Prenton's Airliner from the Classic Period

[Prenton]

Guys,

I am in with an Italeri 1/72 scale Junkers Ju-86, either Swissair or Lufthansa. Will post up box and sprue shots over the coming weekend.

Thanks to some good advice already on the forum, I have interior shots, so may try to put seats etc in - the kit is very basic, and so could do with some embellishment.

This is my first Group Build entry, so bear with me.......

Prenton

Edited June 24, 2010 by Prenton

[CliffB]

Good luck with this one Prenton. I shall be following your progress with interest.

Cliff

[Prenton]

OK - here are the usual starting shots of the kit box and sprues.

Not the newest kit in the world....

And thankfully not too much on the sprues:-

Some of the transparencies are not needed, as they are for the military version:-

These are the two colour schemes offered with the kit - Luftwaffe and Swiss airlines:-

Though I may have a look at some alternative ones, if time permits!

and, thanks to the cool guys on this forum, I have interior shots, and have sourced some seats

(from the Italeri Lufthansa Ju 52) which will fit out the Ju 86.

(the Tante Ju can be a conversion to a cargo or military version in due course....)

So - ready for the off next weekend.......

Philip

[Milo Black]

Should be interesting, Prenton - looking forward to following your progress.

[Prenton]

So - after a long delay....

Summer holidays, kids' exams and a lot of time trying to sort out IPMS Ireland and bring it back to life, etc...

Eventually, two months later, the build commenced.

The kit is like a blank canvas - fuselage with no details whatsoever (though with some ejector pin marks that would have to be Dremelled away)

and with a floor that doesn't reach as far as the back door, and a gap between the wall and the floor edge....

But the kit also shows it's original bomber background, with a raised centre section in the floor,

for the bomb bay and the outline of bombs evident from below....

So the first thing to do was to lengthen the floor with some plasticard, building up the level to fill the gap:-

and then to make a section of cabin for the rear, so that there is something to see when the rear door opens,

with a scratchbuilt seat for the steward, and some pipework and storage bins for the cutlery and white napkins:-

Next posting will show how the interior was populated with some seats and even a pilot.

Philip

[Prenton]

The next stage was to use the seats from the Ju 52 kit. They are just a tad oversize. More importantly, they are too high,

and the shape is wrong (they should have rounded cushions, not square)

So out with the files and sandpaper.....

This shows the seats, when sanded, and also the new floor.

There also needs to be a pilot, as the pilot seat provided in the Ju 86 kit is quite crude,

and that ejector pin mark would be hell to try to remove.

But the kit pilots are, to say the least, a bit too military....

So I went for a Preiser figure that I had in the stash.

In he went, along with the seats....which have leather cushions, metal frameworks and timber armrests.

Having tried various permutations, I went for ten seats, so each passenger would have had a full window view.

With the rest of the cockpit completed, instruments painted and the front part of the interior roof on,

it looks reasonable.

Of course, none of this is likely to be very visible, except perhaps for the pilot, unless

you look through the tiny windows, but I KNOW the interior is there....(and isn't that half the fun!)

Next posting will show assembly and painting.

Philip

[CliffB]

Cue music from Countdown.......

Cliff

[Prenton]

Next up is the fuselage.

This morning I did a bit of filling of seams etc on the finished fuselage, and then a further coat of Alclad 2 "aluminium"

This is then the assembly of the major bits....

(The red tailplanes and spinners are 'cause I've opted to go for the Swiss version, rather than the Nazi one)

Philip

[Prenton]

Unfortunately, there it ended....

There are major fit issues with this kit both in the undercarriage:-

and more importantly, with the engine nacelles.....

with some large holes that need to be filled using good old squadron white (they are too big for Mr Surfacer).

Realistically, I could not finish the kit in time for the deadline. I'd have to use the filler, let it cure, then put on some primer, on both the undercarriage

and the nacelles, do a polish with micromesh, and then put on a couple of coats of aluminium. Too much to be done in a couple of hours.

I'd rather finish the job properly than try to rush it. My own fault really, for not moving on it quicker, as we all had three months.

As my teacher used to say - "you left it too late to finish your homework"

So I am bowing out at this stage.

Still, some useful lessons learned, on my first Group Build, and also my first attempt at a large civil airplane. Congrats to all of you guys who have reached the finishing line!

I will definitely get it finished in time for Telford. I will keep on with the build and I will post further shots in due course here (if that's OK with the admins?)

Best of luck guys!

Philip

[Mark]

Nooooo!!! I stayed up to wait for this one to come in at the finish line!

It certainly is a smart looking aircraft and what you have done so far is wonderful! Just sorry we're not able to see it finished tonight. But then I will be at Telford and you did promise it'll be finished by then...!!

[CliffB]

Looks like it's going to be great when it's finished. Do please keep posting the build thread

Cliff