Model #3: Amodel Rutan Voyager 1:72

The Voyager flight had such an impact on my life that I simply couldn't wait to build this model. The aircraft's appearance is stunning in its elegance, and its story is inspirational. Unfortunately, it's not a popular model kit, and unless you're going to scratch build one, the Amodel version is about your only choice.

For those unfamiliar with the Voyager, it was a plane designed by the legendary Burt Rutan for the sole purpose of flying around the world, non-stop, on a single tank of fuel.

Circumnavigating the globe in an airplane had been done as far back as 1924, and a non-stop circumnavigation had been accomplished as early as 1949 using aerial refueling. But the feat of making a non-stop flight without assistance was truly an aviation milestone.

I followed the Voyagers flight as closely as possible, and as up-to-the-minute as 1980's technology allowed. The flight was a significant technological achievement, and proof that man has limitless potential. (And I don't think it's coincidental that a project this historic and revolutionary was funded entirely by private funds.) The impression the Voyager left on me is a big reason why I'm in aviation today.

As the Voyager was designed for a specific purpose, pilot comfort and safety were secondary, if not non-existent, priorities. The plane's poor handling and cramped space did not impress pilot Dick Rutan: "I got to really hate this airplane. I felt not only was it not going to work, but I would probably die in it."

This turned out to be exactly how I felt about building the model.

Frankly, even with my limited experience, I could tell this was a poorly manufactured kit. This accurate review posted by Fine Scale Modeler user EZSnapes sums it up:

"Overall the kit is crude. The parts are poorly molded with rough surfaces and poor fit. I have never spent so much time filling gaps and sanding a 1/72 model. The kit is also inaccurate in many ways. I corrected several small errors, most notably the front prop. Even though the fuselage is too flat, there is no mistaking the craft for what it is."

There's not much left to say. The model is a disaster with regards to just about everything. Check out the heavy flashing on the sprue (and take note of the cockpit piece on the right):

As you can see, you'll get a workout in the cutting and sanding department. Frankly, I don't think a single joint went together correctly on this model. That cockpit panel in the above pic was far too small to fit in the opening on the fuselage, so I had to get creative with the Window Maker:

The side windows had the opposite problem: The openings on the fuselage were much too small to fit the plastic windows. After many passes with the hobby knife, I gave up and filled them with the clear goop.

The instructions for this model are, uh, spartan.

Notice where the outboard tips of the canards connect with the booms. Despite their different positions, this is exactly where the slots were placed for connection: [UPDATE 11-29-2014: This is exactly where the slots were because that's exactly where they're supposed to be. In the book Voyager, Dick Rutan writes: "The aircraft's apparent symmetry is misleading. The right boom tank extends beyond the canard; its tip encloses the radar antennae."]

This was my first attempt at using a filler and sanding, and I used white putty from Squadron Products. It seemed a little dry while spreading on, but it sanded easily. My technique improved on later models.

In the end, there was simply too much fuss and frustration on this model and I couldn't finish it fast enough. The decals were difficult to apply, and the stand was flimsy (I cut the post in half which seemed to stiffen it up). I was more than happy to stop fiddling with this kit, and my bad attitude shows up in the final result:

 

Fighting until the end, this thing wasn't even easy to photograph. Here's a close-up of the main body:

This model wasn't fun at all, especially for a beginner on their third project. But this is such an amazing aircraft with an amazing story that I feel compelled to do it justice in the future. I look forward to rebuilding this kit once I have more experience under my belt. I've seen other hobbyists successfully build beautiful versions, so I know it can be done. For me, my next attempt at Voyager will have to wait until I have a dedicated workshop, and vast amounts of free time available. But when that happens I'm looking forward to getting this one done right.


Happy building!


While the Glue is Drying:

Some may note that I built the model showing the winglets. In fact the tips didn't make the journey, as a result of damage during takeoff as the fuel-laden wings scraped along the runway. This video showing the event is well worth watching:

Model #2: Revell F4U-4 Corsair 1:48

The Vought F4U is one of the most distinct planes of the WWII era and its striking lines make it hard to pass up for hobbyists. The inverted gull wings make the F4U easy to pick out from a mile away. The plane's significance as an integral part of Pappy Boyington's famed Black Sheep squadron makes this an irresistible candidate for a scale model build.

Every little boy knows the Revell name, and the reason why was obvious as soon as I opened the box. The parts were easy to identify on the sprue and the directions were clear. The design was complicated compared to my previous model, but the manageable size made this project far more enjoyable to put together.

