1/48th Dornier Do-215B-2 - first update

[trickyrich]

Ok sometimes I can’t help myself…..

 

I’ve decided to do a third build,  although I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to complete them all I really wanted to make a start on this one. Plus the other two builds are progressing better than I had hoped..

 

I’m a big fan of night fighters so this sort of had to come into the collection, plus I got it at a super cheap price! I do have the original box as Revell do like to use ridiculously large boxes for their models!

 

 

But as can be seen she pretty much untouched other than remove her bits from nags and getting rid of excess sprue.

 

 

I will be adding some AM stuff to her, Eduard’s Big ED set is a must for her. 

 

 

Plus some nice Quickboost bits as well.

 

 

I’ll be using this supplied scheme as I’m a bit lazy but may look for another.

 

 

This should be a nice simple and quick OOB build (sort of), got bogged down in some horrible AFV builds so I need this to get the Mojo going again. There’s a very good chance I’ll complete all three builds but if not at least this one is finally underway.

[Mottlemaster]

Almost added one of these to the stash last month but forgot to bidon it . For the full price it looks good value and im sure one will arive in the near future . Will be watching closely

 

Cheers

Alistair

[trickyrich]

it is very nicely detailed, I only wish that Revell would list colours other than their own range as I makes things more difficult than they should be! 

[Arniec]

According to the instructions from ICM it should be in RLM 74/75/76. But the C color in the instructions from revel could be a different color. Something like RLM 71?!

The scheme you have chosen is If I am not mistaken from the ace Helmut Lent.

 

Cheers,

[JOCKNEY]

I love the choice but I have noticed you are building a lot in 1/48, where the blooming heck do you keep them when they are finished ?

 

cheers Pat

[trickyrich]

4 hours ago, Arniec said:

According to the instructions from ICM it should be in RLM 74/75/76. But the C color in the instructions from revel could be a different color. Something like RLM 71?!

The scheme you have chosen is If I am not mistaken from the ace Helmut Lent.

 

Cheers,

Thanks Arnold, I had started the laborious task of converting the Revell paints over to something more common, though half of then don't have equivalents! Was going to head to the library but it was getting late.

 

Those colours do sound right plus RLM66 for the interior over "Mouse Grey Matt"???

3 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

I love the choice but I have noticed you are building a lot in 1/48, where the blooming heck do you keep them when they are finished ?

 

cheers Pat

hmmm yes I haven't thought or got to that part yet!  I would move to 1/32nd for the sake of my eyes and sanity but space and cost this time are stopping that.....for now! 

[GREG DESTEC]

Ooooooh! Me likey 😗

 

Had my eye on a 1/72 dornier night fighter similar to this but I think it was a 17 rather than the 215.

Great choice 👍

 

Cheers Greg

[Arniec]

8 hours ago, trickyrich said:

Thanks Arnold, I had started the laborious task of converting the Revell paints over to something more common, though half of then don't have equivalents! Was going to head to the library but it was getting late.

 

Those colours do sound right plus RLM66 for the interior over "Mouse Grey Matt"???

Yes, Mouse grey matt is RLM 66. You can go over to scalemates and there are the instructions for the ICM kit.

 

Cheers,

[trickyrich]

I haven't look there yet. I really wouldn't call RLM66 Mouse Grey, probably because our mouses are a different colour here!!  Not hat our fat cat would catch any!!!

 

Have been really busy with this build today, starting to add the Eduard bits to the cockpit....even started on the flaps. Will do all the preliminary work on them, will build all the bits before I start to cut/remove plastic. That way In know it'll all be ok before I reach the point of no return with them!

 

I'll have an update on this tomorrow. 

[Arniec]

On 19 maart 2019 at 2:13 PM, trickyrich said:

I haven't look there yet. I really wouldn't call RLM66 Mouse Grey, probably because our mouses are a different colour here!!  Not hat our fat cat would catch any!!!

 

Have been really busy with this build today, starting to add the Eduard bits to the cockpit....even started on the flaps. Will do all the preliminary work on them, will build all the bits before I start to cut/remove plastic. That way In know it'll all be ok before I reach the point of no return with them!

 

I'll have an update on this tomorrow. 

The mouse grey is the name of the color from revell.😋 That should look like RLM66. Hahaha

I haven't used Revell paint in decades for painting, but I can still remember the names they gave them in German. 

I have used for a very long time Tamiya and Gunze paint. 

I have seen a picture of the original aircraft in a Dutch book and to me it looks like they used the standard scheme of RLM74/75/76. The contrast between the colors is good to see. Maybee that was they used a different film role?!?! Also they wouldn't use a different scheme that early in the war I think. Not in 1942 I say. But maybee someone can prove me wrong. The original paint scheme from the factory was hole black. So they were repainted on the airbase.

