iggie's silver-lined Cloud ***FINISHED***

[iggie]

Prompted by VickersVandal's mention of the Saro Cloud, I have decided to build one as my entry for this GB. The kit is by Valom, and would be regarded as a multi-media kit due to it containing not just styrene parts, but also resin and PE components.
This is the first time I've built a Valom kit, and to my eye so far it seems to be on a par with SpecialHobby products in that it has an air of 'limited run with quality' about it.
Obligatory box-shot:

My assistant for this build; this is Jet who is very interested in modelling....NOT









The IP made up:

And a little distressed:

Pilot and co-pilot seats

Self-loading cargo seats:

And certainly a first for this modeller, a 1/72 scale bog

[PaulBradley]

Nice choice and good start!

That plumbing is VERY rudimentary - one wonders about those Czechs....!

[iggie]

I assume that the WC plumbing was of the 'free-fall' variety (Although that would be a pleasant change from narrow boat WC arrangements....what goes in must come out you know!

Anyhow, on with the build; steady progress has been maintained with the cockpit and cabin completed, and the fuselage sides buttoned up....this was a tough battle as the bulkheads within the cabin did not in anyway match the internal profile of the hull bottom and sides, and some packing and shaving was required before getting things to meet up properly. I also found it was better to glue the bulkheads in first, and drop the three 'decks' in afterwards having first removed the locating tabs to allow them to slide into place. A lot of CA adhesive helped with this process
I decided to assemble the wheels as well; these comprised a resin hub disc, a styrene tyre and rim, and PE spokes which had to be dished to fit properly. Fortunately Valom provide a forming tool to press the spoked PE parts into shape, and very good it is too!

The cabin roof then went on, again with a bit of help by adding bits of sprue to act as location guides, the empennage was assembled and located into place and that is where she sits at present

[VickersVandal]

Oh, jolly good show old fruit!

I am very happy to have inspired this.

Good to see you build it and pick up tips too. I'd prefer not to have any nasty surprises when I get into mine.

[MarkyM607]

I was going to add this to my British aircraft collection when it came out but heard bad things about it. This build will be helpful to me too!!. Looks good so far.

[iggie]

Without wishing to put anyone off from building this in the future, it should not be regarded as a shake and bake!
The fit of most parts varies between almost to appalling; mounting the engine pods on the upper wing surface last night very nearly resulted in the thing getting s**t-canned . The parts moulded that fell out of the moulding press intended to mount the engines are hopeless, and required trimming to even get them to touch the wing all at the same time. The result is not pretty. The numbering and location diagrams in the instructions are vague to say the least
Fitting the wing to the fuselage is likewise difficult; gaps abound, the fuselage sides are not level (although the keel is) and the wing was therefore lopsided...much trimming and filling with CA adhesive later and it looks somewhat better
The outrigger floats seem to be heading the same way, although I have still to complete them and will reserve judgement until later.
Photos to follow after this evenings efforts to bash it into shape!
My enthusiasm for this kit has taken a battering

[VickersVandal]

Agh! Short run kits eh. Not sounding fun but you clearly have the skills to best this one. Go you good thing! :D

[iggie]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Matters are not improved by the instructions being at odds with the parts and reality in many cases......
I am now going to complete this purely out of spite and stubborn-ness as to bin it now would be a waste of good blood pressure!

[JohnRatzenberger]

Keep at it -- I, like VV, have one in the stash and your trailblazing will be most helpful ...

[iggie]

More fit issues; the resin engines (of which you get two sets, one for the UK variant, one for the Czech so handy spares whichever you build ) for the UK build do not fit inside the styrene cowlings....cue much scraping away of the inner faces of the cowlings, and sanding down of the engine circumference .
More instruction conflicts too; the illustration clearly shows the wish-bone shaped u/c part fitted one lg to the wing underside, one against the fuselage when actually both legs go against the fuselage and another part (incorrectly numbered) forms the upright to the wing. As I couldn't find this part I made my own with some styrene stock....and then promptly found the correct parts after the superglue had set . Anyone need some spare u/c struts for a Saro Cloud?
Anyhow, enough of my incompetence; this is how she stands at present:
Engine (finally) fitted inside cowling:

and with props fitted:

Engine pods mounted:

U/C fitted

U/C close up; the white is the 'replacement' strut....:


Some filling will be needed before a prime, then it'll be into the spray shop for an all-over aluminium using AK Interactive metallic
This may take a while as I have some real-life stuff that may well take up most of the forthcoming week

[Purplethistle]

I'd say you were winning there, that interior is rather spiffing! ......even without high backed seats and antimacassars!

[fredk]

aye, he's got it bate intae submission

[iggie]

And that, eventually is a wrap!
After multiple real-life interruptions and a week out on the boat, I have got this done. I have to say that it was not the simplest of builds and provided the grey matter with a great deal of exercise; parts mis-identified in the instructions, wrongly identified in the parts lay-out drawing, and seemingly some parts that are not actually present....
Anyway, it got done and that's the important bit. Painted overall in the excellent AK Interactive Aluminium metallic paint, some light weathering around the engine and a gloss coat of Xtracrylix acrylic varnish
(oh and I have just seen that I need to reglaze the windows with Krystal.... )

[JohnRatzenberger]

Looks good !!

[TimJ]

Great job getting this one finished. Well done.