Berlin Airlift C-47 1:72 (assigned to the shelf of doom) Reborn, and now FINISHED*

[Dansk]

I’m beginning to understand what @janneman36 ‘s chinese comment above refers to now.

Although this hobbyboss kit is very nicely and so sharply detailed - the details in general are completely wrong / fanciful.

First off theres no structural ribbing so i’ve been attempting to put that in - first time i have tried using evergreen rod and doing this ribbing and its very tricky. I’ve seen others do it on BM and it looks great but mine looks like Michael J. Fox has been applying the glue.

I tested with black acryllic to see if a lot of this mess gets hidden and it does to a degree. I’ll clean up a little more later on.

Then when i got to the rear sections, aft of the windows, I followed the hobbyboss marks for where the ribbing should be - 



it was just too way off so i pulled it all off and sanded it all back and put in what i consider more reminiscent of the c-47 -  I also added the longtitudinal structure. 

So after 8 million hours on this - the inner cabin is only just getting to point where the new tool airfix kit is delivered from the box, but just not as good as the airfix!

The bulkhead at the front of the cargo area was completely wrong, so i dug out a kit i bought last year for the equivalent of 3 pounds. It’s the old tool venerable airfix / italeri / esci / revell kit (i think the tooling is from the late 70’s). 



Although this is eons old the bulkhead looked much truer to the real thing. So i sanded back the detail on the hobbyboss and basically stuck the oldtool airfix to it and cut off the excess. You wont realise its a bit thick when its all sealed up. Worked out ok i think.

 

The flooring is only designed to have seating out not folded away so all those holes will need sorting also theres some questionable detailing there too. I think i am going to be using a lot of cargo to hide things.

I have noticed that all control surfaces on the kit are riveted as if they are metal instead of fabric as on the c-47/dc-3? Comparing them to the oldtool airfix you can see what i mean -
Why did they do this it’s absolutely crazy.
I have no idea how i am going to tackle this? (Suggestions are welcome)
The 40 year-old kit looks more genuine i think

 

 

The same goes for the cargo doors - i will use the old tool airfix doors there rather than the fictitious hobby boss doors.

Next up i’m gonna look out how to turn the strange stripey relief of the cabin into something that resembles the quilted (soundproofing?) of the real thing again any brainwaves are warmly welcomed.





I was really excited about this GB but this kit is really taxing and i’ve only just started on it.

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Dansk

[Dansk]

On 3/1/2019 at 10:57 PM, GliderGuider said:

Hi @Dansk, 

 

Great start and I like your choice of theme and all the background info!  

There's a nice section of a documentary from the 1980s ("Reaching for the Skies", narrated by Anthony Quayle) in which Gail Halvorsen talks about the Airlift. It's on Youtube here (see 32:05 onwards). 

 

Good luck and I am also interested to see how your Dakota turns out!

 

Matt

Thanks matt will give this a view tonight! Cheers

[janneman36]

Wow you have done a nice job on the interior Paul, looking forward to the rest of it!

 

cheers, Jan

[Dansk]

Thanks @janneman36!

 

So this evening was a productive evening attempting to get the hobbyboss into shape:

First off that fictional ‘striped’ cabin;
I can’t bear it so i tried to replicate the soundproofing material in a c-47.






After digging around the house searching for textures, I came upon a chocolate bar wrapper in the fridge an ok solution for the sound proofing texture me thinks for the scale.





After applying it to the cockpit i think it works ok, even the wrinkles kinda echo the soundproofing creases. Well behind the glass i think it’ll pass. I’m quite pleased with it’s imperfect feel.



Primer applied here

 

I think with an ink wash this could really come alive.

Secondly the flooring;
I’ve stripped away the suspect hobbyboss detail and intentional left it rough right now might keep that used feel - lets see - and have also created the corrugated channels with my new favourite stuff - evergreen strip. Its a bit big for the scale but again i think it’ll pass espeacially with boxes over and around it. I also filled some ejection pins on the oldtool airfix bulkhead.






The ribbing struture is cleaned up a bit more and i think that’ll also pass now.




Made a start on the folded-back seating - gotta sand away all those belts though zzzz





Again all of this rear cabin stuff is pretty much done in the new tool airfix moulding -  the hobbyboss is proving itself to be taxing again, but i won’t let it beat me.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Dansk

[CliffB]

This is obviously turning into quite a mission Paul.  It is nice to put something of yourself into a model though.

