Revell 1/48 Consolidated SA-10A Catalina

[Jon Bryon]

Hello All,

 

1 collection, 26 years, 142 aircraft, and this is the biggest failure.

 

This is Revell's 1/48 Catalina with Belcher Bits resin tail, Quickboost resin engines, Eduard Brassin wheels and PE undercarriage. As the kit decals were pretty inaccurate, all markings are masked and sprayed - there are no decals on the model. The finish is mainly Mr Color with some MRP and Hataka lacquer thrown in for good measure; there are no clear coats. Quite a few little additions and alterations were made to better represent the real thing, from Hamilton AFB in 1949.
 

The real problem is that the day after completion, the undercarriage collapsed. It was a tail-sitter anyway, and will probably sit in this stand for about a month and then get thrown away. 

 

A real nightmare build in the end, which you can read all about here: <Sorry Jon, no links to blogs etc.>

 

Comments welcome. Thanks for looking.

 

Jon

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by Mike
Removing link to offsite blog

[28ZComeback]

Perfect!!!!!!! 

[AliGauld]

That is jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[SAT69]

Buy or build a stand that will properly display the model, or give it away if you're so inclined, but don't throw it away! It's much too beautiful to receive a fate like that. I'd really hate to see such hard work and wonderful results wasted. Personal opinion, sir, meant to compliment your skill.

[Harry Callahan]

Outstanding work, simply fantastic in all details, perfect paint job and a subtle weathering bring this model to life, well done mate.

[Steve27752]

1 hour ago, SAT69 said:

Buy or build a stand that will properly display the model, or give it away if you're so inclined, but don't throw it away! It's much too beautiful to receive a fate like that. I'd really hate to see such hard work and wonderful results wasted. Personal opinion, sir, meant to compliment your skill.

I have to agree, would you be able to fashion undercarriage out of metal? 

[SAT69]

20 minutes ago, Steve27752 said:

I have to agree, would you be able to fashion undercarriage out of metal? 

Steve 27752 you are awesome! Your question prompted me to check the Scale Aircraft Conversions web site (They make metal landing gear.) and their set 48068 is designed for this kit.

[Wulfman]

A superb build, excellent modelling !

 

Wulfman

[Quiet Mike]

For all the trials and tribulations it has given you, that is a wonderful looking build all the same

[t15dja]

Oh John, please don't throw it away! That is a fantastic kit....a true work of art!

You can buy some replacement metal landing gear....or convert it into an on-water diorama or something.....or send it to me and I'll do it! 😁

[JohnT]

What the guys are saying above 

 

Its way too nice a model to have an ignominious fate. As they say there are options. One not suggested so far is do a diorama base of fairly still water as in her being moored up perhaps. 
 

Actually the stand isn’t such a bad idea either as you get to see more of the underside.
 

Perhaps one in robust clear perspex or similar. I know it’s a sickener when something like this happens but it looks very fixable and possibly even something you might turn to advantage. I do feel for you though as I watched an almost finished 1/48 C-130 try a maiden flight off the work top to disassemble itself on the hard landing and not necessarily into the parts Italeri designed. That really was beyond salvage. 

[James G]

Far, far, far too good for the bin!

[BlueNosers352nd]

I agree with others.............don't throw the beauty away!  Make a diorama base or get the Small Conversions metal landing gear like suggested.

[Jeff G]

Truly excellent craftsmanship. I'm sure my wife wouldn't mind that beauty on display so if you manage to throw it in the trash, just make sure you aim towards Canada!

[Jon Bryon]

1 hour ago, SAT69 said:

Steve 27752 you are awesome! Your question prompted me to check the Scale Aircraft Conversions web site (They make metal landing gear.) and their set 48068 is designed for this kit.

 

32 minutes ago, t15dja said:

Oh John, please don't throw it away! That is a fantastic kit....a true work of art!

You can buy some replacement metal landing gear....or convert it into an on-water diorama or something.....or send it to me and I'll do it! 😁

 

19 minutes ago, JohnT said:

What the guys are saying above 

 

Its way too nice a model to have an ignominious fate. As they say there are options. One not suggested so far is do a diorama base of fairly still water as in her being moored up perhaps. 
 

