Peterpools Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 THE IP Just a quick few cellphone pics of the completed IP and ready to be installed in the cockpit. Lots of small details were added to being some life to the rather bland kit panel. I did take a bit of poetic license with some of the throttle quadrant and IP colors or else it would look nearly all black and have zero pop. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 Awesome!!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 Very nice, Peter, wouldn´t have seen, it´s 1/48. When I have plain black parts, like Ip´s, I mostly give them a very light wipe with a cotton bud, which I before dabbed into Uschi van der Rosten´s iron pigments. This is not too shiny and breaks up the plain surface a bit. Cheers Rob 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Thanks Jeff Felt good to finally finish an assembly with all the time I've put into the Songbird. Hopefully by the weekend, I'll now have the chance at gluing up the fuselage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Thanks Rob I'll need to try that out as the panel even with dry brushing it could use a bit more pop. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 Great looking IP, especially in 1/48. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnB Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 Looking good Peter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Thanks Carl The throttle quadrant levers were a royal pain but did the job in the end 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Thanks John Finally, I'm ready to tackle the rest of the interior and glue up the fuselage: progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinM Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 That's looking good Peter when I saw done I went WTH is he getting like John?I take a week off and Wa La he's done! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanzerWomble Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Great IP Peter , you've far more patience & skill than me at this scale . 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Thanks Kev, Long way to go and loads of time, no most of the build time has been delegated to part clean up and the IP. Getting ready to post an update later today (hopefully 🤞) as I finally have the fuselage together and working on the wings, engines and gear. John is in a class all by himself: incredible speed and brilliant workmanship. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Thanks Guy The IP was a bit testy to detail, as the easiest part of the detailing was the size ... everything else needed to be worked in and looked correct. Unfortunately, once I assembled the fuselage (update hopefully later today), nothing fits as the size, scale and proportions of the interior assemblies and parts seem way off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT Additional bench time was needed to remove a good deal more of flash, mold seams and finish cleaning up parts. Finally, time for priming; MRP Black Primer was used and then the interior colors were applied; Tamiya acrylics. So far, the Songbird has been a huge disappointment and a letdown. As a limited production kit, I was prepared for the sloppy part fit but it was worse then I anticipated. As I struggled to assemble the cabin, trying to locate where parts belong, it became a guessing game, as the instructions are vague as to part location and orientation, everything being hit or miss. were hit or miss. Once the interior was glued in place, it became so obvious that the relationship in size, orientation and placement of the parts wasn’t close to what it should have been. The cabin windows were added, fit was poor, as expected and what it is, it is. A mask set for all the windows and front windscreen would have been a nice touch and there was none included. I decided to go with the fuselage door closed (all clear plastic here), as looking inside just wouldn’t do. There is an injected molded gray plastic door included but the clear window was not included on the fret; very strange indeed. Of course, getting the door to actually close was an exercise in frustration but finally I was close enough. And of course, when gluing the two fuselage halves together, mine were warped: par for the course. Once I sanded all the seams and started working on the horizontal stabilizer, I thought why not test the two part canopy and as you can see, the fit is awful and I just can’t imagine how much additional work this is going to take to correct. At this point, even being the Songbird, I'm starting to question my sanity for moving forward and banging my head against the wall. Black CCA used to fill in a few seams for added strength. The canopy fit. The top portion on the Songbird was painted over in the fuselage color but there are still more fit issues to deal with. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinM Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I would take some stryene and fill in under the window and sand it down till you get the fit you want and filler the rest other than that Peter she really looks good to go.Short run kits are what they are some better than other PCM being better in most cases but work still needed. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Peter............. this is the art of true modelling, anyone ( like me ) can assemble a kit, but it takes a real modeller, and one with talent to fix, and or over come fit issues, if this was 40 years ago, it would be the norm, with your talents, I know this is not a big issue, and with perseverance, patience and 4 or 5 glasses of good whiskey, this will be a cake walk for you.... I am excited to see how you figure this out, I hope you don't throw in the towel.... Jeff 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landlubber Mike Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Hey Peter, not sure how I missed your earlier post of the IP - looks great! As for the overall build so far, it's looking really fantastic if you ask me. Interesting how the shape of your Songbird is very close to my JRS-1, including the shape and misfit of the canopy part. I'm actually at the same point in my build. As much of a pain as it might seem like it will be, I believe Kevin is right in how to approach it. Take a look here at a JRS-1 posted on Scalemates. Exactly the approach Kevin suggested. I'm planning to lay down some plastic strip first, maybe a touch over what I need, and then just sand and test fit until the cockpit sits neatly on top. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanzerWomble Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 That canopy is shocking , also concur the solution is probably build it up with styrene and sand it back . 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 That fit looks really bad, Peter. Like the others mentioned, I would fit some styrene under the canopy, but it looks, as it is too wide also. If so you might consider cutting it in the middle with a razor saw. Luckily the top part will be painted and leaves you some liberty for filling gaps. Cheers Rob 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Thanks Kev Going to follow your advice as I'm almost ready to tackle the windscreen. Just felt that a kit being marketed under the Squadron Label would be better then a limited production, especially with the instructions. yes, the resin is good - not great and the decals are Cartograf but just not what I was expecting. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Thanks Jeff, For your confidence in my modeling abilities. It's one of those kits that somehow just finds a way to keep getting under your skin. Being marketed under the Squadron banner, surely the instructions could have been greatly improved to help the builder, but it wasn't. I'm taking Kev's advice and keep moving forward and see what happens. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Mike, very much appreciated and it's uncanny that the do kits look a bit alike and we're about the same stage of construction. Very much appreciated the photograph as it shows exactly what Kev is explaining and the course, I'm going to take this week. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Thanks PW, exactly what I now plan on doing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Rob You're right on the button, not only doesn't the windscreen come close to fitting, but it's also too wide. I'm also going to follow your suggestion and cut it apart, so I can narrow it up a bit and hopefully that will solve canopy problem #2. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 SOD .. BINNED I gave it my best, kept coming back for more and more and at my tender age of 76, just don't want to waste any more time banging my head against the wall, spending hours on a kit, I've grown to more then dislike. For me, it has been a horrible experience, one of, if not the worst kit I've tried to build, a mojo killer that has almost killed my desire to sit and work at the bench. Right now, I have no desire to build anything or take part in the GB. I feel some relief in not having to look at the kit another day. It's now on the SOD and on Thursday it will be on its way to our landfill in Yaphank, as being plastic and recyclable; at least some good comes out of this. 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now