Star of Chenonceaux - Revell 1/144 Lockheed L.1049G Super Constellation

[PattheCat]

Hello everybody. First, many thanks to Brad for organizing this GB . Also, my thanks to TonyW, rob Lyttle and JOCKNEY whose enthusiasm for the Connie  "helped" (you know what I mean, guys) me choose between two subjects I'm really fond of.

 

So my entry is Revell's 1/144 Lockheed L.1049G Super Constellation in TWA markings. The most elegant airliner of all times IMHO (the Concorde ranking second).

I decided on the TWA markings because they're intended for the "long nose" version I prefer and I will put the plane on a stand, gear up, to emphasize it's sleek silhouette. If I could rename this aircraft, I wouldn't call it Connie but Gal Gadot, that's for sure gentlemen (with all due respect to Mrs. Gadot).

 

It's a time of firsts, as it's my first participation in a GB, first airliner ever and first 1/144 kit.

Let's be honest, I chose a simple kit as I intend it to be a mojo restorer. Also, as usual, it shall be done OOB and as per instructions.

 

Now let's have a look at the box and its contents.

 

Side-opening box. One part off the sprues but no damage. I wish every manufacturer would do as Zvezda (recently?) does, meaning a really sturdy cardboard box that slides into a sleeve with the boxart on it.

 

Small parts count, so really not much if the gear isn't attached. Plastic seems quite hard compared to let's say Airfix. No flaws - flash, sink marks - noted until now (moulds dating back to 2006/2007). Fine and consistently engraved panel lines. Clear parts are, well, .. clear.

 

 

 

The decals are a bit thick. I told before there was too much carrier film but at second glance, that's not the case.

 

I hope to give it a start as soon as tomorrow.

 

Lots of folk and varied subjects in this GB, so I wish everyone lots of fun whether it be building or watching.

 

[Thom216]

A truly elegant airliner. I like how it was a series of compromises that gave it it's distinctive, and attractive, silhouette. I prefer the long nose version as well.

[TonyW]

This is going to be good. It's such a fine looking plane. 

 

I'll be following along, good luck with the build.

 

Tony.

[JeroenS]

Hey Pat, it's a nice one, good luck with it and enjoy your first (and as we all know, not your last) GB 🙂 

[PattheCat]

Thanks Jeroen. This nice lady constitutes quite a change in my habits.

It won't be my only participation in a GB as I enlisted for Nordic II (a Swedish P-51D Mustang it shall be; I just don't know yet if I'll use an Airfix or Eduard kit).

[Brad]

No problem mate, welcome along, this looks like it will be a pretty nice build.

[PattheCat]

I was eager to try my new side cutters so I had a small start yesterday evening. Pictures taken today in better lighting.

 

I'm so impressed with these cutters that I feel I must share my experience. I've used Revell cutters for years, not bad but not precision ones like they say.

I thought to get Xuron's or Tamiya's, The goal was to find something that would help me not to take small chunks off the plastic when cutting too close to the part. Then I saw recommandations here for Dispiae. Too pricey,

Perusing the net I found Meng Model MTS-022 Intermediate Single-edged Hobby Side Cutter, with a mention that they were made by Dispiae and this for less than 25 €.

These cut incredibly neatly and like through butter, no force required. It goes so smoothly that small parts don't even fly away when cutting them off the sprue!

Just one gripe (sort of), the blades are really very small so you can cut in small spaces but at the same time the body comes quickly in the way.

 

Revell on the left, Meng on the right

 

And now back to the model.

Dry fitting showed good fit overall. Just a tiny bit of surface scraping needed at the inside end of the upper parts of the wings where they join with the one piece underside (wingtip cast on the upper part).

Also the nose cone and vertical stabilizers are a really (too) tight fit.

 

No gap at the wing root, excellent.

 

Just one problem I can see, the nose cone sits a bit off.

 

 

I plan to do some work this evening and probaly an update tomorrow.

Have a nice sunny sunday.

