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Swedish Bücker 'Bestmann'...Sk-25, Swedish Air Force, 1945...


John Masters

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I am still waiting for the canopy masks for the Vultee Valiant--we have had a national holiday which has slowed down the post.  So I'll press on with this little monoplane, by coincidence, another green and orange paint job.  This time from Sweden.  I like the orange wings and the big yellow numbers...

 

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The sprue...not many pieces.

 

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--John

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Great choice .. One of these aircraft was in the movie “The Great escape”. James Garner’s and Donald Pleasance’s characters tried to escape to Switzerland by flying one. 

Taken from Movie Mistakes

"When Hendley and Blythe, trying to reach Switzerland in a stolen training aircraft, fly over marvellous Castle Neuschwanstein. According to Hendley, they've almost made it, just 20 minutes of flight and one mountain range left to cross. This is quite funny because the Neuschwanstein shot reveals that they're actually flying straight in the wrong direction. The camera faces south, the plane moves from right to left, meaning they're heading east, straight away from the Swiss border which is just 50 kilometers west of the famous castle."

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  • 3 weeks later...

I feel much better having the Yak-23 and the Vultee off the bench and on their respective shelves.  Both kits took too long to build because due to my work schedule and being out of town for almost a full week.  I pledge to you all that I will pick up the pace a bit!  😁  I hav been thinking of this a lot.  This summer I will be off-island for a full two months while I bicycle around Ireland and, although it is tempting, I will not be building anything from late July to mid-September...so gather ye rosebuds while ye may...

 

Here are the primary bits off the sprue, cleaned up and ready for some assemblage.  The canopy has very poorly defined frames so that will take some careful masking.  The rest seems to be a classic short run kit, and fun too!  I checked the fit of the canopy-to-fuselage and it is very nice. 

 

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--John

 

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I apologize for skipping a few photo steps.  The cockpit is assembled, painted, installed...etc...Not to hard and pretty much eberyhtug fit well enough.  I had to do some light sanding a bit of nip and tuck to get the instrument panel in correctly, but it all worked out in the end.  I call this photo 'A Tale of Three Cockpits' since I am building three kits at once...😵

 

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And here's a single image of the Bestmann...there will be a small amount of filler needed and the fuselage seams will be cleaned up.  Harnesses are masking tape.

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by John D.C. Masters
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Thanks Col.  The Bestmann is a fun aircraft and I think the orange wings and big yellow marking will look pretty cool.

 

Both Spits are Israeli, White 26 from Eduard and Black 89 from KoPro.  I have WiP going on both...

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Wings are on.  There will be some putty used for sure on this one.  I tried to get the fit as tight as I could, but still...it's a short run kit, and an early mould I think.

 

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Close-up of the stabilizer.  A big gap.

 

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Tomorrow I'll spend some time masking the canopy.

 

--John

 

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I still haven't masked the canopy.  Tomorrow we are in for a long day of stormy weather, so it is fine day for indoor fun!  

 

I have sealed some cracks...Never fear!  I will clean it all up!

 

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And repaired a stabilizer that decided to snap off.  In retrospect, I should have added a piece pf brass wire to help keep them in place.  Next time...

 

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--John

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The masking was alright.  The frame for the glass was so vague that I really had to use the box art to get it right.  I am sure someone is making masks for this kit...Oh well.

 

I will certainly clean up the putty before I primer it.  Tomorrow!

 

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--John

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11 minutes ago, zebra said:

another little beauty.

I appreciate and thank you for your confidence Zebra!  I was not looking forward to the masking but it actually went quite quickly.  I'll tidy up the putty and adjust the mask before I prime it tomorrow morning.

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This is shaping up very nicely John.  I used to have the old Huma kit, which I sold a couple of year's ago in a big stash clear-out.  I'm beginning to wish that I'd kept it now!

Cliff

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On 4/7/2019 at 8:44 AM, CliffB said:

I used to have the old Huma kit

FYI Cliff, according to Scalemates this is the same mould as the Huma kit.  

Edited by John D.C. Masters
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The aircraft is primed and the wing roots and the underside of the stabilizers are masked.  I have chosen some Humbrol rattle can Light Olive since all of my Vallejo Air seemed a bit dark.  I think it looks good.

 

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And with the masks off.  I'll re-mask the fuselage and tail feathers for the orange wings.  Maybe that'll be tonight!  I'll have to mix up some more trainer orange for this...

 

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--John

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Masked for the orange...

 

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The orange mixed.

 

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And the orange on.

 

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I'll let that dry overnight before I start fussing with it.  I have to be careful when I remove the mask on top that I do not remove the canopy masks.  There is still work to be done there!

 

--John

 

 

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The decals went on very easily and moulded themselves where they needed to.  This is not my best build by far, but it was fun and this is a neat little plane that has had many incarnations and uses.  I'm calling it finished!

 

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The rest are in the gallery!  Thanks to the moderators for this fun GB.  I nice change of pace from the sturm und drang of combat aircraft.

-John

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