Airfix 1/144 Tristar - BA

[LSP_Kevin]

At this risk of market saturation, I'm continuing to launch more small-scale airliner builds, in preparation for having a series of them I can work on throughout the year, helping to smooth the way for a much more productive modelling year in 2021 than I've had in years.

 

This one might be small scale, but Airfix's 1/144 Tristar still makes for quite a large model. The kit is quite old now, and the battered box on my copy has certainly seen better days!

 

 

And just like with my concurrent Airfix Trident build, I'll be replacing the kit decals with a similar BA livery from 26 Decals:

 

 

Not only has the box seen better days, but so has the plastic itself, with both fuselage halves suffering from a rather dramatic outward bow:

 

 

You can't see it in the photo, but they do eventually meet up again at the tail. Some heavy-duty clamping required there!

 

Again, much like the Trident, this one is peppered with (even more) ill-fitting access doors:

 

 

Here's a close-up to give you an idea of the work in store to get them to look good:

 

 

I'll be breaking out the epoxy putty fairly soon, I reckon. And how to deal with all those open window holes?

 

Stay tuned to find out!

 

Kev

[LSP_K2]

Excellent. I love that particular scheme. Did it in 1:100, in fact.

[The Madhatter]

 A classic aircraft and in the best scheme too! As for the windows, the best method I've seen is to roll up a sausage of  milliput and line it up against the windows on the inside then press it till the milliput squeezes through the windows and then trim them flush. Because it doesn't shrink like regular putty, it'll stay put. 

Looking forward to the next update 

Edited January 22, 2021 by The Madhatter
Spelling

[LSP_Kevin]

40 minutes ago, The Madhatter said:

 A classic aircraft and in the best scheme too! As for the windows, the best method I've seen is to roll up a sausage of  milliput and line it up against the windows on the inside then press it till the milliput squeezes through the windows and then trim them flush. Because it doesn't shrink like regular putty, it'll stay put. 

Looking forward to the next update 

 

I'll be experimenting with a number of approaches across my builds, just to ascertain the pros and cons of each; think of it as a vast, expensive, no-holds-barred scientific experiment to elevate modelling everywhere. Or not.

 

Kev

[LSP_Ron]

Can't you just lay the window decals over the open windows?  That is what I was planning to do with my Revell 747-400

[LSP_Kevin]

18 minutes ago, LSP_Ron said:

Can't you just lay the window decals over the open windows?  That is what I was planning to do with my Revell 747-400

 

You can if they come in a long, self-supporting strip of some kind, but not if they're individual windows (though the latter is admittedly rare). But I don't like the way that looks, as you can generally see the outline of the window opening through the decal. And in the situation where there are no cheat colours, the window decals have to at least be exactly the same size (or larger), shape, and spacing as the kit openings, or the decals won't cover them.

 

A thing that Airfix does is supply a small plastic punch, shaped to fit through the window holes. The idea is that, rather than using the supplied clear parts, you overlay the decals over the open holes as you suggest, and then punch through them with the provided tool to open up the windows. You're then supposed to use something like Kristal Kleer to fill in the holes to provide a glass look. I did it this way on my first-ever airliner build - an Airfix Caravelle - and I thought it looked awful.

 

Best just to fill them in, I reckon.

 

Kev

[LSP_Ron]

Well my Ed Force One decals arrived and they confirm your advise to the tee. The strongly recommend filling all window becuase the decals likely will not line up simply from changes in humidity and stretch.   I like Madhatter's suggestion, hopefully my Milliput hasn't dried out.

[LSP_Kevin]

49 minutes ago, LSP_Ron said:

Well my Ed Force One decals arrived and they confirm your advise to the tee. The strongly recommend filling all window becuase the decals likely will not line up simply from changes in humidity and stretch.   I like Madhatter's suggestion, hopefully my Milliput hasn't dried out.

 

What kit are you using them on, Ron? If it's the Minicraft kit, it doesn't have any window holes in the fuselage anyway.

 

Kev

[LSP_Ron]

The Revell one.  It has all the windows molded open but no glass other than the wind screen.

[LSP_Kevin]

1 hour ago, LSP_Ron said:

The Revell one.  It has all the windows molded open but no glass other than the wind screen.

 

I didn't realise that Revell did a 757, and I can't find any information about it. Perhaps you're doing the "Book of Souls" 747 instead, Ron?

 

Kev

[LSP_Ron]

I am doing the 747-400 Kev, did I post 757 at one point

 

I'll start a thread once I start the kit.  My Miliput is as hard as a rock so I need to go to the LHS this weekend.

[LSP_Kevin]

23 minutes ago, LSP_Ron said:

I am doing the 747-400 Kev, did I post 757 at one point

 

I'll start a thread once I start the kit.  My Miliput is as hard as a rock so I need to go to the LHS this weekend.

 

No, I just assumed that when you mentioned you'd bought the decals, they were for one of the 757s. I'm looking forward to seeing what the V1 decals for "Book of Souls" are like. I have the Revell boxing of the kit that provides them in the box:

 

 

Kev

[LSP_K2]

My buddy just informed me that the Eastern Express L-1011 is actually OK. I don't know why I had a different idea.

[Alex]

On both the Zvezda jetliner kits I've done (737 and 787) I have filled all the windows, one by one, with Krystal Klear at the end of the build.  I really like the way it looks - much more "real" than decal windows.  However, having this work well depends on the plastic being quite thin, so the stuff doesn't meniscus in as it dries and create a "sunken" window.  It looks like the plastic on your airfix kit is pretty thick, so it might have to be thinned from the inside to facilitate this.  Regardless, decal windows can also look very good and I'm happy using them on kits like Minicraft's that don't mold windows into the fuselage.

 

Speaking of big models, that 747 is going to wind up taking quite a bit of shelf space when you get it built.  I leave my 1:144 787 (in Norwegian Airlines livery) on a shelf next to a 377 Stratocruiser in the same scale because it's such a great illustration of how damn big modern widebody jets actually are...

[LSP_Kevin]

31 minutes ago, Alex said:

On both the Zvezda jetliner kits I've done (737 and 787) I have filled all the windows, one by one, with Krystal Klear at the end of the build.  I really like the way it looks - much more "real" than decal windows.  However, having this work well depends on the plastic being quite thin, so the stuff doesn't meniscus in as it dries and create a "sunken" window.  It looks like the plastic on your airfix kit is pretty thick, so it might have to be thinned from the inside to facilitate this.  Regardless, decal windows can also look very good and I'm happy using them on kits like Minicraft's that don't mold windows into the fuselage.

 

I've done it this way exactly, on an Airfix Caravelle, and had exactly the problems you described. The Kristal Klear dried concave, and looked awful. I swore I'd never do it that way again!

 

Kev