[JeroenS]

Nice start. I have Trumpeter's single blade nipper, an excellent tool like yours. Way better than the regular cutters.

[PattheCat]

No modelling today and just some fiddling and fumbling yesterday with no real results to show.

 

The dry fitted vertical stabilizers were not inserted all the way into their slots and were difficult to disassemble, being such a tight fit . Scraping didn'h help that much, but they finally slided in about right.

 

Then I cut most of the remaining parts from the sprues. Broke a propeller blade off in the process. No holes under the seats to set them onto their locating pins? I don't know if I'll drill the underside of the seats or just cut the pins..

 

The nose is a much better fit with just a bit of scraping at it's insert on the front of the fuselage

 

And to end the day well I decided to sand the ejector marks on the sides of the cockpit (lest someone would have a look through these tiny windows 🤣).

 

[stevehnz]

Looking good on this Pat, I'm keen to see this come together, I've got one tucked away too. 

Steve.

[PattheCat]

1 hour ago, stevehnz said:

Looking good on this Pat, I'm keen to see this come together, I've got one tucked away too. 

Steve.

Thanks Steve. It's not a Tamigawa kit but a good one, without a doubt. Don't take this build as too much of an example as I've got a tendency for self-induced problems.

Cheers.

Pat.

[rob Lyttle]

ok, great to see this underway. Looks like a very decent box of parts too. And if you're posing it in the air you may not need the props....? Gonna look super

[PattheCat]

43 minutes ago, rob Lyttle said:

ok, great to see this underway. Looks like a very decent box of parts too. And if you're posing it in the air you may not need the props....? Gonna look super

 

No props? So you would like me to strip down this lady. No way!

[rob Lyttle]

29 minutes ago, PattheCat said:

No way!

🙂 I just thought you might be going for clear plastic discs on spinners instead. I expect the broken blade will glue back on with care.😇

[PattheCat]

7 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

🙂 I just thought you might be going for clear plastic discs on spinners instead. I expect the broken blade will glue back on with care.😇

Just kidding. The prop blade is back on. In fact I don't like the look of such discs. Thanks for your support.

[PattheCat]

Hello. Here is last night's work.

 

I glued the wings and wingtip fuel tanks. Fit was all right. After a small amount of sanding (panel lines ain't even erased) there is not much space left for filler.

One small problem still occured, see text above the last picture.

 

 

 

 

When glueing such parts as wings or fuselage I usually put some liquid cement on the locating pins and large mating surfaces then clamp the parts together and let extra thin flow into the joint.

So did I to join upper (2 pieces) and lower wing (full span). I was about to put these aside to dry when I saw that the rear of the lower wing was now lower than the flaps/control surfaces moulded with the upper parts, probably due to clamping.

So I slightly lifted the rear portion of the lower wing and flushed some cement at the base of the junction between wing and flaps/control surfaces. I let it dry for 10 minutes and voilà!

Maybe it should be wiser to add a small tab approximately between the rear of the engine nacelles.

 

 

More was done today but the pictures will be taken tomorrow.

 

See you later.

[Adam Poultney]

Another interesting kit by Revell that I didn't know existed and hasn't been rereleased for a while now. Seems crazy to do so many kits and not release them ... the A400M and C17 in 1/144 are desperate for a reissue

[Brad]

Good save!

[PattheCat]

10 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

Another interesting kit by Revell that I didn't know existed and hasn't been rereleased for a while now. Seems crazy to do so many kits and not release them ... the A400M and C17 in 1/144 are desperate for a reissue

It's a shame indeed. Found this one at the local hobby shop some years back. Colleagues offered me the Wright Flyer for my retirement, they found it at an RC meeting. Took me months to get my hands on a Spirit of St Louis at a decent price.

Don't give up looking.

[PattheCat]

Hi. The parts for subassemblies (engine and cockpit) have received a coat of primer (Stynylrez flat black and grey). Just one picture to show today.

