Abandoned Project Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 I started this last year..... .... but never really got a definite answer as to which engines are more accurate. I am planning to adjust my Zvezda engines to fit the Revell 748 wings (and use the pylons from the Revell engines to mount some GE90-115B engines on to a 748 ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 On 26/10/2021 at 19:30, Terry1954 said: Looking at the difference between the Revell and Zvezda outboard pylon lengths, it seems although the Zvezda is longer, that one places the engine "pod" further back compared to the leading edge of the wing (I'm guessing form the pic). The Revell pod would appear to sit much further forward therefore. Does that seem right? Hi Terry. Sorry about the delay in replying; it's been hectic week! Going back to the classroom is hard work too... 😁 Here's a photo showing the lower sides of both wings for comparison (Zvezda left and Revell right): A few things to note - 1) Revell has more surface detail and deeper panel lines, Zvezda is very understated in this regard. 2) The pylon locations both start at slightly different distances from the leading edge. The Zvezda pylons are slightly further forward and also longer overall, so consequently they also extend further towards the trailing edge. 3) The flap track fairing location points are very subtle on the Zvezda wing - you can just see the outline of where to put them. 4) Not visible in this picture, but the Zvezda trailing edge looks much better than Revell, with a beautifully thin finish - I believe I mentioned this a few pages back...? In case you were wondering, the section in the top right corner is a piece from the tail fin of G-CIVL. My inner geek saw this was for sale and I couldn't resist it - that will go onto the wall of my man cave at some point! On 31/10/2021 at 08:00, aurelien wolff said: I'll get both but I'm not sure if 1/2 mm difference is that much of a problem I tend to agree - the causal viewer (and even a critical one) will struggle to see that difference! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 On 31/10/2021 at 21:29, Abandoned Project said: I started this last year..... .... but never really got a definite answer as to which engines are more accurate. I am planning to adjust my Zvezda engines to fit the Revell 748 wings (and use the pylons from the Revell engines to mount some GE90-115B engines on to a 748 ) Sorry AP, just realised I didn't reply to this as it was hiding on the top of the next page! I couldn't say which ones are the most accurate, but Zvezda's engine quality is in a different league from Revell - see my earlier rant about excessive fan flash! I have two more Revell kits in the stash and they will both be getting some surplus Zvezda engines instead of the Revell offerings... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwau Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 Great build detail - and meticulous work on the decals Thank you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 On 08/11/2021 at 08:54, ianwau said: Great build detail - and meticulous work on the decals Thank you! You're welcome! Model making has taken a back seat for a few weeks due to work commitments, but I have now made a bit more progress. Here are the components for the flap track fairings: Zvezda are on the left and built up nicely into eight pods: Revell's offering was pretty comparable and the flap track fairings were glued into place: Both sets will need filling and sanding along the seams, but I have attached them to give them more rigidity and stop them flexing. They were also very fiddly to hold! The Revell wing root and wing tips needed some filler, due to minor sink marks. I will use decals for the landing lights (lights are not supplied in the Zvezda kit), so the Revell transparent plastic needed filling around the edges and blending: Work on the engines has also progressed. The inlet rings on the Revell kit do not match with the nacelle anti-icing rings on the real engines, so there is no advantage in leaving them off and attaching them after they have been painted. I have glued them into place so they can be blended smooth and then I will spray the metal finish in the correct area: The Zvezda inlet rings are are more accurate size, so I intend to paint those silver and attach them at the end of the build. Finally for the engines, here are the exhaust scallops from the Zvezda kit (Revell's were very similar): These all glued into place without any problems: Both sets of engines look very similar, but I prefer the Zvezda offering (on the left) for a few reasons. The aforementioned appalling fans on the Revell kit are the biggest issue. However, the general fit of the Zvezda components is also slightly better and the ability to add the inlet ring after painting the engines should result in a very tidy finish. The one advantage with Revell's kit is that the tail cone can be added at a later stage in the build, which makes painting the back of the engines much easier - you'll see from the above picture that these have not been glued on yet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Looks like you've made some very nice progress there Matt. Those flap track fairing look particularly neat. I assume you will paint all the engines before fixing them to the wings? Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 On 15/06/2021 at 21:29, Back in the Saddle said: The warped fuselage is a major issue, but possibly an isolated incident...? Been doing this today.... The top fuselage was like a pair of bananas with a bent tail fin while the bottom was reasonably straight. Solved my fuselage woes with SWMBO's hair dryer, some Tamiya extra thin and a lot of patient sectional glueing and clamping. The Zvezda 747-8i is definitely more modeller friendly than the over engineered Revell. