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Japanese DC-7C, Roden


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Next classic airliner on the bench is the graceful DC-7 from Roden, with beautiful box art! The plane looks quite nice too.

 

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The sprues. Lots of propellor blades, including some square-tipped ones I won't need. 

 

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Nice smart decals, and good to see the cheatline means I won't need to get a perfectly straight demarcation.

 

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The model depicts an airliner from just before the intercontinental jet age ...

 

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Where else to start but the cockpit? I made a couple of basic crew seats from cut up sprue labels. The kit has clear cockpit windows so I thought I'd spruce the interior up a bit, despite the minuscule size. 

 

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Be very wary of the Roden decals your Lordship. They do tend to be quite difficult to apply, especially around the compound curves.  Make sure yo use plenty of Mr.Softer on the areas to be decalled, followed by Mr. Setter to get them to settle down and conform to the kit contours.

All the best.

Chris.

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Thanks gents! And for the advice on the decals, I had no idea. I'll have to order some of these liquids then! 😂

Edited by Lord Riot
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I added a bit of basic detail to the tiny cockpit, not sure how much will be visible. 

 

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And some cut up bits of sprue into the wheel wells as it was just an open space otherwise.

 

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Fuselage takes some persuasion to stick together!

 

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Hi, Lord Riot.

It is nice to see a "Seven Seas" coming along.

I have investigated this Old Lady when I built one in 1/72nd scale.

I have noticed that in the Roden kit, both ailerons have three trim tabs.

Actually the left one has, but the right one only two. It is just a little correction with some putty.

In the following pic you notice the difference.

Keep the nice work up.

Best regards Eugenio.

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Thanks Eugenio, I'll have a look at doing that, despite the small scale. Yours looks amazing, love how you've got that silver, very cool.

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Got a bit more done, with the cockpit fitted and sanded in as best as I could. Fuselage fitted together and attempts made to hide the join line.

 

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Then a couple of coats of white.

 

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Fairly happy with the white, and demarcation line, though it'll be covered by the cheatline decal.

 

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But look at the fit of the wings! I reckon scaled up that would be a gap of about 6 inches at each wing root! More filler required, my least favourite part of modelling.

 

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Filling done, hoping I can smooth it out well and it doesn't sink into the gap as often seems to happen.

 

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Lots of propellor blades! Each one with five different colours.

 

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On 5/24/2020 at 12:29 PM, 72linerlover said:

both ailerons have three trim tabs

Not to be all technical and stuff: only the "extra" trailing edge tab is for trim.  The others are geared and slaved to the aileron controls.  They moved in opposition to the ailerons' direction to catch the airflow and lower the amount of force exerted at the control yoke.  The flight controls were not powered on this aircraft.  It was all "real feel" back then.  Similar set-up on the 707.

 

Very nice build of a beautiful machine!  Following this.

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Thanks chaps.

 

@rob Lyttle that cockpit section included quite a lot of the cabin roof too, I haven't seen one moulded that way before, always just the actual windows. It meant I needed to fit it before spraying otherwise there's no way I could have hidden the join. It is still visible from some angles but better than it would have been. 

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All 16 blades glued in place, and spinners added after this photo. I needed to cut out the gaps in the spinners a bit more to fit over the blades.

 

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I wish the 707 spraying had gone as smoothly as this! All down to experience I guess. I decided against handpainting the silver in the end as even with a new sable brush it left lines. Rattle cans always give a better finish, just wish they weren't so bad for the environment.

 

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Edited by Lord Riot
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It's looking good, and not bad from a rattle can.  Metallics are extremely frustrating to work with.  When you think you've got a perfect finish, you always get a surprise after you apply the metallic paint or metallizer.  Best thing to do is press on!  

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A bit of weathering added for the exhausts, using Flory dark dirt. I tried to keep it subtle as airliners seem to be generally quite clean.

 

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Thanks for the comments chaps! It's almost ready for decals now; just need to add the wheels and a few little extra bumps and it's done. It's not a tailsitter, but finely balanced! I used a big furniture screw just behind the cockpit bulkhead too, but any slight breeze and it sits down. Maybe the props ahead of the mainwheels will help a bit.

 

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Hi,

Looking good I like the oil stains around the engines, can't really see in your pic but if there is a ridge along your demarcation line might be an idea to rub it down before you apply the decals. Just a thought.

Cheers,

Ian

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