Cessna 180 upgrade

[Underlord]

I've been building kits for friends to get my skill level up. Mostly I build SciFi, but I have a friend who owns his own plane. I decided to build him a model of it.

Here's the actual plane:
Photo Courtesy of FlightAware.com

I've got a bunch more reference photos for my build, but basically it's a newer version of the 1950's C180 that Monagram made. I found a similar build here...
U-17 (Monogram - Cessna 180 conversion - 1/41

The U17 isn't exactly the same as my friends plane, but many of the same modifications to the kit are neccesary. In addition to adding the rear window, I'll be replacing the prop with a scratch built tri-prop. I'll also be adding some rigging lines, antenea, and foot steps, and perhaps the break lines.

I started with the windows, then put the doors on and found they fit very badly, so I'm filling in the gap and re-scribing them.


I then started the work on the nose. Here is where some additional changes between the U-17 and my friend's C180 come into play. I'm going to have to modify quite a bit and add the forward headlights and grill work.

Sorry for the bad picture of the nose, I'll try and take better ones during my next session.

Any interest in seeing the rest of this?

 

[The Nylon Gag]

I always like the idea of making a model for a friend.
Several years ago i wrote a song for a friends Birthday(as a surprise) , i will NEVER forget his reaction. The guy cried, but in a good way and this was the type of guy that NEVER cried. :'( The feeling that gives you is difficulty to put into words. ;D. But the memory. ;D

I will definately be following along, 1/41 thats a scale i've never seen before

Gag

 

[Underlord]

Giving of your own talents is better than buying something by a long shot. You're friend is lucky indeed if you wrote a song for 'em!

1:41 is a very strange scale. This kit is literally from the 50's (this is a 70's repop of a 50's kit). I guess back then "box scale" was popular. The only other kit I found of it was a balsa with poor detail.

 

[schweinhund227]

wow... you have your work cut out for you !!! should be a treat to see it done !

I haven't seen a kit in Silver plastic in years....

are you going to sand down all the rivets ???

your real life picture looks pretty slick.... and shinny !

are you going for the very same scheme ???

Keep us up to date man !!!

later !

 

[Myke]

VERY cool!

 

[Chris S]

Cool ! ...lots of work to do eh ! , looks like the Bird dog fuselage ? ....but I could be wrong

Chris.

 

[Underlord]

Wow, got some followers! COOL!

Yes, I sure have my work cut out for me. I will be sanding down the rivits, although I might leave the hint of them, not sure yet.

I modified an aftermarket resin tri-prop setup for the nose, but I think the prop cone is a bit large. I may have to sculpt my own.


I realized that the underside of the nose was totally the wrong shape. Out came the Aves Apoxie sculpt! I also popped in some photo-etch to represent the oil cooler.



I'll give her a sanding once that cures up. While I'm waiting, I hit the interior with it's base coat


I'm trying Vallejo AirColor for the first time on this model, and I must say, so far I like it!

 

[Underlord]

wow... you have your work cut out for you !!! should be a treat to see it done !

I haven't seen a kit in Silver plastic in years....

are you going to sand down all the rivets ???

your real life picture looks pretty slick.... and shinny !

are you going for the very same scheme ???

Keep us up to date man !!!

later !

Yeah, this kit was originally made in the 50's, and this one was made in the early 70's. Those rivets are out of scale on this beast, so I guess I will be sanding them all down. I was thinking of leaving minor bumps from them, a little closer to scale, but haven't decided for sure yet. at 1:41, it would be really hard to see 'em on this bird!

I am going to do my best (which currently bites but is improving) to recreate my friend's father's actual aircraft. I'm hoping to give it to him as a present. He knows the differences between the 1950's C180 this kit is based off of, and what he has better than I ever will, but every detail I get right will impress him.

Perhaps I'll be lucky enough to take a ride in the real one!


Hey Chris... I have no idea about the Bird Dog thing... I'll ask my friend!

 

[Myke]

Definitely looks like you have your work cut out for you. Keep up the good work man!

 

[Underlord]

Cool ! ...lots of work to do eh ! , looks like the Bird dog fuselage ? ....but I could be wrong

Chris.

Found out that the Bird Dog fuselage refers to the U17 military plane which is referenced in my first post. I'm not sure that the U17 was even built on the C180, but they are very close in the 70's. There are a few differences between the U17 and this C180. Notice the work he did on the tail piece a little over 1/2 of the way down? the C180 being modeled here doesn't have that increase, and the wing is different in the U17, the original kit's C180, and this one. *grumble* I'll have to reference more pictures to get the wing correct. Cessna updated the lift capabilities of the wing which probably means the profile changed.

Tonight I'm breaking out the sandpaper to tackle all those rivits, clean up the nose, and shoot her with some primer to check my work. I'll post an update once there is more to see

 

[Underlord]

I finally got a chance to work on this bird. Between being sick and life getting in the way, sha sat undocumented for a bit. I finished up the cockpit and made some windows. Not too happy with the windows.

2012-03-22_21-19-00_150 by anguscubed, on Flickr

When I took a closer look at the window I realized I had the excuse to try out the novus products and polishing sponges my wife gave me for Christmas! The kit part has this bar running down the middle of the windshield. The aircraft being modeled, doesn't.

2012-03-22_21-21-41_46 by anguscubed, on Flickr

Came out pretty good!


2012-03-22_21-42-30_821 by anguscubed, on Flickr

 

[Chris S]

Windows look good to me ,maybe just need a little cleanup

Chris.

 

[Underlord]

Windows look good to me ,maybe just need a little cleanup

Chris.

This was after some Windex on a q-tip. I think it's all tape-backing *cringe*, so I'll do my best cleaning it off, and use tamyia tape to mask it off when I'm painting. I used packaging from my wife's 3D t-shirt paint set (which could be used on a larger scale model to make rivets).. and took my chances. I have to be gentle cleaning them since I used Micro Crystal Clear to glue them in to prevent fogging.

 

[Underlord]

Ok, a bit of an update...
I was able to clean off the windows, paint them with Tamayia clear blue and mask them off. I've put everything together and started filling seams and adding external details.

The kit has enclosed wheels, so I've had to clip off some of the length of the axels and fill the outside. I'll be covering the hole with a crosscut circle from plastic rod. I've also added the steps on both sides by taking a cross-section of H bar stock and cutting out just an L shape. I drilled into the bottom and glued them in place.

2012-04-01_20-38-56_598 by anguscubed, on Flickr

The 1950's C-180 had a wing mounted landing headlight. The 1970's bird uses headlights mounted in the nose so the kit part has to be filled in and painted over.

2012-04-01_20-38-44_337 by anguscubed, on Flickr

Here's how she sits waiting for a little more putty and sanding, and a wire strung from the cabin to the tail. Then it's time to start painting!

2012-04-01_20-38-32_750 by anguscubed, on Flickr

 

[ShutterAce]

Killer job on this old kit!

 

[Underlord]

Finally slung some paint on her, and tried my hand at custom decals for the tail number. Sorry to say, I had to punt and buy some American flags, 'cause mine kept running.


Untitled by anguscubed, on Flickr


Untitled by anguscubed, on Flickr

She gets delivered on Tuesday. Glad to have her off my bench.