hsr Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I don't usually do WIPs, but since this is a new kit and it has received some negative reviews: http://www.kitreviewsonline.de/douglas-x-3-stiletto-im-massstab-172-von-az-model-az-7597/#more-41416 I thought I would do one so that those are interested can see my trials and tribulations. First the sprues of which there are 2: Just ignore the Sidewinders, they are for a what-if boxing. There isn't a lot of flash but there is some and it is in awkward locations, like the slot for the wings Next the transparency, which is...transparent: Decals, which look really good: Finally the instructions, they are simple and some placement is vague but they are adequate Following the instructions I assembled the cockpit, main wheel well and engine exhausts. Then I tried a dry fit, and nothing fit inside the fuselage. Not the wheel well This is after I had already done some sanding. Not the cockpit And not the exhausts, which I didn't get a picture of. So out came the grinding tool and sanding sticks. In order to get the exhausts to fit I had to do major sanding to them and some grinding of the fuselage. They are mostly hidden so it isn't too bad. So after that I was able to button it all up; The wings are just stuck in place and not glued, They are going to need some more work before they fit correctly. The canopy fit is OK, but there are gaps that will need to be filled That's it for now. Next will be seam filling on the fuselage and then attaching the wings. That will be in a couple days since I have another project to finish first. Thanks for looking. 16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadMax8 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Wow, surprised to see this is a new kit with the fit issues. Great to see you’re taking them head on, and conquering them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Surprised to see you're having this much trouble with your kit. I just snagged an AZ Spitfire Mk.XVIe and it seems to fit nicely. Nice moulding also. It would appear that at times different people do different masters for some of these limited-run companies (and the bigger companies for that matter). Good luck with the rest of the kit. The X-3 is certainly a striking-looking aircraft. Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Hello HSR, Well AZ is Always that way, one is good and the second is a nightmare ! But usually, they fare better in 1/72 than in 1/48... Guess how I know it …. Good job on your stilleto, May be some cristal clear for the canopy gaps ?? Sincerely. CC 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azureglo Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Looking at the fit, this seems no worse than new tool Airfix 190A I did last year. Its an interesting subject so a little bit of work will be duly rewarded with suitable "oohs and aahs" when finished! Will be watching your progress as mine arrived yesterday and I stocked up on gap filling CA and checked my grinder bits... Anil 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 My limited exposure to flying things and I've never heard of the subject but it looks interesting. The kit may heave been reviewed as being negative but we might see you pull the 'rabbit from the hat'. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimiter Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Here is a nice video that might help you with the build. Also, gentlemen, does anyone knows the right type of ejection seat used on X-3? Definitely not the one included in the kit, I am afraid... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 7 hours ago, Learstang said: Surprised to see you're having this much trouble with your kit. I just snagged an AZ Spitfire Mk.XVIe and it seems to fit nicely. Nice moulding also. It would appear that at times different people do different masters for some of these limited-run companies (and the bigger companies for that matter). Good luck with the rest of the kit. The X-3 is certainly a striking-looking aircraft. The parts are molded pretty well. It is almost like different people mastered the fuselage and the internals and never shecked their work against each other. 1 hour ago, Courageous said: The kit may heave been reviewed as being negative but we might see you pull the 'rabbit from the hat'. It has its issues, but it is definitely buildable. I think I am past the worst of it (famous last words.) Thanks all 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 14 minutes ago, Dimiter said: Here is a nice video that might help you with the build. Interesting. The box shows the wings and stabilized as natural metal. This seems to show that at least when this video was made that the stabilizer was white. The instructions also show the wheel wells as zinc chromate green, but this and other photos I have seen indicate they were natural metal. Thanks Howard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 I have to say that I also have the Mach 2 kit and every time I have an issue with this one I think, maybe I should look at the Mach 2 kit again, and every time I do, I come back to this one and put the Mach 2 kit on the give-away pile 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Bummer. I'm glad I kept my Maintrack vacform after reading this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 6 hours ago, hsr said: I have to say that I also have the Mach 2 kit and every time I have an issue with this one I think, maybe I should look at the Mach 2 kit again, and every time I do, I come back to this one and put the Mach 2 kit on the give-away pile Mach 2 and Fonderie miniature…. Same breed of Piggy kit, but nobody else have done these aircraft…. Fully understand !! CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 Well, this may be a show stopper. I finished my UH-1B kit today and was planning on going back to this one tomorrow, but in the mean time I was looking it over and I discovered that the intake position on the right and left side don't match: The left intake is higher on the fuselage then the right intake. 😱 The exhausts are level, but not the intakes. I don't know how to fix that. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 You need to remove the port intake part from the model, you can see from looking down the intake that it's internal face does not match the inside of the fuselage due to it being too long. Very gently start removing sections from the top of the intake. As you do so, the intake part will move inwards at the top, lowering it in relation to the starboard part. At the same time the intake will come closer to it's internat face matching thar of the fuselage interior. This done, fair in the external faces of the intake and the fuselage and re-scribe as necessary. There may be other methods but that is how I would go about it it. Have go; what have you got to lose? Helpful of Mars 👽 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Callahan Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Or, you could only take pictures from one side or the other... I'll be going now. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 25 minutes ago, Martian Hale said: You need to remove the port intake part from the model, you can see from looking down the intake that it's internal face does not match the inside of the fuselage due to it being too long... Martin, I see what you are saying. Both intake parts are too big, with the left one being much too big. But the even adjusting those parts the whole shape of the left intake is higher. Having said that you have given me the idea that I could reinstall the 2 parts so that they are more even and the fill and sand the rest of the sides to match. I'll have to sleep on it. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 19 minutes ago, Kevin Callahan said: Or, you could only take pictures from one side or the other... I've thought of that too, and it might come to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 And the holes for the stabilizer are way off too. but that is relatively simple to fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 I have mentioned the Mach 2 kit. I thought I would post a couple of comparison picks. According to Wikipedia the overall length should be 66' 9". The Mach 2 kit comes in at 64' according to my 1/72 ruler The AZ kit is ~66' But a much higher percentage of the Mach 2 kit is the pitot tube making the fuselage proper much shorter. Note the drawing is not 1/72 scale I am just showing it to show the overall shape which I thing the AZ kit gets better The Mach 2 kit also gets the main wheel wells wrong, having them as separate rather the a single transverse well. The AZ gets it right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 So I spent the morning and part of the afternoon filling seams and sanding. I then attached the wings and vertical fin so I would have a frame of reference, and then attacked the intake problem. I first removed the pieces from the front of the intakes. Then I did some sanding on the top of the left intake to lower it and the bottom of the right intake to raise it. Luckily the plastic is thick enough that it can take a lot of sanding. I then repositioned the parts at the front of the intakes so they looked even. It will still need mor filling and sanding tomorrow when the glue dryis, but I think it looks a lot better. Tomorrow I will finish with the intakes, blend in the wings and rudder, and if I am lucky get the stabilizers and landing gear on, and maybe give it a coat of primer. 🤞 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Miles better! Martian 👽 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 It was your inspiration 👌 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Callahan Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 That looks considerably better. At least I now have some light at the end of the tunnel (I'm about 3 steps behind on my X-3; just getting the fuselage together). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsr Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) Be careful with the canopy. It looks like mine went on a little crooked. We'll see what disaster happen when I go to install the landing gear. Edited January 25, 2019 by hsr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 8 hours ago, hsr said: Be careful with the canopy. It looks like mine went on a little crooked. We'll see what disaster happen when I go to install the landing gear. It can't be any worse than those intakes or the fit of the fuselage halves. Famous last words from Mars 👽 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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