Clunkmeister

So the wing is on, and for the most part, the fit is superb. I have yet to find any surprised big enough to bite an experienced modeler, which, for as complicated and potentially treacherous a build this is, is surprising, in a very good way. I’ll note two things of import. Number 1 is to paint and decal the wing and fuselage before joining them. The bottom of the wing might prove to be a very difficult masking job If it’s all assembled. Number 2 is that once you join the two, expect a small join line that will need to be removed (see pic)

I’m not sure it’s that simple. SPJ gave control over to a CEO several years back and just a couple years ago, got stung badly by his GM at TVAL who scammed him for a few million. I expect WNW is looked upon by the bean counters as a liability, not an asset. I expect it made money when they were a small operation with everything but production centered under one roof in one town. They tried to expand, subbing out all warehousing, and allowing a third party to become the retailer. In essence they became a wholesaler. They sell to distributors who then sell for the price they used to sell for. They gave away their entire profit with that smooth move. I expect the CEO expected the sales numbers to skyrocket, but he neglected to realize that it’s a small market. So they might just have seen their net profit nosedive. Good luck getting those molds back out of China, though.

100% agreed, Peter. This forum and the good people on it, almost singlehandedly performed the research for my RCAF Lanc 10MP. Without this Merry Band of Miscreants, my build would never have reached the level it did. These guys are truly awesome.

Just listen to the old George Jones song “White Lightinin” if you have any questions.

They have their style over there and we have ours. My thoughts are with the great people who have run that outfit for years, and through their devotion, have given us the best model kits this world has ever seen. All those releases, and there’s not a dog in any of them.

Tim, c’mon out this way and I’ll hook you up with some 180 proof. Then, if you can handle it there grasshopper, we’ll dial it up to 195 80 proof? Like making love in a canoe...... F**king close to water!

Alright, time for an update, folks. I’ve made a few little mistaakes here and there, but all were minor and just simple builder errors. Nothing remarkable, just all fixable things like forgetting to drill the holes for the spent brass ejectors. The ejector chutes are solid. They need to be hollow, so for my next build I’ll either hollow the ends or buy AM somewhere. A word. I looked on eBay and there are multiple AM pieces being issued for the P.11, so I expect this is going to be one VERY popular kit around the world. This kit really doesn’t need much AM. Resin engines, nosecones, wheels etc are all available, but the kit parts are truly superb OOB. Techmod supplies the kit decals, (makes sense), and as is usually the case with Techmod, the decals are superb. Very, very thin, and they stick like glue. They are impossible to “float” into position, so make sure you get them in place quickly. A bit of dish soap in the water helps the decals ease into position a bit easier. I decided to decal the bottom of the wing before mounting the wing, so tomorrow, on goes the wing. The bottom insignia were quite difficult to locate correctly, but eventually, they found their spots. Just keep them well lubricated. Then hit them hard with MicroSol to snuggle them down. They’re still drying here, I’m on my third coat of MicroSol, and then a clear coat followed by some weathering. Decal performance has been absolutely stunning.

Good grief, alcohol abuse! That Scotch is about to spill! But have no fear, anyone who knows me understands that my taste in alcoholic beverages runs much, much more refined than that swill.

It looks like a diagram of football play just to get to Carl’s bench.. hahahahaha.

Excuse me, but I’ve turned brown. Too long in the sun. I really, really like the classic look of an uncowled racial....

Anyone who fetches Guinness from a refrigerator is on my naughty list. Guinness is consumed at room temperature, oh yee of little training.

I'm fixin' to tear up now...

Mark, I'd say there are only a couple things that i'd certyainly change. And even at that, it's really up to the builder and where you want to go with it, because it presents well OOB. 1. Gun Barrels They are prominent on this plane. Plastic parts are OK and you need to drill the muzzles, but the barrels have slotted cooling shrouds over them, and those never represent well in plastic. Use the Master Barrel Kit. 2. Venturi Tube. The hourglass venturi tube on the side of the fuselage is pretty much universal on smaller aircraft from the 1930s through to the 1950s. That's one of those parts that's not able to be well represented in plastic without much work. Definitely AM and the Master Barrel set has one in it. 3. Seatbelts. Like all PE belts, I personally detest even the best of them. I used them here for this OOB build, but I'd go HGW, RB, or any good quality textile belt. I'm sure there's plenty people can change, but in my opinion, the rest of the kit is of the highest quality, and of the highest useability

Outstanding pictures Carl! I love it!

Carl, my friend, this is truly, truly epic. I’m most impressed. Where do you sit? Is there a path for ingress/egress? Possibly a trap door in the roof? However you do it, it demonstrated unique skill, ability, determination, and athleticism... Now just don’t look at my bench it wants to be yours when it grows up.

I have the same issue with my figures, Brad, except mine always appear glossy no matter how much flatcoat I airbrush on. One T-28 I have has a couple guys climbing in, and no matter what I do with them,. the LOOK like toy soldiers.

I'm going to use the Master barrel kit for my second build. It has the brass venturi tube, which to me is worth the price in itself.

I have one for my Silver Wings kit. I'm keeping it for that.

quite honestly Rob, other than as a time saver, I don't think you'd even need the Yahu panel. It goes together quite nicely as is.

Nice profile, Martin. Now that you make note of the obvious, you can see the A-3/4 shining through plain as day. I totally missed it myself. You had done this in 1/32 if I remember and you saying how you turned over every rock looking for information.

Well, I ordered some supposedly exact match Hataka light Polish khaki for this OOB build review, and I Donny, it seems way to brown to me. In person, it’s BROWN. Here in the pictures, it’s not so bad. But I’m gonna go with it and see what we got. Next, a couple good highlights and lowlights, followed by a wash. We’ll see. PZL #2 = NMF.

I expect they’ll lay down nicely. Plenty of MicroSet and Sol.

So I've received my second kit in the mail. WOOHOO! Once I'm done this OOB build, we're gonna see what we can do to spruce this thing up into a winner.

Very nice Peter! Your last two masterpieces took my breath away, and I expect this one will as well. Martin is certainly an 190 expert, the man truly lives and breathes the type. Ok, I may slightly exaggerate, but he forgot more about the 190 than I'll ever know. One thing I've been wanting to ask is, Do you slim the core models down at all before you apply the Litho Plate, or is it negligable enought to not really bother?