Jump to content

Revell Bell X-1


Peter O

Recommended Posts

Apparently nobody actually assembled the kit before it was approved. It's a good thing I'm a dry-fitting fanatic, so I didn't discover it when it was much harder to fix.

 

If I keep going at this rate, I'm going to need some 1/1 scale Eduard color PE seat belts for my modeling chair!

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still moving right along. The basic airframe is complete.

 

x-1%20airframe%20done.jpg

 

The horizontal stab roots on the vertical fin were horrible... it took quite a bit of filing and shaping to get them passable. The original is on the right, and the modified one on the left.

 

x-1%20horizontal%20stab%20roots.jpg

 

Here are two pics of what's actually visible in the cockpit. It'll be even less with the canopy in place.

 

x-1%20cockpit%201.jpg

 

x-1%20cockpit%202.jpg

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Well, I guess I blew it :blink: Real life intervened, and I didn't get to the bench for several weeks. However, I'm now back at it. I've just finished decaling and flat coating.

 

x-1%20painted%201.jpg

 

x-1%20painted%202.jpg

 

The markings represent the #2 X-1 when it made the first powered flight of the X-1 program. On 9 Dec 1946, Chalmers "Slick" Goodlin piloted 46-063 to 35,000 feet and Mach 0.75 (510mph).

 

The orange is Polly Scale 505356 "Soviet Brown #2 ~32473", which seems to match the pumpkin color well. The decals are from Cutting Edge's X-1 sheet. I'll have to fix the Bell logo on the port side of the nose; it folded on itself, and nothing I could do would budge it. I'll either use the decal from the kit, or ALPS print a new one. Fortunately, because of my ham-handedness, I always scan a decal sheet before using it.

 

6063 was subsequently converted into the X-1E by NACA, and made the last flight of a first-generation X-1 on 6 Nov 1958. I've got the Cutting Edge X-1E conversion and decal to build that version also.

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finished!

 

I did not accent the control surfaces, since they're quite boldly scribed and show up well under ambient light. This flight is early in the X-1 program, so I added only light weathering, mostly to the landing gears and around access panels.

 

The white area represents frost that formed adjacent to the LOX tank. The frost encircled the fuselage when the tank was full, and often did not completely melt until after the aircraft landed. I would have liked a more feathered edge, but it's not bad for a first attempt.

 

This didn't end up being the quick build I thought it would be, but it was fun. I guess it wasn't really that long. I spent a week waiting for the pumpkin colored paint, since there aren't any LHSs that carry Polly Scale. Then came the ice storm, and my mother had to move in with us for 6 days till her power came back on. Without those minor interruptions, it would've been a 2-week build instead of a month :)

 

Peter

 

x-1%20complete%201.jpg

 

x-1%20complete%202.jpg

 

x-1%20complete%203.jpg

 

x-1%20complete%204.jpg

 

x-1%20complete%205.jpg

 

x-1%20complete%206.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...