Migrant's Arado Ar-96 *FINISHED*

[Migrant]

Last minute decision to do this today – it's a holiday Monday here in Canada, so ideal for this. It's the old 70s Heller kit, looks OK in the box. Obligatory bench top shot with obligatory mug of tea.





First job is to Future the canopy so it has time to cure, then on to the out-of-box interior.

[iggie]

What on earth is on the prop spinner?!!

Nice looking kit for a blitz

[Michael modeller 48]

Hi Mike,

I see you are doing a Blitz build today...

Hope to gleem some tip/techniques from watch your build/build notes.

How is the Farman and S-3 Viking build going?

Michael

[Michael modeller 48]

I think this was the trainer plane that James Garner in the movie The Great Escape piloted to short flight of freedom with the blind forger...could be

wrong??

I am going to pledge my canopy too. To try a new thing for me.

Not going to try stretching plastic or re-scribe panel lines. My build has raised panel line/rivets. Someday I may learn how to do this.

That is really cool kit an German plane with yellow markings!

[jssel]

Welcome aboard Mike and looking forward to the progress.

[Migrant]

Thanks guys! As always the initial progress is a little slow, here's the cockpit interior almost ready to install. I added some stretched sprue stringers to the inner walls:-



Once the Future's cured under the instrument panel decals I'll flat coat it then the cockpit/fuselage can be assembled. Seat harnesses are just painted Tamiya tape.



I've also added some treads to the tyres with a razor saw.



I've done other bits too: painted the u/c legs, assembled the prop and spinner, and sourced some alternative decals since the kit sheet looks beyond redemption.

[Michael modeller 48]

Hey Migrant. that is really good work!!

That is really good added detail....

So with Farman and S-3? and this AR-96 that makes three simultaneous builds on the GO....

[The Great Auk]

You're off to an outstanding start and those IPs really look outstanding!

I like your TinTin mug too.

Will enjoy watching this very much!

The Great Auk

[Migrant]

Cheers guys! Lunch break; a re-heated turkey club sandwich and chips – left-overs from yesterdays' patio pub-lunch – and fresh strawberries. (And Mrs. Migrant has made me another mug of tea, to take with me to the modelling room.)

[Michael modeller 48]

Migrant build a TinTin aircraft right from the comic strip!! It look exactly like the plane as if gotten right from the box! Amazing!

Those strawberries look healthy and delicious to go with your club sandwich

Just finish a cup of Timmy's Dark roast coffee....

[splash]

Off to a great start.

Was that your own decals on the ip ?

Regards Splash

[Migrant]

Off to a great start.

Was that your own decals on the ip ?

Regards Splash

Thanks Splash; yes, they're my cockpit decals. I took this just after lunch, and after a quick tidy-up.



After putting Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan' on the sound system (with everything louder than everything else) I made some further progress. The fuselage and wings are together, and I've started the re-scribing process on the wings. Unfortunately the fit at the starboard wing root is pretty horrible, so it's filled with stretched sprue and an offcut of styrene. I'll sand it all down once the glue's set.

[The Great Auk]

Wow that's some excellent progress and that interior looks almost as tasty as those strawberries!

What a treat to watch this one coming together!

The Great Auk

[jssel]

Good modeling and good food. The best of Blitzs.

[Migrant]

Thanks Jeff and Great Auk

State of play:



(A bit of blatant self-promotion as Mrs. Migrant brings me a fresh cup of coffee and some crisps for a snack. )



It may not look like much progress since the last update but the model is now completely re-scribed, all of the seams are fixed to an 'acceptable' Blitzbau standard, and the canopy is on.



Gap at the windscreen has been filled with filler. Unfortunately, this seems to have had a reaction to the Future, as the canopy has fogged inside Fortunately it's only glued on with PVA glue so I've whipped it off, soaked the part in Alcohol and am now waiting for it to dry. I don't have time to re-Future it and allow it to cure properly, so the canopy will be re-attached to the plane in its nekkid state. Then I can commence with priming/painting.