SPA Modeler

Your rail work on the funnel is mental!

Ok guys.

I arrived at the place I wanted to stop and take a break on the big ole Akagi. I ordered some ladder rungs to replace the pi#@ poor plastic lines that were molded on (like those on the third picture) however, until that time arrives.....I'm putting her aside and working on something else in the que....not Japanese.

Ignore any missing ladders and such. They were removed to easily facilitate the removal of the plastic handholds and installation of the new PE. Those will all be taken care of once I get the rungs in.

I know it doesn't look look like much but there's many hours involved.

Ooo, close up shots show some stuff that still need attention.










My new distractions are the Williams Brothers 1/32 Gee Bee as a commission build. The paint job is going to be a b****. Especially with that black pinstripe between the red (yuck, hate painting red) and white (hate painting white even more!) I'm not sure this is going to help my sanity.







And a 1/72 Academy British Apache

Incredible work on the Akagi. Nothing wrong with stepping back for a bit on her to do something else. Another GeeBee and Apache!


I’ve been eyeing this one...

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagorie ... t.php?pr=1

Very nice! I want an Apache as well. I'd like to do a current Longbow one.

Thanks a bunch guys
I'm working on the Gee Bee while I'm waiting for some AM for the Apache.
I wanted to add some interest to the sparse interior walls so I layed in some styrene stringers. Not really wanting to break out the AB to spray some primer, I moved on for now.

Can anyone tell me the color of the interior? The instructions say a red seat and upholstery but it neglects to advise on the color of the fabric walls and frame tubing. I'm assuming steel tubing so were they a steel color? Were the interior walls a silver urethane dope primer. Was the frame painted Zinc Chromate?

While pondering the color question I decided to start on the engine. The push rod casings were far too large so I removed them and replaced them with .5mm Evergreen styrene. I would have prefered brass but alas my scratchbuilding stock isn't as stocked as I'd like. I plan on adding some plug wires but looking at an R-1340, there's really not a lot to add.

I am glad to see a Gee Bee being done right! That looks like the Williams Bro. kit. I plan on getting that kit a bit later. Looks great so far.

i never noticed that black pinstripe. Good luck with that!

Thanks Lyle. It is the WB kit, I've never built one (WB kit) and always thought of them in the Lindberg realm but after starting on it I'm pleased to find out that I am wrong. Other than some larger than scale parts, not surprised accounting for the mold date, I am somewhat pleased with the kit. It's not a Tamiya by any stretch but thats makes it fun.
I was never a fan of the Gee Bee or it's cousins and I'll be happy to learn more about them. I always thought them silly little planes, a carryover from my childhood ignorance, like the small weak Japanese armor (so I thought not realizing the purpose) and the strange German aircraft with their offset engines and weird all glass noses. I had thought these vehicles odd and strangely out of place, thinking like a child does. Much older now, I can appreciate the thinking of the Japanese, Germans and early flight designers. They had no computers other than a slide rule, no real way of knowing their design was going to work and no real history to know what worked and what didn't. Very inventive and brave these designers. I wish I had put away my childish ways sooner than I did.
I saw the Z model hanging in Seattle's Museum of flight a few years ago. Glad I saw it and the museum when I did. Not likely to return to Seattle anytime soon or Portland for that matter. Oh well, sad times, nothing will ever be the same.

That some beautiful work on the Akagi.

Thank you Floki

I added some control cables to the stick and throttle and plug wires to the engine. Thinking about it know I need to add some cables to the rudder pedals. I painted black primer and will paint red on the frame and grey on the engine crankcase. Once dry I'll paint the details and weather..what little there is.





Also looks like I have some seem lines on the cylinders that need tending to.