 

I always use a 0.4 mm needle for priming but Stynylrez instructions say 0.5 mm at least. As my H&S Silverline airbrush has a small leak between the base of the cup holder and the body, I ordered the new one with a 0.6 mm needle. By the way, who would have guessed that gravity feed doesn't mean it can fall harmlessly to the ground 🤪?

 

The black  now flows through like a charm but the grey is thicker and keeps giving me problems (dry tip and clogging inside the nozzle). I tried another bottle and Vallejo flow improver but seemingly to no avail. Maybe some thinning with water?

What do you think? Any tip is welcome because I really like Stynylrez but I'm now pondering giving a try at Mission Models primer (can't stand solvent based paint's fumes anymore, even if I think Alclad primer is the best I ever used)..

 

 

Now the serious things (painting) may begin. I don't look forward to hand painting these tiny engines crankcases with Tam or Gunze (Vallejo metal color for the cylinders so no problem there). Maybe I'll get some Revell Aqua grey first (as black and brass brushed really well when thinned with windshield washer).

 

See you later alligators fellow Britmodellers, after a while .......

[PattheCat]

Good day to all. Some progress made yesterday.

 

To glue clear parts my preferred method - as I find it to be the easiest - is to use gloss varnish (Tamiya acryl in this case but I also sometimes use Humbrol nr. 11 enamel that gives even better bonding).

A generous amount was slashed in the recesses and the parts (just 4 strips of clear plastic) were clamped to dry overnight.

 

Don't be put off by the overly large amount of clamps, that's just a precaution.

The windows fall easily and precisely into place and sit flush. Well done Revell!

 

A picture of the control panel before glueing the seats. TWO nice decals are provided (control panel and console)! Do you listen, Kinetic (and some others, too)?

I didn't have to order grey paint for the cockpit floor as I found back some tinlets of Revell aqua that were included with the kit.

 

The locating squared pins for the seats were shorthened and a half round hole drilled in the base of the seats.

 

Revell calls for anthracite for the cockpit sides and bonnet so I used Tamiya XF69 NATO black.

 

The engines are nicely detailed for the scale. Here they are after a first coat of Vallejo steel metal color on the cylinders. Same as for the pit, about nothing shall be viewable after assembly but nonetheless... got to refrain from weathering 😅

 

So next will be glueing the pit and buttoning up the fuselage. In the next update I should be able to show the main parts of the airframe assembled.

 

Have fun with your builds.

[helios16v]

NATO Black is a staple at my bench.  I usually try to keep a backup bottle on hand in case I run out and the LHS is out of stock.

[Thom216]

Some good progress. How much of the 'pit will be seen?

[PattheCat]

4 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Some good progress. How much of the 'pit will be seen?

Thanks. Nearly nothing but put your ear against the windshield and you'll hear "Hey, it's Pit, you can't see me but I'm in here, I swear"

[PattheCat]

Good evening. The airframe has been assembled, so it's time for an update.

 

One last picture of the cockpit before buttoning up the fuselage.

 

The fit of the fuselage is OK but given the complex shape. I decided to glue the underside and tail first and the rest after the glue had cured. With some care, doing it in one time shouldn't be a problem.

 

Fit of the wings to the body was very tight. When setting these into place, the rear part of the upper seam disjointed. Some extra thin cement applied, done.

 

 

Some care (in truth I fiddled somewhat) required to have both perfect wing roots and at the same time decent alignment of the underside. As a result, see the small gap on the leading edge (it's the same on the other side).

 

 

Also, a bit of sanding was needed at the lower wing underside next to the flaps as this part stood a bit elevated relative to the wing/fuselage fairing.  The seam between the lower wing insert and the rear fuselage looks far worse than it really  is. There is in fact no gap, as only the topmost part isn't filled by the glue used to fix the parts.

 

 

The only place where there is a noticeable step (no more than 1/3 of a mm) between the fuselage halves is in front of the cockpit. The fit of the cockpit was as tight as the rest and I presume I just put too much glue so that it interfered. 

 

No seam at the tailplanes (it looks as good below).

 

That's all for now.

Next step is finishing the engines and cowlings to put them on.

 

Happy May 1st.