Czech 1/72 Ba-33 Vacform

['V']

Getting very close to the end.

Rudimentary rigging threaded through to see if it was going to work.

All components in place, next gloss varnishing before finishing decaling

THEN and only then will attempts be made to suitably secure the top wing and tighten the single strand

rigging. Adding the twin wires needed to be prepared for much earlier in the build and would need to be

of a much finer thread, so fine I doubt that I'd be able to work with it.

Will it be one more photo before RFI ?????

 

Even when the model's not exactly top notch there is an additional satisfaction of creating something from

as basic as a thin sheet of embossed parts.

 

 

Now to open my gloss varnish !!

 

'V'

 

['V']

Some more done, decals in place.

Not exactly perfect, but I don't have any matching Czech style fonts. These are from Modeldecal RAF white letters with

the 1's being cut from the upright legs of a 'N'. The only clear 'artwork' picture I've seen of Jan's aircraft has a squarer 

shaped head to the 'P'. The '1' should also have a hooked top that I might try to add from a trimmed shred of decal.

 

I now need to experiment as I've used invisible sewing thread for the small amount of rigging I'm adding. The question

to be answered will nylon thread shrink with a delicate application of heat as you can with stretched sprue ?? What I'll

do if it doesn't ??? I have no idea, Until tested I can't fix any more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For any super detailer remember what you start with makes a huge difference, this is a Vacform. At least it has an instrument

panel. At the start I said it was to see if I had any interest in making more aircraft models after a long lay-off, well I've quite

enjoyed making this so fingers crossed.

 

'V'

 

 

[AdrianMF]

Looking very nice indeed. I note that the Czechs seem to have been very keen on aileron servos. The Letov S16 had them too, on the upper wings. I'd got them nicely stuck on and painted on my model when I realised they were going to be in the middle of the national marking decal

 

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Courageous]

Considering what you started off with, this is shaping up nicely. My on criticism is that hideous purple/pink matt .

 

Stuart 

['V']

Hi Courageous,

 

My wife likes her little cutting mat, that I borrow for any small jobs. I'll be honest I've pinched it !!

 

Hi AdrianMF

 

I always think we need to start two models, finishing one to find all the problems and then built the second one

with that background knowledge.

 

Back to the Ba-33. My plan for stretching nylon failed. My fishing type son said fishing nylon didn't shrink with heat

and he was correct for invisible sewing nylon as well. It snapped almost before any stretch.

Back to the drawing board. With the nylon already stuck into the top wing a little late for major changes. What I have found

from railway modelling is that nylon (fishing line) shrinks when warn and dry, but stretches out when damp and cold. Here you see

what happened to a small 'scenic' modelling test piece I did for one of our railway exhibitions. Tight when done, but so slack after

a few weeks in my garden shed.

 

 

 

So the model will sit in my shed for a few days - fingers crossed !!

 

'V'

['V']

O.K so I vanished in December. Now it's mid February !!

The modelling stuff had to be banished from the kitchen, my usual work space.

In addition my experience with nylon threads is that they expand when cold and damp, tightening back as they warm

and loose some moisture. To make certain that the limited rigging I was going to do would stay tight the model, nylon

thread and everything else has sat in my shed for nigh on eight weeks.

 

Today I plucked up the courage to finish off. I decided to make it look pretty by photographing on a Diorama base made

in 2017 for the Railway Clubs Diorama Competition.

Perhaps I should have done a Ready for Inspection thread, but I don't think my photographs, let alone the model deserve

that.

 

In fact I still have to try that laminated wood effect on the rear of the prop. Not brilliant, but better than nothing ? However

here it is probably as near to finished that it'll get. I seem to be unable to re-size my photos at the hosting provider, so they

may cause me problems, I try to use 800x600, but here we get what I took them at !!

 

On the airfield

 

You can just see the glint off the rigging

 

Best overall photo

 

Again you can make out some rigging.

 

Geoff T AKA 'V'

[Maginot]

Some serious crafting gone on here. Can't believe how good the propeller turned out considering what you started with. Nice little model.

[Ray S]

That has come out very well indeed. I am so glad you got back to finish this, it has been a very interesting project for you! I love the diorama, with the sheep trails.

 

Ray

['V']

Thanks for the comments Maginot & Ray S.

It was hovering in the might never get finished 'Fog'

Today some sunshine when I was in the shed made the difference !!

 

Geoff T.

[Courageous]

Splendid job. Can you remember the details of the chain-link fence and the posts?

 

Stuart

['V']

Hi Courageous,

 

It's a Peco owned company "Ratio 436" Security Fencing. They're a railway accessories supplier.

Not cheap and reputed not to be easy to work with. I obtained from one of my colleagues who

couldn't get along with it although to be honest I didn't have trouble other than the end posts

weren't quite strong enough, would have been better if I'd used 2 stuck together to take the end strain.

 

Geoff T.