alt-92 Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Well then Jumping in with both feet, here's my attempt at the Valom Fokker F.VIIb/3m, in the guise of the 1928 'Southern Cross', flown by Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith, Charles Ulm, Harry Lyon and James Warner in the first-ever trans-Pacific flight to Australia from the mainland United States, a distance of about 11,670 kilometres. In the box: An eclectic gathering of parts - Plastic, resin, and PE. There's also extra replacement parts in a better moulding quality for the tail and engine nacelles. As is often the case, short-run multimedia kits need a bit (uhuh) of cleanup. That will be the task for today, scraping and filing, and separating out the parts needed from what's not. I have spotted some obvious things needed inside, like a big ol' fuel tank so there may be some scratchbuilding included on this trip. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Good luck with this one,... great subject.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Interesting and great choice, Im not very familiar with the flight so will be off to read about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Delighted to see this one in the GB, I believe @Rabbit Leader has a 1:1 scale one of these in his office, if you speak nicely to him he may take us on a tour ! Cheers Pat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 37 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Delighted to see this one in the GB, I believe @Rabbit Leader has a 1:1 scale one of these in his office, if you speak nicely to him he may take us on a tour ! Cheers Pat Funnily enough I reckon I was driving past the 'Old Bus' as you were typing this Pat. Not quite 'in my office', however she's not far away. I'll post the same images I left in Mike's @Ventora3300 Frog GB thread a couple of years ago... not much has changed since then and no surprises, the sun is still out! Really nice subject matter and another reminder that I really ought to add one of these to the cabinet one day. Cheers and best of luck with the build.. Dave 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 See @alt-92 how cool an office is that ! It was that or an A3 colour scanner / copier, I think he made the right choice 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 @Rabbit Leader @JOCKNEY Thanks for the shout-out! I'd taken a gander at that Frog GB thread earlier indeed Not quite sure about the current preserved paintwork - it looks like the nose did have a lighter shade (Aluminium?) on the Qld State Library picture of the arrival: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_(aircraft)#/media/File:StateLibQld_1_139254_Landing_the_aircraft,_Southern_Cross_in_Brisbane,_Queensland,_ca._1928.jpg Which suggests the box-art might be closer? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 minutes ago, alt-92 said: Which suggests the box-art might be closer? I would agree as well. This Fokker did under go some equipment re-fitting and re-painting over it's journey, so it depends what time period you wish to depict your model. You will also notice the 'Southern Cross' font change over time and (if I'm not mistaken) he Valom kit provides both decal options. Cheers.. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 Then again, the props in the kit are the wooden ones you see on the current preserved aircraft.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyGair Posted February 21, 2021 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Will watch with interest if you don't mind, I have the Spanish Civil War boxing to do in Republican colours. Davey. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 On 20/02/2021 at 22:54, alt-92 said: @Rabbit Leader @JOCKNEY Thanks for the shout-out! I'd taken a gander at that Frog GB thread earlier indeed Not quite sure about the current preserved paintwork - it looks like the nose did have a lighter shade (Aluminium?) on the Qld State Library picture of the arrival: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_(aircraft)#/media/File:StateLibQld_1_139254_Landing_the_aircraft,_Southern_Cross_in_Brisbane,_Queensland,_ca._1928.jpg Which suggests the box-art might be closer? @alt-92Great choice of aircraft to celebrate Aussie Airmen - 'Smithy' is a fascinating character. I had a look at a Valom build of this when trying to research the small details to 'upgrade' the Frog kit. The 1:1 Southern Cross had flown 6417 miles across the pacific and in storms so some light weathering on the nose was to be expected! Also, I noted that one of the exhaust stubs on the centre engine looked like it had been extended away from the windscreen and off to the port side, no doubt to prevent the windscreen being coated in oily smoke - maybe the diverted hot gasses took off some of the blue colour on the metal panels at that side. It took me ages to decide on the windscreen frame colour, never mind the cowling, after looking at all the pictures available. Good luck with this build. All the best. Mike. