Chris's alternative Luftwaffe

NARSES2 · September 27, 2015, 08:18:52 AM

I've got started on the Fw 187 and so far it's going well. It's one of MPM/Special Hobbies latter kits before they became almost mainstream in quality. If they had location pins (and some new ones may have ?) then they would be mainstream if still limited run if that makes sense ? The plastics is harder then earlier kits and comes of the sprue with a disconcerting "snap". No problem though as it cleans up, sands in particular, far easier and better then the old style soft plastic. Still a reasonable complement of etch and resin parts but the canopy and underside window is injection and fits a treat. I didn't know about that window or the rear seater so this model is teaching me things as we go along. The etch is much as you expect and nothing that has been done for show as such although I doubt if you will see the rudder pedals even through that window

The resin ? Good quality but some of it would have been injection moulded in their newer kits. Likewise some of the individual parts would have been cast integrally on their newer kits.

So here's the bits

It's going together very well (so far). The fit of those parts I've put together has been very good and there will only be a minimum of cleanup. This is one of the best MPM/Special Hobby kits 'I've put together so far.

Here's the bits done so far and a close shot of the cockpit. You really can see that the back seater was an afterthought when you build this. He had no leg room at all and I doubt if he could have contributed much. Indeed I may try for another and build as a dedicated single seater, maybe the Fw 287 ?

That was done yesterday and this morning. After lunch I got some of the bits fitted. The engine nacelles are a great fit. The cockpit goes into the fuselage a treat. How many times have you built a wonderful cockpit and the darned thing won't fit ?

What's far more important is that the fuselage fits together around the cockpit very well. Unless the wing/fuselage joint is poor then clean up on this will be pretty minimal, especially by limited run standards

NARSES2 · September 27, 2015, 08:23:14 AM

I must admit whilst building this I've noticed how very Pucara like the front end is. Did Tank have anything to do with that aircraft's early design ?

PR19_Kit · September 27, 2015, 11:11:47 AM

That cockpit looks terrific Chris, looing forward to the rest of the build.

Captain Canada · September 27, 2015, 12:21:35 PM

Nice looking kit and great job so far Chris ! That cockpit does look superb...good stuff. No idea about your query regarding the design, but looking at it, you have a point !

NARSES2 · September 28, 2015, 06:42:07 AM

Test fitted the wing/fuselage joint and it's superb. Might even get away without filler

She will need some as my eyesight gives me problems lining fusalages up when they don't have pins - mind you even with pins sometimes

. I'd meant to use the old vacform trick of plastic card tabs but forgot. Got the engine nacelles done and again they are a great fit, the internals to them, bulkhead and radiator front, don't affect the fit at all.

So far this is one of the best limited run kits I've built (touching all the wood available) with the only slightly annoying thing being the shiny plastic it's moulded in. Reminds me of Sword kits for some reason.

Dizzyfugu · September 28, 2015, 08:44:05 AM

Nice! Looking forward for more progress on the 187, a sleek aircraft.

NARSES2 · September 29, 2015, 07:31:47 AM

Progress is continuing. I'm trying to only work on this kit rather than a multiple as usual so we shall see how long that lasts

The fuselage and engine nacelles were exceptional fits for a limited run kit and just needed a couple of spots of filler. So small I used super glue/talc/accelerator and cleaned it up in a jiffy. Quick sand of the seams and then ran a silver felt tip down them. This revealed that there are a couple of spots that need a little more sanding but that is it

The wing will need some filler at both the leading and trailing edge fit to the fuselage but not much. Probably get away with a gentle sanding and then some PPP. Test fit the engine nacelles to wings and again they are excellent. Will need some PPP but that is it. Also got the canopy and the underside window masked up and again a trial fit is

Mossie · September 29, 2015, 07:57:17 AM

Like the subject Chris.

Needs to go in a Dogfight Double with a Gloster Reaper!

NARSES2 · September 30, 2015, 06:47:04 AM

First bit of serious filing/sanding - if you can call a couple of minutes serious. The engine nacelle to stub bit on the wing although a perfectly tight/square fit leaves a prominent join on top as the wing part is about 2mm higher than the separate nacelle. Not a problem as 2 minutes with a file and then my home made emery boards fixed it. The join is on a panel line so it just needs to be level off as the join line becomes the panel line. Sorted it, spot primed it and it needs a gentle sand.

I made a couple of new boards for this join as the access was a bit narrow. I use wooden coffee stirrers fitted with £1 store double sided sticky tape which has a 2mm padded layer between the stickies and to this I attach emery paper

The padding gives you the same amount of give as most of the store bought sanding sticks and is far cheaper plus you can make the sander as wide/narrow/long/short as you want

The sticky tape comes in a pack with multiple double sided sticky pads which when attached to a peg are excellent for holiding picese you are working on. Can be used multiple times as it is very sticky. Excellent product

Anyway a couple more pics

All tied up with no where to go

After first sanding with silver painted to identify any problems

Example of the good fit throughout the kit. The mucky bit under the paint (and silver shows a hair up) is down to glue problems rather than the kit

Captain Canada · September 30, 2015, 07:02:56 AM

Looks like you're going all Dizzyfugu on us getting so much work done so quickly ! Looking really good Chris.

And thanks for the tip on the padded sticky tape, what an excellent idea that is, for both the sanding sticks and holding parts !

NARSES2 · October 03, 2015, 06:20:59 AM

Right the wing fuselage joint is excellent on the upper surface and just a slight problem on the lower wing root to fuselage join. I get that on most of my models

Just needed a little talc/super glue on that and a touch of PPP on the forward joint. Took about 10 mins to sort.

All sorted out now and painting will commence Monday

The upper join

The lower one

This would be an excellent first time build of a limited run kit

Captain Canada · October 03, 2015, 06:27:30 AM

Great work Chris, like you said the upper join looks excellent ! Looking forward to seeing some paint on her.

RAFF-35 · October 03, 2015, 11:25:52 AM

Fantastic work so far, I really can't wait to see paint on it

love this plane too

NARSES2 · October 07, 2015, 06:36:14 AM

Well I've got her 3 main colours on and we will see what they look like when the masking comes off latter - fingers crossed.

I've been concerned that the undercarriage mounting points - if you can call them that - would not support the undercarriage in a way that would allow it to support the aircraft, so I've bitten the bullet and fabricated something which should offer far more support and looks fairly realistic

NARSES2 · October 08, 2015, 07:58:23 AM

65-----02-----71 What's my number ? Oh Yeaaaa

That's the last pics now until she's finished. I'm not going to tell you how long it took to get them up to Photobucket and to here today

. I know my pc is slightly old (3

) and is slow compared to more modern ones but it was ridiculous today. It's their flippin adverts

I wish they knew that I avoid any product that websites advertise that then has the effect of slowing my pc down.

Anyway transfers at the weekend. I'm definitely thinking of another one. Fw 287 ? Engines and rearwards pointing guns from an Me 410 ? I'm also convinced that this bird was the great grandfather of the Pucarra !