1/48 Italeri Cessna 172 complete

[mostrich]

Me likes the Croatian one. And all I've seen so far.

[Stuart]

Got started on this one....and remembered I had restashed another 172, some years ago...so I broke that one back out too.
The other was a bagged kit from a contest vendor table. It is from Esci....the very same molds as this Italeri kit. The only difference is that it was molded in white, rather than grey.

Step one covers the internals...



I went pretty basic, just brush painted and a dark wash. A decal is provided for the IP. The Italeri decal is far better than the very basic one with the Esci kit.





Having done a couple Minicraft Cessna 150's, I know they're big time tail sitters.
I CAed some lead sheet behind the IP, as well as everywhere I could cram some in, up front.



I'll just paint it black, and you'll never see it! (still gotta load up he other)

Wow that brings back so many memories - I've lot count of the number of those I've pulled apart. It looks a nice detailed kit though, the IP does a good job of the panel.

Love the Twin Comanche shot - those were great aircraft but I don't thik I ever blagged a flight in one. My favourite was the old tuna tanked Cessna 310's.

[Fermis]

Got a bit more done on the 172's.
Fuselages closed up...nice fit. Wing halves fit was just fine too.
Elevators modified a little. I've never seen a 172 that didn't have drop elevators...even with the gust lock in place.
The wings for the Esci kit had been done some time ago...the clear parts were installed, gaps filled and sanded smooth. This one will be for Mathias Rusts airplane.

[Fermis]

Love the Twin Comanche shot - those were great aircraft but I don't thik I ever blagged a flight in one. My favourite was the old tuna tanked Cessna 310's.

The 310 is a beautiful airplane. The other guy that was flying the Comanche at the same time as me ended up buying a 310...gorgeous airplane!
I loved flying the Comanche...despite it's age (1963) and all the problems that go with it. Pretty much every "complication" I've had with flying happened in that airplane. Gears not wanting to lock down, flaps stuck down, sometimes just one would come up, engine failure, main blowout on landing, GPS went out on my long x-country flight...if you were lucky, the heater might decide to work for ya...I started flying the thing in December, got my rating in April...all winter flying here! That heater was terrible...it was ON or OFF. Naturally, I prepared/dressed for it to not work...when it did..HOLY SWEATBOX!!! I still loved it though!





Most recently, just a couple months ago, I added a new one to the list! Diamond Eclipse. Fun little plane to fly...side by side, bubble top, and a stick, rather than a yoke. Got this sucker up to 140 knots, about 10' AGL down the runway with a good yank at the end of said runway...WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!

[Stikpusher]

Fermis, are you related to the Cheshire Cat? With that grin...

[Fermis]

Fermis, are you related to the Cheshire Cat? With that grin...

Nah....I couldn't help it...I hadn't flown in 7 years.
My instructor said I cracked the smile as soon as the wheels left the pavement...I don't think it left my face until I went to bed that night!

[Fermis]

Got the clear parts in place.
The rear window sat quite proud of the center frame, and had a generally poor fit. I added a strip of plastic to the frame and sanded it down to match the windows. Windscreen fit was decent, as were the rear/side windows. The front/side windows are another story. The ones in the old Esci boxing fit okay-ish...for this Italeri boxing though, no way...it would take a lot of filler, you could pass the window through the opening without even touching an edge. I'll have these windows in the open position.



Wing fit was not horrible, needed a little filler at the rear of the wing/fuse join. There is also a bit of "droop" to the wings, but once the struts are installed you get the slight dihedral that you should have.

Windows masked and ready for the paint booth!

[KSaarni]

Really nice to see subjects you can see in reality everyday practically anywhere there is an airfield of some kind.

Nice couple Fermis!

- Kari

[Fermis]

Slung some paint last night.

The white one...pretty straight forward!
Went with the Croatian Air Force on the other. I pretty much did guess work for the colors...mixed up the green using OD, Russian Topside grn, Chromate Yellow, and light grey. Mixed Red and Brown for the mottling....all freehand.

[Stuart]

Love the Twin Comanche shot - those were great aircraft but I don't thik I ever blagged a flight in one. My favourite was the old tuna tanked Cessna 310's.

The 310 is a beautiful airplane. The other guy that was flying the Comanche at the same time as me ended up buying a 310...gorgeous airplane!
I loved flying the Comanche...despite it's age (1963) and all the problems that go with it. Pretty much every "complication" I've had with flying happened in that airplane. Gears not wanting to lock down, flaps stuck down, sometimes just one would come up, engine failure, main blowout on landing, GPS went out on my long x-country flight...if you were lucky, the heater might decide to work for ya...I started flying the thing in December, got my rating in April...all winter flying here! That heater was terrible...it was ON or OFF. Naturally, I prepared/dressed for it to not work...when it did..HOLY SWEATBOX!!! I still loved it though!





Most recently, just a couple months ago, I added a new one to the list! Diamond Eclipse. Fun little plane to fly...side by side, bubble top, and a stick, rather than a yoke. Got this sucker up to 140 knots, about 10' AGL down the runway with a good yank at the end of said runway...WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!

Great pic's those - that Comanche is very similar to the one I used to look after - Most noticable incident, the pilot trying to take off with the towing arm still attached to the gear leg.

That Eclipse is a sweet looking aircraft - some of these new composite aircraft are really nice.