Airbus A-321 Aeroflot (Zvezda 1/144)

[tMikha]

Hello all! 

 

A couple words for the start.

This kit was purchased by me about 2 years ago. Now Zvezda produces it as "A-321 CEO" and gives nice-looking Condor livery in the box.

Maybe if I've purchased it with this decals, I would decide to built it with out-of-box livery. But that time A-321 was availible only with Airbus home livery.

 

It's too boring for me and I prefer to give my models liveries of air-companies who really operates or operated in past (at least) with passengers, not prototypes or test-flying machines (Hello to MC-21 - after it will arrive to any one company and carry it's first commercial passengers, I'll buy the kit on the same day)

 

So when I've purchased the kit, my idea was to build Metrojet Ei-ETJ, I've even bought decals from PAS for it. But that was one big problem - my skill was drastically low. And i wanted to built serious, neat and lovely model in tribute to victims of that terrible air-crash in Sinai.

But the further the more I have doubts about ethic side of making this model. I never want to get any feedbacks or praise on human tragedy. 

And last one circumstance that made me to decide not to build Metrojet was well-known events in Ukraine. There is no any communication between two this events. But I said "enough blood, enough sad circumstances, life goes on anyway!"

 

By the way the kit was in progress of cannibalization - when I built other Airbuses, I used to loose different small parts. And now I've told myself that kit is to be built now or other way it  will be cannibalised till the end. 

I've some doubts about livery. But once I decided to give a challenge to myself and to built kit in Aeroflot livery. Really - it's not my favourite Russian company (my favourite S7 and it's even more difficult to built it, ha-ha)

But it's something like a shame - to work in Sheremetyevo, to handle hundreds Aeroflot flights, to be their passengers for many times, and not to have at least one Aeroflot liner on the shelve.

But the livery is really complicated, so I'll have to be very careful with paint-works. 

 

So, start is usual for me. I'll built model with transparent windows as always, some weight of plasticine and coins in the nose (though there is no word about it in instruction, but I've decided to be safe).

So for today I have painted cockpit interior, and connected two parts of fuselage.

Then I started with wings and with wheels. That is about cannibalism 😆

I had no one of the slats and also I had no inner parts for main wheels out of box. 

But I have 4 defective wheels from previous Revell A-320NEO kit, plus one extra resin wheel and plus one Revell wheel from first my A-320.

So, I've solved the wheel-problems cutting-off some plastics from Revell wheels and inserting into out-of box wheels plus one resin wheel.

And what about slat - I've decided to make it by myself from Tamiya putty. 

Now it looks not very good, but don't worry, the problem is easy-to solve with sanding sponge 😉

So... today I plan to sand it, and maybe to connect wings with fuselage. And constantly I stay with my thoughts about difficulties with paint-works, which to be overcame... 😟

 

Respects, tMikha.

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by tMikha

[Alex1978]

Thats a very nice start.👍

The Aeroflot livery is quite nice,although,as you mentioned,not very easy to paint.

I really like Zvezda's Airbuses.Lots of parts but still nice to build.

I still have 2-3 A320NEOs and a A321.

On the bench are currently my last Revell A320/A321s,after them I will turn my attention to the Zvezdas .

 

 

[Vesa Jussila]

Nice to see civil plane built. I will follow this.

[tMikha]

2 hours ago, Vesa Jussila said:

Nice to see civil plane built. I will follow this.

Thank you! As I've mentioned, civil liners are not as popular theme as WW-2 planes (for example). So I'll try to give full step-by-step story about it 😀 And thank's for reaction!

[tMikha]

So, step by step the progress goes on.

Fuselage was sanded, than masks on the windows were applied, and first primer was covered. BTW problem with missing slat solved successfully 😀

For pilot's windows I've used sanding paper from 600 to 2500 and covered with Future in the end. Now windows are transparent enough. 

