It Floats and Flies

I'll enter with an An-2V modified for the 1000 years 3rd Reich GB.

Update in the Bv.238 progress.  I finally got the German-languge reference book - it has a lot more photos than I was able to find online.  This is good and bad - now I can tell all the areas of the kit that are inaccurate - I was blissfully ignorant before. It's been helpful in making progress on some details.

What I've gotten done:

Fixed the window locations and shapes - based on the photos I had to fill in some previously cut out windows.

Started reworking the nose shape - it's all wrong.  Filled the interior of the nose with epoxy putty and then sanded the plastic (and into the epoxy) to a better approximate shape.  Still more sanding and shaping to be done.

The float shape is wrong - the kit part is angled funny and has a pretty narrow taper at the bottom.  I think the structure is fairly complicated but I can't tell for sure from the photos so all I did was correct the gross shape errors with epoxy putty.  Wish I had before and after photos, but I forgot to take the before photos.

The engine shape is way off - too thin and wrong shape.  I can fix the thinness (sort of) but can't fix overall shape without a complete scratchbuild so I'll do what I can with the kit parts.  I've cast some details for the engines, and assembled one of them.  I used MicroMark's starter kit for mold material and resin.  This was my first time casting something, and it worked out much better than I expected.

I made master parts for casting.  The prop spinner is basswood carved to rough shape and then chucked in my dremel and sanded to final shape. The exhausts are kit parts from a Hasegawa Bf109G kit:

Here's the mold:

I made 6 castings.  One set is already on the assembled engine:

The assmbled engine (right) next to the original kit parts (left) for comparison:

Next up - making prop blades and finishing all six engines.  The first one needs some rescribing, an access window cut out, and final filling with Mr. Surfacer.  After that, I'll probably start on scratchbuilding the cockpit.  I have Revell's Bv.222 kit, so I think I'll use that as a starting point for the Bv.238 cockpit since I can't find any really useful reference photos.

Thanks,

Bruce

Bruce,

As long as you'r having fun with it.

Ignorance is bliss for a modeler. Once you find out an inaccuracy, it haunts you. It should all be worth it, though once this behemoth is done.

Joe, and GA, sorry to see you go but if you change your mind, we'll be right here.

My work on the Sa.21 does not give it much of a different look from my last picture. I'm getting ready to paint it, with some trepidation using a new airbrush and compressor.

Very nice work, Bruce.  It was even harder with the H-4 Flying Boat.  Many things that I knew were innaccurate I was powerless to correct.  The rounded planing bottom is a good example.  Oh, well.  You can only do so much.  Nice job.  I wish you luck.

As for the H-4, work has slowed down, due to my running out of putty.  I'll work on the elevators and rudder until then, and it gives me time to finish some other unfinished (smaller) kits.  Elevators are pretty much done, and I'm sanding the rudder to the final shape.  Little things.

Hi all, finally getting around to posting some pics.

Ive closed and painted everything just wait to put on decals

Nice stuff there.  What colors did you use on the engine?

Bruce

The colors of the engine look great.  How did you do it?

Thanks guys. its was painted vallejo gunmetal grey, with silver drybrushing. I hope to be decaling it soon

For the BV 238, I had hoped to have more to report by the middle of December (I had hoped to finish by the end of December), but I've discovered that it's hard to do much modeling by candelight. I live in Redmond, WA and we've been without power since 10pm last Thursday, and we also lost power for 9 hours on Wednesday the day before. The house and garage are about 45 degrees - too cold for modeling. I tried to do some work by candelight one afternoon (my bench is in the darkest corner of the garage when the lights are out), but the next thing I needed to do was make some details for the wings, and I couldn't see what I was doing.

Fortunately we do have power where I work.

Oh well, here's where things stand with the Bv 238 (no pictures - maybe later once we get power back on - could be as late as this coming weekend - Puget Sound Energy just sucks at giving you repair estimates).

1. The wings and empennage are complete except for a couple of minor details. Once those details are made and attached, the wings and empennage will get primed.

2. I have formed an epoxy putty master for either vac forming or smash casting a new canopy structure (the one provided was just way, way wrong in terms of shape and window placement). I still have to do some finish sanding to form the window flats on the master, and then I'll have to experiment since I haven't done this type of forming before. No idea how well it will work out.

3. I've started scratchbuilding the interior flight deck structures. I've worked out a really nice way to make consoles with levers. I've also tried making instruments but I'm not too happy with that - I have some more ideas on how to make that better - the instruments are hard to make a uniform square shape in 1/72, so I think I need to make some jigs to help with that.

Bruce

Sorry to all as my contribution for this GB will be late in being presented.

Merry Christmas to all and may ya'll have a blessed New Year.

Cheers ,

Eric