Jump to content

Shavrov Sh-2 sesquiplane amphibian. "Stop, thief!"


Recommended Posts

NDuqzM.jpg

 

Abandoned during a previous modelling frenzy from 15 years ago, I found this Amodel Sh half completed, but with wheels swapped out for skiis alongside other red waifs and strays, all forgotten. I had a vague memory of building the Sh. The fit was awful. Consider the lovely Heller SAAB 91 - it needs around 3mm square of putty in total under the fuse join: that's it.  It is beautifully and flawlessly engineered so imagine just how awful the whole fit was by comparison.

Later, the wings had been lost somewhere but I had already detailed the interior panels where they folded back. It had been primed here and there but really, quite an abandoned project together with a 4 seat limousine Po-2 mod in the same shoebox (for the 'more equal' members of soviet society) and here shown.

 

https://ibb.co/RcF9ywz

20210621-105726.jpg

 

I had this single visual reference at the time to work from as a guide but forgoed the available PE set to tart her up apropos. A lot of that set seems superfluous.

 

https://ibb.co/pn9qjyD

20210618-190549.jpg

 

There are choices today. Remake the wings using plastic card and ballpoint pen &c. to add 'engraved' detail from the insides (wings to be folded back) or leave her as per the image above, this machine being assembled in a cozy soviet sweatshop but with skiis for no reason at all (a lazy route). Or buy another kit to add the wings, but this seems too expensive a prospect. Amodel's Sh-2 is rare now, the Choroszy kit not cheap for just two wings. I know of nobody prepared to sell those 2 wings from a trashed or abandoned build that are just crying out to be sold, either


A Bigger Picture:

Many Sh-2s were done over in a pale grey colour, let's call it Ae9 (hexidecimal) for fun, That's the whole scheme. Civil regs a possibility or "Donated by the Landlocked Fishermen's Soviet of Kazan'!" inscription on account of them being landlocked. You know the routine. Exclamation point essential. 
No weathering as I can't abide this Jallyvo 'extra sausage and sage greasy grey' or 'rotting Orc's spleen vermillion' acrylic and powder fad -- in no rush to model 72nd scale oil and dust (but respect to those who do). Just enamels and oils. Old school, me.

I have a 72nd scale old Zvezda soviet revolutionary figure to add into a possible small 'factory' diorama, Foreman Comrade Oleg is apopleptic about the theft of state property! ( the wings ). The NKVD could already be interested in this wrecking counter-revolutionary act of sabotage. Poor Oleg... helplessly caught in an implausible scenario.

 

https://ibb.co/tB8DwKP

20210621-132923.jpg

 

Nota bene. There are small details which mustn't be forgotten: the generator windmill, a skii for the tailskid, piping away from the S-11 engine, the skii crank added to the dashboard. The little red weathervane at the  hull's very fore. The lateen sail... Now they're mentioned here, I can't overlook them.

The Polikarpov limo needs work too, clearly, so could be a parallel project? Maybe she'll get the skiis and swap out some wheels to the Sh-2 once more. Her engine is already a beauty. Could be fun either way.

 

Best wishes.

 

 

Edited by Major Flannel
  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off to a start, you see a Pavla S-11 engine and Po-2 prop with some sort of resin fairing that came off the block quite poorly. 

The engine needs pushrods made and bayonet type exhausts so typical of it.

 

The limo is going back in its box - no distractions, like the Nieuport 27 just out of shot. Oleg looks frightened, but onwards we must go.

 

20210622-101826.jpg

 

20210622-123719.jpg

 

Some thin brass wire for pushrods from AK Interactive, those that offer their very good acrylics. Perhaps too hefty, we shall see presently.

Edited by Major Flannel
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Major Flannel changed the title to Shavrov Sh-2 sesquiplane amphibian. "Stop, thief!"

RL interferes with the serious modelling habit this week and it can't be helped.

But I found an image online that shows you the skii attachments (on L-737 no less).

The tensioning is forward of the wheel tracks and ends just where that small bulbous 'fairing' exists beside the portside cockpit. No idea what it is, but I am sure some of you experts do.

 

N.b., the cabane struts entering the cockpit itself.

In one image above, the rear canopy fairing was placed in situ, but not going to use it. L-737 must be my guide.

 

A bientot etc.

NtfdGP.jpg

Note there is no trim tab depicted, as is present on some Shavrovs.

Edited by Major Flannel
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going to get going with this Sh-2 tonight, all things going well. I located and bought that incredible box of ww1 polyethylene pilots that can be modified here and for my Hansa Brandenburg; they are exquisitely done. N.b the fourth image, bottom row, N/A.

 

NxG3Pw.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update: Ghost in the Machine. 

 

The wings were lost years ago (hence this diorama) along with half a heretic scale Shturmovik, an SB, half a Yak 3 and more. And all -ALL - my decals. Every last one.

Or so I had believed. Today, fate pointed me to a fiction book of that time and so out fell this kit's CCCP - L737 decals, exactly as in the image above.

