wade's scale models & modest aviation photography: 2009

11/14/2009

Finnair Airbus A-340-300 OH-LQB 1/144

This Airbus model is among the best ones I've ever made, partly because it is just the livery I wanted and just the plane I wanted.

Original kit decals were for Austrian "Wiener Filharmoniker" and SAS, the former would have been nice too but in reality there was no other choice but Finnair.

Finnair decals are made by TwoSix Decals, UK and they are laser printed.

I've seen the original plane and had some reference photos of my own too, so it was an easy build reference-wise.

Building the model took time, but it was just because of the sheer size, the Revell kit itself was good quality. All painting was done by airbrush with Revell enamels. The "Finnair blue" on engine nacelles is tad too dark but I had to match it to the decals.

Quite a task but well worth it, my son says it's just like the real thing and I tend to agree!

N-scale Ford Anglia vignette

Here's a small vignette which purpose was to practise for a larger airport diorama in the future. I got an Airfix Trident second-hand kit and found N-scale Ford Anglias from Osborn's Models, UK and thought they might look interesting together.

This vignette is really simple and basic, but I intend to keep the same attitude in the actual diorama too. Yet my wife liked it so much she keeps it as a small working desk decoration.

I haven't really done any dioramas worth mentioning before, so I thought a small vignette built into a tiny jewelry box would be a good start.

The old couple is from a N-scale Noch set titled 'Reisende' or 'Travellers', product number N36225. The white 60's Ford Anglia is a Graham Farish model, product number 379-901. These were all purchased at the Osborn's Models' webstore. The parking lot asphalt is 2000-grit wet-or-dry sanding paper, grass is from Noch. Glues used were white glue for the grass and paper and cyanoacrylate for the car and figures.

N-scale is really small, the Anglia looks a bit rough through a supermacro lens but in reality it looks quite good. I'm also satisfied with the Noch figures, as I didn't have to paint them myself. N-scale isn't actually exactly same as the 1/144th scale, but I think it is close enough for my diorama purposes!

10/10/2009

Swissair Sud-Aviation Caravelle 1/100

Revell #04220 Caravelle kit is a re-issue of of an oldie, copyright marking in the wing is 1961. Thus the scale is a bit odd one in today's standards, namely 1/100. Nose cone fit to fuselage was very poor and there were other problems as well, so I built this resembling a travel agency resin model on a display stand.

Two sets of decals were supplied, SAS and Swissair. I chose Swissair because I hadn't any Swissair livery models in my collection. White enamel is applied with an airbrush, silver paint with a paintbrush. Decals were okay, minor cheatline dimension errors notwithstanding.

Final clearcoat is Johnson Floor Wax applied with a paintbrush.

It's a pity there aren't any modern kits available of this beautiful aircraft, Airfix 1/144 is acceptable but it's still an Airfix. I might like to try another example of this kit and build it in the classic SAS livery, however.

Here's another 1/100 scale for a size comparison, a readymade Blue1 MD-90 promotion model.

8/18/2009

1/144 Aeroflot Iljushin IL-86

Here's another summer Zvezda, the first Soviet widebody airliner from the 70's. This Zvezda kit is a bit like a modern day version of an old Airfix classic airliner, hugely fun to build and looks mighty nice when finished. Other than the horrible engine front fan disks details are fine and the surface texture is pleasant to the eye.

Decals are very sparse and minimal, yet in a finished model one
doesn't see anything really missing just like with Airfix kits.

Nose shape and cockpit windows resemble the original well, this model oozes Russian utilitarian and rugged design.

Zvezda decals have usually a yellow shade in the decal film, which unfortunately can be detected on a white surface like here. On the other hand the effect isn't entirely bad, it adds an unique flavour to this Russian scale model and weirdly becomes it!

This model was airbrushed mainly with Revell 04 and 374 enamels, I like the final result all right but am tempted to try Brazmodel's resin engine parts and TwoSix Soviet livery decals for another Aeroflot Iljushin!

1/144 KLM Boeing 737-800 PH-BXU "Albatross"

This is my first "aftermarket decal" airliner model inspired by the good reference photos and seeing the real ones flying above my house every week. I'm glad it turned out nice, the Revell kit is a good starting point for this kind of project.

TwoSix Decals has a new sheet available for the KLM 737 fleet, these decals are high quality and very well crafted. Besides they fit the Revell kit dimensions just perfectly. Here's the sheet I used:
http://www.twosixdecals.co.uk/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62035508/Products/STS4418

K

it winglets were originally absurdly large, I filed them down to a more realistic size. Painting was done with Revell enamels and my Iwata HP-C airbrush, paint codes are gloss 50 for the KLM blue fuselage, satin 371 for the gray areas and satin 301 white tail and winglets. Tikkurila Miranol was used for leading edge silver and engine intake ring.

The engines and winglets partly notwithstanding, the overall shape is good and it looks like the original airliners. The slight "nose down" attitude on the ground is ok too.

Kit engines are acceptable, but they are too simplified for otherwise such a nice kit. The characteristic flattened intake and nacelle shapes are close enough for my tastes.

All small prints from the decal sheet are just like the real thing. Dark blue cheatline is a decal, for the cabin windows I used the dark gray alternative from the box sheet just to be sure they fit well.

Just another example of the decal sheet quality, remember this is in 1/144th scale! Johnson Floor Wax sealed the finish nicely, as per the reference photos this plane is very clean and shiny. Building this model was quite satisfying, it looks just like I wanted and now it's a real gem in my airliner collection.