Killingholme Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 (edited) Hi all I sha'n't be making any progress on this for a while due to a house move, but I'm definitely 'in'. This is the MIKRO kit of the 1/72 RWD-14 'Czapla' (or Heron in English). It has been released by a few companies, and I believe is currently available for around £3 from ZTS/Plastyk. Quite a bargain! The airrcaft was an army-cooperation plane designed to replace the Lublin XIII and serve as an interim type until the LWS-3 could enter service (the latter never did make it in to operational use) The Lublin aircraft factory (LWS acronym in Polish) actually built 65 production aircaft in return for their funding given to the DWL (the Polish equivalent of the Royal Aircaft Establishment I think?) when developing the prototypes. This means that the aircraft is also commonly referred to as the 'LWS Czapla' instead of RWD-14. (RWD being the name of the DWL design team which developed new types) Complicated stuff- but shouldn't affect the model at all. This is the same aircaft either way. The long gestation period of the RWD-14 (first flight in 1935) ensured it was quite obsolete when introduced to operations in Spring 1939. Nethertheless, those that weren't destroyed on the ground or otherwise unservicablewere used for their design task of army liaison during Blitzkreig. (inexplicably, 30, half the production, were in reserve in September 1939, so I assume they were in pieces, as only four were made active before capitulation!!), http://historialotnictwa.pl.tl/RWD_14--g-Czapla-g-.htm (Polish) The Kit: 'Not awful' is my assessment. fabric texture a little over-done, but should be ok when sanded smooth. lower component of the wing will be a BIG trouble area- the fit leaves a 2mm wide trench all around it, but more worringly, the moulded wing ribs don't align, so the who thing is going to have to be re-worked. I will be using the PART photoetch. The PART photoetch certainly supports their reputation for impossibly fine detail- there is a full etched cockpit including pretty much all of the controls. This is the larger fret of two: the second of which has various cockpit parts so small I cannot read the part numbers! At least on a model with such an exposed cockpit, this sort of detail should all be seen! The external detail will be very helpful- replacing almost all of the kit's moulded 'extrusions', and basically starting from scratch on a completely smoothed-over fuselage. As an example- there are parts for the undercarriage mounting struts, which are then completely covered over with an etched cover plate! MAD! I am tossing up whether to replace the engine (MORS II, which I think is a licence built Mercury Mars.) - but I might paint up the kit one first to get an idea of how much can be seen behind the PART etched engine cover. Anyway- the purpose of putting this up now, a good month before I will get building, is to invite members to comment, offer advice or research suggestions. I have never built a Polish machine before so I am not au fait with the subject matter! Na razie! Will Edited February 26, 2011 by Killingholme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 This is one of the great things about early war.There's still stuff that I haven't heard of before and so kits I wasn't aware of. Great choice, I've never heard of a........whatever it is and I am certainly looking forward to the day you start modelling. Good luck with this and the house move Will. Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 Nice subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 This looks like being a particularly interesting build Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatgonzo Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 I've never heard of a........whatever it is It's a heron . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted November 5, 2010 Author Share Posted November 5, 2010 (edited) Right, I was upstairs 'packing boxes for the house move' today and... FIT ISSUES! location pins are knocking things out of alignment, so off they come! Which side do I believe?! Sink marks ahoy! Some fun coming up on the wings. Note the ribs out of alignment on the centre section. Pondering how best to replace them. Finally, I am very annoyed that the mould part line on the cowling runs right across the cylinder head 'bumps', and has consequently knocked them all out of alignment. Might have to shave them off and start again using blobs of white glue. I did that before on an old PM model Fokker D.XXI, but it is not an easy task to do neatly. grrr.... anyway- putting this one back in the box now... Will Edited November 5, 2010 by Killingholme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Touvdal Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Does not look good, you have a lot of work ahead, but interesting plane. cheers Jes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Go for it Will! I'm sure it will be worth the effort Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Another Filler Queen I'm going to watch this - and learn GL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady72 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I'm impressed by your determination. I built this model in the eighties and I remember that it was a nightmare. I keep my fingers crossed. Don't give up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 I'm impressed by your determination. I built this model in the eighties and I remember that it was a nightmare. I keep my fingers crossed. Don't give up! So am I! There's a packing note included inside the box dated 1/3/88....! I'm fairly sure I'll make a bit of a bodge of this. It's my first model since returning to the hobby that will require more than a little 'tickling' to get it all together. Cheers for the kind words. