mmD's Falangist Freccia DONE

[mightymikeD]

Right, ho: first build will be a Condor Legion effort: the Smer 1/48 Fiat CR-32 Freccia

Box art & sprues to follow..

[mightymikeD]

We're up and running (as Joint GBL it's be unseemly to miss start day!)

Box Art


Sprues, two of




Decals..


All pretty hard, flash-filled plastic.. detailing ain't bad but not world-beating either.. anyone have any ideas about the likely quality (or otherwise) of SMER decals?

This will, of course, be my first foray into the world of 1/48.. should be innaresting.

More soon..

[Saxon]

Didn't know this one existed, will be good when done.

[Marek]

Smer decals are OK, the kit is way off as I remember. But it will be fun.

[coptermech]

I'm working on a SMER Fiat G.55 right now and the sprues were covered with flash from end to end. Even the poor little pilot looks like he's had two rods driven through his chest. But, it was an inexpensive kit so i guess you get what you pay for

[mightymikeD]

The pilot is comical-looking.. my camera wouldn't do it justice.. but he's getting some love & attention anyway..

[mightymikeD]

Okay.. here's the state of play..

This kit is typical short-run flash-covered "fun".. and there's lots and lots of annoyances too.. but you get what you pay for and nothing I can't fix

The spinner.. good lord, what a sinkhole!



Note Mr Two-Dimensional pilot who looks suspiciously like a Goon from Popeye in flight gear.

Filled.. and then it will be the turn of the prop (yeeesh!)


Flashville.. and yes, there is a strut missing.. it may be lurking around but if not it's easily scratchable


Hmmmm


Flat Erico is in the Office.. and boy does that Macro Lens make him look badly-painted.. trust me, he's acceptable. He also sits so low that he's practically invisible.


And the halves are joined.. fit wasn't bad, once I had sanded half a ton of flash off the interior of the rudder.


(oh, and that's Tamiya Tape rather than flash that you can see on the tail)

Fuselage seams next job, along with more flash removal

[TimJ]

Nice work so far. The pilot's a funny looking chap, it looks like he's wearing clown's shoes.

[mightymikeD]

Some progress, inbetween Blitzbaus.. and a d'oh

Fuselage together and base coats on.. all ready to assemble airframe .. and guess who painted the lower wings upside-down? (Hint: Me. It was me.)

That's being rectified right now, photos when it's done.

[mightymikeD]

and then there's this...

Ladies & Gentlemen, my tailplanes.




This is going to be "interesting" to say the least....

[JamesPerrin]

Maybe not the best kit for a Blitz!?

I'd remove the elevator and fashion a new tailplane, rather than trying to graft something on.

[MDT]

Wow are those tailplanes from the same kit!? Least you've plenty of time to batter this into submission.

[mightymikeD]

I'd remove the elevator and fashion a new tailplane, rather than trying to graft something on.

Sage advice, and kind of what I was thinking, too.. the reconstruction work needed to make it fit is hardly worth the effort. Better to start from scratch. Any tips? I'm thinking plasticard and putty...

Wow are those tailplanes from the same kit!? Least you've plenty of time to batter this into submission

That, I do.. but I'd love to crack on with this too.. can't have a DNF on me own watch!

[mightymikeD]

right.. so, this is the first time I've scratched anything this size (not just a 1/48 part.. also a tailplane!.. I've just done 1/72 struts and the like till now)

As James suggested, save the elevator..



cut a piece of plasticard to shape.. thickest I've got is 1mm so going to need two pieces



have glued them together, dry fit is pretty good.. some sanding, gluing and filling later and I should have a servicable tailplane.. and will be feeling proud as punch.

[Softscience]

Wowsers! Suddenly the supposedly more difficult Classic Airframes kit sounds like a viable alternative!

Soldier on though Mike. After this hump it gets easy, right?