Irish Air Corps Casa 235 using Broplan 1:72

[BKirwan]

Inspired recently by the Group build Maritime Patrol but being too late to join I decided to dig out my Broplan's 1:72 Casa 235 vac-kit anyway. I was moved to action in particular by the work done by Dermot and his IAC Super King Air. I started last week but am only getting around now to posting some of the progress shots now.

 

I am intending on doing the Irish Air Corps aircraft nummer 250 which was leased form Casa while awaiting the delivery of the specialized Maritime Patrol versions (a/c numbers 251 and 252) . This aircraft features a different colour scheme to the later Casa's but is one more in line with the colour scheme adapted for other IAC a/c operating over water like the Dauphin's and the abovementioned Super King Air.  

 

 

 

There are two versions of the Broplan kit available  but I have the specialized MP version as I was intending originally to do the blue 251 or 252. The kit features some of the parts for the MP version but lacks a an interior, a FLIR , the second blistered window and there were no decals included. As I also have the Scratchaeronautics SAR version in the stash I will do 251/252 using that kit as it is more complete.

  

   

 

I kicked off by cutting most of the main parts form the backing sheet and sanding them. Broplan used thin sheets on the kit and so this wasn't a very time consuming task.

 

 

 

 

The quality of the parts is variable; the fuselage halves not being as good as the wing parts. I have drawn the panel lines in using a clutch pencil ran into the engraved detail. This to check the overall  detail of the kit against photos. More on this later as I will post updates in the next few days.

Regards

Brian  

[BKirwan]

Building

The thin backing sheet means that the removal of the main parts is quite quick, and the clean-up is rather quick. I used a sheet of wet and dry P240 with water for most of the sanding. Cleanup of the main components only took maybe three hours from start to finish. After that it’s a matter of getting on with the task of reinforcing the various parts.

 

 

Wings

I started with the wings reinforcing them with a steel rod. The kit features a system of slotting so that the parts will have positive location when fitted. I joined the lower and upper parts except for the central upper section as this needs to be fitted onto of the fuselage.

I need to go back to these to rivet and add some scribing detail absent on the kit. More later.

 

 

Fuselage halves

As already mentioned, the fuselages halves seem to be of a thinner gauge sheet that the rest. Looking at the amount of cutting and openings on each side these fuselage halves would have first undergo substantial reinforcement before chopping and sawing.

• The kit includes a bulkhead(nr.2) and floor(nr.13).
• I decided that I wouldn’t be opening the rear ramp (60+ 59) as there was zero interior detail here and leaving it closed would help strengthen the a/c frame.
• I did add a second bulkhead in the rear which is only partially accurate; looking at photos I see a curtain/ removable panel at the rear of the cabin;
• I also used Milliput to pack the inside of the large wing support, the cockpit nose and lead packed in Milliput under the floor close to the front of the cabin to prevent a tail sitter.
• I would try and use the Micro Kristel Klear for the window parts including the cockpit instead of doing battle with the clear vac part.

  

 

 

That's all for now 

[Dermo245]

Fair play to you Brian 

You're doing a much better job on it than I am on my vac...

I know someone who built that same kit and while he finished it to a great standard, I think he vowed never again!

 

Really looking forward to following this one. 

 

Dermot

[Terry1954]

Nice choice of subject, and I do like to see someone tackle a Vac form. I've built 2 in the last 12 months or so, and I need a break! Very wise use of milliput for strengthening also.

 

I'll enjoy this one!

 

Terry

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Oooh, a Broplan build!

 

I have a couple of their kits and have noticed the plastic is quite thin. I will be following with interest Brian.

 

The Casa 235 is a nice aircraft and I would like to build one in 1/72 one day.

[BKirwan]

Internal structure 

The above changes were carried out on the starboard fuselage half; for the port side I added strip to the rear ramp area, strip all along the fuselage sides under the windows, back filled the shoulder mount and made a bulkhead for space between the cockpit and the radar and filled it with lead and Milliput. All of this helps secures the structure and hopefully compensates the thinness of the sheet.

 

 

Doors, windows and openings

I wanted to opt out of the fitting the clear vacuum cockpit replacement, so I cut out the cockpit windows and backfilled them with Kleer as a trial. It worked so having cleared the window up I then cut out the rest of the cockpit glass.

Fuselage windows were chain drilled and squared off with a file. Doors were replaced with sheet styrene to give them more definition as the panel line detail is poor. Also examination of photos revealed that the layout of the cabin windows and doors on the starboard side are wrong for the Irish Casa 235’s. There is no cabin window between the entry door and the cockpit and the location of the first 3 cabin windows needed to be adjusted. I used Superglue to fill panel lines and marked and drilled out new locations for windows and door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addition detail in the form of submerged lights and other fittings in the fuselage halves will have to be added; reinforcing the insides before drilling out.

[Marklo]

Lovely to see some nice old school modelling going on.  Will be watching intently.

[George Norman]

I Tried and Failed some years ago. Still in the box in bits..... good luck with it.

[BKirwan]

I moved into the cockpit  next and used a combination of kit parts and Evergreen scratch buit items. They are both white so it impossible to tell them apart but the kit's cockpit interior has only a deck , two injected moulded seats , sticks and a bare instrument panel. So the rest of what you are seeing is scratch built and most imagineerd As with all things vacuform nothing fitted and had to be cut to fit . The kit does include a cross section drawing of the layout of the main components in the cabin which is helpful in answering questions.

 

Right side 

 

 

 Left side 

 

Flight deck and center section

 

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2019 by BKirwan

[junglierating]

Looking on with interest....there used to by a funny blue IAC casa visit Yeovilton on a regular basis but hasn't done it for some time

[BKirwan]

Yes that would be one of the two MP versions ( 252 or 253). They will my next project using the Scratchaeronautics resin kit.   

