When the Pen(cil) becomes the Sword - Hobbycraft 1/48 Do 17E

[Shorty84]

Hi fellow Pencil enthusiasts,

 

despite my abysmal finishing rate in Groupbuilds I committed myself to this simply because I have a soft spot for the early Do 17s and by sheer luck came across this kit at my LHS a few months ago:

 

Considering its size the kit is not exactly bursting with details but see yourself:

 

 

 

 

As supplied, the cockpit is a big, empty void, so I thought I could upgrade it a little bit with some aftermarket bits. While designed for the ICM kit I think I can make it fit.

 

Of course, some references are needed too.

 

There is a lot to correct on this kit but I will come back to that in more detail once I start with the 'Big E'.

 

So far I've already decided on the exact machine I want to build. It will be a Do 17E of KG255, coded 54+A25 during the Winter of 1938/39. This seems to be the Wing Commander's personal machine, which was highlighted by a thin, red band. You can get a glimpse in these two photos where you can see it in the background:

 

https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Dornier/KG255/images/Dornier-Do-17E-KG255-line-up-taken-by-Time-Life-prewar-winter-Germany-1938-39-01.jpg

http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeugbau/do17.jpg

 

 

This will remain a placeholder for the moment as I need to finish another kit for a show in May, so it will take around a month until I will harm plastic here. Stay tuned.

 

 

Cheers

Markus

 

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Shorty84

[vppelt68]

Absolutely fascinating kits! . V-P

[modelling minion]

Very interested to see what you can do with this kit as it is one I have thought of building myself, and I really like the pre-war splinter scheme.

 

🇺🇦

[Shorty84]

22 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

Absolutely fascinating kits! . V-P

Thanks, and not so easy to get. I've always wanted a large, early Do 17 as I really like its sleek lines.

 

21 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Very interested to see what you can do with this kit as it is one I have thought of building myself, and I really like the pre-war splinter scheme.

The pre-war splinter scheme is certainly attractive. Together with the red spinners and the unusual red band I had to do this machine.

The kit certainly need a lot of love to bring it up to standard. An absolute must and my first course of action will be the correction of the 'Banana fuselage' which plagues all Hobbycraft Dorniers: http://www.olddogsplanes.com/olddogsbananafix.htm

 

Cheers

Markus

 

[modelling minion]

1 hour ago, Shorty84 said:

my first course of action will be the correction of the 'Banana fuselage' which plagues all Hobbycraft Dorniers

I have heard of this problem and am interested to see how you go about fixing it.

It would be nice if ICM (once they're safe from being "liberated" by Poo-tin) would release a new tool of these extremely attractive aircraft.

 

🇺🇦

[Adam Poultney]

Ah yes the Hobbycraft banana plane... I saw someone did manage to correct the fuselage on one of these so it's very doable, glad you're going to correct it!

[Shorty84]

Thank you both. I guess I will roughly go the same route as shown in the link. Another thing I've noticed in one of the rare builds I found online is the alignment of the engine nacelles. If installed as is (there is no location aid so they fit where they touch) they point clearly downwards.

This kit needs alignment of all parts of the airframe to make sure they all point in the intended direction because as-is it may only meet the EU's bendy banana law

 

Cheers

Markus

[modelling minion]

Daft question here Markus, have you considered grafting the Hobbycraft cockpit section onto an ICM 17Z? From what little I know I believe the wings and fuselage and tail were the same and it could save you a lot of work. I know that you would also need to get the engines fitted for an E/F but might this be a good way of achieving an M/P? I am thinking of buying the Falcon vac canopy set for the E/F and seeing if I can fit it to the ICM kit, I know I will need to remove the lower gondola section of the nose but it might work and I don't think ICM are going to provide us with a kit unfortunately.

 

🇺🇦

[Mottlemaster]

On 28/04/2022 at 21:25, Shorty84 said:

This kit needs alignment of all parts of the airframe to make sure they all point in the intended direction because as-is it may only meet the EU's bendy banana law

Uk farmers now being given grants to plant Banana plantations so we will be self sufficient banana republic

[elger]

40 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Daft question here Markus, have you considered grafting the Hobbycraft cockpit section onto an ICM 17Z? From what little I know I believe the wings and fuselage and tail were the same and it could save you a lot of work. I know that you would also need to get the engines fitted for an E/F but might this be a good way of achieving an M/P? I am thinking of buying the Falcon vac canopy set for the E/F and seeing if I can fit it to the ICM kit, I know I will need to remove the lower gondola section of the nose but it might work and I don't think ICM are going to provide us with a kit unfortunately.

 

🇺🇦

 

I've been toying with this idea myself. Someone on a Czech forum did something quite like that a few months ago. It's not the best fit, but it looks like you could make this work: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=143726

[Shorty84]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Daft question here Markus, have you considered grafting the Hobbycraft cockpit section onto an ICM 17Z?

Well, I would lie if I'd say no. One would need to modify the wing a bit as they were different to the later series (different paneling, different flaps and a big part of the lower wing was fabric skinned) but certainly doable.

And you are right, without changing the wing and engines one could build a proper Do 17M (Bomber) or a Do 17P (Recce), especially the latter saw extensive service till the mid of the war.

 

1 hour ago, elger said:

I've been toying with this idea myself. Someone on a Czech forum did something quite like that a few months ago. It's not the best fit, but it looks like you could make this work: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=143726

Thank you very much for posting that link, didn't know this build till now. Very inspiring.

But the E will be built from the Hobbycraft kit, simply to show what can be corrected (and because I don't want to cut up two kits).

 

Still, the linked build certainly got me thinking towards doing a Do 17P at one point If I will ever get my mitts onto another Hobbycraft kit, why not....

 

Cheers

Markus

 

 

Edited May 14, 2022 by Shorty84

[modelling minion]

1 hour ago, elger said:

 

I've been toying with this idea myself. Someone on a Czech forum did something quite like that a few months ago. It's not the best fit, but it looks like you could make this work: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=143726

Thanks for sharing that.

The modeller made a very good job of it didn't they, showed that it certainly is possible.

14 minutes ago, Shorty84 said:

Well, I would lie if I'd say no. One would need to modify the wing a bit as they were different to the later series (different paneling, different flaps and a big part of the lower wing was fabric skinned) but certainly doable.

And you are right, without changing the wing and engines one could build a proper Do 17M (Bomber) or a Do 17P (Recce), especially the latter saw extensive service till the mid of the war.

That was my thinking, an M or P should be quite easy. I am not sure whether the best route would be the ICM/Hobbycraft combination or fitting the Falcon vac formed glazing to the AIM Z, i will give it some thought.

 

🇺🇦

[Shorty84]

Having a look at a few photos and some scale plans I don't think one can rebuild a Z front fuselage into an E/F/M/P as they were too different. The cockpit glazing of the Z sits higher than on the previous variants, this is quite obvious as the canopy now blends into the rear gunners position (which still sits at the same height) while on the previous variants the main canopy was a level below the rear gunner.

Furthermore, with the Z the fuselage was not only enlarged in depth but was also made wider to accommodate an increased crew and provide more room.

 

Taking all this into account I fear any attempt to remodel an Z cockpit into an E/F/M/P will end in utter frustration as it results in a complete scratch build. At least one could correct the shape of all clear parts then.

 

Cheers

Markus

 

[modelling minion]

Thanks for that Markus, that makes it clear that the only option is combining the Hobbycraft cockpit section to the ICM fuselage, now I just need to get hold of a Hobbycraft kit from somewhere.

 

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[vppelt68]

Watching with ever increasing interest!