Zoltravia: Making the box frothers cry since 1946.

[puddingwrestler]

Okay, I have a fiendish plan.
It involves a tri-motored Zoltravian heavy fighter (possibly a turret fighter).
It also involves collectors and horders of old kits.
Specifically, making them cry.
It also involves a Macchi MC.200.
A Revell Macchi MC.200.
One with Copyright 1966 on the instructions and still in it's original box (although not bags).
It will be a wonderous creation! Wonderous I say!

[puddingwrestler]

The following ingredients will *probably* go into building the Zoltravian Trimotor heavy fighter codenamed 'Zosta Krastenko' (Magic Carpet):

From Revell GB in 1966: Most of a Macchi MC.200 Saetta.
From Airfix in the dim past: The engine nacelles from a Beaufighter TFX.
From Airfix in the dim past: The turret from a Blenheim MK.IV if it fits.
From Academy in the 90s: The might engines of a F6F Hellcat (or maybe a P-47: the parts were in the F6F box, but they might be from one of the army of Academy P-47s I have around, I'm not sure.)

And here are pictures of them:


I assure you, the Blenheim turret is on the box, but being clear is hard to spot.

I will be using resin to duplicate the mighty engines.
I will be scratch building wings.
I will possibly go insane. (cries of 'GO??' from the peanut gallery)
I will probably mount it to Revell's nifty little flight stand.
Further details remain mysterious.

[proditor]

Well, you've got my attention!  This looks like just the right sort of crazy.   

[puddingwrestler]

You are inferring that there is a wrong sort of crazy...

[puddingwrestler]

I started to cast the cowling and engine assembly last night, just waiting for the mold to dry.
I've also started work on the wings; the basic shapes are about 90% finished. I carved the cores from balsa sheet and sheathed them in plasticard. I've added solid plasticard trailing edges to allow a much thinner edge. I still need to cover the leading edges and sand things smooth, then add control surfaces etc.
I've also cut the engine nacelles from the Beaufighter wing, glued them together and test placed them on the wing. I'll need to make several mods to the nacelles and wings to get them to fit properly.
I've taken pics, and I'll try to get them online, but my home computer is a bit out of commission at present.

Zor Zladenko!

[proditor]

You are inferring that there is a wrong sort of crazy...

Hmmm...good point. 

The descriptions are good, so I'll wait patiently for pics. 

[puddingwrestler]

A powerful and perfidious powersource!

Seen here in parts; Macchi Mc.200 cowling, P-47 or something engine, and plastic tube spacer ring.

And here in it's assembled form, ready for mold making. I made the mold, and it's currently gassing-out before I make some casts tonight.

Here are the carved balsa wing cores.

Here's the partially completed wing blu-tacked to the fuselage and with the engine nacelle test fitted.
I hope to get the wings basically completed along with the new engines cast up tonight.

Zor Zladenko!

[rickshaw]

Mmm, pusher radials?

You have allowed for large intake(s) on the front of the engine, where they meet the nacelle for cooling air to flow over the cylinders?

'cause otherwise they'll overheat, before it gets off the ground.  If you want to understand what I'm talking about, look at the leading edge of the B-36 wing.  Each radial engine has huge slots in the leading edge to allow cooling air to flow over the engine cylinders and out the back,

[puddingwrestler]

Like I said, the wings nacelles are only in the mock-up stage. I'll be adding ruddy great intakes.

Cast the first resin engine this morning, but I have not de-molded it yet.

[Taiidantomcat]

awesome work! 

[puddingwrestler]

The Arch Duke Zlad armarments factory is gearing up again after a delay and the wings are back on the bench. I skinned and puttied the leading edges last night and this morning, ready for intense PSR this evening...