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 On 24/11/2021 at 11:48, Terry1954 said: Looks like you've made some very nice progress there Matt. Those flap track fairing look particularly neat. I assume you will paint all the engines before fixing them to the wings? Thanks Terry. Funnily enough, I did some work on this one last night. I’m still working on the engines and flap track fairings, blending and filling. Hopefully I’ll get them primed later today. The plan is to glue the completed engines onto the model as one of the final stages of the build. @Abandoned Project I guess the warped fuselages were more widespread than I realised! It is a relatively simple fix though and once done, the Revell and Zvezda fuselages look almost identical - the main difference being the antenna bulges on top of the cabin. Your models look to be coming along well! 10 hours ago, Abandoned Project said: The Zvezda 747-8i is definitely more modeller friendly than the over engineered Revell. I completely agree! 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said: I guess the warped fuselages were more widespread than I realised! I think that Zvezda's soft plastic in a flat box might be part of the problem. Possibly the ejection from the mould causes some of the warping. Thankfully the plastic is soft enough to straighten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Having said the above, I would still go and get more Zvezda 747-8i's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Really enjoying this WIP, looks like you're going to get a great result on both of these despite the kits issues! Just wondering how do you ensure that the colours on the bottom of the aircraft remain horizontal and still wrap around nicely? I don't trust my eye when masking due to the natural tapering of the fuselage at the nose and tail. When I can follow horizontal panel-lines at the fuselage's largest girth its fine but as soon as the model tapers I run into problems. Thanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 05/01/2022 at 03:46, MBM said: Really enjoying this WIP, looks like you're going to get a great result on both of these despite the kits issues! Just wondering how do you ensure that the colours on the bottom of the aircraft remain horizontal and still wrap around nicely? I don't trust my eye when masking due to the natural tapering of the fuselage at the nose and tail. When I can follow horizontal panel-lines at the fuselage's largest girth its fine but as soon as the model tapers I run into problems. Hi Mark. Thanks for your comments and apologies for the delay in replying - I never saw a notification about your post...😕 When I mask these models I always use Tamiya 2mm tape. This product is great, as it flexes well to fit around the curves and also has a good level of adhesion to prevent paint seeping underneath it. I start at the forward wing root, as it is easier to get a level line from this point as there are plenty of references to ensure it's in the right place. Once I get towards the nose I increase the tension on the tape and simply pull it around the nose and into what I hope is the right position. I then 'eyeball' it to see if it looks correct - if there are any issues and I just remove the tape and try again - you can do this several times without loosing too much adhesion. It sometimes takes a few attempts, but it gets there in the end! I then continue a straight run back to the wing root on the other side. I then repeat this technique around the lower rear fuselage, which is generally easier than the nose as the curvature is more gentle. Next time I do this task I will try and make a video, showing how I do it.👍 I've not touched these models for the last three months but am looking at them again now with the intention of restarting work soon. My next job will be getting the wings prepped for the coat of gloss paint. This is the Zvezda wing underside: You can see the joint line at the top of the picture which will need filling, then the panel lines will all need re-scribing to restore the detail. You can also see the faint outline showing where the flap track fairings will be located, mentioned previously. I have also been tinkering with Photoshop, planning more 'what if' Utopia decals for future builds. @Abandoned Project will be interested in this - I'm going to try the Bavarian livery on my next 747. This one was only ever used by Deutsche BA on their 737 fleet and depicts a floral embroidery. This is how I expect it to look on a 747: Lots more design work to do, but I think my next project is now decided!😁 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said: I'm going to try the Bavarian livery on my next 747. This one was only ever used by Deutsche BA on their 737 fleet and depicts a floral embroidery. This is how I expect it to look on a 747: Lots more design work to do, but I think my next project is now decided Ooh, sweet! don't keep the audience waiting.... 1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said: I've not touched these models for the last three months Story of my life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diogo Monteiro Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Always interesting to see your "what ifs" projects Captain! Ive just landed in this tread and so far I'm enjoy it! I also would like to build the 747-8 but with 2 747-400's and 1 747-200 I don't have that much space for more Looking forward to see this and the other ones done 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted March 21, 2022 Author Share Posted March 21, 2022 On 11/03/2022 at 15:36, Diogo Monteiro said: Always interesting to see your "what ifs" projects Captain! Ive just landed in this tread and so far I'm enjoy it! I also would like to build the 747-8 but with 2 747-400's and 1 747-200 I don't have that much space for more Looking forward to see this and the other ones done Thanks Diogo👍. I know what you mean about space - I'm about to have to give displaying these models some serious consideration! I've had a minor setback with this build... I applied Humbrol filler to the gap on the underside of the wing, but some of it was runny and it dripped everywhere: Not a problem I thought - until it was time to sand it off... It had dried rock hard and took some serious elbow grease to remove it! Once this area was finally smooth I went to apply the flap track fairings. Remember those faint lines, indicating the correct location? Completely obliterated in the sanding frenzy required to remove the blobs of filler juice! I had to use the Revell model as a guide, to try to get the placement correct: They are now all in place, so the painting stage is a step closer!