny G pays the bills a bit better... 7 minutes ago, Moa said: Charlie Parker He died in his thirties but was in such bad shape the doctor who examined the body (and didn't know who he was) put in his report, "Black male, approx 60 years of age" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Superb model! The painting is just great. Since everything you do with your models seems to be very well thought through, what is the reason you don't add a little shade to the gap on the control surfaces? I do like that there are no black panel lines, though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 One more question: How do you get the ribs on the plain wing surface? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Freakin' remarkable! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unfinished project Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Beautiful 👌 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Another stunner. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 8 hours ago, Toryu said: what is the reason you don't add a little shade to the gap on the control surfaces? I don't like lines on models, is a trend that seems to me confers a feeling of certain artificiality, but as you suggest subtle shades on control surfaces hinge lines may play well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 8 hours ago, Toryu said: One more question: How do you get the ribs on the plain wing surface? Hi Toryu I mask the wing with strips of tape, being the gaps between them the locations of the future ribs. I spray primer a tad thickly, lift the masks, sand a bit to soften the edges, presto. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 31 minutes ago, Moa said: Hi Toryu I mask the wing with strips of tape, being the gaps between them the locations of the future ribs. I spray primer a tad thickly, lift the masks, sand a bit to soften the edges, presto. Great idea! I need to try it on my vintage biplanes kits. Until now I imitated the ribs with thin pencil lines (or masked off a different color shade). Btw, I don't like heavy panel lines and rivets either - just a weak touch, as you can see on my models. Thanks, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 5 minutes ago, Toryu said: just a weak touch Looks very nice indeed, and congrats on a superb model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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