Tupolev 57

[McGreig]

This shows the tailplanes and fins adapted from the Mitchell. The fin and rudder is a slightly odd shape on the 57 and I'm not sure if I've quite got it but I am sure that I'm not going to go back and change it now (see above re lazy modelling  :zzz: )  

[McGreig]

A final photo for now, showing the overall shape with the canopies tacked in place to see how they fit. It also shows the substantial amount of filling and sanding necessary to get to this stage. And it's not over yet    - I still have to fix the wings to the fuselage and blend in the wing roots, there are various flaws on the wings themselves (that don't show up in the photo) and the Plasticart engine cowlings  will each require a reasonable amount of work. Still, I can now see the shape of the finished model, so some progress is being made.

[Mike Wren]

great work so far...    

[Brian da Basher]

That's some wonderful progress you're making McG! I can see the look of this bird now and I like it!

Brian da Bashewr

[Daryl J.]

Looks good!  

Daryl J.

[McGreig]

Slow but steady progress. After a lot more filling and sanding, the wings are now fixed permanently to the fuselage and the engine cowlings have been assembled. This is the 57 after its first coat of primer.

[McGreig]

After a second coat of primer everything is starting to blend together and the whole thing is now looking much more cohesive. The primer has identified a lot of small gaps and flaws, mostly around the wing roots and leading edges, but these should be fairly easy, if tedious, to deal with and there don't appear to be any problems arising from the major surgery to the wings and engine nacelles.  

[McGreig]

I'm happy with it so far. On the one hand, if I'd really thought about how much PSR was going to be needed, I'm not sure that I'd have started. On the other hand, the project has been helped by the crude nature of the basic kits - I think that the PSR on this is nothing to what it would have been if I'd started with two of the more sophisticated, but not very well fitting, ICM kits.

[Daryl J.]

That could be pulled off as real.   Nice!


Daryl J.

[Brian da Basher]

That's some stunning progress, McG! It's looking great!

Brian da Basher

[Maverick]

Neat work so far McG.  I tend to agree on the choice of kits.  The ICMs are nicely detailed but a bugger to actually put together.

Regards,

Mav