👍 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted May 3, 2022 Author Share Posted May 3, 2022 Sorry for the lack of updates recently... These models have been progressing, but I'm at the filling/sanding stage so there has not been much to report! The engines are finally ready for painting - here are the Revell ones: As you can see, quite a bit of filler was required! Zvezda engines next as a comparison: Definitely a better fitting set of cowls! Despite the slow progress over the winter months, the painting stage is imminent and I'm hoping this build will speed up and reach completion relatively soon.🙂 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 Looking good Matt. I think on aircraft like these, getting the engine cowls looking the biz is essential to set the finished model off. Looks like you are nailing that! Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 Certainly inspiration for me to pull my finger out and crack on with my own fleet. with interest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 03/05/2022 at 19:09, Terry1954 said: Looking good Matt. I think on aircraft like these, getting the engine cowls looking the biz is essential to set the finished model off. Looks like you are nailing that! Thanks Terry - they're getting there, albeit slowly! On 03/05/2022 at 19:17, Abandoned Project said: Certainly inspiration for me to pull my finger out and crack on with my own fleet. with interest. Thanks AP - looking forward to seeing what you next produce.👍 A coat of primer showed the engines are now acceptable. Here are the Zvezda ones, minus the separate inlet rings: And the Revell engines, complete with Alclad aluminium rings around the intakes: Whilst I was spraying the metallics, I also did the leading edges of the wings and tailplanes: As soon as dry weather is forecast I will get the aluminium masked and spray the main surfaces.👍 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Life has been busy lately, hence the delay in progress... I finally managed to mask the leading edge anti-icing panels: With these areas safely protected, I can paint the main surfaces of the wings and tailplanes. I will be using Halford's Racking Grey for this job, as it is a great approximation for Boeing Grey. Having said that, I'm not sure if this colour would even have been an option on the 747-8, as many of these aircraft appear to have white wings...? However, as these models are both in 'what if' liveries, I have a bit more freedom. This option matches the scheme on the BA 747-436's wings, and I think it looks suitable.👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 I started to spray the wings a few days ago, but had a slight issue with some light drizzle starting at just the wrong time... It was enough to ruin the finish, which consequently needed to be sanded back: The second attempt was much better, although if you look very closely the blemishes can still be seen: I like the finish on the leading edges; it just needs a Flory wash to weather it slightly and pick out the panel lines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 The Flory wash has been applied, stealing @The Spadgent's technique of brushing this in line with the airflow, as any grime would naturally flow backwards: A few hours later it (mostly) was wiped off. The Zvezda wing (top) has very shallow panel lines and could probably do with being re-scribed, this resulted in most of the wash being removed. On the other hand, Revell's wings (bottom) have lovely engraved details and the panel lines look much more authentic: I may add more Flory later, but that's an easy amendment if I decide to go down that road. Time to turn my attention to the undercarriage, starting with the wheel bays. Revell has a set of parts to construct the main gear bays: Whereas Zvezda have moulded their bays into the lower wing section: Note the Flory wash on the trailing edge - I must wipe that off! 😆 Much more detail with Revell kit, but obviously some added complexity too. How much of this would actually be seen...? Let's look at the undercarriage parts next, starting with Revell. Here are the wheels, brake units and some struts: And the main bogies: Zvezda somehow seems to have designed the undercarriage more simply (albeit one set of wheels is missing from this photo): A close up of the wheel detail too (Zvezda is the grey plastic): Pretty similar quality and plenty of attachment points to smooth back with either manufacturer...! One major failing with Revell concerns the size of the nose gear wheels, which was flagged up early in this build by @Alex1978 and @Milczacy . Here's a photo showing the issue: These four wheels are all for the nose gear. Revell's (in the middle) are much smaller than they should be. Zvezda's (at the sides) are the correct size and nicely detailed. Fortunately I have some resin replacements, printed for me by @Bangseat (thanks!), these will be used instead. Time for some more cutting, gluing and painting! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cklasse Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Very nice build. I would have gone for a 1/144 B747 instead of the 1/200 plane that I am currently building if I had seen this post earlier. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulaero Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Will you stop this duel build lark , I'm already suffering from being a serial starter and need to be a serial finisher !!! Surprised at the differences in the kits as I thought these two were doing a lot of cross boxing such as the 787's Your right about the Zvezda engineering, am part way through a 757-200, sorry its going to be Jet 2 but the fit is amazing.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Great updates Matt. It can be a bit frustrating using washes when engraved detail isn't consistent. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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