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

I like the way you are attacking the kit Brian, I'm taking notes!

 

Your scratched detail in the cockpit is looking great.

[BKirwan]

Anyhow moving along,  

I did a bit of painting to dress up the cockpit; I must admit that any resemblance between what I made and what is in a CN 235 is purely coincidental. They also vary a great deal between a/c ; I think customers can pick and choose a lot.  I just wanted to make it busy and used a motley collection of instrument decals I had lying around as well as the previously made scratch built items. The 235 had a half glass cockpit so I probably should have used fewer old-fashioned clocks and more boring looking blank screens.

 

 

Left side 

 

 

I replaced the kit steering columns as the kit ones look more like 300-year-old wild Irish oaks. Kept the hand sets and used Evergreen for the column. Fire extinguisher is a bit of sprue dipped in red paint. And the rest is dressed up with the ubiquitous red/ yellow colours. 

Of course, trying to fit everything in and close the fuselage halves is going to be a case of trial and error. Mostly the latter.

 

 

 

 

 

I also backfilled the left fuselage half with extra Evergreen sheet and Milliput as the walls were cracking and opening. This plane is goanna be 2/3 Evergreen 1/3 Milliput and a whiff of Broplan. Gave everything a lazy spray as I am only half interested in the interior you can't see very much through the windows anyhow.

 

That's all for now

  

 

 

 

[BKirwan]

Brief update

 

I got the fuselages halves together though it wasn't pretty. I actually made 3 efforts spread over a few days spent to keep the two halves together. Of course dropping the thing on the floor didin't help  

    

 

 

Apart form the small surface area available for gluing the actual underside ripped (yes ripped) when gluing together. Used Tamiya glue for bonding then back filling with Milliput for steps and structural shoring up and lastly liquid plastic( Tamiya glue with scrap evergreen) to fill gaps. The end result when everything has a few days to set is very strong fuselage.  

 

 

 

 

The final result so far 

 

 

Next up will be fitting the sponsons which house the undercarriage; these parts are both  arcane in shape and ambiguous in fit   

 

 

And they will have to be fitted to along with the tail to form the main fuselage making this a rather large model

 

 

More to follow as I am actually further along than the photos suggest  

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by BKirwan

[BKirwan]

 

Quick update here 

I had set up the rear of the fuselage with some firewalls and rod to support the weight of the tail. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After much sanding and reinforcing the plastic its beginning to look like a an aeroplane  

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by BKirwan

[BKirwan]

Something went wrong with the edit so here are some more photos 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Terry1954]

Great constructional creativity going on here. I'm most impressed at the way you are bringing this together.

 

Terry

[BKirwan]

Here is a short update as I have been working on other projects for the last few weeks..... 

 

The next major step in the construction is fitting the undercarriage bays; these u/c are typically covered so that only the last 1/2 of the wheels sticks out of the sponsons. Broplan will have you glue that all in at this stage. The sponsons are made up of two parts and the fit is artistic to say the least.

 

 

The backing plate for the u/c gear is too small and its placement ambigious. Also the detailing on all the parts is pretty basic. 

 

Sooooo I went looking for wheels in the old spare box and found something suitable and as I needed 4 and I have another 235 in the stash I decided to cast a few copies 

 

I also added some detail to the backing plate and u/c gear. To aid the fitting of this I added a bulk wall behind it sitting up against the fuselage and also strengthened the inside face of the u/c sponson base. Still have to find a way to fit the sponson now, fill all the gaps and to add the wheels later. ………

 

    

 

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice to see some more progress on the 235. I find the undercarriage arrangement on the these vacform kits is never straight forward and needs some sort of additional engineering.

 

I am looking forward to to these 'challenges' when I attack the Broplan kits I have in the stash.

[BKirwan]

Quick update 

 

I have the two undercarriage sponsons on and each of them sealed in Milliput.They needed it as nothing here remotely looks like it fits.

 

Anyways I then jumped onto fitting the wings 

 

The wire rods ( for florist arrangements) through the middel fits into the holes in the center section giving the whole thing some stability and later on when lining everything up I was able to adjust everything by giving the wire rod a push/pull into place.

 

 

The large gap between the upper wing mid-section and the outer panels meant adding shims and Milliput.

 

 

 

 

Next job up is fitting the tail but on examining photos I discovered the Broplan tail is too long. The comparison with the Scrathaeronautics shows the differences

 

Regards   

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by BKirwan

[Howlindawg]

I'm seriously impressed that you got that tail end looking realistic.

Some quality plastic wrangling going on here!

[Terry1954]

3 hours ago, Howlindawg said:

I'm seriously impressed that you got that tail end looking realistic.

Some quality plastic wrangling going on here!

Have to agree. Superb stuff.

 

Terry

[BKirwan]

Gentlemen

Thanks you for your kind words; it was quiet a lot of sanding and then refilling. On a number of occasions I saw the inside of the fuselage again; that plastic is really thin!

 Anyway I got all the wings and tail on  and am in the business of cleaning them up and squaring things off. I I am also working on the engines. Then it will be time to put some base paint on and see how much more sanding I have to do but hey its starting to look like an aeroplane !!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

regards

Brian  

Edited August 1, 2019 by BKirwan

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Is has been great to follow your build Brian, it is looking good.

 

I now have some idea of what I face with my Falcon 900 and Bombardier Global Express kits I have.

[BKirwan]

13 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Is has been great to follow your build Brian, it is looking good.

 

I now have some idea of what I face with my Falcon 900 and Bombardier Global Express kits I have.

Yea I too am toying with the idea of more Broplan kits; the Casa 295 or the Pilatus 12 are on the wanted list but I have promised myself to first finish this on.