fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 I am elated by the release by Avis of a plethora of charming and good-looking civil planes in 1/72, a welcome break from the usual gloom and doom, with less common and sometimes colorful types, and all this at affordable prices with a reasonable level of detail. I am acquiring their releases to support their choices, eager as I am for not really common civil kits, having been many times forced to resort to conversions of existing kits, or scratch-building, to satisfy my preferences for graceful, well-meant, significant and why not many times cute and adorable little flying things. All the late Avis releases are short run, meaning that you have to put a little of yourself there, you know, that thing, modeling. The Short Satellite belongs to the Light Plane category, the same league for which I scratched the De Havilland D.H.53, Gnosspelious Gull and the Parnall Pixie posted here some time ago: A good reference for these types is The Lympne Trials, by Ord-Hume. I have had a file on Satellite for many years. In comparing the kit to my files I found it to be quite spot on, even having in the sprues the two engines (Cherub and Scorpion) that the plane had (The plane attended the Lympne light plane competition in 1924 and 1925 with a Cherub, and the 1926 one with a Scorpion). The kit provides a closing part for the aft cockpit for the version with the registration (as depicted in box art), but it also flew with that registration with the aft post uncovered. Parts are provided of course for both positions. There is a very small omission on the decal sheet: the scheme with the number 8 should have also two number 8 under each wing, with a white outline: http://www.shu-aero.com/AeroPhotos_Shu_Aero/Aircraft_N/Short/Short_Satelite_S_4_G_EBJU_01_large.jpg Besides what it is provided in the decal sheet, the plane sported an additional scheme with the number 15 -and still with the registrations-, plus the logo of the 7 feathers Aero Club on the nose. The fuselage of the Satellite was made entirely of metal, hence its aspect of cobbled-together tin cans. Contents, including a printed film for the small windshields: Nice instructions you don't have to look at with a microscope: The expected level of detail for this kind of kit: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 The instructions are missing a diagonal third tailplane strut: All parts separated and cleaned up in a matter of a half hour: Some internal fuselage detail: The wing roots had a thicker airfoil, so Avis solved this issue with a separate half part to avoid shrinkage and sink holes and preserving the thinness of the rest of the wing, that would have been otherwise affected by a lower and upper part arrangement: Again, careful cleanup and dry-fitting, and then glued with no trouble, but the seam (which runs on a rib) will need tidying: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 The interior is being prepared: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 What a great little subject! Jon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Painting of the interior and other parts begins: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 24 minutes ago, Jonners said: What a great little subject! Jon Isn't it fun, Jon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 The fin has spigots that pass through holes in the stab. I needed to enlarge those just a bit for a comfortable fit: The nose of the fin should touch the fuselage spine, but as it is leaves a small gap, so a small piece of styrene is glued in place to be later re-contoured: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 The interior is in place: The fragile tailskid may not last, so better replace it with some wire later. Notice that the control cable exits are already marked on the kit: The seam is masked and puttied: And that's that for the moment until priming: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Fuselage halves united: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew.S Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Really stunning build, mine is still waiting for a start. I will definitely use your build as inspiration. Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 11 minutes ago, Andrew.S said: Really stunning build, mine is still waiting for a start. I will definitely use your build as inspiration. Good luck! Hi Andrew It is so far a pleasant build, a nice short term project. Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptmvarsityfan Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 7 hours ago, Andrew.S said: Really stunning build, mine is still waiting for a start. I will definitely use your build as inspiration. Good luck! Same for me, looks like a very nice kit! Will really have to start mine, also the Short Cockle! Cheers, Paul 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew.S Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 10 hours ago, Moa said: Hi Andrew It is so far a pleasant build, a nice short term project. Cheers Good to know it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Just for the giggles, fuselages of Anson and Short Satellite compared: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptmvarsityfan Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Nice, Short Satellite looks like a drop tank! Cheers, Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 A great start and looking great. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Courageous said: A great start and looking great. Stuart Stuart, what do you mean by "a great start"? it's almost completed! 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 First coat of primer to reveal blemishes: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 When I saw the announcement for this kit (the Satellite), I said "that's a pretty little bird". Great start on your build, I'm looking forward to seeing the finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 1 minute ago, billn53 said: When I saw the announcement for this kit (the Satellite), I said "that's a pretty little bird". Great start on your build, I'm looking forward to seeing the finish. It is indeed a lovely little thing. Together with their Bristol Racer, it would make a wonderful Laurel & Hardy pair. Cheers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 I'm jealous. It's a lot smaller than my current build LOL! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 After treating some blemishes, the wings are glued, and the tail unit is assembled. Being this a so-called short-run kit, there are no locating devices for the fuselage halves or to insert the wings. so those butt-join. Can't do a proper pinning of the wings because to insert pins you would have to invade the cockpit are (unless you go behind the first seat, which is a possibility if you want to do that, but beware of the cockpit floor height). The load is light, since the model is very small, I think it'll be ok: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 The tailskid was replaced with a drill bit shaft. The compression legs for the landing gear are too long. I ended up drilling their location on the fuselage and shortening the other end a bit for a comfortable fit: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Nice to see someone is doing this kit. ItThe type has a certain attraction to it. ( by the way, I recognise the pack of drills... I used to work for a company that did CNC drilling of PCBs and used the same brand. Dead handy for modelling....) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 Gloss black base: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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