As usual the worst seam is between transparent detail and fuselage. There is actually good surface on the top, but down part is to be sanded or maybe it needs some putty at least.

Also while while fuselage dries up, I've made some progress with engines:

Today I need to correct seam on the nose part and tomorrow I'll be able to start with painting. About Aeroflot colours I think to do some experiment with mixing light-gray with a few aluminium. Sure, it's first for testing on leftover plastics. This way I hope to find out correct proportions. But the main disadvantage of the method that it's a mix of paints and in case of repair of the surface it could be a problem.

 

Respects, tMikha.

Edited June 22, 2022 by tMikha

[tMikha]

Hello again!

 

Today I want to show only a few but important progress: masking tape  on the fuselage was applied and deep-blue colour was painted. 

And a few words about method that I've used to mask the fuselage. So first I had some transparent parchment paper. Usung pencil I've copied forms of orange strips on that paper and cut them off. 

Also for more exact match with real plane I've studied how orange strips are situated on the fuselage of A-321. Fortunately, I can use my working-status and take almost any photo of Aeroflot planes, that I need 

Silver-orange-blue under the wing:

And the same border of colours from the right side, taking in account the location of orange strip over last PAX window and baggage-cargo doors:

And one more on the nose part:

Also a few words about Aeroflot colours. 

If you'll read Zvezda's instruction for A-320 (they provide that kit with Aeroflot decals out-of-box) you shure will smile and put it away 😆

That's because in scheme aluminium Master-Acrylic is recommended colour for upper side of plane and #58 blue - for bottom side.

That's completelu incorrect, first - blue colour on the tale is very deep, much deeper than usual #58 acrylic looks. Actually, I've used MAKR #47 royal blue once again (it's interesting fact but I use this colour "in any incomprehensible situation" and more or less it really suits 😀

And another story about upper part of the fuselage. It's really complicated colour, but first that I can say in's not an aluminium at all! I've looked at it in day-time and at night, under cloudy weather and under bright sunshine. And I can describe it like "light-gray colour with impurity of a few metallic dust-pieces. That makes it usual gray when there is night-time and only artificial lightning. But when it's really much of light in summer day, the surface shines like it's covered with metallic. One close up photo of surface under sunshine for example:

So when I've decided what AFL colour looks like, I've mixed light-gray colour with some chrome silver  #63 (MAKR as well) and diluted it with vodka. And YES, this time I've saved some ready mixture for further days if I'll need to repair surface anywhere 😀

So this photo with strips of masking tape applied. Model is already covered with my variant of AFL gray.

and with Royal-blue painted on the bottom part:

 

Today I'll continue with painting of the wings, horizontal stabilisers, pylons of the engines e t.c.

 

Respects, tMikha.

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by tMikha

[Alex1978]

Very neat.

Great that you have access to the real thing.

The colour information comes in handy for one of my future builds (TU-154)

The upper fuselage might be something like its called " mica-silver" kind of a mix of metallic paint and grey ?

[tMikha]

On 02/07/2022 at 14:52, Alex1978 said:

Very neat.

Great that you have access to the real thing.

The colour information comes in handy for one of my future builds (TU-154)

The upper fuselage might be something like its called " mica-silver" kind of a mix of metallic paint and grey ?

Thank you!

Yes, sometimes it's useful to explore some small details by yourself, that usually you can't find on photographies from internet.

And you hit right on the bull's-eye about upper part of fuselage. As i've said there is eternal discussion on RUS model sites about "the only one REAL and AUTHENTIC" 👆 new Aeroflot colour. And though there are many recipes of it. Usually the main base is light-gray covered with thin layer of metallic or with some pearl lacquer. But in my case I've prepared mix by my eye from MR.Hobby H-1 white + just a little bit of H-77 )tire black). The result was usual light-gray that I use often for wings (for example).

