Adrian Hills Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 I am working out engineering solutions for a Wellington produced using the fuselage of a Lisunov Li-2 (licence built DC2) for a Czech film in 1969. My main build is to represent the film prop in 1/72 using a Contrail Warwick fuselage and Italeri DC2 wings. HOWEVER, Fitting the wings, a key stage in the construction will be difficult using the vac form fuselage which will necessarily be widened by 5mm. Having a bit of time to spare in lockdown I will also be building my other solution. A Monogram 1/90 scale DC2 fitted on to a Revell (nee MPM) Wellington in 1/72 ! Because the Li-2 had to have stringers attached to the surface of the fuselage it made for a much larger body. As can be seen from the February Air Enthusiast's article on this film prop, the 1/90 DC2 marries up very well with the 1/72 Wellinton. Even the width of the 1/73 Wellington fuselage is about right. Please note for demonstration purposes I am using a gash Matchbox fuselage that I got for free. The Revell one does not have inlets for the wings as the DC2 ones need to go lower. This is the film prop. Further detail can be seen in my post of the other build entitled '"Lisunov Wellington" (this one is .....small) 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 I love the slot in the fuselage side to get the running prop clearance. John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 1 hour ago, John Aero said: I love the slot in the fuselage side to get the running prop clearance. Well if there wasn't one to start with, there would be quite soon after starting the engine... 1 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 Had a surprisingly successful day with the first steps of the conversion. The wing fitting came off quite easily. I have subsequently cleaned the surface up and taken the wing bulge out of the window. The film prop doesn't need it as it is a low wing fitting. I cut wing slots in the fuselage and then cut the central section in half -at an angle- so that I can sturdily rejoin it with a plate on top on the inside of the fuselage at a later stage in the construction. Note that the wing is not on the absolute bottom of the fuselage like the DC3 but slightly higher up I'm particularly happy with the wing position as the propeller slot will be in about the right position. Am having a lot of fun 🙂 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredag Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Those low slung wings make it look like a JU52/DC3/Wellington hybrid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 10, 2020 Author Share Posted April 10, 2020 I had a slight misinterpretation of profile for my nose so am attending to it with Milliput. The prop aircraft has side windows further back than a conventional Wellington and nothing like windows on the nose. Fortunately the kit comes with blanking plates on the side and used a little bit, along with gluing the window in place on the nose. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 This is bonkers on a Galactic scale and I should know. Love it. Martian 👽 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Bonkers but bostin’ This is so much fun that there must be a law against it... Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 You have my attention. Utterly grade A bonkers. I’m looking forward to the next instalment. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 I'm sure I read a build thread of this some years ago. Possibly someone in Poland? Probably here on BM. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 9 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said: I'm sure I read a build thread of this some years ago. Possibly someone in Poland? Probably here on BM. Hi Pete, I’ve looked around but yet to find the build thread. I’d love to see it and will also investigate that 2000 article. More info always helps 😊 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Brilliant. Amazing what they used to get up to before CGI. I do wonder how well she flew. One of the Gazelle pilots in my Brothers AAC squadron got to fly "Blue Thunder" and had strict instructions to stay under 30 knots and no sharp turns... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 10 minutes ago, John_W said: Brilliant. Amazing what they used to get up to before CGI. I do wonder how well she flew. Hi John, this ‘aircraft’ could not fly but used it to taxi under its own power. They even made the turrets rotate. Just waiting for the DVD of the film to turn up 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 I'm sure that I first came across this machine in one of my old Letectivi and Kosmnautica (Czech) magazines in the 1980's. And then Air Enthusiast I think. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 A google of ‘Lisunov Wellington’, unearthed this after a couple of minutes: http://jezdci.valka.cz/film-nebesti-jezdci/rekvizity Any Polish speakers here wish to give a translation? Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 Empirical research, just arrived from Prague 🙂 IMG_0896 by arhills, on Flickr IMG_0897 by arhills, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Cohiba Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 On 4/11/2020 at 8:52 AM, John_W said: Brilliant. Amazing what they used to get up to before CGI. I do wonder how well she flew. One of the Gazelle pilots in my Brothers AAC squadron got to fly "Blue Thunder" and had strict instructions to stay under 30 knots and no sharp turns... Dammit! You got me now thinking of something. Wasn't there once an Heller Gazelle in 1:50 or something? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Chief Cohiba said: Dammit! You got me now thinking of something. Wasn't there once an Heller Gazelle in 1:50 or something? Yes. Simple google search will show it is still available for about £15 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Cohiba Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 21 minutes ago, Adrian Hills said: Yes. Simple google search will show it is still available for about £15 😊 Just found it. I even discovered that even the "Blue Thunder" itself had a strange emanation as something, that has been descibed as. "worst kit of all times". But let's stop hijacking this WIP, all eyes on the Wellinggton! 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) Yes a mad build but great fun to watch and lovely work. To the point I’m almost inspired to build a proctuka, the Percival proctor converted to use as a Stuka in the film the Battle of Britain http://www.daveswarbirds.com/bob/misc.htm Edited April 15, 2020 by Marklo 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 46 minutes ago, Marklo said: Yes a mad build but great fun to watch and lovely work. To the point I’m almost inspired to build a proctuka, the Percival proctor converted to use as a Stuka in the film the Battle of Britain http://www.daveswarbirds.com/bob/misc.htm Build it, you know you want to ! 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 37 minutes ago, Adrian Hills said: Build it, you know you want to ! 🙂 Yes I do but my preferred subject the Dora wings 1/48 version is going to cost €30 and by rights I’d need two so will wait till the budget can better bear it. Plus I do have quite a few projects in Wip to work through first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 I have now seen the film Nebesti Jezdci. First I must point out that I have a degree in Film Studies, and have taught it at Uni. I therefore spent four hours watching the 91 minute film as I did lots of rewinding. I viewed the film in 16 X 9 aspect ratio but I suspect it is 14 X 9, I had to use the wider format as subtitles disappeared in the latter. Below are some basic pictures taken with my phone from the screen. Certain interesting things came to light ! Firstly, I think the fuselage of the Lisunov was decked out with geodesic webbing and formers. Note, these formers are round like a Lisunov, nothing like the more oblong shape seen in a real Wellington (I visited Brooklands last year were I walked inside a Wimpy). Rather than use the converted Lisunov they may have of course built a special set - if so why not make it more Wellington rather than Lisunov shape ? There are three interesting ventral lights behind the bomb aimer's window only seen in this shot. Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was the possible writing off of a real aircraft !! Unlike various commentaries of the film the Lisunov is NOT crashed into water. The non-flying prop is seen to crash into bushes as it goes along the ground. This is clearly recognised in the film as the crew are injured - badly. After recovery some of the crew fly in a second aircraft (E 2169 not Lisunov P 2469). This aircraft is shot down and is seen, in a continuous sequence, crashing into water ! Either it is a real aircraft or a large scale flying model. I will leave you to decide - See below 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Hills Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 Got back into project and worked out how to do wings. Fitted cockpit floor from 1/100 DC3 Next thing I needed to attend to the fuselage slots Then the wings ! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Good to see this back in production! Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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