1:144 Swiss A320

[Scotsman07]

Here I present my Swiss A320 built using the Zvezda kit. The kit is OOB except for the decals being from DrawDecal and the Sharklets from BraZ.

 

This was one of my first builds getting back in to the hobby, so apologies if it’s not the best with detail etc. I am missing the Antennas which I may add now that I have some better tools and patience 😂. The Zvezda A320 kit along with the A321 is a great one, as you get the option for flaps extended or retracted, and it comes with different landing gear options to simulate the lack of suspension applied to them when the Aircraft is on finals.

 

The model is painted using Halfords Appliance White, Greys are a variety of Revell Aqua Colours. Red for the tail was Revell Red. I went for the flap extended option on this model, but want to get more tips/practice with ‘weathering’ for the wings etc, as it’s not something I have done before. Would be good to find out what others do to achieve this effect?

 

The decals fitted the model excellently and would have been complimented by AA decals to give that extra ‘real’ effect. Overall I am quite happy with a ‘simple’ livery build for building up experience etc. 

 

Thank you for looking and as always any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

Alistair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Scotsman07

[Turbofan]

Hi Alistair,

Well that is none too shabby for one of your early models I can see we're going to be in for some great models once you really get into your stride! I've already noticed improvements with you more recent models.

With regard to weathering the wings I use a very sharp soft pencil to run along the engraved lines and then with a slightly damp finger just run backwards which streaks the graphite to simulate the grime streaks seen on wings. It is quite a subtle effect which often doesn't show up in photos but I think it looks good. The extended flaps of the Zvezda kit might make it a bit more awkward to do without breaking something, I haven't tried yet.

Other places you can add a bit of weathering with a pencil are streaked backwards from the doors sometimes and the corners of the windscreen too. If the aircraft you are modelling is old and tired there are often streaks downwards from the cabin windows which is easy to do with a soft pencil and damp finger. Hope this helps.

Looking forward to more of your airliners!

Cheers,

Ian

[Skodadriver]

Hi Alistair

 

That's a really nice A320 in a simple but attractive scheme. I've never built the Zvezda kit - I still have plenty of Revell kits in my stash and to be honest the dropped flaps put me off since I always build my models in "gate" configuration.

 

I agree with Ian's advice about weathering. Personally I take a "less is more" approach. A badly weathered airliner looks awful and with the odd exception (like this) airliners don't usually get filthy. On the other hand there are some types, particularly trijets, where weathering is essential for the character of the model. Tridents were notoriously dirty and a Tu-154 without exhaust staining just looks wrong. As well as the pencil suggested by Ian artists' pastels are useful (rub on wet and dry paper then use a brush to transfer the powder to the model) but you need to take care with subsequent handling. 

 

You might find it helpful to get hold of a book called "Modeling Airliners" by Aaron Skinner (the American spelling is correct!) which contains some useful advice about weathering. It's currently listed on Amazon for around £14. It's not a big book but it's a mine of information.

 

For future models you might like to consider adding aerials, anti collision beacons, wingtip lights if the kit doesn't provide them and possibly pitots. Small details like these can help to make the model come alive. 

 

As Ian says, we're going to be in for some great models once you hit your stride.

 

Dave G

[Scotsman07]

1 hour ago, Turbofan said:

Hi Alistair,

Well that is none too shabby for one of your early models I can see we're going to be in for some great models once you really get into your stride! I've already noticed improvements with you more recent models.

With regard to weathering the wings I use a very sharp soft pencil to run along the engraved lines and then with a slightly damp finger just run backwards which streaks the graphite to simulate the grime streaks seen on wings. It is quite a subtle effect which often doesn't show up in photos but I think it looks good. The extended flaps of the Zvezda kit might make it a bit more awkward to do without breaking something, I haven't tried yet.

Other places you can add a bit of weathering with a pencil are streaked backwards from the doors sometimes and the corners of the windscreen too. If the aircraft you are modelling is old and tired there are often streaks downwards from the cabin windows which is easy to do with a soft pencil and damp finger. Hope this helps.

Looking forward to more of your airliners!

Cheers,

Ian

Thank you Ian. I will definitely have a practice at that, might try it out a few times on a spare kit to get the hang of it. I think like anything the more I practice and get tips from yourselves the better the models should start turning out. It gets really addictive 😂, lose hours working away in the man cave. 

 

Alistair

[Scotsman07]

20 minutes ago, Skodadriver said:

Hi Alistair

 

That's a really nice A320 in a simple but attractive scheme. I've never built the Zvezda kit - I still have plenty of Revell kits in my stash and to be honest the dropped flaps put me off since I always build my models in "gate" configuration.

 

I agree with Ian's advice about weathering. Personally I take a "less is more" approach. A badly weathered airliner looks awful and with the odd exception (like this) airliners don't usually get filthy. On the other hand there are some types, particularly trijets, where weathering is essential for the character of the model. Tridents were notoriously dirty and a Tu-154 without exhaust staining just looks wrong. As well as the pencil suggested by Ian artists' pastels are useful (rub on wet and dry paper then use a brush to transfer the powder to the model) but you need to take care with subsequent handling. 

