Time to bite the bullet....

[Mossie]

There're are some plans in the Beverley thread, but have photobucketed so you might not be able to see them.
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=4860.45

[PR19_Kit]

For an aeroplane whose usual passengers only had one way tickets, the Bev has a surprising number of portholes, 10 on the lower deck and 12 on the upper deck. Mikro-Mir obviously got fed up with engraving their tools with all these holes and just didn't bother with five of them on the starboard side....

The only review I've found of this kit mentions that the builder drilled the portholes out rather than use the decals supplied, and so who am I to go against such wisdom?

The holes turn out to be 1.8 mm dia, and I pilot drilled them 1 mm to start with after centre punching each hole. It didn't quite work out as my 1mm drills turned to be have been made from plasticine as both of them bent at 90 degrees! But it's all done now, apart from the three holes that I 'drifted' out of position  and which will have to be filled and re-drilled.

Once the palm of my right hand has recovered anyway...



Note the bent pilot drills nestled between the fuselage halves.

[kerick]

I've had small bits snap in two but never bend like that. Cheap steel?
The Bev is interesting.

[Pellson]

Yes, the drills surprise me too. A lot, actually.

[zenrat]

I've got a set of cheap drills which do that. 

How big is the model?  Can we get a pic with a scale reference object please.

[PR19_Kit]

The Scale Reference Cat is otherwise engaged at present (He's asleep.....or claims to be...) and won't be moved, but in case an absolute reference will do, the Bev is about 8.5" long (or 215 mm for those Imperially challenged...)

'Steel' may be a trifle of an exaggeration to describe the material that those drills were made from.

[zenrat]

The Scale Reference Cat is otherwise engaged at present (He's asleep.....or claims to be...) and won't be moved, but in case an absolute reference will do, the Bev is about 8.5" long (or 215 mm for those Imperially challenged...)

'Steel' may be a trifle of an exaggeration to describe the material that those drills were made from.

Thanks Kit.  <holds hands so far apart> Smaller than I expected.

Maybe your drills were made of a similar material to that many motorcycle manufacturers used to made machine screws  - a form of brittle cheese.

[PR19_Kit]

It's only 1/144 scale.

[zenrat]

It's only 1/144 scale.

Yes, but I thought it was still a large aircraft.

[JayBee]

Ye Gods, a 1/144 scale 1mm drill. What next! 

[NARSES2]

Ye Gods, a 1/144 scale 1mm drill. What next! 

Oh very god Jim 

Must admit I'm very surprised that both of those drills have bent at what looks to be exactly the same point in the shank and at the same angle ? Can only assume that they just weren't hardened and tempered ? Or they've simply used "mild" steel rather than tool or HS steel ?

[Gondor]

Those are ridiculous drill bits. Hope you still have the receipt to be able to take them back, which I strongly doubt.

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

I have yes, and I've got ZILLIONS of more bits in the set. I bet they're all made of 'monkey metal' too!

[Gondor]

Never a good idea to go cheap with tools unless you know the brand are good.

Gondor

[The Rat]

One of the other guys on here posted this Eagle comic cutaway of a Bev configured in that role.;

That is exactly how I imagined it.