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Beech C-45F PWA. Hobbycraft kit.


Paul J

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Hi again. I thought it about time I did another for this GB after a pause during the heatwave. As its now a lot cooler but warm enough, I am back in the shed( after the recent Tiger Moth) with a new build. My choice for this one is the Hobbycraft Beech C045 to be finished as a Pacific Western Airlines aircraft.    It,s going to be a quickish one but easily done before the close of this GB.

 

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From my stash of Canadian orientated kits these are just two and the one on the right will be the subject of this build.  I have another set of Whiskey Jack decals for Central Mountain AIrways for the one on left which has the extended wing root  leading edges while the other (C-45F0 does not but has shorter engine nacelles over the wing.)
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Kit bits and the Whiskey Jack decal sheet.  It depicts a float plane version of CF-BQH but as I lack decent images of how it fits and other info, my build will be a standard land plane. Possibly depicting it before the fitting of float s or after.
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A start has been made with old school method of painting parts on the sprue after a coat of grey primer.  Easier for me to do it this way as my left hand just has no grip and the shakes.
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The rather nice instrument panel with fine details moulded on to each dial and highlighted later with a swipe of dry brushed light grey.
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Below, a few of the sub-assemblies while other paint was drying
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I painted the seat cushion and back rest a glossy dark green (Humbrol No.3) to represent the green leather of the seat covers.  The engine 'pods' in progress are coming along though I think I will add some kind of bulkhead to the rear of the actual engines to ensure they stay secured. I'll make these from scrap plastic sheet cut into a sort of disc shape so that they will fit inside the cowlings.
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Most of the parts fit quite well for a not very popular kit manufacturer but it all works for me. The cockpit assembly to the fuselage was OK with tabs on the inner halves helping out.   However, the positioning of the engines within the cowl halves lack any positive alignment tabs or whatever which I found a little troublesome but with patience it all worked out well.
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And where I am up to tonight. I could have carried on but need to wait for some glue and other painted parts to dry.   I did think of adding a floor and seats to the passenger cabin, but you wouldn't see it through the thickish windows, so I saved my self some labour.

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Some more progress pics.

 

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Self explanatory  images showing various stages of assembly of major parts.

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Glazing masked. The long white masking will be reduced to just the windows as you'll see.
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After struggling to get the engines to locate squarely, the engine pods now ready to fit.  The tail will go on once primed in white.  It will soon be time for main painting, decals and fittings.

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A little more over the last couple days.  Main painting done, small parts fitted and decalling started.

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The white top and light grey applied. The bright strip is the sun streaming through earlier this evening through a gap in the blind over the shed windows.

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It looks like I will ned to do something about the gap between the upper cockpit part and the fuselage. ITs a bit late to use filler but I already have planned to fill with PVA and apply some white decal over it. Hopefully that will cure it.

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Decals started. The upper wing reg has been straightened and more in line of flight.  The fin markings also appear to the fin inside surfaces and these will be applied once the outer ones are set and trimmed. Those small square windows are actually round. Thye only look square because of how I masked them. Once the main side cheat lines are done and set, with a new sharp pointy knife blade I'll trim up.

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I got a bit brave and decided to try one of the main cheat lines to see how it fitted. Perfect! But for the blue wedge shape just aft of the cockpit window. This will be trimmed back to better match the side window top line. The anti-dazzle decal was a perfect fit too.   Further along, the cabin windows will be exposed by careful trimming of the decal. You can just make out where they are.   The windscreen area asks for black framing and fine black decal striping will be used for these. Later, once all the decals have been set and dried, I'll paint the red wingtips or use some solid red decal and trimmed to fit the tip planform.  Lastly the props and pitot heads will be fixed in place for the finale.  Meanwhile its all good while the decals dry out.

 

I'm not sure if these aircraft in service with PWA had the de-icer boots fitted. Could one of our Canadian experts come up with details of this please?  And the aerial fit.

PS: I can't wait to get my camera back as I am finding it tricky to hold my smartphone steady enough to take these and other pics.3 weeks to go when I should hear about it being ready for me.

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Final in progress pics. 

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Windows exposed on this side.
nl9VSX.jpgWindows to be revealed by removing the transfer areas that cover them.
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The anti dazzle decal fitted a treat!  Windscreen frames were achieved with thin transfer stripes.
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I decided to add the de-icer boots as it didn't look right without.  They were done with black decal stripes and filled in with paint where needed. Just the props to fit and....
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..... a little tidy up. PLus paint the aerial even though it probably isn't right for this scheme.

Sorry about the pics. I just can't handle the phone camera.

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22 hours ago, 81-er said:

That's turning out very nicely

 

James

 

On 01/10/2022 at 11:36, zebra said:

Coming along nicely Paul

Thanks chaps and all. Its now done and pics in gallery of end product.

Plus some teaser final pics that didn't make the gallery.....

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I might  do one of these next......

 

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The Goose box gets tattier each time I go to look in my stash.  The Catalina, if I go for it, will be in an all white scheme and markings from my decal box of generic roundels etc, I also have a Pavla Widgeon/Gosling to do but that might get New Zealand markings.
 


 

 

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