One of the cool things about this model was the true-to-life folding wings. Unfortunately, I couldn't make mine work. Despite the overall quality of the model, the "hinges" for the wings were inadequate and unaligned. The tapered fit between the wing and fuselage didn't work either. After a ton of sanding and cutting, I was able to make them work (fold up and down). That said, the design was so flimsy, after a few rotations, both wings ended up breaking off.

I suspect a more experienced modeler would have been more successful, but that wasn't the case with me.

Here you can see my original (cutting) efforts at creating clearance for the wings to oscillate, and also the final solution of heavy glue to keep them attached to the rest of the model:

Although seemingly as delicate as the wing joints, the operable doors for the tailwheel are still working spot on. The wheel (and hook) both operate with a full range of motion and can be stowed away:

I also had a problem with the canopy. There was simply no way for this to fit. It either fit one half of the cockpit with a gap on the other (starboard) side, or it smooshed down on the pilots head and fell underneath the airframe. Luckily, I had picked up some of Testors clear parts cement and I was able to fill it in. Not a bad fix for a second timer!

The Corsair F4U is heavily armed, and I had fun building and painting the various missiles and bombs (with varying degrees of success):

 

I hand brushed Testors Burnt Iron for the cylinder heads and I liked the effect (Yes: I probably should have dusted her off before taking pics):

I'm pretty satisfied with the final product:

From the front, showing off the infamously massive 13-1/2 foot Hamilton Standard prop:

In conclusion, I had a lot of fun building this Corsair. The 1:48 was a much more agreeable scale to my skill level. In consideration of my space requirements and talent level I decided at this point to stick with the scale. For whatever reason, I actually enjoyed overcoming some of the minor obstacles I encountered on this build. I was excited to figure out a fix for the window. I didn't let the wing problems get the better of me, because things break, and this ain't going in a museum.

I struggled with painting the "frame" supports on the canopy, but it taught me that I needed better tools and I now own a fine set of size 0 and similar brushes for all sorts of detail work. I've noticed since this build that my knowledge grows exponentially with each project.

I screwed up the decals and selected a poor choice of paint color. I'm over it. I had a lot of fun building this one and it still looks great on the shelf.

Happy building!

Jeff


While The Glue is Drying:

This guy over at ARC built this model right. And he got his wings to work!

Model #1: Minicraft Catalina PBY-5A 1:144

[Note: This is one of the models I built prior to deciding I wanted to create a scale modeling blog. As such, the pictures and information are limited. I'm including this model (and post) for the purposes of maintaining a chronological order of my modeling hobby. Subsequent posts will have more detailed information. Enjoy!]

Minicraft Catalina PBY-5A 1:144

This Catalina PBY represents my first entrance into the scale modeling hobby. It's a storied plane with an amazing history, and it's certainly worth a build. However, it's clear to me now that starting off the hobby by attempting a 1:144 scale (of anything) was much too ambitious, and as the results indicate, far beyond my skill level. The scale is simply too small for a beginner to work with.
 
Regardless, I learned quite a bit. The most important lesson on this model was to avoid getting discouraged. Sometimes things don't fit. Sometimes instructions are written poorly. Scale models are no different than life. Don't stop because it's not perfect. Don't ignore it because it doesn't make sense. Don't give up if the end product looks like crap. This model was a disaster, but I didn't let that bother me (too much). I figured my next model would look better (and it did). 

Another valuable lesson learned was to feel comfortable ignoring the instructions. I thought it was lame to have a .50 caliber machine gun hidden behind glass. I went ahead and used an exacto blade to poke a hole through the window to give it some life:

Remember: This is your model. It's going in your home. You have to look at it. The folks that write up the directions are not your overlords. Feel free to ignore them.

Otherwise, this model was tough for a beginner. As you can see, it was difficult to get the eyeball turret to properly align (the rest of the model had similar results): 


 
Finally, this model is tail heavy. If I did it again I'd put some weight in the nose. I found out too late that the nose gear opening was too small to add a bb or two:

Here's the final product. I declined to add decals, though it came with plenty. I used Model Master Flat Sea Blue but applied it (incorrectly and heavily) with a brush. I think it's a beautiful color and I wouldn't hold my shoddy work against it.

Another angle showing the heavy rear end:

In the end, this was a difficult build for a beginner. It truly tried my patience and could have easily turned me off of the modeling hobby. But I won't hold that against Minicraft or the 1:144 scale as a whole. I suspect my grief was a result of my own lack of skill, tools, and experience. I've advanced somewhat in the hobby since I built this plane and I'm looking forward to building it in a 1:48.

The 1:144 has it's place in aviation models, but "first timers" is not it.

Happy Building!

Jeff


While The Glue is Drying:
 
If you want an example of how awesome this same model can be, check out this guys post over at Modeling Madness. He has some great links to the history of the PBY as well.