Actually the stand isn’t such a bad idea either as you get to see more of the underside.
 

Perhaps one in robust clear perspex or similar. I know it’s a sickener when something like this happens but it looks very fixable and possibly even something you might turn to advantage. I do feel for you though as I watched an almost finished 1/48 C-130 try a maiden flight off the work top to disassemble itself on the hard landing and not necessarily into the parts Italeri designed. That really was beyond salvage. 

 

Thank you all for your kind words and concern over the model's fate!

 

There are several factors here at play:

 

1. It's huge, to the point where I'm going to struggle to get it even through the loft hatch were I to store it. 

2. It's very heavy - about 500g. That doesn't sound a lot, but it is!

3. It's immensely fragile. I cannot replace the gear because I can't remove what's there without breaking a lot of other stuff. I wouldn't be able to get replacement gear in either...

4. It's a tailsitter - despite an awful lot of steel and lead in the front fuselage (I even stuffed that big football antenna with liquid gravity).

5. SAC gear is made from soft white metal with a tendency to deform over time.

 

My wife agrees that I shouldn't bin it, so I think I'll find a way of making a stand for it to sit on on top of the display cases

 

Cheers

 

Jon

 

 

[gingerbob]

Perhaps some sort of (clear plexi?) "cradle" like ship models often use, which would (if you wish) allow it to stand on its gear without the gear having to actually bear weight?

 

It certainly is a lovely build.  I have seen people refer to using the SAC gear before, but considering that those often are bent while in the package, I can't imagine that they would be any more successful.  That may well be prejudice based on ignorance, though.

[SafetyDad]

Absolutely beautiful in a great scheme with excellent paintwork. Please don't chuck it - I'd be very happy to buy it from you (but it sounds as if Mrs JB is on the right track  )

 

Plexi cradle as @gingerbob suggests would seem to be the way to go

 

Great job!

 

SD

[Antti_K]

What a lovely Catalina Jon! A fellow modeller struggled with one here in Finland; especially with the rear fuselage and out of scale gunnery blisters.

 

I hope that you find a way to present the model. Don't you dare to throw her away😉

 

Cheers,

Antti

[JohnT]

30 minutes ago, Jon Bryon said:

 

My wife agrees that I shouldn't bin it, so I think I'll find a way of making a stand for it to sit on on top of the display cases

 

I’d do what she says. Always a safe policy in any marriage 

[phildagreek]

That looks superb! What a shame about the undercarriage but it’s definitely worth keeping.

[Spitfire31]

Fabulous Cat – the most impressive model of a Catalina I've seen.

 

Impressed no end over here. You will find a suitable way of displaying her!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[Shalako]

The work you have done is superb so, my suggestion is, keep it and just buy some SAC LG to rectify the problem.

 

Cheers

Bill

[Bell209]

Why not retract the gear? Flying boats look better on the water than on the ground, anyway. Waaaay too good to dispose of!

[tonyot]

Looks lovely and seems a shame to just bin it after all of that work mate.

[John B]

Agreed with everyone that the project is too beautiful to toss out at this point. If I may make an artist's comparison - Leonardo daVinci left several projects unfinished.  You finished this one, so you're already one up on him!😉

 

It sounds like the mass of the object was simply too much for the landing gear to handle, so why not spread out the load across several clear blocks across the hull of the plane?  The idea of several keelblocks for a ship in drydock comes to mind.  It transfers the stress from a few points on the landing gear to a much larger area spread across the the hull of the plane.

 

The idea of retracting the gear and having some sort of water display base also has merit.   With the wing-tip floats down in the "water" base, they could also help stablize the wing and transfer their weight into the base.   If the keelblocks were concealed under the "water" to support the hull and rods the supported the wing-tip floats, it would all provide a strong, stable support for the model. Here's a link to a PBY displayed in such a fashion -> PBY at Pima Air Museum

 

Take it one step further, imagine a "water" display with concealed keel blocks and rods supporting the model AND the plane in motion with a bow wave and wake.   Here's a link to an image that illustrates the appearance -> PBY in San Diego Bay

 

If it all sounds like a Civil Engineering project, well that's what it is.   Your gem of build deserves a nice jewel setting like a ring, crown or, broach so it can be displayed.