Prototype Aircraft GB

Nice tip, thanks. I didn't realise the Arba kit was resin, i have just seen it mentioned. But i know what you mean. I have a few resin kits but keep putting off building them. Maybe one day lol

Bish,

We are actually very fortunate in this day and age, where even obscure prototype aircraft are available as injection molded kits.  When the X-Waffe bug hit me in the 1980s, they were extremely scarce.  I bought a bunch of vac-form and a few resin kits back then, but most have been superseded by injection molded versions.  I was chugging along with an Air Model Ju-287, but immediately ditched it when Huma came out with their kit.

Ye, we are a bit spoiled. As a fan of Luft 46 aircraft, i will take what ever i can get. By the way, how is that Huma 287, thats on my to buy list as well.

Bish,

The Ju-287 is a lot better than the Triebflugel.  The overall shape looks pretty good to my eyes, and the kit bulds easily enough.  The panel lines are really trenchy thoguh.  Huma includes a tiny sprue of very fine detail bits, almost like P/E but in plastic.  The Walther RATO pods are best replaced with ones from DML's Ar-234.  The decals are like frosted Scotch Tape, so you should source aftermarket ones.  The landing gear are fragile, so I replaced the main legs with Plastruct plastic coated steel wire, and drilled into the tires to anchor them.  The wheels have those huge, ugly spats, so you can't see the wire going into the tires after construction.  Linky:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ntizumi/5829165057/in/set-72157626675319419

Sorry, I still can't figure out what the problem is with pasting photos.  Didn't have that problem before the website was revised.

I have heard that about the landing gear, i think it was a review on one of the sites. Same goes for the RATO pods, but i am sure i could spare a set from one of my Ar 234's.

Sweet looking build. Odd that such an advanced design had these old fashioned wheel spats.

Now if only i could get my hands on the Huma DFS 230. thats my holy grail kit.

I use PB and haven't noticed any difference since the change. I have never used Flickr so have no idea what the problem could be.

I've made a little more headway. I decided to reposition the nose wheel in concert with the rudder. I hope it remains strong enough to support the 50+grams of weight I had to add to keep it off its tail.

The canopy fit looks real good, The radar operaror top window shoulders into the wing roots and needed just a tiny bit of ca and some fine filing to get right.

I got the gear sorted and its sitting proper! The flaps are now in place as well. The canopy masking is next and then some painting.

This is looking like one of the great buil Trey. Your work is impeccable.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony really appreciate the compliment!

Masked and ready for some paint!

Much better now she has her legs. Looking forward to the paint.

Bish thanks ,when we gonna see that Triebflugal start taking shape? I'm anxious ;)

Cammo is fini,I used a ref pic for the rt side and went with a mix of the instruction and some geuss work for the top and port surface. Its not 100% accurate I'm sure, but it will do for my level of building.

I was able to get the bench set up at the weekend. But since i have moved in full time, the other half has kept me busy. It is under way but i have encountered a challenge i have had to deal with before. Cats. The cockpit floor was completed but has gone missing. I can only concluded that i have droipped it and one of the cats decided i was giving it to them. So i am now trying to scratch build one. Hopefully i can get some pics up during the week.

The camo is looking good. i don't think any paint scheme is 100% accurate. That looks accurate enough to me.

Bish looking forward to seeing that scratch built office floor,shame about the cats, I can lend you my Dog for a bit if ya want he loves cats;)!

Decals went down good after a couple of coats of future and sone micro-sol

Wash time

I had to scratch the trim tab actuator the carpet monster got the stock one

Ready for some dull cote

I'll get some pics pics up at the end of next week. Progress has been a bit slow what with one things and another.

Great looking paintwork TREY. What are you useing for the wash.

Thanks Bish I mix my own with ground pastels and a few drops of dish soap then thinned with water to the consistency I need.

Interesting that you use pastels. Am i right in thinking this is done to a gloss surface.

Bish you're right I put down a coat of floor polish or testors clear kote first,the dullcote hangs on to the tint to hard and it effects the color tone.

I'm calling it done,please feel free to critique

Interesting. I think i will give that a go next time.

Well, what can i say. Yet another stunner.

Thanks Bish!

I think it's an exceptional model Trey. I've really enjoyed the WIP along the way too. Well done and I'll look forward to learning some more from your next one.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony ,glad you got something out of it! Appreciate the compliment!

Finally i am able to get a couple of pics up. Progress has been a bit slow due to one thing and another. But it should pick up now.

One issue was me loseing the cockpit floor and bulkhead. Assuming the cats had got hold of it i made a new one and was about to fit the fuselage together when the kit one turned up. So i fit that one in as it was better than my effort.

The seat is a resin one for the He 162 and the Me from a Me 262 set, though i have trimmed it a bit and moved a few bits around.

I now have the front fuselage together and you can't see muych. I have a bit of sanding and some re scribing to do next. 

Nice work Bish,was eagerly awaiting the start of this!

     well done

Time for an update on the Triebflugel. I am just about ready to start getting the paint on. I am going to paint the aircraft un assemebled, a first for me. The rescribing on the front section just behind the canopy went ok, but not perfect. I need some practice and a better tool. The panel lines on the rear section are out by a tiny amount but i have decided to leave them rather than make it worse.

I have decided to go with a paint scheme of all over light green with motteling of dark green and brown violet. More soon.

Bish looking great ,do'nt sweat the panel lines they look fine . I really hate rescribing ,probably my least favorite thing to do. Looking forward to seeing some paint on this !

Ye, i have always avoided it. But then never had a kit where the panels are out of line. But it is only minor, and hopefully the weird looking model will take attention away from the lines

The paint is going to take a bit of time as i am giving it a Black/Red defence of the Reich band and i will leave two days between each colour for masking. So hopefully by the end of next week, it should be all painted.

Heres another update on the Triebflugel. The painting is now complete. I gave it an all over coat of light green and motteling of Dark Green and Brown Violet, though its hard to tell the last two apart.

 One thing i hate about close up photo's, they show up things you can't se with the naked eye.Going to have to try and remove those little lumps now i know they are there.

 The RD band isn't perfect, i still don't have the nack for masking curved pieces like this. But its not to bad.

The paints nearly dry now, who says enamel takes a long time. So i should have the few decals on tonight.

Thanks for looking.

Trey, nice work!  More wash questions;

So you gloss clearcoat what you have, then mix the wash to the color and consistency you want and then spatter it onto the surface.  Do you wait and let it dry, or start 'working it in' immediately?  It looks like the time taken to cover the entire surface, as in the pictures above, some of it would dry.  Do you work it in/off with a damp brush, or what?  Thanks for the details!

Gene Beaird,

Pearland, Texas