[Dansk]

15 hours ago, CliffB said:

This is obviously turning into quite a mission Paul.  It is nice to put something of yourself into a model though.

It’s taking a lot to get it sort of right this kit cliff. But a fun challenge i’m starting to enjoy the mission - i was fed up with the kit yesterday.

This evening has been more of the same process as last time -
Lots of work on an interior that wont be seen (but it’s fun nonetheless)

First off the cargo hold flooring i have developed with more plastic rod...




and its been primed now and had a coat of aluminium. 




I had an idea so i tried a quick test of adding some very fine grain sandpaper as the flooring and i think it’ll work really well. So i will add this once the aluminium rails have been weathered. 




You can see the floors i’m sort of aiming for here:




I’ve also made the longtitudinal panels below the windows and the panels that sit above the folded seating. 
(The seats here are just being used to elevate the panel while the glue is setting)



The seating has had all the belts sanded off and have been given a prime and aluminium coat, they’ll feel very bashed/abused which i like but again you wont really be able to see any of this.

A lick of paint:


Primed Bashed seats here - once installed in aluminium they should be sufficient.


The cabin roof has been given some soundproofing and has been painted now also.

And soundproofing in the cockpit got a deep green hue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Dansk

[Dansk]

Started a bit of photoetch work on these tiny things

of course the hobbyboss seats are the wrong shape 

[Dansk]

Hi chaps,
I’m sorry really not enjoying this hobbyboss kit at all; I find it a chore to work on it and it’s supposed to be fun so i think it’s wise to stop on it.

My last kit was a tamiya mosquito and i absolutely loved every minute of it, But theres so many innacuracies in this kit with every stage i’ve gotten disappointed and i’ve lost the impetus to spend energy on it (especially not the level of involvement i had planned for it with the loading trucks etc.) 

The final nail in the coffin was the canopy on a dry fit fuselage join and it just looked ridiculous the window height compared to its length was severly out of proportion it looked comical to my eyes.

So i hope its ok that i assign the project to the shelf of doom and watch and encourage  others but not participate in the GB now. 

I’d like to come back at the in the near future with an newtool airfix kit or even my oldtool one and use all the expensive aftermarket when i get the mojo for it but not with this hobbyboss - it’s killed my energy for this project right now. 

I think i want to start on something new from a more focused manufacturer and regain lost mojo.

Heres a few shots of where i got too:


I printed the stars and stripes newspaper (mentioned earlier in the thread) for a downtime navigator / radio op

 

A scale reference here

I’m so sad about it i was really excited about the project beforehand.
I’m sorry to anyone who was following the build also who offered valued input.
 

[stevej60]

Such great work up to now Dansk,but I've had a few build's fail due to finding a particular kit has turned into a chore for one reason or another so totally

understand where you are coming from.

[janneman36]

Sorry to hear about your disapointment in this kit you were doing a great job on the interior ..

It is a pitty that the cockpit section is way off, a friend of mine had similar findings and also decided not to build it..

Just join in in with your old tool one and restore that mojo again😉Maybe you can use some of the cockpit detail from this one in the other...

 

cheers, Jan

[CliffB]

Sorry to hear this too Paul.  As Jan says above, it would be nice if you could salvage some of the excellent work that you've done on cockpit.

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good morning Paul

I am also sorry to hear that ...

I hope you will find another build which help you find back your mojo ..

All the best ..

Patrice

[Dansk]

23 hours ago, stevej60 said:

Such great work up to now Dansk,but I've had a few build's fail due to finding a particular kit has turned into a chore for one reason or another so totally

understand where you are coming from.

Thanks steve 👍

[Dansk]

18 hours ago, janneman36 said:

Sorry to hear about your disapointment in this kit you were doing a great job on the interior ..

It is a pitty that the cockpit section is way off, a friend of mine had similar findings and also decided not to build it..

Just join in in with your old tool one and restore that mojo again😉Maybe you can use some of the cockpit detail from this one in the other...

 

cheers, Jan

Thanks for the kind comment jan - i will give it some thought regarding reattacking it with the old tool build 

[Dansk]

14 hours ago, CliffB said:

Sorry to hear this too Paul.  As Jan says above, it would be nice if you could salvage some of the excellent work that you've done on cockpit.

Thank you cliff for the nice and inspiring words. I will mull over it definately

[Dansk]

12 hours ago, TEMPESTMK5 said:

Good morning Paul

I am also sorry to hear that ...

