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Welsh Models 757 Iron Maiden


LSP_Kevin

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Here's a quick snapshot of the current state of the Welsh Models 757.

 

0huLrf.jpg

 

The more I look at it, the less happy I am with the nose. It's much more 707-like than 757, but unless I can find some reliable drawings to work from, I'm not sure I could make it any better. Happy to give it a go if I can find something to work from, though!

 

Even without attending to the nose, the tail still needs work shape-wise, the forward wing roots need blending in, and I still need to fill the cabin windows. I'm starting to think that the Iron Maiden livery might be a bit wasted here...

 

Kev

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On 3/7/2024 at 7:05 AM, LSP_Kevin said:

Here's a quick snapshot of the current state of the Welsh Models 757.

 

0huLrf.jpg

 

The more I look at it, the less happy I am with the nose. It's much more 707-like than 757, but unless I can find some reliable drawings to work from, I'm not sure I could make it any better. Happy to give it a go if I can find something to work from, though!

 

Even without attending to the nose, the tail still needs work shape-wise, the forward wing roots need blending in, and I still need to fill the cabin windows. I'm starting to think that the Iron Maiden livery might be a bit wasted here...

 

Kev

 

Kev,

 

You are doing a good job with what appears to be a kit which is more difficult than it really should be. Don't despair! (try one that I mastered, you will notice a big difference!).

 

Derek

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1 hour ago, Derek B said:

 

Kev,

 

You are doing a good job with what appears to be a kit which is more difficult than it really should be. Don't despair! (try one that I mastered, you will notice a big difference!).

 

Derek

 

Thanks, Derek. Despite appearances, I'm actually quite enjoying tinkering with this one. I've also cut and sanded several of the other Welsh kits I have - most recently the B777. I'm pretty sure that's one of yours, yeah?

 

Kev

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16 minutes ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

Thanks, Derek. Despite appearances, I'm actually quite enjoying tinkering with this one. I've also cut and sanded several of the other Welsh kits I have - most recently the B777. I'm pretty sure that's one of yours, yeah?

 

Kev

 

The B777 wasn't one of mine, but I do like that kit as it has 'presence' (even if the fuselage had to be moulded in two separate fore and aft sections!). :)

 

If you remind me of what Welsh Models kits you have, I'll tell you which ones I mastered (probably only a few at most).

 

Derek

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13 hours ago, Derek B said:

If you remind me of what Welsh Models kits you have, I'll tell you which ones I mastered (probably only a few at most).

 

Thanks, Derek. All of the Welsh Models kits I currently have came from you, with the ironic exception of the subject of this build thread! They are as follows:

  • SL61 - B720 / 027
  • DK01 - MD-87 / B737 dual kit
  • SL59 - B707-331B/C
  • SL38 - Super VC-10
  • SL60 - B777

I actually thought there were more than that, but 7 kits all up including the dual kit and this 757. The 777 is far and away the largest of them, and it'll be interesting to compare it to the Minicraft kit, two of which I also have in the stash. Should keep me busy for a while!

 

Kev

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17 hours ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

Thanks, Derek. All of the Welsh Models kits I currently have came from you, with the ironic exception of the subject of this build thread! They are as follows:

  • SL61 - B720 / 027
  • DK01 - MD-87 / B737 dual kit
  • SL59 - B707-331B/C
  • SL38 - Super VC-10
  • SL60 - B777

I actually thought there were more than that, but 7 kits all up including the dual kit and this 757. The 777 is far and away the largest of them, and it'll be interesting to compare it to the Minicraft kit, two of which I also have in the stash. Should keep me busy for a while!

 

Kev

 

Thanks Kev. Apart from the B777, all of the rest have been made from my master patterns. Good luck.

 

Derek

Edited by Derek B
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Some more progress here. In a previous post, I mentioned that the wing box suffered from some severe asymmetry, causing the model to list to port when placed on a flat surface. This photo demonstrates:

 

du6Ofo.jpg

 

Try as I might, I couldn't get a useful photo of the area that showed the issue properly, but the evidence of it is certainly there in the photo above! Note that this really doesn't affect the sit of the model on its wheels, as the main wheel bays are still roughly the same height off the ground once the airframe is levelled. And while it's possible that I've introduced this error myself through overly aggressive differential sanding, the difference is over 1mm, and the plastic is hardly even that thick. I think it's more likely to be an error in the mastering of the kit itself.

 

I pondered for a while the wisdom of fixing it, before deciding that it was just too noticeable from certain angles to leave it alone. I decided to bulk out the problem side with plastic strip, and the first step was to determine what size was required on the outer edge to get things roughly level again:

 

1uOWxw.jpg

 

The answer was Evergreen .040" square stock (which equates to 1mm). I know it's still not completely even in the photo, but it's just roughly positioned to show the overall effect. With that bit of determination out of the way, I began cutting pieces of progressively smaller styrene strip, and building up the slope to meet the high side in the middle:

 

h6Tn2Y.jpg

 

So it starts with .040" on the outside, working down to .010" on the inside, adjacent to the middle.

 

18zHWj.jpg

 

Success:

 

jkJ1s3.jpg

 

It now just needs to be sanded smooth and blended in, which I've started doing.

 

I've also started the process of filling the windows and blending in the wing roots:

 

RbSU56.jpg

 

The wing roots won't necessarily be accurate, but they'll at least look less obviously wrong.

 

I'm hoping to get all this remedial work done by the time the engines arrive, so that once they're dealt with, it'll be ready for paint!

 

Kev

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Just finished looking through you build thread Kev.  You are doing superb work, and coming up with some clever solutions to the issues with the kit.  You are a braver man than I tackling this project!

 

Ernest

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5 hours ago, Greif8 said:

Just finished looking through you build thread Kev.  You are doing superb work, and coming up with some clever solutions to the issues with the kit.  You are a braver man than I tackling this project!

 

Ernest

 

Thanks, Ernest. Plenty more to do yet!

 

Kev

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11 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

 Nice job Kev!

Perseverance supreme...... likely a reason I haven't tackled a vac yet.

I still have a vac F7F awaiting my what if Unlimited racer conversion.

 

Hi Brian,

 

Yes, vacforms are more work than an injection moulded kit, however, if you manage to get your hands on a well made, designed and executed vacform kit, they can be a delight to build! Good luck with your F7F kit.

 

Derek

Edited by Derek B
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Some more progress with this one, with the second round of filling and sanding done to the cabin windows:

 

6OvL2Y.jpg

 

They don't have to be perfect, as the decals will disguise any minor imperfections.

 

I've also been working on blending in the modified wing box on the underside:

 

hzH58I.jpg

 

Not visible in the photo is the layer of Mr. Dissolved Putty covering the area, waiting to be sanded back. After that, it'll be a heavy brush-painted coat of Mr. Surfacer 500 to see where things are at. You can also see my attempt to blend in the forward wing roots, which is nothing like the real thing, but still more convincing than the kit representation. There's really no point trying to make this area accurate, as it's so far from reality that you'd really need to start again, but I haven't ruled out doing a bit more to it to get it closer.

 

The Bra.Z engines I ordered have also finally arrived:

 

gSSlMS.jpg

 

Still waiting on the wheels, though.

 

Kev

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Great work so far - it's amazing how a fraction of a MM can really throw things off, and the more we look, the more it seems we need to fix.  Awesome job picking and choosing which items need the attention, and which items can be left alone.  

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