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ICM Do 217 N-1b Converted to Do 217 N-2/R-22 useing the AIMS conversion


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I started the N-1 kit pretty much as soon as it came out but with one thing and another it got put aside on the shelf . A t  Telford SMW show in 2018 i bought the conversion kit off John at his stand  .

 

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I have also the AIMS decal sheet for this conversion .

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i will keep my options open on markings  at this stage .

 

I have made a small start on the cockpit previously

 

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Looking forward to seeing all your builds come together . looking like an interesting mixed bunch .

 

Cheers

Alistair

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  • 2 weeks later...

Its odd going back to a stalled project and try to find the place to start .  To dip my toe into the water i assembled one of the engines , This has reminded me how soft ICM plastic is but also how soft some of the detail is . The old Revell /monogran 217 E has far sharper detail ( in my opinion ) 

 

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I wont be installing the engine as 1 want this bird all buttoned up .  

 

 

Well phew managed a post.

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iv been plugging away at the kit now for nearly a week . I have today joined the fuselage together with the nose .

Previously attached the AIMS  etched parts such as ammo feed choots ,ammo counter etc . Iv just looked into the completed installed cockpit and only one of the ammo chutes can be seen plus ammo counter . 

 

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I figured that the ammo belt should be fixed beneath the top of the feed chute so that it would only be seen through the oval holes in the chute . May be this was another way to monitor ammunition usage .

 

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    i annaeld    the belts to aid with bending and twisting later .

 

    

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Cockpit painted RLM 66 with a dry brush   of silver and some detail picked out in black .

 

This is where i am now . 

                  

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  The tail section has been removed to allow for fixing of the extended parachute break section .

 

There is an awful lot that can go wrong with assembling this kit . There is no  wriggle room . I think with the plastic being very soft it causes swelling in some of the joints  (Plastic Arthritis ) if a srong glue is used along with too much pressure applied to drying parts. I have some very light sanding to do and possibly a little filler . Not that this matters as i see loads of sanding and filling over the next 2 weeks  :)                                                                                 

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Over past week i have been concentrating on getting the main AIMSresin sections attached .

My first decision was to attach the wings before the resin under belly section incase the resin pulled the soft kit plastic out of possition resulting with possible wing attachment problems .

 

Somewhere along the line i have made a small error with construction as i cant get a good fit on all points of contact between upper wing part and the fuselage just behind cockpit on the starboard side .Its a nice fit every where else.

Just realised my Flicker account is on another computer and so will post pictures in next posting

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Just moved from office to home (10 second walk )

IMG_20220505_114949565

 

The join between rear of top wing section and fuselage is rather week and i can see it easily becoming misaligned or worse breaking later on during sanding operations .  

I have made a secure attachment point using an engine part from a 1/32 trumpeter Me262 and some plastic card . managed to get the thickness just right to bring wing and fuselage to same height .

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With the wings in place the resin has been secured with lashings of Super glue

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Some plastic card was used to fill in gaps caused by resin shrinkage . The instructions in the AIMS conversion warn of this problem  .

All other gaps have been filled with a Super glue /talk mix .

 

The black circles indicate some further areas the need some more filler .

Next job for the coming week  is to Finnish all sanding and rescribing .

Thanks for looking

Alistair

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Thanks for mentioning the alignment with the Wing, Alistair, I'll watch out for it when I get onto mine. Nice work so far.

 

James

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Great progress Alistair. Seems the kit is a bit fiddly in the assembly but it looks like you have everything under control. She already looks mighty impressive with her resin belly.

 

Cheers

Markus

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On 08/05/2022 at 19:49, modelling minion said:

Very neat work sorting the fit issue out Alistair, an excellent result.

 

🇺🇦

It would be useful for others if I could see where I whent wrong asim sure that a perfect fit is obtainable.  Probably a series of small  twists and nibs not perfectly removed. The cad design Probably didn't take into account of any glue. The bulkhead with wingspan is crucial to seat correctly . You must be at this stage now so may the Glue Gods be with you.

21 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

Fascinating to get so watch something I can´t do, to be done. :popcorn:. V-P

Sure you can V-P . although I think you're preferred scale of 1/72 there aren't as many conversations available.