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Thanks Mike, I wonder if they also extended the exhaust to stop the glare from it at night interfering with their night vision from the cockpit ? Anyway what's happening with progress @alt-92 ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Well, not too much yet, @JOCKNEY Something called life keeps intervening. Nevertheless, after much hemming and hawing, I've decided I'll take a shot at making her look like the preserved article. To that end: The easiest part of assembly is done, the wing Besides that, the port side door has been covered with a thin sheet of evergreen and puttied flush. I'm now trying to figure out the window situation - the clear parts are supplied as one long piece, and I may have to cut that up while aligning it with the bars on the inside - while keeping in mind the fuel tank. Fueltank? Yes. Some tarting up of the interior must be done after all. There's a radio rack, and the earth compass, and seats for the new floor. The tables for the tank and radios will get some legs from brass tubes as well. And a trial assembly (not glued yet) for the engine nacelles.. Will need to drill out and add some tube here as well - there aren't any prop shafts and the props have rather big holes for those. This is a kit that needs lots of fettling and help. A dry run already had me padding up the edges for the cockpit windows to make them flush, and I will need to use a bit of plasticard to make the wing trailing edge to fuselage rear deck nice and smooth.. Challenge accepted 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 A really nice choice . I've always been confused by the shape of the engine nacelles, so it's good that you're basing your model on the preserved aircraft. No possible arguements! Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 Awaiting some 2.5mm plastic bar/strip on order to fill in the windows a bit & rods - should be in later this week. Those will be used to redo the frame for the radios and tables - that ex-ejector rack repurposed doesn't quite do it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Service resumed! Cockpit added, and did some touch-ups where the paint wore off handles and such after this pic. Made the cutouts for the resized windows, puttied and sanded over flush on the outside - that's why I needed the Evergreen bars in .25 as those will fit the windows nicely. Fueltank and framing added on one side. Still some bars to be added rearwards, those are drying. The white frame is the top of the radio rack, desk & seat in place. Desk/shelf at the fuel tank to follow once the floor is in. The big compass is CA'd onto the floor. Now cutting up the second window, and then need to add the framework on that side. Once that's in place, it's closing up time. Through every step of this, I've dry-fitted parts, and did my best to prepare as much as possible to minimise gaps when adding the wing. So... we'll see how that ends up 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Lyttle Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Proper job modelling here Alt! This looks very tidy. As does the cutting mat. Is that a new one, or one you keep specially for photography 📸😅⁉️ Lovely work so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted April 7, 2021 Author Share Posted April 7, 2021 Haha! No, I arranged for a proper workbench Left upper corner now filled with a proper paint rack. Daylight lamp, and an old IKEA one over the spraybooth. Lots of space 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 That's far too organised @alt-92 where all the normal chaos that the rest of us are dealing with ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 Why'd you think those shots are framed close to the parts Current status: I've resorted to some stress relief, with somewhat of a tie-in to the GB -- Status: Closing the fuselage up. Really, I should have thought better about the framework and the internals, as it was I completely mis-measured the available space so some hackery was needed. At least I got the side windows to the appropriate shape. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 On 10/04/2021 at 21:03, alt-92 said: Why'd you think those shots are framed close to the parts Current status: I've resorted to some stress relief, with somewhat of a tie-in to the GB That's is a hugely impressive work space. And the complete opposite from the Jockney method ! I think you would need to be sedated if I posted a picture of my workspace. Would it be OK if I printed a picture of yours so that one day, I could attempt to replicate it, even if it only lasted for a few hours ? Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted May 2, 2021 Author Share Posted May 2, 2021 Go nuts, I'd say -- Updates: I need to replace an airbrush nozzle: Spattering and really coarse for a 0.2 nozzle. Not good. At least the framing is now aluminium (and the trough under the post has been filled). Wing sprayed in same aluminium with the a/b I usually reserve for hot paints. More cleaning... Tail bits cleaned and ready for priming. Fuselage received it's first blue coat (BS105) It's getting there 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 There has been granted a two week extension. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted May 16, 2021 Author Share Posted May 16, 2021 oof... I might need that ! --- Ok. Wings glued on, fitting the engines. Those supports are... let's keep it at less-than-ideal. I'm half of mind to do the decals now, as it will be a bit of a challenge without knocking stuff off. And it will allow for some touchups on the window frames - still masked, and probably hard to get out of there. Those ailerons have some big counterbalances. All the other parts are pre-painted. I did make the genny a bit fatter as the kit one is a bit anemic. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 If you look carefully you can see @Rabbit Leader reflection in the window. Great to see this one progressing Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(510x640)-Copy(95x120).thumb.jpg.33073138e01aa81779639a845926753e.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now