1/144 Minicraft C-32A

[Plumbum]

I had this kit but the American Airline version years ago. I abandoned it as it was full of flaws. I have since

been enlightened and will attempt to fix the flaws. I am using Guido decals for a Song 757-200 which I flew

on back around 2005 from Boston to Tampa. Here is the start. I have the fuselage halves glued up with 30 grams

of weight over the nose wheel bay.---John

 

[Guest]

I added the cockpit glass, puttied the seams and filled a small seam with super glue under the nose wheel area that wouldn't

close up.---John

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Interesting looking decal sheet, having to apply both sets of cabin window lines in one go.

 

A nice start, I have built a couple of the Minicraft kits,  just watch the wing to fuselage attachment, one of the wing roots is offset to the other form memory

[Team Aer Lingus]

I'd like to tag along on this build if I may.

 

nice decal sheet & great start John

 

regards

 

Eamonn

[Guest]

I found some of the issues. I used a scribed lie near the top of the fuselage and measured to the wing roots.

The right wing root is higher than the left by about a mm. So when I go to put the wings on I will go by the

pencil line and keep the wing roots the same height. This also seems to keep the tail 90 degrees off the horizon

also. Left wing root picture is top image.---John

[stevehnz]

I'll watch along here too. I've one of these in stock to do one of the RNZAF ones, I was going to get some Braaz RR engines for it as the kit engines are reputed to be a bit weak but now holding off to see how the forthcoming Zvezda kit pans out.

Steve.

[Guest]

Thanks Steve, I am going to get the Zvezda as soon as it comes out, I started this as I was bored

and wanted a 757-200 to build and it was a very good price. I am hoping Zvezda gives both engine

types. I sanded the seams, havs a small pin hole in the bottom to refill and may need to go around

the cockpit again. I also need to tackle the tail fin, it's suppose to be level but Minicraft has a slant on it.

I can sand the rear to bring it in or add to the front. Thinking I will take the easy way out and start sanding

from the rear until it's level.---John

[Guest]

The cure, sand the 4.5 mm wedge until level.---John

[Alex1978]

Nice to see a 757 being built,one of my favourite aircrafts.

Interesting choice of livery too,never heard of that airline before 🤔

 

I will tag along as well.

Even though Zvezda will bring a new 757,I still hold on to those 2 Minicraft kits in my stash.

 

Good decision to sand down the tailfin instead of building it up.

If I remember correctly,I read in another forum,Minicrafts 757 tail is too high,so this should come out nice.

 

[Guest]

Song is just an "off shoot" of Delta.---John

[Guest]

The engines, they sorta look like Pratt & Whitneys' and just need a bit of help from some Tamiya putty

and some TLC and sanding.---John

[Guest]

Let the fun begin! I assembled the wing halves and glued them to the fuselage. I have a 3 view drawing on my computer and

enlarged it to the models dimensions, measured up from the belly to the bottom of the wing at the tips. I then shimmed the

wings on my build table to that dimension. I am not worried about gaps in the wing roots as I already know the wing roots are

basically "out to lunch" with each other dimensional wise.  I just kept the wings at the dimensions I drew with a pencil line so both

sides are the same height from the scribe line I used earlier. Now to wait till it sets up. The tail looks pretty good as far as perpendicular

"by the eye" goes. The stabilizer holes in the tail of the fuselage are both at the same height , so the fuselage is pretty much level. I hope.

We'll see when it's set up.---John

[Guest]

I filled what gaps I could and puttied the rest.---John

[Guest]

I have been working on the engines. I have one sanded and I removed the "knob" thing from the rear on the nacelle just below

the exhaust. I can't find it in my references images. I have to lightly sand and remove the old "paint" from the exhaust and redo it.---John

[Guest]

I think that "block" was suppose to be this thin piece of sheet metal. I will find some heavy flash

material and make a couple to add back on more to scale.---John

[Guest]

I replaced the block on the back of the engine with a small thin piece of clear plastic. Looks more in

scale to me.---John

[Guest]

The wing roots cleaned up good but I need to fill a few small gaps on the bottom side.---John

[Guest]

The horizontal stabilizers are on and height adjusted. They'll need putty when the glue dries.---John

[stevehnz]

Nice looking progress, I'm getting very interested in this, maybe won't need that Zvezda one at all.

Steve.

[Guest]

Thanks Steve but a new mold is badly needed. This can be built but needs help and a

new one might just have more and better detail. The shape is kinda OK here but it is

definitely in need of lacking details.---John

[Guest]

Here is an example of a detail gone wrong. On the landing gear there is a strut coming out of the wheel well

and attaching to the main gear leg, it is Y shaped. Minicraft has the single leg of the Y attached to the wheel

well and the 2 Y parts connecting to the main gear leg.....WRONG!!! The 2 Y legs attach to the wheel well and the single

leg of the Y attaches to the main gear leg. The first photo shows how Minicraft has it, the second photo shows kinda

how it should be, I think the Y legs need to be lengthened though. The 3rd picture is the real deal showing the 2 legs

of the Y going into the wheel well.---John

[Guest]

The engines are on. I sanded the pylons where they join the nacelles on top to more of a point. The kit had them too

thick and blunt. I may need to sand them a bit more.---John

[Eric Mc]

Interesting project. I have one of these in the stash. The plan is to build it as the NASA example.

[Guest]

I have done some more sanding of the pylon to thin it to more of a point where it joins the nacelle. You

can see how "thick" it was originally in the first image and where I am at in the second image.---John

[Alex1978]

I have the RollsRoyce 757 kits from Minicraft.

I am not sure if its just a cheat by the photo,I kept looking on these P&W engines,are they a tad too big casted by Minicraft or is this the correct size of them ?

Compared to the fuselahe,they seem rather large ?

 

Otherwise very nice progress on the 757.