On 08/05/2022 at 20:14, Shorty84 said:

Great progress Alistair. Seems the kit is a bit fiddly in the assembly but it looks like you have everything under control. She already looks mighty impressive with her resin belly.

 

Cheers

Markus

Thanks Markus . I w feel much more in control when the cut to the cockpit glazing has been completed.  By the way I do like your flag

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Just a small post to show the weak undercarriage joint in the family of ICM kits . Not only is there little contact area the tops of the legs are slightly domed  .

IMG_20220511_114435719_HDR - Copy

haven't taken pics of my fix yet will doso later today

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Well it didn't end up as a difficult fix . Just enough surface area on end to allow the drilling of a hole and gluing of some brass tube  .

 

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Put some suitable music ,Go by Public Service Broadcasting and made the canopy cut to remove the rear section that housed the turret . The plastic is very thin and brittle and with the sanding took around two hours to

Finnish

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As a warm up for the big cut i sanded the resin molding blocks down so they would slide into the front of the engines . this gives a nice secure mounting platform for the spinners  and as a bonus is easier than cutting the waste off .

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I still have loads of sanding and re scribbling to do but its starting to look like one big fat OTT Dornier 217

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Good save on the undercarriage. 'Features' like that make you wonder if manufacturers ever bother to test build their own creations.

And neat work on the canopy. One is always working under tension when cutting up clear parts, especially when they are brittle as you never know if they shatter into pieces the next moment.

 

Cheers

Markus

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On 18/05/2022 at 21:30, modelling minion said:

Neat work Alistair.👍

The pinned undercarriage looks like it should be nice and sturdy.

You did a very good job of cutting the canopy, I am always wary of cutting clear parts but you have done a very good job of it.

 

🇺🇦

Cutting the glazing was a stage of construction I had put off for ages. Cleared the bench, held off drinking too many strong coffees, waited till the sun was shining and did the Cutting in mid morning (my best time for concentration)  .

On 19/05/2022 at 08:14, vppelt68 said:

Sort of modelling I look with amazement and awe, but from a safe distance! V-P

Thanks V-P ,I'm addicted to chopping my kits up (auto correct changed that to kids) 😉

6 hours ago, Shorty84 said:

Good save on the undercarriage. 'Features' like that make you wonder if manufacturers ever bother to test build their own creations.

And neat work on the canopy. One is always working under tension when cutting up clear parts, especially when they are brittle as you never know if they shatter into pieces the next moment.

 

Cheers

Markus

Thanks Markus,  the canopy is made of very brittle plastic and most concentration whent on holding it gently.

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I managed to make a set of masks to do the inside of the canopy .

After masking the outside using a set of Eduard masks i ran round the edge of the spaces with a fine permanent marker . The edge of the tape wicked up the ink so i could see the edges clearly once Tamiya tape was covering the spaces .

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I had to make a few adjustments as the cockpit glazing isn't symmetrical

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Before cutting the tape with a brand new blade i burnished the sides down with a cocktail stick .

 

positioned the new masks opposite the external ones very carefully as their are no glazing bars to follow inside the canopy .

After two coats of RLM66

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I managed to attach the Humphrey Lyttelton in position !

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The barrels are not yet glued in as i don't want to damage them as still lots of sanding and scribing to do

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  • 4 weeks later...

Done a bit more .

Spent a few hours looking for the Aims decals which i have very carefully put aside in a extremely safe and secure place only to loose them . I have just ordered a replacement set from the Big H .

 

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After a coat of Halfords grey primer i went over with some filler to fix some rough spots followed by a light sanding buffing of the primer . I did the panel shading in RlM 66  as i had a mix on the go for the painting of the cockpit glazing

 

4hb3Z1

 

This is the scheme i hope to do . It is a N-2/R-22 which operated with 7/NJG4 during 1943/44  . It has a standard RLM 74/75 splinter Patten over painted in an extremely tight Arabesken . This almost blots out the splinter . 

On top of this it is very grubby and oily with even the paint along the fuselage spine starting to wear off . I think painting is going to be loads of fun so will probably progress at a pace .

I am going to use masks for the fuselage and wing crosses etc .

 

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Some of the smaller parts and sub assemblies waiting for some more detail painting .

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Now im going to start a new bottle of RLM76 . :)

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