And then I started to add Master-Acrylic Aluminium (#06) little by little. The interesting thing was that first time the paint had remained usual light-gray. And only after I've mixed about maybe 25% of aluminium, some metallic gloss had appeared between usual gray. Also I suppose if MAKR-aluminium isn't available, it can be replaced with other one from Mr.Hobby or Tamiya etc. 

What about bottom part - most model-builders have opinion that it's one of deep-blue or royal-blue variants. In my case that's MAKR royal blue. It's good enough for airbrush but extremely fragile before covered with lacquer. 

 

Now it's under one layer of Future and looks like that:

 

 

Maybe not that one of "REAL AND AUTHENTIC", but not so bad for me 😃

 

Hope this info will be useful for you!

 

 

Regards, tMikha.

[tMikha]

So, finally I've started with decals. 

 

Generally, usually I used to follow the next sequence: first the technical inscriptions (as most boring part), then - doors, aircompany logos and inscriptions, and only last of all - the main logos on tail for finished pictureof my work.

 

But this time I've changed procedure. 

First are orange lines over border of colours - because that's was most important moment. Than logos of Aeroflot on the tail. If this stage would be successful, I'm ready for further work. Another way there is no reason to apply small details. 

Here is first results after tail-logos and orange strips.

Yes, there are some disadvantages here. Decal from PAS was too fragile, and there are some damage during applying. But after all, I can say it's successfully done work for my skill. 

BTW it was very usefull thing that I have a lot of parts of AFL decals from previous A-320 (that become my A-320 "Aero Traffic") - now than decal is necessary to fix some problems with decal from PAS. Totally - I can resume that out-of-box Zvezda decal for Aeroflot (for A-320) is higher quality that one from PAS-decals.

And next day I've continued with the decals. Now it's time for cargo and passengers doors, big logos of Aeroflot and Skyteam. And only after that all I'll apply small technical inscriptions. 

 

Tomorrow plan is to finish with decals (finally!!!) and to cover model with another one layer of Future for protection.

 

Respects, tMikha. 

[Joerg]

Hello tMikha! 

 

Did you ever use Akan colours?  They have a specific colour set for AFL and SBI.   Thank you! 

[tMikha]

9 hours ago, Joerg said:

Hello tMikha! 

 

Did you ever use Akan colours?  They have a specific colour set for AFL and SBI.   Thank you! 

No, I’ve never used AKAN productions. Though I’ve heard about this manufacturer. 
Sometimes it’s interesting to choose and mix colours, and later to compare result with prototype.

 

Thank you! 
 

Edited July 10, 2022 by tMikha

[tMikha]

So, I can say that the work almost done. Today I've finished with the last small details such as reg numbers on the landing gear flaps and lights on the front landing gear.

Now it looks like that:

As you can see it's really too shiny surface after three layers of Future. (Two of them prior plus one after decals)

So the final touch will be semi-matt lacquer. For that purpose I usually use the mix of 5% Tamiya X-21 flat base with Pledge Future.

And next free days I plan to take photos and after that my 321 will be ready for flight to RFI  😃

 

And after the built is almost finished, I want to say a couple of words about decals. Really it's first time when I will not prise PAS-decal production. First, it's really too fragile, heavy to apply. But if this fact may be on my side and my crooked hands, the other one upset fact that there is no airplane names in the decal-sheet. All Aeroflot planes are named in tribute to different famous people of Russia/USSR such as scientists, actors, poets etc.

And this one VQ-BEI is named after S. Korolev, the father of soviet space program. But PAS didn't provide any stencils with names in the sheet. So I'd to choose between plane with no any name, and another option was the name S. Kovalevskaya from out-of-box A-320 decal-sheet. I preferred incorrect name to no-name at all. And generally, I used a lot of A-320 decals instead of PAS because it's higher quality. 

 

Respects, tMikha.

Edited July 14, 2022 by tMikha

[tMikha]

OOOKay) 

Finally finished with photo. 

You are welcome to estimate the result in RFI 😎

Edited July 18, 2022 by tMikha