 

Spooky but very welcomed. : )

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On hold whilst RL intrudes and when my Hansa Brandenburg is done. Hopefully this week.

 

Meanwhile, do you fancy building a Shvetsov M11 from individual tiny PE pieces? PART sees you right!

 

NJYvFj.jpg

Yes. You can.

 

  • Haha 1
  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Major, that's a sweet little model there, and coming along nicely. As regards its painting, allow me to suggest another option. Andersson's book on early Soviet aviation says that L-737 (if indeed this is the machine you are doing) was registered between 1931-33. If this is so, the aircraft is too early for lacquer AEh-9 Grey; that family of paint was introduced starting 1934. The State company Dobrolet purchased quite a lot of French aviation lacquer and this was used in Leningrad for production of the Sh-2 up to the introduction of their own indigenous lacquers (AEh and so on). For me, I would prefer a dull aluminium dope resembling any French aviation lacquer of this type ca late 1920s.

Any road, carry on and looking forward to this one.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Oho. So I finally did some work on the wingless soviet bird. What a weird year. For example, on ebay luck was on my side with an Airco d.H.2 (in heretic scale), a vac Sopwith-ish Mitsubishi IMF 1, a vac UFAG C.1 (with full Blue Rider decals), a vac Avia BH-3 on the positive scoreboard. An Edward Sopwith Baby minus its PE fret (my fault; I didn't read the description) on the negative.

 

________

 

Worse, far worse was my wife almost getting caught up in the Plymouth gun massacre. By 4 to 5 minutes, we think. She went shopping exactly the same time as the swine was coming from the opposite direction towards the shopping complex, about 30 secs? after the Police arrived. She saw some of the victims' families. Man, what a terrible sick thing. I shouldn't really bring this here but, well. There are no words.

 

________

 

Nv008P.jpg

 

Nv0E2S.jpg

 

Yes, that's a genuine White Ensign Models tin of 'IMUP primer' still usable from 2010 or so in the first image. Learstang will remember the kerfuffles.The filler cap on the hull is a punched piece of card attached with humbrol gloss.

 

The last items to attend to are the tiny wooden tailskid, the weathervane, attaching the floats with bungees and tying up the feathers at rear. CCCP L737 she shall be. The model is primed here and there with Halfords, at present. Skiis do not match the photo but they are staying, L737 is out there illustrated with them. Que sera.

 

NvWDJR.jpg

 

Thanks for your patience!

 

At rear are languishing RWDs 5 bis and 8 PWS, and a strutless Italian Nie. 24. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

Edited by Major Flannel
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/08/2021 at 13:26, STAVKA said:

Major, that's a sweet little model there, and coming along nicely. As regards its painting, allow me to suggest another option. Andersson's book on early Soviet aviation says that L-737 (if indeed this is the machine you are doing) was registered between 1931-33. If this is so, the aircraft is too early for lacquer AEh-9 Grey; that family of paint was introduced starting 1934. The State company Dobrolet purchased quite a lot of French aviation lacquer and this was used in Leningrad for production of the Sh-2 up to the introduction of their own indigenous lacquers (AEh and so on). For me, I would prefer a dull aluminium dope resembling any French aviation lacquer of this type ca late 1920s.

Any road, carry on and looking forward to this one.

Thank you, STAVKA.

 

Since its all grey primers of varying descriptions atm, I shall gratefully accept your recommendation. Any tips for the prop? Grey or silver, or to liven it up, a spot of 'protective green' or similar? 

 

Best wishes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

N3Iv2c.jpg

Omsk District Soviet boss O. O. Smiglo was dismissed for his decadent anti-revolutionary liveries, in 1938.  

 

If I ever do a Sh again, well, this must be a contender. Souped up, baby. Rawr.

 

Adrian, the RWDs are gems. They all have this cottage industry charm about them, before the storm loomed on the horizon. Chorozy make expensive ones, Plastyk make £2.99 ones, to the same overall satisfaction. Have a good day.

 

Edit: The bayonet exhausts are too long on my boat. Always missing details like this. And yes, the prop clears the hull by a fraction of a parsec. o7

Edited by Major Flannel
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 27/08/2021 at 17:44, Major Flannel said:

Any tips for the prop? Grey or silver, or to liven it up, a spot of 'protective green' or similar? 

Do you know, this is not well discussed. The Tech Manual for the Sh-2 only says-- and I quote-- "..the propeller is the same as found on the U-2..." What!? Pretty rubbish there by the usual Soviet detail standards! The U-2 always had a 2.4 m two-bladed wooden prop, but the question is, "how was it finished?". Well, variously... One can see nice laminated wood props in early photos, and also resin-cloth covered props on military versions. Some look to have been painted, additionally. Without a specific photo of your exmple, I reckon you can do a bit as you please here; who will say you're wrong?

 

If you'd like some U-2 prop inspiration, I have drawn a few types here. Have a look.

http://redbanner.co.uk/History/trainers/trainers_3.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...