Gary Brantley Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 (edited) I'll bet we've all built a dog of a kit once or twice in our modeling lifetimes. You know the kit that everyone disparages? The one you've read described as "unbuildable"? Yeah, that kit. Well, this is one of those I guess. 😉 I bought this old Fujimi 1/48 kit at a model close-out at a Michael’s craft/hobby store many years ago. Since I only paid a few dollars for it, when I finally got around to building the plane I decided to try a bit of customizing. The build was quite a while ago now. The exhausts were originally molded into the fuselage sides. These were cut out, the opening squared and cleaned up and the small vertical braces added. The exhausts were taken from a Pro-Modeller Me-410. I rather clumsily opened up the cowl flaps and added the deflector above the starboard exhausts and fabricated another small scoop for the upper fuselage and the retracting footstep and radio aerial. The “down gear” indicators were also added to each wing, and brake lines were added to gear legs. The cannon barrels are hypodermic tubing from the farm and ranch store. The decals are from AeroMaster Reich Defense Pt.VI-Doras 48-109. I added a bit of detail to the cockpit, including cutting the characteristic hand-holds on the sides of the instrument panel cowl, added seat harnesses and a placard for the pilot’s headrest. “Black 10” of II.JG26 was abandoned at Celle, spring 1945. This aircraft wears an unusual scheme of RLM82 and RLM81 over RLM75. The paint is all Model Master and Humbrol enamels shot with my Paasche H. I’ve read some scathing criticism of this kit on the ‘net. Some comments said it was under-scaled (1/50?) and suffered from shape issues as well. That is all probably true but it does look okay on the shelf with its Luftwaffe siblings. It was photographed out at the Cameron airport. Thanks for your interest and feedback! 😀 Edited March 7, 2020 by Gary Brantley 34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Looks excellent Gary! You achieved wonders with this vintage kit. Just the legs appear a bit too upright? Very nice photography, too, as usual 😀 I built the Fujimi P-51 in the early nineties and after restauration a while ago it now looks acceptable next to better engineered Mustang models. Will present it here soon. As a modeller who aspires to produce good models from questionable kits I highly respect those 'upgrading' skills. It's easier to build a great model from a great kit... Cheers, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 38 minutes ago, Toryu said: Looks excellent Gary! You achieved wonders with this vintage kit. Just the legs appear a bit too upright? Very nice photography, too, as usual 😀 I built the Fujimi P-51 in the early nineties and after restauration a while ago it now looks acceptable next to better engineered Mustang models. Will present it here soon. As a modeller who aspires to produce good models from questionable kits I highly respect those 'upgrading' skills. It's easier to build a great model from a great kit... Cheers, Michael Thank you Michael! Yes, you are correct, the main gear legs should be angled further forward. I can't say if that's on me or Fujimi, but you're right! Thanks again! I am looking forward to seeing your Mustang. You're right as well about upgrading older kits; they can serve as a "canvas" of sorts upon which a modeler can experiment and learn. I have a very old Kalmbach publication on scale modeling tips, from the late '80s. Many modelers today would be amused, and amazed, at the odd bits of scrap and junk that were utilized pre-PE and aftermarket days. 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Excellent build once again Gary. Even more so being a Fugimi kit. I really like the color scheme. This is one aircraft that is missing from my collection. I will have to do something about it. Mine you I will cheat and get the Eduard kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Lovley 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeaton01 Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) Well put together. I have one of these that strangely enough I built in the mid 70's in Abilene TX while visiting in-laws. I've always meant to replace it with another kit but all those are still in their boxes unbuilt. Edited June 30, 2019 by jeaton01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 15 hours ago, Greg Law said: Excellent build once again Gary. Even more so being a Fugimi kit. I really like the color scheme. This is one aircraft that is missing from my collection. I will have to do something about it. Mine you I will cheat and get the Eduard kit. Thanks Greg! 🍺 It wasn't much of a kit, that's true. But I am proud to have turned it out this well. I like the Doras best of all the FWs I think. 14 hours ago, RMCS said: Lovley Thank you sir! 7 hours ago, jeaton01 said: Well put together. I have one of these that strangely enough I built in the mid 70's in Abilene TX while visiting in-laws. I've always meant to replace it with another kit but all those are still in their boxes unbuilt. Thanks John! Married a Texas girl? Better watch yer six! I should know, been married to a great one for 42 years myself. 