Back in a few days? Wow, I didn’t realise how much time had passed since I started this build and this thread. In my defence, apart from last week, I’ve had a real bellyful of stress and crap to deal with just lately, and modelling took a bit of a hit. What little I did do was mostly spent prevaricating over whether or not to sand and re-scribe the raised panel lines. Still, I have at least done some work, here and there, and after a few back and forth, time-wasting decisions about those panel lines, here’s the latest.
Firstly, all my research pics go up on my easel, ready for study.
Then, for some strange reason, I picked up the nose cone. There’s two different ones included in the kit, so make sure you get the right one according to which variant and colour scheme you’re doing.
I did a little experiment with sanding, re-scribing and re-riveting. Doesn’t look too bad.
Then I started adding some lead ballast in the nose. There’s no indication of how much is needed, so I crammed in as much as would fit.
Just short of 53 gm. If anyone has done this kit themselves, and knows if this is enough, please let me know. I can always add some more in the engine nacelles or the leading edges of the wings.
Here you can see the full scale of the re-scribing job. There’s a lot of very nice detail, and I don’t want to lose it. I did another little experiment in the middle of the wing. You can see the sanding marks, and decided that, no, I won’t bother after all. I just didn’t think I could do it.
So instead, using the blueprints I had downloaded as a guide, I contented myself with adding some rivet detailing instead.
After the midnight gremlins paid a visit! I’m sure I didn’t leave it that way when I went to bed!
But those raised panel lines kept bugging me. I’m supposed to be a modeller. I’m supposed to meet new challenges, to stretch myself. Okay, so I may bugger it all up, but it’s not like I’ll ever put it in a competition or anything, but it’ll be a good learning curve. So I had another little go on some of the smaller parts first, in this case the undercarriage doors.
I did mess up a little, and ran over the edge in one place, and ended up with a double line in another, but at least they won’t show underneath the plane, and it’s good to practice. Sanding was another problem, as no matter how much I polished it, there were still some minor scratches left. I decided to figure it out later, my next problem was how to put back the panel lines accurately once the originals had been decimated by the sanding sticks.
I came up with a cunning plan. Tape the wing to a sheet of plastic card, place a straight edge over the panel line, then carry the line onto the card. Then remove the wing, and, using it as a template, draw all the panel lines in place on the card. Once I have done the sanding, I’ll place the wing back on the template, and pick up the lines with the straight edge. I’ll leave the ones on the leading edges till the two halves are joined, hopefully avoiding any mismatch.
Then the sanding began. Various steps between the course and the green and white polishing sticks.
Some pretty horrendous sink marks to deal with.
And this is a complete mystery. This kit was boxed in 1974, so how is there a copyright stamp for 2001??
Some Revell Plasto Putty should make it all go away.
Now, as most of you know, I have just retired, giving me a lot more time for modelling. When my fellow club member threw down this particular gauntlet, I had to abandon my plans to enter 'The Italian Job' SIG with my Mc.205. That plan has now been revised. My intention is now to finish off the re-scribing, then put this build to one side and do my SIG entry, then come back to this one, when, hopefully, it will be a matter of assembly, and all the re-scribing and riveting will be done.
Next update really will be in a few days!