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted November 14, 2010 Share Posted November 14, 2010 What a moulding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 (edited) Ok, so I've done a bit on the model now. Started with the wing, which obviously needed a lot of filling! This is all new for me, so I obliterated quite a bit of detail when I sanded the join back. Hopefully, the worst area around the central wing fuel tank will be hidden by the cabane struts and fuselage. If I'm going to need a dentists mirror to see it- I don't care! Lower wing: Started adding the PART etched parts. The aileron actuators (are they?) are added from fine vinyl tape- the only thing I could find in the materials stash fine enough. No idea what the rest is supposed to represent. Upper wing: etched filler cap. some sort of vents? added from vinyl tape. Rescribed panel lines- the transverse one obviously needs some attention. The problem is it passes through an area where the finished surface is made up of filler. I attempted to harden up the edges with superglue, but I think I may have to fill and re-scribe it. Sorry it's a bit of a mess- but I still think it would be cool addition to the Blitzkreig theme. Next job the cockpit etch... which is sort of exciting! Will Edited November 21, 2010 by Killingholme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowmk9 Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 its a very cool addition, and hats off for tackling this kit. It makes me run and hide just looking at it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 (edited) I have been making progress, just nothing that photographs very well. As I mentioned above, the PART etched sheet includes a fully etched cockpit, which so far has had over 120 parts glued in to the various sub assemblies. These are the first pictures. The delicate etched framing doesn't look as wonky as that in real life! Apologies for the blobby soldering= the superglue just wasn't loving the joint between the cockpit sides and floor- why this wasnt designed as a 'fold up' I dont know! pilot's seat- 10 parts already and needs a few more before I add belts (another four parts...) Basic cockpit framing. Looks simple, but I think there's about 30 parts in there somehow! Should have the fuselage buttoned up by the end of this coming week. Will Edited December 3, 2010 by Killingholme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Will, all I can say mate, is that you need help! Some major councelling is required Seriously, this build is going above and beyond the call of duty mate. Well done so far. Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 Cheers, but I'm not terribly happy with the results. I am frustrated by the etched parts because whilst this is my first attempt at filling a model aicraft with etched stuff, I am quite familiar with the medium through my interest in 2mm scale model railways (1:152 scale). Most railway manufacturers spend a lot of time thinking through fold lines, location tabs, etc and I am used to building a fully-etched 2mm scale wagon or carriage in an afternoon. However, this PART etch is designed in such a way that everything fixes together only where it touches (lots of unreinforced 90 degree butt joints), and something I would have expected to fold up from one piece of brass requires four seperate sides. Very frustrating! Well, that's my excuse! Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 A classic combination of un-buildable plastic plus mind-blowing PE - fantastic! Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deon Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 I was looking at my one in the stash and thinking how much fun it would be! At least Ill know what to expect from your build, please don't give up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Keep up the good work! Had the same issues when I built one when new (1980(ish)) - I think the cowl was just as bad then. Early kits were a rather vivid light blue if I recall correctly... Anyhoo - good luck - I shall be watching this! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 (edited) Cockpit nearly done... light dusting of silver, awaiting the small details to be picked out. I can immediately say that I think I may have bent things a bit. Hopefully everything can be squared back up when fixed in place. But then DISASTER- it doesn't fit in the fuselage...! However, looking at some 'master modeller' builds (mainly on Polish forums), it appears that this ISN'T my mistake, and the fuselage of the kit is a little slimmer then it should be; the Czapla certainly does have a pronounced 'fishbelly' to it, and the kit doesn't quite capture it. I presume this is an example of PART assuming that the modeller will want a correct width fuselage in which to fit their correct width P/E? I don't fully understand what others have written (in Polish), but I would wager PART have been faithful to scale rather than making a mistake against the kit parts! I intially sanded the kit sides wafer thin- as thin as I dared go, which did make the instrument panels sit very comfortably, but as in most builds of this model I have seen have added width to the fuselage, so I will do this too. (scale thickness fuselage skin?! lol) This really just isn't fair....! Will Edited December 11, 2010 by Killingholme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Doesn't look good. I hope you can solve the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 DESTROYED ON THE GROUND.... Sorry, but coupled with the bad wing fit, the huge fuselage gap is way beyond my skills to fix to a good standard. Weeks of trying, including the narrowing of the 'PART' etched cockpit to make it fit the kit fuselage sides means that even the seats won't fit! I give up. Plenty of nice etched bits for the spares box though... Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean_M Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 (edited) Hi, Perhaps you stil have your kit. FOund this on a polish forum. same kit, same photo etch, easy fix. Use Chrome or spemthing so you can translate the read. Good Luck http://modelwork.pl/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=17476&start=15 Edited May 1, 2013 by Sean_M 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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