Piaggio P.166DL-3

[zebra]

Next and probably last build in this GB for me is the Piaggio P.166DL-3 in 1/72, using the Cunarmodel resin kit. I've had a bit of a thing for the P.166 and its turboprop variants (I also have a thing for turboprops. Maybe it's that all the flights I took until the age of 8, and most of them after that, were on turboprops) since I saw this one at Fairford in 2005:

 

 

How could I not love this aeroplane? Quirky doesn't come close. It's got gull wings, a shark mouth, and not only does it have turboprops but they're pointing the wrong way!

 

Somehow Tamiya, Eduard and so on seem to have overlooked this classic, surely it would have flown off the shelves! The only kit seems to be in resin, from Cunarmodel, and it's almost as rare as rocking horse excrement. I say almost, because I actually managed to buy one, and at a not-exorbitant price as well. Here it is:

 

 

Quite crisp resin, although not the most finely detailed ever it's good enough for 1/72. Almost complete lack of clear parts, apart from the strange vac formed shape that seems to be intended to be the windscreen. Not pictured here is the small decal sheet for the same aircraft I saw at Fairford 18 years ago, and a very basic instruction sheet. This should be fun!

 

more soon

Julian

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well you just keep coming up with interesting aircraft. Im not familiar with the type though so of to the internet and learning time. 

[Wez]

Certainly an unusual subject.  Welcome along.

[Courageous]

Never seen one 'till now...

 

Stuart

[zebra]

Better crack on with this or I'll run out of time. I've started with the fuselage and one of the key decisions I need to make early on is how to deal with the windows. I think I'll use clear resin for the cabin windows. For the windscreen, I've tried matching the weird vac formed shape up to the fuselage in every orientation I can think of and just can't see how it's going to work. So I'm going to try inserting a few strips of styrene to make the frames and then use clear resin for the windscreen panes, except for the centre pane which is going to have to come from a piece of clear plastic.

 

Styrene strips for the frames are in:

 

 

They'll need a bit of a clean up, then I'll get a bit of grey paint on them before I have a go with the resin.

 

more soon

Julian

 

[zebra]

Resin windows done. Surprisingly straightforward, they're a bit coke-bottleish and there are a couple of tiny air bubbles that I couldn't get rid of, but I'm pretty happy with it as a first go at this method. So I've started assembling things whilst painting the interior parts (such as they are), starting with the wings. The wings themselves are a single piece each side (plus separate flaps), the nacelles are made up of three parts on each side which fit surprisingly well. In fact all the resin parts are really nicely cast and seems like it'll fit well, which makes the total lack of useable clear parts all the more baffling!

 

 

more soon

Julian

[zebra]

Fuselage is together:

 

 

The white panel in the windscreen is Kristal klear - I thought I'd see how that looks, regardless it'll be quite helpful in keeping dust out when I'm cleaning up the seams.

 

cheers

Julian

 

[zebra]

I ended up using a bit of plastic from a spare clear part from another kit for the central pane of the windscreen. After that once the fuselage seams were cleaned up everything progressed rather quickly to get to this stage:

 

 

Should get some paint on it soon.

 

more soon

Julian

 

[Courageous]

Don't know how I missed the feature of the rearward facing engines, very unusual but everything is looking good.

 

Stuart

[AdrianMF]

13 hours ago, Courageous said:

rearward facing engines

Presumably the props have to survive the engine exhaust? Should make for some interesting weathering.

 

A very unusual model and the scheme is certainly striking, shark mouth and all!

 

Were the windows UV resin?

 

Regards,

Adrian 

[Rob Sutto]

What a curious little plane, I'm liking the look of this 

[zebra]

On 9/25/2023 at 6:19 PM, AdrianMF said:

Presumably the props have to survive the engine exhaust? Should make for some interesting weathering.

I can't find a really good close-up photo of the props but in one of my photos from Fairford in 05 it does look like the inner part of the prop is dirtier than the outer. The tips look pretty dirty too.

 

On 9/25/2023 at 6:19 PM, AdrianMF said:

Were the windows UV resin?

 

 

Yes, UV resin. Can't say I've done a perfect job with it but it's interesting stuff and worth honing my skills with it. 

[zebra]

Got some paint on it today:

 

 

[Lex77]

Nice one! Starting to look like an Italian P166 now.

[81-er]

She's looking good, Julian  

 

James

[zebra]

Black bits painted:

 

 

 

[Wings unlevel]

Like it!

[zebra]

Decals on, masks off:

 

 

I think the decals were ALPS printed - they went on pretty well. Can't say I'm particularly happy with the centre pane in the windscreen - you can really tell it's a different material from the other windows - but I'm going to live with it.

 

more soon

Julian

 

[RidgeRunner]

She is really coming together nicely, Julian! 

[81-er]

She's looking good, Julian  I hadn't noticed the window issue until you mentioned it

 

James

[zebra]

Up on its feet. Approaching the finish line!

 

 

[zebra]

Aerials, props, undercarriage doors are on and I'm calling this finished. I'll take some better photos for the gallery later. 

 

Many thanks to the hosts for another great GB!

 

 

cheers

Julian

 

[Wings unlevel]

Nice! Probably this GB’s most characterful build!

[81-er]

Very nice, Julian  I really like the face on this one

 

James

[JOCKNEY]

Looks terrific and very unusual, so right up my street  ! 

Cheers Pat