nimrod54 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 I bought this recently and thought that it would have made a nice subject for the Anything but Injection group build, but because that didn't make the cut for this years group builds I am going to build it here. The box and its contents are shown below, I have quite a busy schedule at the moment but I hope to start soon. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorty84 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Oh my, that is micro-engineering at its best. I guess magnifiers will be your best friend diring this build, I would get cross eyed attemping this Markus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 14 hours ago, Shorty84 said: Oh my, that is micro-engineering at its best. I guess magnifiers will be your best friend diring this build, I would get cross eyed attemping this Markus I tend to rely on the Mk.1 eyeball Markus, but I think that specialist eyewear might well be required because this is really tiny. I came across this replica of the Flying Flea when visiting the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum (NELSAM) here in the UK. It should be a good reference for the strut positions etc. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) Now this is a challenge, but one I’m sure a man of your 144 skills will overcome. Will the engine run? Edited March 9, 2020 by Hockeyboy76 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Ooh, I'll follow if I may. Got this in my stash, but looks terrifying! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeronut Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 It was a struggle to mount that front wing when I built the Aeroclub 1:72 Flea, I hardly dare watch you try it in 1:144, but I will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Brilliant! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorty84 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Well, I hope you are not ill at the moment as sneezing would send the parts across the table 😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 Hi John That looks like a bargain for a quid ! Seriously not seen one of these before, really looking forward to seeing you bring this one to life cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Hi John, I have many flying hours on these contraptions, admittedly slightly more modern than this early one (I am talking enclosed cockpit and 2 sitter...). I had to get in with a shoe horn, and the plane was O so small in real size... I can just imagine 1/144.... But that sounds like you. I hope you are going to include the cigar lighter!!! I am sure you will have fun. JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 10, 2020 Author Share Posted April 10, 2020 On 09/04/2020 at 21:27, jean said: Hi John, I have many flying hours on these contraptions, admittedly slightly more modern than this early one (I am talking enclosed cockpit and 2 sitter...). I had to get in with a shoe horn, and the plane was O so small in real size... I can just imagine 1/144.... But that sounds like you. I hope you are going to include the cigar lighter!!! I am sure you will have fun. JR Hi Jean, Those flights must have been quite an experience even with an enclosed cockpit. I guess they would be classed as the micro-lights of their day, which to me are nothing more than hang-gliders with a gondola slung underneath. No thanks, give me an aircraft with more substance - and a good safety record of course. This will be my smallest 1/144 build to date, though not quite my smallest build ever. That honour goes to a recent Airfix 1/600 Fairey Seafox which you may remember from my HMS Ajax build. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr I am sure that this one will be just as much fun to build as that one was. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 26 minutes ago, nimrod54 said: Hi Jean, Those flights must have been quite an experience even with an enclosed cockpit. I guess they would be classed as the micro-lights of their day, which to me are nothing more than a hang-gliders with a gondola slung underneath. No thanks, give me an aircraft with more substance - and a good safety record of course. This will be my smallest 1/144 build to date, though not quite my smallest build ever. That honour goes to a recent Airfix 1/600 Fairey Seafox which you may remember from my HMS Ajax build. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr I am sure that this one will be just as much fun to build as that one was. Hi John, the Seafox is incredible! Are you a brain surgeon in your free time? Steady hands and all!!! The Pou du Ciel is going to be great, I know it. Flying this type of contraption was definitely an experience, especially considering there was a big steering wheel and you drove the damn thing like a car while taxying. Things got a lot more exciting during take off when transiting to flight... That's when knowing your prayers became handy. On a turbulent day, I was not in control. I was just trying to keep the plane in the air. Landing had to be started from a long way off, with the steering wheel blocked against any available part of the anatomy, and breathing became unadvisable as otherwise the whole thingie would start rolling and pitching about. A hiccup would have been a death sentence. But what a sense of achievement when the landing was successful!!! Anyway, I shall definitely follow this build! Have a lot of fun! JR 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 It's not as though I don't have enough builds to be getting on with at the moment, but as a bit of light relief I thought that I would make a small start on the Mignet. The main resin parts have been removed from the casting blocks and tidied up. I have fixed the rear wing in place, which has the added benefit of making the wee beast easier to handle, and I have added some of the etch parts to the interior by starting to fix the seatbelts in place. I lost count of the number of times that I dropped either the fuselage or the rear wing before I finally succeeded in securing it in place, but I am still smiling so it must have been fun, or so people tell me. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Hi John, I thought you were joking when you said PE seat belts... But of course you meant it! When you stop to think about it, a cigarette lighter is not much narrower than a belt, so come on! Don't be shy!!! Great start. Happy Easter. JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, jean said: Hi John, I thought you were joking when you said PE seat belts... But of course you meant it! When you stop to think about it, a cigarette lighter is not much narrower than a belt, so come on! Don't be shy!!! Great start. Happy Easter. JR Oh no Jean, they are in with the kit, and I still have a pair of lap straps to squeeze in too. Then there's the control stick and instruments, and of course you know that I will have to look at the cigarette lighter now. Happy Easter to you guys too. 🐥 🐥 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 You should get that hand looked at, it’s as big as a chair Great work saving that from the carpet monster. Looking forward to the painting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 16, 2020 Author Share Posted April 16, 2020 1 minute ago, Hockeyboy76 said: You should get that hand looked at, it’s as big as a chair Cheers matey. I think that I might get my head looked at too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyboy76 Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 (edited) Have you fed the flea to the carpet monster along with the Lancaster ribs? Yes I know I haven’t even started my build here yet. Edited May 18, 2020 by Hockeyboy76 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjorn Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Didn’t see this until now, but hope to see it finished. I read many fascinating stories about this contraption, among other things a report by a Swedish military test pilot who took it up to the ceiling and afterwards wrote it was the scariest thing he had ever done - there was no room for a parachute. In 1/144 though... I think a real louse may be bigger! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 9 hours ago, Torbjorn said: Didn’t see this until now, but hope to see it finished. Drat! Missed this one! Looking good mate, did you finish it / RFI it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted September 3, 2020 Author Share Posted September 3, 2020 10 hours ago, Torbjorn said: Didn’t see this until now, but hope to see it finished. I read many fascinating stories about this contraption, among other things a report by a Swedish military test pilot who took it up to the ceiling and afterwards wrote it was the scariest thing he had ever done - there was no room for a parachute. In 1/144 though... I think a real louse may be bigger! 45 minutes ago, Murdo said: Drat! Missed this one! Looking good mate, did you finish it / RFI it? Thanks fellas. It's still on the go, I am working on it when I can squeeze some time in. With the They Also Serve 2020 GB running to the end of the year, (and to use those famous last words) there's plenty of time to finish it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 I've just shown this to my guide dog, and he says, 'no chance, even if he did have thumbs!' Are those really etched seat harness? Oh my! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 On 17/09/2020 at 17:52, Mjwomack said: I've just shown this to my guide dog, and he says, 'no chance, even if he did have thumbs!' Are those really etched seat harness? Oh my! They sure are MJ, and I have only fitted the shoulder straps at the moment, the lap belts are really tiny. This is just for your guide dog. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share Posted December 31, 2020 I've had a fun time this afternoon playing 'Chase the Etch', but I eventually managed to get the parts needed fixed in place before I start the painting. I replaced the etch axle with a short length of 0.2mm brass but I have left the wheels off for the moment. by John L, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 I started to paint this up today, I decided to forego the airbrush on this occasion though and went for a suitably sized hairy-stick. by John L, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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