The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

coptermech wrote:

JamesPerrin wrote:Not a kit I've seen built before. Why didn't you use the kit windows and then fill the remaining gaps?

There are no clear windows with the kit. The openings are very small. The green decal runs the entire length of the fuselage right over the windows and doesn't have spots for windows. I suppose this is why window decals are supplied.

Could be worse. The old Airfix method of dealing with airliner windows in 1/144th scale was a real pain. They supplied clear plastic windows and the decal sheet included a full cheat line with no window holes in it. What you were supposed to do was paint the fuselage before assembling it, apply the cheat line decals and let them dry, and then punch window holes in them using a special little tool that was part of the kit. Once that was done (and assuming the cheat lines hadn't been torn to shreds as you punched put all the holes, you then added the windows from inside the fuselage and assembled it. How people coped with filling seams and the like, I don't know, nor what they were supposed to do with paint schemes like that of BOAC, where the cheat line wrapped around the nose.

I tried to do that for the first release of the Airfix Concorde kit, but gave up fairly soon and painted it as 002, the British prototype -- which the kit was based on, thereby being significantly different from both the pre-production and production aircraft. Never really worked out how to do the lettering along the fuselage because I didn't have access to generic letter decals and didn't know about Letraset, but it looked all right, especially alongside the 1/132 scale Tu-144 that I had (VEB Plasticart? Some Eastern European kitmaker, anyway).

coptermech wrote:.............

Was out with the wife and daughter, and they wanted to stop by a local beauty supply shop. So, as I was just sitting there while they were shopping, I noticed this and picked one up. It's a soft foam sanding block used for fingernails, but it worked perfectly sanding down the fuselage. It conformed very nicely to the contours. I'll have to go back and pick up different grits.

Ha, that´s how my buddies from my modelling club do it, too!
"No, darling, I don´t mind coming to the beauty supply shop with you, it´s not a bore at all, you know, they really have some interesting stuff for me there !"

I use a similar thing from Boots, 4 grades on one block for £2. Can use them wet and they're washable too

A bit more progress. The fuselage is assembled and drying. I've decided to do this in flight, so a bit of work to close up the wheel wells and air stair door. Once everything is dry, I'll fill in and sand down the gear door and air stair. Otherwise, aside from cleaning up the seams, it doesn't look like any other filler is needed.
I've also made a hole to fit a threaded bushing into so I can mount this to a base later on.

Crashpilot wrote:

coptermech wrote:.............

Was out with the wife and daughter, and they wanted to stop by a local beauty supply shop. So, as I was just sitting there while they were shopping, I noticed this and picked one up. It's a soft foam sanding block used for fingernails, but it worked perfectly sanding down the fuselage. It conformed very nicely to the contours. I'll have to go back and pick up different grits.

Ha, that´s how my buddies from my modelling club do it, too!
"No, darling, I don´t mind coming to the beauty supply shop with you, it´s not a bore at all, you know, they really have some interesting stuff for me there !"

Mrs Dazzled picked up a pack of these sanding blocks from a pound shop in Telford because she thought "they might be useful for me".

I think she's a keeper

Small speed bump with some paint....the gray I used on the wings didn't come out well. So, a chance for me to try out removing it with oven cleaner.

Made some progress on the 727. Wings and fuselage painted. Just some small detail painting to do. The cockpit window glazing was quite thick and didn't fit too well. I ended up filling and sanding all around, and I'll just paint the windows black. Not like there is anything to be seen anyways.

Once the paint has hardened up in a few days, I'll start decals.

Cockpit windows painted on. Ready to start decals on this later.

First set of decals on. Behaving so far.

Very nice work so far, Tony.

Nice! I always liked the old Alitalia schemes; colourful but striking as well

Thanks for the comments!!

First side decals all done. I'll do the other side tommorow after they've set up.

Another shot with the wing in place. It's not fastened in yet. I'll do that at the end. They are a nice tight fit, and it's easier to decal without them in the way.

That's coming together nicely. Great decals.

Nigel