KLP Publishing Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Just wrapped up this Minicraft 1/144 DC-4 in Qantas livery (Hawkeye Models Australia), and finished with SMS paints. Despite a few flaws, I'm quite pleased with this one. The "football" antenna is 3D printed, as the kit doesn't supply any at all. Thanks for looking in! Kev 53 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 An excellent replica of a beautiful plane! You did a superb job of that! 👏👏👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armorrich Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Beautiful work. Finish looks flawless and very attractive. Looks great. Cheers..Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Absolutely beautiful work on this, nose to tail. I like how you correctly positioned the nose gear, which some builders get wrong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince1159 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 What a stunner .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Absolutely beautiful, what di you use for the natural metal areas? Cheers John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Superb DC-4! Those flaws you mentioned are all inside the fuselage, right? 🧐 😁 Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 8 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Absolutely beautiful work on this, nose to tail. I like how you correctly positioned the nose gear, which some builders get wrong. Thanks! The instructions actually tell you to install the nose gear in backwards, so this might account for why some do that. Kev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 4 hours ago, Viking said: Absolutely beautiful, what di you use for the natural metal areas? Cheers John The bulk of it is SMS Super Silver, but the panels just behind the engine cowlings are SMS Stainless Steel. Thanks for the kind words! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 4 hours ago, Spitfire31 said: Superb DC-4! Those flaws you mentioned are all inside the fuselage, right? 🧐 😁 Kind regards, Joachim Thanks! Honestly it's probably the least-flawed airliner build I've ever executed, but it's not perfect. The kit itself is horribly mediocre, but at least everything fits OK. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 15 hours ago, KLP Publishing said: Thanks! Honestly it's probably the least-flawed airliner build I've ever executed, but it's not perfect. The kit itself is horribly mediocre, but at least everything fits OK. Kev When my wife and I visited Samarkand a few years ago, our learned guide expained why, on the ancient, beautifully tiled mosques and buildings, there was always one minor but visible blemish – perhaps a tile with a crack in the corner or being slightly out of alignment. He said: – Only Allah is perfect. So, those little blemishes were intentional! That has helped me a lot to tolerate the flaws (in my case involuntary!) in whatever I do… 😋 Kind regards, Joachim 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodadriver Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Lovely job Kev. I'm intrigued by your reference to the kit being "horribly mediocre". I have long counted the Minicraft DC-4 as my all time favourite propliner kit and I also count it among my top three airliner kits generally. What did you find wrong with it? Dave G 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 1 hour ago, Skodadriver said: Lovely job Kev. I'm intrigued by your reference to the kit being "horribly mediocre". I have long counted the Minicraft DC-4 as my all time favourite propliner kit and I also count it among my top three airliner kits generally. What did you find wrong with it? Dave G I was really referring to the level of detail and finesse - the slightly clunky fit of the cowlings, the completely empty nacelles and wheel bays, the half-hearted surface detail. Overall fit is fine, and it seems accurate enough to my non-expert eye. It's certainly better in almost every way than their Electra kit, which I finished last year. Or their 757, which I'm still struggling with now! So my comment probably was a bit harsh in retrospect - I just wish someone would release some Tamiya-level airliners! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 One of my favourites too. Agreed it is nothing special in the way of tooling but it provides what is needed and goes together well. It was like modelling in simpler days but without being ignorant. Ans an elegant model resulted. Well, my first one was a F-resin Carvair, so that's not entirely true. And dealing with the resin tail was not much fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Lovely! Beautifully painted given how tricky white and NMF are to paint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philly1860 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I don't look at civilian airplanes too often but this is really nice. The paint job is excellent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchem Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Having built one of these many years ago, you absolutely nailed it 👍👍 Thanks for sharing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Great job Kev! 🏆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 Thanks again for all the comments, fellas. I'm now moving on to resume battle with the Minicaft 757, so wish me luck! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbofan Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Hi Kev, That's a real cutie! The 1950's is an airline era that really interests me I like the variety of airliners around then. I have a couple of these kits in the stash and yours makes me want to start one but which livery? There were so many to choose! Would love to see some photo real window decals available for the older airliners as the plain black seem to lack something. Might have to check out SMS paints. Are they easy to work with? On 08/02/2024 at 20:22, KLP Publishing said: I just wish someone would release some Tamiya-level airliners! 13 hours ago, KLP Publishing said: I'm now moving on to resume battle with the Minicaft 757, so wish me luck! If you want Tamiya level airliners I can recommend Zvezda's 757 then you can bin the horrible Minicraft kit! Cheers, Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 11 Author Share Posted February 11 6 hours ago, Turbofan said: Hi Kev, That's a real cutie! The 1950's is an airline era that really interests me I like the variety of airliners around then. I have a couple of these kits in the stash and yours makes me want to start one but which livery? There were so many to choose! Would love to see some photo real window decals available for the older airliners as the plain black seem to lack something. Might have to check out SMS paints. Are they easy to work with? If you want Tamiya level airliners I can recommend Zvezda's 757 then you can bin the horrible Minicraft kit! Cheers, Ian Thanks, Ian. SMS paints are my go-to whenever they have the colour I need. They're airbrush-ready acrylic lacquers and made locally here in Australia. I usually thin them a bit more though, as they're not as thin as MRP, for example. I believe they're distributed in the UK by Albion Alloys. As for the Minicraft 757, well, I have Iron Maiden decals sized to fit it, so I'm a bit locked in in that respect. Plus, I'll happily attempt any kit once! My other 757 is a Welsh vacform... Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Challenger350Pilot Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 (edited) Hi Kev; I have to chuckle a bit as you’ve referred to this kit as “horribly mediocre.” What you’ve accomplished in your build here is far far from mediocre, let alone horrible! What a beautiful build! I love the DC-4, and am always drawn to the classic airliners. The Qantas livery really lends to making the DC-4 look beautiful. Thank you for sharing….nicely done! Paul Edited February 17 by Challenger350Pilot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Publishing Posted February 17 Author Share Posted February 17 4 hours ago, Challenger350Pilot said: Hi Kev; I have to chuckle a bit as you’ve referred to this kit as “horribly mediocre.” What you’ve accomplished in your build here is far far from mediocre, let alone horrible! What a beautiful build! I love the DC-4, and am always drawn to the classic airliners. The Qantas livery really lends to making the DC-4 look beautiful. Thank you for sharing….nicely done! Paul Thanks, Paul! Things aren't going so swimmingly with the Minicraft 757 unfortunately - but this was not unexpected. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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