SPA Modeler

So, after a period of radio silence due real world stuff I want to present my first build for this GB.



It is the 1/72 KP Avia.35.2 (2=2nd prototype). I started this build over a year ago. Did I this work last year :

Scratch build interior and tape seatbelts.



Opened the exhaust:



Brush painted interior:



Assembly, it is an old KP kit so adjustments are necessary for a good fit.





The the problems that lead to the grinding halt of this build. The canopy. It is pretty bad and has the shape for the first prototype...



The second prototype has a different canopy. Therefore the build stalled at either making a new mold for a new canopy (I have done that before. But it is quite a chore) or persevere with the kit canopy.

I decided to take the easy way out. Use the kit canopy, sand off all panel lines and mask like the second prototype canopy (even though the shape is wrong).





I also filled the panel lines on the rear fuselage. These where wrong for a fabric covered fuselage.



After a black base I sprayed duplicolor silver.





Not my best, some cracks in the paintwork.

Then a coat of Klir (French Future, I was on holiday) with Humbrol Acrillic black (33).



Then a flat coat, polishing with graphite powder and some detail painting. And an arial made with stretched sprue.

Now I call it finished!

Nice and shiny. Interesting concept using Future with Humbrol acrylic.

Sharp looking build! What sort of aircraft type is this? A racer?

Stikpusher wrote:Sharp looking build! What sort of aircraft type is this? A racer?

It is a proptotype for a fighter, the production version had a retractable gear.. Late 1930's anyone with basic aerodynamic knowledge and a licence for a Hispano engine could build a fighter which with they thought they could rival the Bf-109. It has the classic two .30's and one 20mm trough the propellor hub. The bulgarian use 12 of those and claimed one B-24 with it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-135

A really nice looking build Borg. I like that concept of using Graphite powder to polish and I assume 'darken' the metal - I'll have a go at that.

Cheers

Stuart

Graphite powder (aka sanded pencil lead) does darken the panels a little. But primarily it adds a metallic shine.

Here is an example that it not that dark:

Or:

As for my other shelf of doom build. It is going to be an Italeri C-47 which I got as a present from a friend for helping him out with moving. He won it at a raffle as a kid and started it.





But there is more to tell. The kit not only had the Italeri decals but also a Dutch Decal set for the PH-DDA of the Dutch Dakota Association. This is a famous plane for Dutch aviation enthusiasts. I have flown with it myself. But only three months later it crashed, killing all the people on board, including a family friend. So building this specific plane is a bit weird for me but I am going to do my best.
The engines are not great so I bought some resin Quickboost engines.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend Borg - that's awful.

Nice choice of the DC-3 though, I have the NT Airfix 'Dan Air' kit in my stahs and I was thinking of building it for this GB...Maybe.

Regards

Stuart