 

I hope it helps.

 

Cheers,

[trickyrich]

I don't think you're wrong at all with the colours RLM74/75, I have found 2 references to these being the colours. 

 

I don't know how accurate they are, "Osprey's German Night Fighter Aces" and "Luftwaffe Colours - Nachtjager Vol 1 - Luftwaffe Night Fighter Units 1939-43" (Classic Colour Pub). They both list this as a non-standard factory colour for night fighters. According to these references around early 43 was the "official" change from the all black finish to what they called a "standard day fighter colours" 74/75/76. Dornier later went to only 75/76, but 74/75/76 was used right up until mid 44. So this scheme may have been an early attempt by Dornier.

 

The other thing I read was that the national marking on the upper wing and sides were faded or toned down.

 

It looks like another case where the actual colours are left to be how you interpret them. Gotta love Luftwaffe aircraft!!

[trickyrich]

ok first update for this beasty.

 

As usual I’m all over the place with this build. I started off by building the cockpit and adding all the new PE bits. It doesn’t look much but there’s a good afternoons work here.

 

 

I would have do more but I really needed to get the major modification work done…..the flaps!

 

So I started to do these……a day and a half later I ended up with these. There are a couple of mistakes, but they truly are the work of Beelzebub!! 

 

(I took the photo later)

 

With these done I could actually start cutting plastic for them…..

 

 

…and shaping plastic.

 

 

Now the instruction say to build the wings first then add the engine pods later…….not a good idea and even worse if you cut the flaps out!

 

As can be seen without the full structure of the wing you’ll end up with huge gaps like this!

 

 

The best/correct way to do this is build the engine pods, completely or just the U/c section, then glue these to the lower wings once the flaps have been cut out.

 

 

Then when dry glue the wings together, there’ll still be rather scary gaps, as can be seen, but the wing will almost be at the correct profile (everything is temp fitted at the moment).

 

 

Glue in the new flap structure, then fill the remaining gaps, I used stretched sprue for this.

 

 

It looks ok and probably will better once painted, the actual flaps will be fitted last.

 

 

I keep forgetting this is an ICM model originally, even the instructions Revell copied. The fit…….well is sort of ok, there’s quite a bit of work to get things to fit correct, I even needed to drill out locating holes for pins to fit properly.

 

After nearly 2 days work the hardest part is over, I just need to finish adding some PE to the cockpit and I can start painting. 

 

Progress is at a good spot so I’ll put her aside for a bit and concentrate on the other builds. 

 

[Arniec]

Great work on those flaps Rich, but I have had a look around and I haven't seen any pictures of them being lowered on the ground. I hope you don't shoot the messenger.

 

Cheers,

[trickyrich]

haha, they probably weren't open on the ground, just my luck!!!  least it'll look a bit different to the others on display.

 

 It did give me some practice on them, I only managed to break 2 of the ribs this time....am getting better.

 

[Hewy]

I like the flaps, well built

[Mottlemaster]

Must have been open on the ground for maintanance so do a diorama with some mechanics pulling a dead pigion out of the flaps.

Maybe the Luftwaffe had a team of crazy wing walker mechanics

[Col.]

Nice start on this beast Rich. Those flaps are a work of art!

[Greg Law]

Rich are you going to get a correction resin set for the tail. I have them and they look good.

[trickyrich]

ok, is there much difference between the kit unit and the resin one? I know the tail wheel is improved greatly.

 

If that's all that's different I might just live with what I have......not really hoppy with this model!

[Greg Law]

Yes there is quite a difference. The tail on the kit is too wide and the top of the fuselage should look separate from the rest. I will get you a photo tomorrow if I can. My computers have been compromised. I'm using my tablet for this post.

In the mean time have a look for the Vector resin 1/48 do 17z tail. There is one on eBay right now. You will see the separate top surface. It is a bit expensive, but worth it I think.i have one for both my do 17z and the do 215.

Edited March 31, 2019 by Greg Law

[trickyrich]

thanks, i have had one in my watch list on evilBay for ages. They are a bit pricy so that's way I hadn't been to bothered about it, and also I didn't know what they corrected.

 

I may have to have a look again, This is a #3 build so it's not really a high priority for now.

 

[exdraken]

Work looks fantastic for now!

The flaps are simply gorgeous!

Pity you are having some trouble... but can't be too big, no?

After a CollectAir Viggie..... 

Edited April 4, 2019 by exdraken

[trickyrich]

haha......anythings easier than that Vigilante....almost!