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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

Ta-152H-0 awaiting restoration at the NASM


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Hi all,

 

Time for a new project!

Bought a Zoukei Mura Ta-152H-1 cheap and decided to build it as the only surviving Ta-152H-0 as it sits right now in the National Air and Space Museum.

This means the main wings rest on a special dolly and so does the fuselage.

Different paint layers, dust, bended panels and missing parts...

 

EA728010-2752-4D89-A5B6-297891EA6721_zps

 

91D9ED69-3B5B-4997-B9BB-D90D44E300EA_zps

 

0D7A8767-7A40-4A25-A83E-036D269F4DB8_zps

 

B651DBE5-A446-4485-896E-CE1FB5F9A508_zps

 

Started drilling out some instruments, as per walkaround photo's...

 

91608345-1BAF-4383-B324-93A08DDC2A39_zps

 

6A7938BE-6914-4A75-BC9E-434C17CF311E_zps

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Talking about putting the money where your mouth is... looks like you have your mojo back! Can't wait to see how you tackle this one. Are you going to do some 3D design/printing for this one?

Hehehe,

Yes I am. Well... not sure. I might scratch build the trolleys.

I'll see as I go along. Just finished drilling holes in the instrument panel. I thinned the edges from the back and will add wiring as per photo.

 

816E786D-6230-4F6C-B5A4-ECB7A7E07818_zps

 

6E052516-FDCA-4B73-B3D7-7270652B809C_zps

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I must admit I am not too impressed with the sharpness of the detail, the softness of the plastic and the fit...

The ejector pin marks on the inside of the fuselage halves are visible and in awkward locations.

 

Picked up some HGW seatbelts yesterday, and started painting the cockpit.

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   I think the problem with the model is that it is not well designed to be built with the panels closed.  Mine is has everything closed and there were gaps everywhere. Something else, do not use CA glue to put parts together because it makes the plastic extremely brittle and it breaks badly, CA glue is Ok for photo etch and to fill some gaps.

   I honestly hope that you have better luck. I may have done something wrong during the build that resulted in the poor fitting.  

 

As you can see, I had to do massive sanding.

 

292A813E-7A32-4280-8580-C2079492FE38_zps

 

 

615AA1A1-3AF1-4033-ACFC-563DF5C0F936_zps

 

 

7F287CA6-54E5-4CCA-A47D-A2FA3AC56D2D_zps

 

 

This access door is an example of the fitting gaps.

 

430706AE-0186-42BA-A05A-D657E48A0A26_zps

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   I think the problem with the model is that it is not well designed to be built with the panels closed.  Mine is has everything closed and there were gaps everywhere. Something else, do not use CA glue to put parts together because it makes the plastic extremely brittle and it breaks badly, CA glue is Ok for photo etch and to fill some gaps.

   I honestly hope that you have better luck. I may have done something wrong during the build that resulted in the poor fitting.  

 

As you can see, I had to do massive sanding.

 

292A813E-7A32-4280-8580-C2079492FE38_zps

 

 

 

 

To be honest:

I am often afraid to be critical towards ZM, since LSM is partners with HK Models.

 

I will work on this kit with no prejudice but my first findings are not too positive. You'll see what my experiences are in this topic!

Stay tuned.

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 Don't worry about being critical of a problematic model if you used your own money to purchase it.  If it is a gift from the manufacturer that is a different story.  When a model kit costs what ZM charges, I want nothing but a good quality kit in exchange.  Don't get me wrong, I like ZM, HK and some Trumpies, but any resent kit in 1/32 that is more than $100, should not have any fitting issues.  I am ok with minor inaccuracies, after all it is a scale replica and I can fix them, but poor fitting issues and bad gaps are not fair for the person buying the model.  

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Great idea for a project, I'll follow this one...

I finished mine as the only all red example to add a little interest.

http://www.hyperscale.com/2013/features/ta152h32de_1.htm

Fit wasn't too bad for me (except for the tail section) but I think I helped myself by leaving so many panels open and not having to tackle those tricky joints...

Used Mr Surfacer to blend everything before I painted it which I think really helped.

I've just abandoned Roden's (Sopwith) triplane (&decals!) after much frustration & sourced the OOP Wingnuts kit on eBay, should be with me by the weekend...

7_zpsc2limhgq.jpg

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Well I don't know about "Barbie doll plastic"...

 

The ZM plastic is a tad soft (reminds me of Dragon armour kits plastic), but at least the kit is anatomically correct!

 

Don't worry about being critical of a problematic model if you used your own money to purchase it.  If it is a gift from the manufacturer that is a different story.

 

Not entirely sure that I agree with that either. For me, there's even more need for real honesty in a review regarding kits that are supplied to Magazines and Websites like this... very often the kits supplied are test shots and not the finished product, and any glaring errors or fit issues can be identified by the Reviewer or SME's. A good example of why this should be the case, was the recent review of the initial release of the Eduard 1/48 scale Bf109G-6, where a particularly famous Reviewer deemed it to be "dimensionally accurate"!

 

But back to the ZM Ta152... the more the years go by, the more it seems there were noticeable differences in the batch runs of this kit. Some Modellers seem to have fit issues, where others don't. Some seem to have plastic with softer mouldings, where again others don't. I know the the radio hatch area on my kits looks a lot crisper in detail than Paulo's. It's a little puzzling...

 

S

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Jeroen,

 

Great idea for this model.  About ten years ago the Ta fuselage was assembled in the interest of making it easier to move to the new facility in Virginia.  At the time I had pretty good access and was busy photographing what I could for a publication.

 

The first image is a photographic equivalent of a profile drawing, a composition of about twenty 35mm images, taken under studio lighting.  It gives some detail of the look of the airplane in storage.  Rich Horigan had done the work and had explained that it was a minimum to stabilize it from further deterioration, and collect all the known pieces in one place.  Some sanding through paint had been done to attempt to find its werk nr. (unsuccessful)  The white tape is there to demonstrate to future restorers how that should be done to seal the panels.

 

Ta_152H_profile.jpg

 

I have more close up detail I will scan and provide.

 

Brian

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I subsequently photographed the cockpit, although it would appear you have most of what you need there.  Of note is the extensive use of steel, which exhibits rust.  I usually shoot these with the canopy closed, but it was so dirty I had trouble getting enough light in, so you see the windshield frame without canopy.  I think those are American issue seat belts still installed.

 

Ta_152H-O_cockpit.jpg

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I subsequently photographed the cockpit, although it would appear you have most of what you need there.  Of note is the extensive use of steel, which exhibits rust.  I usually shoot these with the canopy closed, but it was so dirty I had trouble getting enough light in, so you see the windshield frame without canopy.  I think those are American issue seat belts still installed.

 

Ta_152H-O_cockpit.jpg

 

Oh wow...

Do you happen to have any more reference pics? These are better than any other I have found so far...

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Hi Jeroen,

 

I do have more... they are Kodachromes that I have not yet scanned, but I will get them done and posted soon.  I have close ups of the woodwork inside the tail unit and several of the engine as well.  I can crop the profile view, it has a lot of detail you cannot see in web sized images.

 

Brian

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Hi Jeroen,

 

I do have more... they are Kodachromes that I have not yet scanned, but I will get them done and posted soon.  I have close ups of the woodwork inside the tail unit and several of the engine as well.  I can crop the profile view, it has a lot of detail you cannot see in web sized images.

 

Brian

 

Cheers,

 

Any info is welcome. Especially pics from inside the fuselage...

 

Here's a small update.

 

D6AFAAFB-63BA-40BF-9BAC-8B029E03038F_zps

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