 

You might find it helpful to get hold of a book called "Modeling Airliners" by Aaron Skinner (the American spelling is correct!) which contains some useful advice about weathering. It's currently listed on Amazon for around £14. It's not a big book but it's a mine of information.

 

For future models you might like to consider adding aerials, anti collision beacons, wingtip lights if the kit doesn't provide them and possibly pitots. Small details like these can help to make the model come alive. 

 

As Ian says, we're going to be in for some great models once you hit your stride.

 

Dave G

Thank you Dave. I might definitely take up getting that book to have a look through. I would definitely like to add more detail to my models, and the more tips and advice you guys give me the better they should become hopefully. How/where do you get the pitot tubes and beacon light?

 

I wasn’t sure about the flaps when I first got the kit, and I haven’t made a Zvezda kit with the flaps up yet. 

 

I agree about the weathering, less is definitely best as most of the Aircraft I operated were generally quite clean, except as Ian said, those who had been there a while.

 

I think I might have found a local stockist of the Holts Paint, it’s the coroguard that annoys me as I think it looks too dark.

 

Thank you,

 

Alistair

Edited August 1, 2019 by Scotsman07

[RMCS]

Lovley 

[stringbag]

Very impressed with this one too Alistair.  The real aircraft looks so boring in that scheme, but somehow looks very different and far more interesting in model form.  Perhaps it's the fact that we usually see only the side views when they're on the ground and in model form, much more is displayed.

That's a lovely model for sure.

 

Chris.

[Scotsman07]

11 hours ago, stringbag said:

Very impressed with this one too Alistair.  The real aircraft looks so boring in that scheme, but somehow looks very different and far more interesting in model form.  Perhaps it's the fact that we usually see only the side views when they're on the ground and in model form, much more is displayed.

That's a lovely model for sure.

 

Chris.

Thanks Chris, yeah you’re right it is bland to look at it, but at different angles you can see the different colours etc. I do like the Swiss livery, it’s so simple yet elegant at the same time, but like the Air France and Tap liveries. 

 

Alistair

[Challenger350Pilot]

Once again, Alistair...beautiful job. I really like this livery. Its truly a "less is more" scheme, and you've reproduced it quite well. And as always, your attention to detail is coming right along. I really like what you've done with the wings...its inspiring to me, since I am down right afraid of doing things like flaps down, or sawing a fuselage in two to make a different version. Nice job. I would agree with Ian and Dave...you might add anti collision lights and pitot tubes, possibly brake lines and brake assemblies on the landing gear. There are a small host of photo etched parts available for the Airbus airplanes; you should be able to find them easily. They present their own "tiny" challenges in 1/144 scale, however, and if you're game, and have good eyes and a lot of patience, I'd say go for it! And...agreeing with Ian and Dave again...I am looking very forward to seeing more of your outstanding work. You're really a newbie to this??? Sure doesn't look that way from these photos. 👏

[Scotsman07]

15 minutes ago, Challenger350Pilot said:

Once again, Alistair...beautiful job. I really like this livery. Its truly a "less is more" scheme, and you've reproduced it quite well. And as always, your attention to detail is coming right along. I really like what you've done with the wings...its inspiring to me, since I am down right afraid of doing things like flaps down, or sawing a fuselage in two to make a different version. Nice job. I would agree with Ian and Dave...you might add anti collision lights and pitot tubes, possibly brake lines and brake assemblies on the landing gear. There are a small host of photo etched parts available for the Airbus airplanes; you should be able to find them easily. They present their own "tiny" challenges in 1/144 scale, however, and if you're game, and have good eyes and a lot of patience, I'd say go for it! And...agreeing with Ian and Dave again...I am looking very forward to seeing more of your outstanding work. You're really a newbie to this??? Sure doesn't look that way from these photos. 👏

Thank you again, I must admit I wasn’t too sure about doing the extended flaps, but I dove in the deep end with it and tried to create as real a look as I could. I think some weathering to them and over the wings would make them look better, but I’ve not had a go at that before so could be something to apply to later builds. Yeah I’ve only recently started making Airliners again, so still learning really looking at some of the excellent finished models I have seen on here 😃. Thank you again.

 

Alistair

[phildagreek]

That's very nice!

[Abandoned Project]

On 01/08/2019 at 15:23, Skodadriver said:

You might find it helpful to get hold of a book called "Modeling Airliners" by Aaron Skinner (the American spelling is correct!) which contains some useful advice about weathering. It's currently listed on Amazon for around £14. It's not a big book but it's a mine of information.

I concur. Great little Airbus there

[Viking]

Well that is a great start to returning to the hobby, can't wait to see what you will do next.

It's a very nice build, nothing wrong at all. Follow the advice of master modellers like Skodadriver and Turbofan and you'll be knocking out real stunners in no time!

 

Cheers

 

John

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

A very 'smart' looking build Alistair. Nice work

[Gimme Shelter]

Another great bit of Airbus assembly from you - you've made a great job of the wings and the deployed flaps which is always nice to see on a civil build. Great work there.