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Trying again! Rob's Eastern Express Beriev Be-200.


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Gentlemens...Here we go, I'm having another try at a GB, as well as at this kit. It was intended as a starter in the last FBFpGB, but for reasons it didn't happen. This time, it will.

 

Box.

 

IMG_20190913_165713

 

Contents

 

IMG_20190913_165931

 

 

What it'll look like (hopefully)...

 

IMG_20190913_165943

 

 

The decals are a little dull, so that may entail a bit of red/blue stripe painting, but we'll see what it's like when we get to that stage.

 

IMG_20190913_170008

 

 

No photo, but the instructions are a simple A4 sheet, printed on both sides - 8 steps. Easy as. Now, on with the show!

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Hi Rob!

 

Welcome to the GB! Great having you back with your beautiful entry from the first edition! I really like the colour scheme!

 

Good luck!

 

Jaime

 

 

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Following right along from the above, I popped along to the LHS's regular build night last night, and took this kit with me. I ordered the NH Detail photoetch set lfrom The Big H last week and while I wait for that to arrive, I figure that I can make a start with fitting these bits together. As an aside, I find these build nights to be a really useful time for doing the drudge work of modelling - cleaning up parts, making things fit, all those time consuming but 'no progress made' kind of things, but done in the company of like-minded persons. We have fun.

 

That said, I spent the better part of 3 1/2 hours with scalpel, chisel and sanding stick in hand, and managed to fettle the wings, the floats and the wing centre section - this is gonna be 'a little bit tricky'. The shapes are there, and once the clean-up's done the fit isn't bad (some filler will be needed), but heaven's above... there's some work involved.

 

I'll post photos when I have some further progress to report. Thanks for looking in.

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5 minutes ago, jrlx said:

Hi Rob!

 

Welcome to the GB! Great having you back with your beautiful entry from the first edition! I really like the colour scheme!

 

Good luck!

 

Jaime

 

 

 

Hi Jaime - the real aircraft is quite handsome IMO, spolied only by that great big slab of fin - that big square block on the tail end really doesn't match the rest of the airframe's lines. But, that's aerodynamics, I guess. The colour scheme is patriotic, isn't it :) That DOES suit the aircraft, and in the available videos it looks very nice indeed. Thanks for the welcome, and hopefully I can get this thing nailed together in a few weeks, I'd like to take it to a show next month. We'll see how it goes...

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A gentle sanding of the parts (to smooth out the surface, which is a bit pebbly in places) has revealed a number of sink marks. Mostly not too bad, but there's a couple that are somewhat cavernous. Here's one

 

IMG_20190914_210059

 

 

and I'm filling the seams with sprue goop, as I have a feeling that there'll be some rescribing needed in places, so this is the easiest solution, despite the time that it takes to cure (no hurry, still waiting for the etch to arrive)

 

IMG_20190915_112305

 

Yes, that's a >1mm gap (this is only 1/144 scale, don't forget).

It's all looking a bit sad at the moment, but I have high hopes - once the parts are cleaned up, they actually mate up well, despite the gaps. There's a bit of panel line variation, easily rescribed, as well as some odd tool marks, nothing that a bit of filler and actual modelling skill can't overcome.

 

More when I have more.

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3 hours ago, zebra said:

Good start Rob - I’ll be doing one of these too so I’ll be following 

 

I hope that you're a patient chap, there's a lot of prep work involved. More will be revealed when I post the next update.

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Happiness is a warm gun unopened photoetch. Not so much because it's an inherently happy thing, but because there's always, always that small (ok, infinitesimal) chance that this time, it'll look perfect.

 

Yeah, right.

 

Anyhoo, here's a sheet of holey brass

 

2019-09-16_02-06-29

 

Not all of these bits will be used - I won't be using the exterior door parts, f'rinstance, as there's no interior in the fuselage, which kind of makes adding a hole in the side... just adding a hole in the side.

 

The gap filling continues. It's mostly done, and once things are smooth, I'll leave it for a few days to set up, then I can start the rescribing. In the meantime, I can make a start on the cockpit, and joining the fuselage halves together- more adventures to come, by the look of it.,

 

As for my comment above, about patience, the whole kit needs a good sanding to even up the surfaces - not a heavy sanding, mind you, but definitely a little something to make it smooth. There's also a number of rough patches, where either the mould is damaged, or the toolmaker couldn't get get into the area. Nothing that sanding sticks and a knife blade can't fix. Real modelling, yay.

 

More anon.

 

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Oooooh ! Very nice, wasn't aware of this kit of a beautiful aircraft.

 

I've recently completed the Amodel version in 1/72 and I was interested to see the fuselage and wings of your kit in separate parts, as is usual.

The Amodel kit gives you the wings and fuselage in two slabs of resin which then have to be joined up [imagine the childhood version of an aeroplane, two pieces of crossed wood] and various inserts to make up the wing roots and engine pods. Filler City !!

 

Ken D. [Flankerman] has built a stunning version of the Model kit which can be found on his site, being in the oh so fortunate position of being able to go and see the real thing fly.......

Good luck with this build, it will provide an interesting addition to the collection. I will be following with interest.

Rog 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm still plodding away at this, despite being otherwise busy busybusy. No photos, as BM is being a right royal PITA, and will barely allow me to write. I hesitate to try linking a photo in case I lose it completely.  Maybe it'll come good, we'll see.

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  • 1 month later...

Well...

 

despite best intentions, basically nothing has happened with this since the last update, 5 weeks ago. A little more filling has been done, but that's about it. Given that I'm off to SMW in a couple of days and will spend 3 weeks away from home, there's every chance that this won't be done for the end of the GB. But a miracle may happen upon my return, although I know that work is going to be insanely busy through December, and I work away from home...

We'll see.

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Sorry to hear you are heading out again - I know the feeling but my next trip is only a week. The remedial work is looking good so far at any rate. There is a KUTA GB after this one, so I may well see you there!

 

Refards,

Adrian

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