A second helping of SPAD - Complete

[JMac]

I tried to post this a little while ago, but I was having issues...
Right now I’m working on two kits, the first is this 1/72 Academy Spad XIII, and the other is a Japanese mecha thing. I started this Spad shortly after finishing my first Spad XIII. The first kit was a Revell kit and I enjoyed building it so much I thought that I would try a kit from another manufacturer. I’ve only just started, but I think that the Revell kit is MUCH better. The Academy kits machine guns look like blobs, it’s missing the troughs the guns sit in, the cowl has the wrong shape, parts don’t fit well, and some parts lack any kind of registration.
On the Revell kit I used thin fishing line for the rigging. This time around I’m using stretched sprue. Outside of burning my fingers with the candle, the stretched sprue has gone pretty well. Unfortunately I had already finished most of the spar rigging, before Backbreaker guided me to a website that presents what I think is a better method. There’s always the next time...
Here’s what I have to date...


[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Here's a picture of the problem cowl area. There should be no step. I was planning to use Squadron green putty to fill it (it's what I've always used)...I was wondering if anyone had a better method?

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Backbreaker]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Hi JMac,
Try http://www.f-72.com/spad_xiii.htm for some pointers.
Joolz.

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

I took a look,
Thanks again for your help. I'm not sure just how much I'm going to put into this kit, seems to me that a lot could be done with to correct it.

JMac

 

[Backbreaker]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

As long as your happy with the final build it doesn't matter what you do or don't do ;D.
It can sometimes be more difficult to correct things in 1/72 scale than 1/48 or 1/32.
I'm sure the bird will look great when finished
Joolz ;D

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

I'm shelf space challenged, so 1:72 works out great.

Lat week I did not accomplish much on this build as I spent most of my time unsure of how I was going to proceed and building another kit. In the end I decided to take a page from Scotts' playbook and dive into scratch building some new details. I want to make new machine guns (my first kick at the cat is below). The gun is tiny, but I think it's a little too "fat". I'm going to make another this weekend.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

It's been a little while...
here's where I'm at;

I've cut the old machine guns and thier troughs out and replaced them with a scratch build part. My first attempt to cut a new trough in the new part, with my dremel and a modified drill bit did not go well. I had to fill it in...
I've also made two new machine guns to go into the troughs, they are tiny (1/2" long). Also I have started to make new covers for the blisters on either side of the nose.

Next I'm goint to try an experiment to make some new louvers to replace the ones I sanded off, filling in the step under the cowl...

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Almost the same update as my Bardiel build, except I did manage to advance this build just a tiny little bit. I cut troughs for my new machine guns, and test fit them. That went not bad. I also attempted to scratch a wind screen - not so successfully - I'll try again when I get back. Gone fishing ;D

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

I've moved this build ahead a little. I've added a wind-screen, the new machine guns, and the blisters on either side of the nose. Sorry that the pictures of the guns did not show up so well...

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Backbreaker]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

lookin good
Joolz

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Thanks. It's moving ahead - slowly. I'm trying a couple experiments to make a new side access panel, and louvers. I haven't found the right technique yet however. The build is going to stall again next week, we are going on a family holiday now that work has wrapped up. Hope to have a good update when I get back.

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

I was hoping to get more done on this kit, but it did not work out that way. It was a great summer anyways. Now the summer's over, I'm back at work, and I can get back to my Sunday evening modelling routine.

Here are some pictures updating my progress so far - primed. I still have not found a good way to make new louvers to replace the ones I sanded off filling in the cowl.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Progress is slow, but still moving forward...

First coats of paint.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[MrNatural]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

this looks great jmac!

 

[Backbreaker]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Forward indeed
joolz

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the comments. Now that the ball is rolling again, I'm enjoying this build – even though I totally poo-poo’d this kit when I started. One thing I should have thought about a little more was the use of the decals from my Revell kit to mark up this plane. The Academy kit is smaller than the Revell kit (same plane and scale however). Because of the size difference some of the decals have had to be "trimmed". Not sure if I'm going to fix the red portion of the tail...

The last week I've experimented with making a wood grain, I think it turned out ok for my first kick at the can. The main problem I’ve been seeing is the dry brushing, I tried to dry brush the raised detail on the sides of the front fuselage. I thought that I had most of the paint out of the bristles but I ended getting silver streaks everywhere. The decals are almost done just four more to go.


[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

one more picture of the prop...

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Backbreaker]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

very good for your 1st attempt ;D
Joolz

 

[JMac]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Thanks. I used a bunch of PS sheet scraps and practiced on all week before painting the grain on the model. Turned out, it was easier than I thought.

 

[Gary]

Re: A second helping of SPAD

Just reading this made me shudder. I avoid biplanes because of the rigging and alignment issues that require some actual skill!

Wonderful but I am still shaking!

Gary