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ZM Skyraider


Scotsman

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Those of you following brian's ZM Skyraider build were wondering just how big the completed kit is , well my wife ambushed me last night , while I was shooting a guide coat on my assembled model, So this should give you an idea of the size of the finished kit..

 

Oh and it appears I am now officially fat.. AARG...

 

DSCF0657.jpg

 

And possesed of the worlds most untidy workbench .. Still.....!

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Thanks for the size shot....impressive indeed!.....workbench looks pretty normal to me..

When I start mine, think I'll have a taste of Drambuie to celebrate....;)

 

Happy modeling,

Jim

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Poppycock!

 

You are not fat. Well, At least not as rotund as I am.

 

Your work bench is the epitome of neatness for a working modeling area. It is not necessary to be a neat freak to enjoy your life. As a matter of fact I'm still searching for my workbench which is lost somewhere in the basement. I sent out a safari to find it but all they have come up with so far is a certain Doctor Livingston. However, I am optimistic that they will find it, if the lions, tigers and bears do not get them first. I lose more gun bearers down there.

 

Also, I love the filing system you use for your book shelves. Dewey decimal system, right? Just like mine. Except my shelves were made using 1" x 12" lumber so I have two rows of books, one in front of the other on the same shelves. Lord knows what books are in the back layer because I surely do not.

 

I see nothing in your photograph about which to apologize.

Stephen

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Out of curiosity, how did your ZM wing folds work out?

 

If you made them work, do they work properly and reliably?

 

More importantly, how big/close are the gaps when the wings are folded down?

 

Cheers,

Brian

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You are reversing the law of entropy! Out of the chaos of the workbench comes the order and organization of a nicely crafted model! I'm currently working on the same kit. My wings work as advertised but I added shims at the forward edge of each inner wing to try to make the seam look in scale.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

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Thanks for the comments guys ,

 

I couldn't get the wings to operate reliably and not really being a fan of folded wings I've locked them down .. ah well, there's always next time!

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I am the same with mine. It was a good stab at articulating them but it just does not work - the plastic is just not strong enough and the fit is just not perfect enough.

 

I see you had the same problem with those very fragile bits that you really cannot avoid breaking during construction..... Over to good old stretched sprue.

Edited by BarryWilliams
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Thanks for the comments guys ,

 

I couldn't get the wings to operate reliably and not really being a fan of folded wings I've locked them down .. ah well, there's always next time!

 

Thanks for the reply Scotsman. :)

 

I am the same with mine. It was a good stab at articulating them but it just does not work - the plastic is just not strong enough and the fit is just not perfect enough.

 

I see you had the same problem with those very fragile bits that you really cannot avoid breaking during construction..... Over to good old stretched sprue.

 

I have seen the wing folds work as advertised but the gaps created were not very scale looking, and certainly would not be contest acceptable. Also (as I was looking at the ZM demo model at the time and Im sure it got its fair share of wear) even if the gaps were filled with the wings working, it looked like the ZM demo model wings were starting to get "floppy". I also think with the extra weight (and ZM demo model had NONE) of the loadouts, this will also contribute to the wing folds getting floppy even faster.

 

Looks good from here. I think they over engineered the wingfolds as they like to do with their kits.It's a pity that it does not work as they had planned.

 

Yes. The kit is indeed IMHO over engineered. So far I have eliminated many steps (and a lot of time) already locking down the dive brakes. This is not a cut on ZM or the Spad, as I really like both, im just not that into folded wings or fiddly things that would never show in the position Im displaying it in; im also with Scotsman here that I dont really like the look of folded wings, as I think they destroy the look of the airframe. I would only have employed the wing folds to utilize extra space in my hanger - AKA display shelves.

 

I will definitely be gluing my wings in the down position.

 

Brian

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Hi again

 

Well its nice to know I'm not alone with my wingfold woes , the only kit I can recall with working features that held together porperly was the old tamiya F-14 , the wing sweep mechanism worked a treat , mainly becuase of the metal bearings and re-enforcing plate , without that level of sophistication , moving features simply don't hold together

 

As regards the build and the all the internal detail , I was dubious as well, but the wisdon of incorporating the bulkheads/wing spars shows up in the robustness of the final model, the thought of adding in the upper fusalage insert without the benefit of the rigity inherent due to all the internal bulkheads would be scary , and dammed near impossible

 

The overall fit I've got to say has been excellent , ZM are like Tamiya in one respect , if it dosen't fit , you've got it wrong, every time something didn't line up , it was my fault .. simple as that .

 

As regards entropy .. well I'm an untidy wretch my only excuse is that my wife is worse than me as regards tidying up.. so I get a way with a LOT more than I should!!

 

To get back to ZM .. if your in the UK ,DO NOT order directly from ZM , wait , or if possible buy from within Europe .

 

I took delivery of the ZM markings for the 2 GSB options , total order cost from Japan , a fairly heart stopping £30($48 or so) - ok that's a lot , but hey I want a blue AD-6,

 

So yesterday afternoon they were in at the Post Office, where I had to fork out another £20 , £6.60 VAT, and £13.50 customs clearance charge , mostly because they sent the decals sheet in a box that could held the entire kit... making thet total order £50 ... Ouch.. MOST EXPENSIVE DECALS EVER!, if they had sent then in a small jiffy bag, they would have gone through wihout being noticed!

 

Still never mind , its GSB for me .. tonight we paint!.. I love the smell of enamale paint in the evening!

 

PS - Eli.. the Decals are in a nice filing cabinet organised by scale, subject and period .. they are too expensive to leave lying around! especially my CE F-4 sheets .. tee hee.... :coolio:

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To get back to ZM .. if your in the UK ,DO NOT order directly from ZM , wait , or if possible buy from within Europe .

 

 

You're so right! I've been badly burnt as well when I got my ZM goodies! Ouch!

 

The main problem is that accessories are generally not imported by the ZM resellers. No problem to find the kits but the situation is totally different for all the accessories.

 

With regard to the decals, my conclusion is simple: ask a company to do customs decals/masks even if the decals exist! We'll get the same or even a better result for a far lower price.

 

It is stupid but as far as ZM does not change its policy to distribute its items and/or its postal policy, this will become the best strategy!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi again,

If you are looking for an interesting load on a Vietnam Skyraider, here is one.

Skyraider-1.jpg

Skyraider-3.jpg

skyraider-2.jpg

I often wonder what Charlie thought of when he discovered the remains of this after the bombing attack. :lol:

Stephen

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