I hope you will find another build which help you find back your mojo ..

All the best ..

Patrice

That’s a nice message patrice thanks. Well, I will certainly enjoy seeing yours and the other builds develop and be inspired by them.

[DJJunis]

Paul,

Wow so very sorry to hear this. But I completely understand. Sometimes projects just drain the modeling life out of you. At that point it is best to walk away.

 

All the Best!

Don

[GliderGuider]

Hi Paul,

 

Probably a good choice to call it a day. It's supposed to be a fun hobby after all!  I've done the same with a few so I know where you're coming from.  You had done a fabulous job so far as @janneman36 said, so I really enjoyed seeing your progress and learned a thing or two along the way. May your next kit be easier!

 

Cheers,

 

Matt

 

 

[Dansk]

23 hours ago, DJJunis said:

Paul,

Wow so very sorry to hear this. But I completely understand. Sometimes projects just drain the modeling life out of you. At that point it is best to walk away.

 

All the Best!

Don

Thanks Don wise words i think.

[Dansk]

14 hours ago, GliderGuider said:

Hi Paul,

 

Probably a good choice to call it a day. It's supposed to be a fun hobby after all!  I've done the same with a few so I know where you're coming from.  You had done a fabulous job so far as @janneman36 said, so I really enjoyed seeing your progress and learned a thing or two along the way. May your next kit be easier!

 

Cheers,

 

Matt

 

 

Cheers matt - i have an 1:48 airfix ah7 lynx and a bunch of aftermarket goodies that i think could be really exciting next. I’ve not built a helicopter.

 

i am feeling a bit sad about leaving this gb with all it’s good builds, people and vibes though - and i waited so long for it also.

 

i’m mulling over @CliffB and @janneman36‘s comments and i’m now have little festering thoughts of doing a scaled down simplified revised project:

perhaps a new tool airfix dakota build - closed up (and forget the interior you dont see it anyway) and concentrate on the exterior and use my already bought aftermarket wheels, decals and do the best i can on a good kit. Same berlin airflift subject aircraft. I wouldn’t have to revisit all that interior work again and the kit would be much more accurate and worth building and enjoyable.

Gonna give it a few days perhaps and see if the idea grows.

[janneman36]

I think you will enjoy the the Airfix one..and for me it gave me the boost to several more..

I had the Italeri’ s as the Esci kits where difficult to find in the past but that Italeri one wasn’t giving me the vibes so i never finished one in the end as it needed  too much corrections to my likings..

Been on the same road as you in the past😉 and then Airfix came along and the Dart Dak is my third that i build so figure it out😁

 

cheers, Jan

 

[GliderGuider]

That's exactly what I'd do @Dansk, and I'm quite enjoying the Airfix kit at the moment. It's not in the Tamiya class in terms of fit but if I can do a decent job I'm sure anyone can!!!

 

Matt

[Dansk]

22 hours ago, janneman36 said:

I think you will enjoy the the Airfix one..and for me it gave me the boost to several more..

I had the Italeri’ s as the Esci kits where difficult to find in the past but that Italeri one wasn’t giving me the vibes so i never finished one in the end as it needed  too much corrections to my likings..

Been on the same road as you in the past😉 and then Airfix came along and the Dart Dak is my third that i build so figure it out😁

 

cheers, Jan

 

 

13 hours ago, GliderGuider said:

That's exactly what I'd do @Dansk, and I'm quite enjoying the Airfix kit at the moment. It's not in the Tamiya class in terms of fit but if I can do a decent job I'm sure anyone can!!!

 

Matt

 

Ok chaps I’m in. 

Airfix c-47b (dakota mk iv) ordered (should arrive by saturday i hope fingers crossed 🤞)

 

not sure if the b  is the same engines as my subject aircraft (but i’m not too bothered about that)

 

So after a false start we’re back on the starting line.

I have actually made one of these (as my first kit return to modelling) but made a hash of it back then, but i’ve got a little better since - so hopefully i can make a presentable job of it with a little luck.

 

Let’s do this 👍

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by Dansk

[janneman36]

This one is perfectly fine for your subject👍 even with those engines...

Enjoy your kit/build Paul...

 

cheers, Jan

[Dansk]

Good to know with the engines Jan. 👍

I think this is gonna be a much nicer experience 😁

Mojo restoration here we come.