Ilya Muromets- This biplane is DONE!

You really do like to punish yourself Mike.  Have you considered seeking professional help?

 Just kidding, looks like great progress on what appears to be a difficult build.  Keep us posted.

Regards,  Rick

Beautiful plane!!! My father biul a kit a few years ago... you have a nigthmare in your desktop.

best regards, an above all, GOOD LUCK!!!!

Jeremias

She looks good so far!

Best of luck you you, and may God have mercy on your soul!

Looking good so far, but I think you should seriously consider some couch time with a shrink.  Your "self punishment syndrom" is getting out of control.

Darwin, O.F.   

The fuselage box is now a box... with wings!  (And part of a tail)

Closeup of the cockpit- it's pretty rough, but will all be taken care of later.

While this entire sucker is huge, the tail is noteworthy in being especially broad.  There's probably more horizontal surface area in the tail of the Ilya than there is in the entire I-16!

I also was able to get the top wing together.  It consisted of five pieces, all of which had a different airfoil shape.  Somehow I got it together, and will need to begin to clean it up.

I could have waited to attach the wings to the center section, but by constructing the entire wing in one piece, I was able to get a reasonably flat wing, and still have the opportunity to clean up the (nasty) seams between pieces before final assembly.

The downside is that now I have a massive one-piece wing I need to attach to the fuselage all at once.  Which should be... interesting.

Ah, well.  Next up- the wonderful and exciting process of SEAM CLEANUP! 

Mike, not to get off topic, but, what's up with the Goose?  Have you given up on her or did ya finish her off and I missed it?  You always come up with some off the beaten path stuff.  I really enjoy seeing what your going to build next.  This one is no different!  Great work as always.

                                                                                                 Chris

Nope, haven't given up on the Goose- still pluggin' away whenever I get the chance.  I had to re-do the aileron as the old one was too wide.... and I'll have to make another one for the OTHER side...

I think removing the flaps and ailerons was the biggest mistake I've done in a while....

Ah, well.  To answer your question, no, I haven't forgotten her- just haven't been doing any work that's really post-worthy. 

Alright, I was able to get a bit of work done on the engines of this beast, hopefully a focal point of the final model.  Unfortunately, the kit parts were- disappointing.  Little more than plastic bricks, they needed a bit of work. 

Now, if I wanted to be REALLY accurate, I should have scratchbuilt replacement, exposed cylinders.  I didn't want to do that much work, though, so I just added a number of linkages on one side of the engine blocks.  Thankfully, after painting, drybrushing, and the other kit hoses, the engine still looks pretty good.

The left engine is the kit engine block.  The second is the same part after my additions.  The third is a painted example, without detailwork.  The last is the final engine after drybrushing, mounting, and finished up with kit parts.

Here's the engine where it's eventually going to be.  Behind this will be a bit more detail, along with a very prominent radiator.  Overall.... not too bad!

Next up- more seam work and LOTS of drilling! 

UPDATE!

Somehow, before the snow hit, I was able to lay down a really bad first coat of paint on the two main sections of my Ilya.  Not much to say, except for that it's a custom color of straight linen, albiet a bit dark.  The only thing I painted is what you see- the undersides are still the color of primer.  Also, I re-sanded some areas which got real nasty orange peel on them, to be taken care of later.  I was going to finish up tonight, but as luck would have it, that's when a snowstorm blew in.  So, this is how this build may stand for a while.

Comments are welcome.  (If you think I need to lighten up the color a bit, feel free to let me know.)

But Mike, it ain't snowin' where I sit!!

Looks good, maybe I'll build mine someday. 

Great stuff. Still reminds me of Zany Afternoons.

Lookin' good Mike.  I like watching your unique builds.

Chris

Thanks, guys.  I think I'm going to repaint everything- I was able to find a color that's more or less the same as it is now, but it's not a custom mix- therefore, I don't have to worry about running out for touchups and whatnot.  It may be a shade or two lighter, but not by much.

Merry Christmas, everybody! 

Alright, here's a bit of an update, as I am unable to paint much due to the weather.  I got one engine completely finished, including radiator and exhaust pipes. 

Also, I have the two fuel tanks all painted up and detailed awaiting their installation on the inner cabine pylons.

And finally, a bit of a false mockup- the top wing, engines, and fuel tanks aren't glued into place, and the undersides are still primer colored.  From this angle, though, you really can't tell. 

Enjoy! 

Well, I finally got fed up and dragged the compressor inside so I could get some painting and decalling done.  One or two nights later, and look at the difference!

This is still just a dry fit.  As soon as I get all the exhausts placed I'll get the engines attached to the wing for good.  THEN I need to attach the upper wing and do a small bit of rigging in where the fuel tanks go, then I can slip the fuel tanks in afterward.  Then it's onward to the main event- RIGGING!

Overall, I think she looks rather nice, wouldn't you say? 

Glad you bit the bullet, Mike! That thing looks pretty darn good with paint and decals! Do you have a lot of rigging? I hope you can keep your sanity, that's a big pair of wings!

P.S. Now that school's started back up, you still gonna be making good progress? I know I won't

Mike,  She's looking nicer with each update.  As for the rigging - You don't have to think of it as a LOT of rigging - It's just a little rigging... alotta times.

May your hands be steady and your patience long - Complicated rigging really does make for an impressive model in the end - I'm sure you'll do great.

Chris

looking forward to the finished product, so far so good.

Roy

Thanks for the comments everybody.  Right now I'm adding a few final details before securing the top wing, stuff like the two extra fins (and associated linkages), the tailskid, and the hundreds of control horns.  I tell you what, the whole tail area looks a LOT busier now than it does in the photos!  And I'm not even done with it, yet! 

RadMax8 wrote:

P.S. Now that school's started back up, you still gonna be making good progress? I know I won't

I want to say yes, but I must be realistic- probably not!  I have a class that goes until 8 or 9 at night two days every week, and when I'm home I'll probably be working.  For this build, though, I can get it to the point of rigging, and then slowly add a line or two whenever I get the spare minute or two to do so.  Can't let it get in the way of homework, though.

I'll get some new photos up in a bit, right before I attach the top wing.  It's getting close, now... 

Ugh. Too much time in classes. I know on Wednesdays I'm going to want to die... I've got class at 9:30-10:20, 11:30-1:20, then I've got work from 2-11:30. Driving a bus is cool, but not when you drive for that long!

So what the heck kind of class goes on that long?! 

She looks very nice, Mike!  Can't wait to see it finished.

Regards,

Mark

i have 2 of those (diff brands) in my stash 

i looked at them and put them back

your a braver man then i

My Biology class is at night after Cross/Track practice and starts around 6.  On Monday the class goes for a bit longer than an hour, but on Wednesdays there's a lab that goes until 8 or 9 at night.  Nasty stuff.

Oh, did I mention my earliest class is tomorrow, at 8:30?  And I live at home, so I'm going to have to wake up around 7. 

Excellent job so far. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

...Guy

Short post tonight.  It's late, I've had a long day, and my bed is calling my name.  Although short, it IS important- my Ilya Muromets is now a real biplane!

All of the major details are here.  The next step is rigging, so I need to find some stuff that I was looking at to do it.  Hopefully it won't take too long to find some.  Until then- well, unfortunately, you'll have to wait.  Sorry.

Comments/criticisms welcome! 

Looking fantastic fella. Theres about a months worth of rigging there. Good luck.

...Guy

Now the REAL FUN starts.  Partial insanity is understandable upon completion of such an undertaking.

Darwin, O.F.