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Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 22nd, 2017, 9:31 pm
by Spaceowl
I had a Heller J-29 in my stash and this seems like the ideal time to start building it. While I've already done a camouflaged UN Tunnan, I thought it would be interesting to do an early mark NMF one, as this was how they originally arrived in-theatre in 1961.

here is progress so far:

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Things to note: the strange but interesting cockpit colour - pine green, meant to be restful to the eyes in the same way as the weird teal green interiors sported by MiGs in the sixties and seventies, and the resin wings with the straight leading edge, proper to this type until mid-1962.

Don't foresee any difficulties with this as a build; the last one fell together.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 23rd, 2017, 6:25 am
by PropWash
I'm looking forward to seeing how your Tunnan, and the one TimJ is doing, look when completed. I've wanted to add one of these to my collection for a while now.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 23rd, 2017, 12:33 pm
by planecrazyman61
hi Rob welcome to the GB ,you've made a good start with the cockpit just checked out your later UN one in the P-B section cracking job you did on it and looking forward to seeing this earlier one being built
cheers craig

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 24th, 2017, 1:35 am
by Spaceowl
Second day of work:

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It all went together very easily (as I thought it would, it's an excellent old kit) and the only real work that needed to be done was stuffing enough chopped-up plumber's bar into the nose spaces to make the kit nose-sit, and to clean up the slightly dodgy fit around the exterior nose and nose wheel bay.

Coming next: the lovely resin early wings. Watch this space.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 24th, 2017, 9:18 am
by Dazzled
Looking very good. It seems like a nice kit.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 24th, 2017, 5:45 pm
by ShaunW
Excellent, another Tunnan, this time appearing as the original Heller effort and it looks decent enough. I agree, those resin replacement wings do look nice.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 25th, 2017, 10:32 am
by Spaceowl
Wings on, masked and canopy framing painted:

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As I said previously, the resin wings are rather fine if very fragile. I had to put a small plasticard shim in to mend damage to the starboard wing root after an incident fitting it, but it seems like no lasting damage was done. Now for painting, and as it is mainly plain aluminium,that should be pretty easy.

More tomorrow.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 26th, 2017, 10:02 pm
by Spaceowl
Painted:

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This is the basic scheme sported by J22 Squadron on arrival in the Congo in 1961. Plain but tasteful.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 27th, 2017, 12:20 pm
by Old_Tonto
Very nice Rob. Those resin wings look really sharp with lovely panel line details.

Will this one have just UN markings?

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 27th, 2017, 12:23 pm
by Spaceowl
Nearly finished:

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It looks a bit 'busy' with the big ONU markings on it, but not in a bad way. The DP Casper decals went on well as usual, despite a tendency to be a bit grabby. They're not the 'grip of death' like old fashioned Propagteam ones though (get placement right first time; there isn't going to be a second :-D ).

Other than that, just a quick spray of matt varnish to dull the shine down a bit and get the legs on and I think I'm going to call this one finished.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 27th, 2017, 12:25 pm
by Spaceowl
Old_Tonto wrote: Will this one have just UN markings?
Yes - for some reason the Swedes never wore national markings on their UN aircraft. Underlining the point that they were a part of the UN, I suppose?

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 27th, 2017, 12:56 pm
by planecrazyman61
well done rob you cracked on with the build ,the Tunnan looks good in the Swedish UN scheme and the detail on the early resin wings is nice
craig

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 28th, 2017, 1:13 pm
by Spaceowl
Finished. Photos are on the completed kits thread, but I thought I would put this one on anyway:

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What a shame only Sweden and Austria used this aircraft. It has bags of charisma.

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 28th, 2017, 2:00 pm
by planecrazyman61
that looks superb Rob the UN schemes sit well on the Tunnans they look great together on the airfield diorama
cheers craig

Re: Rob/Spaceowl's UN J-29 - Barrels over the Congo

Posted: November 28th, 2017, 4:58 pm
by Old_Tonto
They look superb Rob. When can we see the whole UN Congo Air Force assembled?