Modeling with the landing gear UP!

Hey TenchiMuyo81!

I'd say you're not alone, but definately in the minority. Most aircraft guys build gear down. Every once in awhile I'll build something "clean" just for a change. Here's some photos of the last one I did. It's the Revellogram issue of the old Revell Bf 109G-10 in 48th. This was a 5-day deal. I started it on a Wednesday and it was ready for our club meeting the following Monday.

The paint scheme is not researched, I just took a standard late-war scheme and added a few things to it. This is one of the many testbeds that I've built to try out new techniques or paints or whatever. This was an exercise in some fine airbrushing and also for painting markings. Except for the JG 53 emblems and the swastikas, all markings on this baby are paint. I had alotta fun with this one!







Fade to Black...

Nice pictures. Great job on that. I've got a ways to go yet before I can pump out a model within a week.

Ray

Thanks Ray,

Yeah, I dunno if I'd do that again. It was really simplified by painting the canopy black. All I had to do was slap the wings and fuselage together and paint it, basically. As I write this I am noticing that I should have painted the openings for the intakes on the nose black, however.

It was together in about 10-15 minutes, then the next day the filling and cleanup took probably a grand total of an hour (a few more for drying time!). Even painting wasn't that bad and, believe it or don't, it was done with a Pasche H model. (My Botch...er...Badger was code 3 at the time) Now I use an Iwata. The modeling gods hath smiled upon this wretched soul... LOL

The spinner was the most fun I had with it. Only took about half an hour to get it right. Painting the balkenkreuzen and other markings was also alotta fun.

I did that with another kit, an old Otaki Spitfire VIII done in Australian markings with a hand-painted shark's mouth. Not one decal or transfer of any sort on that one. I'll have to dig it out and post a pic or three. I'm especially proud of that one, even though I'm not totally happy with it.

Thanks again!

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Do you have a quick blow-by-blow of the way you did the spinner? Freehand? That's an item that I noticed and thought looked pretty good!

M.

just about all of my aircraft have been built with the gear up, except my Stuka I think the preferencce goes back to when I started modeling as a kid. I wanted to get the models done *fast* (I was not the most patient kid), so gear up sort of expedited the process. Plus, I used the finished models more as toys, so i wanted them to be in flight mode for when i played "Black Sheep Squadron".

Later on, it became more a matter of aesthetics: the planes looked slicker and sleeker with the gear up. But getting them to "sit" nicely for display is a problem! I need to build some stands.

if the model is designed to be built only "gear down," you can be in for quite a bit of extra work to get it to go together and look good gear up. Have the sheet styrene handy! Some model cos. are helpful and give you two sets of landing gear doors: one for "up" one for "down". It's always a little disconcerting when you realize the door and the opening are not the same shape and you have to start wondering about how accurate the rest of the model is!

blackwolf: *Excellent* Bf 109. Wanna share some snaps of that Spitfire with us?

No Need For Landing Gear! (Tenchi fans will get it)

I've always built my aircraft model 'gear-up'. I use to make stands using paper clips (worked well for 1/48 WWII fighters) I have the same Otaki/Arii kit as blackwolfscd has mentioned but mine is in RAF colors. It's on my desk next to me now -perched on the paper clips stand.

MKISH,

Sorry for the late reply...

Painting the spinner was very simple, actually. I mounted it on a wooden Q-tip and sprayed the white over the black as I slowly twisted. A bit of alternating touch-up was necessary. But, in the end, it was about 30 minutes worth of work.

I lucked out on this one, I would probably have a bit of trouble on the next one! That's always how it goes...

Thanks for the kind words all!

And Doswonk, I'll post some pics of the Spit when I can! Gotta find it first!

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blackwolf,
I was afraid it was something like that (ie. skill). Looks very good.

M.

blackwolf:
Is the book for an upcoming project or just general interest?

Claymore,

The book is a little of both, actually. I build mostly things with wings and some armor, but I've had a fascination for auto racing all my life, mostly due to my Dad who was an avid racing fan.

Sadly, I inherited his collection last year and now that I have all these kits I really would like to build some both because I like the stuff and also, kinda, for him. I'm not a believer, if you know what I mean, but he was taken too early and it grieves me not only that he's gone but that he didn't get to enjoy alotta things.

He built very few models in relation to the size of his collection (4000 kits!), and, as I said; I'm not a believer, but if I build some of these perhaps he can somehow enjoy them through me. Does that sound crazy? I hope not...

Anyhoo, among his favorites were the Can-Am and World Championship of Makes series, especially from the late 60's and early 70's. I picked this book up soon after he had gone and I will someday build one of those old Union kits!

Someday...

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