😊 3 hours ago, mick said: great work Thanks mick! I appreciate it. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringo Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 That is one hell of a 190 for being unbuildable! 😀 I love it, cracking build 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 13 minutes ago, ringo said: That is one hell of a 190 for being unbuildable! 😀 I love it, cracking build Thanks ringo! 🍺 I'm glad you like the old bird! I do appreciate the kind words. 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted July 1, 2019 Author Share Posted July 1, 2019 35 minutes ago, F-32 said: Thanks dude! 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 I'm slowly catching up on your builds here Gary 😉 that's a good looking Dora there in a nicely painted scheme. Sounds like you went the extra mile to bring her up to spec which was time well spent from where I'm sitting. Thanks for sharing, cheers Greg 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spad Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Well, for an "unbuildable dog" that's turned out to be a very convincing representation of a Dora - Bravo! Nice work and the extra touches you have made have certainly added to the overall. Nice work. ATB Rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted July 11, 2019 Author Share Posted July 11, 2019 2 hours ago, GREG DESTEC said: I'm slowly catching up on your builds here Gary 😉 that's a good looking Dora there in a nicely painted scheme. Sounds like you went the extra mile to bring her up to spec which was time well spent from where I'm sitting. Thanks for sharing, cheers Greg 👍 That's great Greg, I'm really happy that you're checking them out! Thanks on the Dora mate! I did put a lot of work into a kit that sure did need it too. In the end, think it does look the part. I appreciate your kinds words a lot. 😀 2 hours ago, Spad said: Well, for an "unbuildable dog" that's turned out to be a very convincing representation of a Dora - Bravo! Nice work and the extra touches you have made have certainly added to the overall. Nice work. ATB Rick Maybe unbuildable was too strong a term, lol. 🙂 For many modelers, a better term might be "undesirable". 😉 There are a lot of much nicer kits out there I know, and I even have one of the Eduard 190Ds to build someday. But once I started this old dog, it did become a challenge to myself to see if I could make it presentable. I appreciate your kind words too Rick! 🍺 And the best to you as well!! 😀 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 I was rather new to the forum and the protocol here when I first posted this model's pics and I see that I never thanked those who reacted with a "like" for this old bird. Let me rectify that now and offer my sincere thanks to you good folks as well! Cheers, and a round or two on me! 🥃 🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Your 'dog' could take best of show with no problem. Very nice build. Those old kits do have some redeeming qualities after all. 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Looks good to me, great modelling and photos. Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 12 hours ago, SAT69 said: Your 'dog' could take best of show with no problem. Very nice build. Those old kits do have some redeeming qualities after all. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words SAT69, very nice of you sir! 🍻 Sometimes those kits do need some finessing and "encouraging"; might find a pearl in a few of them. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 8 hours ago, Wulfman said: Looks good to me, great modelling and photos. Wulfman Hey thanks so much Wulfman! 🍺 Some of the pics turned out pretty good; I'm planning to take a few other old models that I've never photographed out to the airport soon. It's interesting that the realistic setting there seems to make them look a little better. 😉 Thanks for the comments gents! Cheers and have a good weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnHaa Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Very nice build Gary, I like your paintwork, well done ! Years ago I build this model, so I know what you were going trough...😉 As mentioned before, try to get the undercarriage legs a bit forward and you ends up with the best result you can get of this old kit. Cheers, JohnHaa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 36 minutes ago, JohnHaa said: Very nice build Gary, I like your paintwork, well done ! Years ago I build this model, so I know what you were going trough...😉 As mentioned before, try to get the undercarriage legs a bit forward and you ends up with the best result you can get of this old kit. Cheers, JohnHaa Sincere thanks John! 😀 Yes, the old kit was a bit rough around the edges wasn't it? I'm going to look into those gear legs a bit further. I'll see what it might take to relocate them; sometimes I hesitate doing that and later wish I had just "lived with" the errors...witness my fiasco with the Hawker Fury rehab, lol. But the Dora will look better if I can move the UC legs forward. Thanks for the comments and encouragement John! 🍻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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