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[The Wooksta!]

I was to start cleaning up the props, only to find that the spinners look way too small.  I am out of Italeri Ju 188s to steal the props from.

I could well have a pair of them spare. Would you want the Spinners as well as the props?

Gondor

Prop and spinner.  I'll come back on the offer once I've had a dig in the loft. I need the wreckage of a Matchbox 188 for a Heinkel He 277 so I'll be going through the 88 box.

TBH, I think Planet just copied the props from the Revell 290.  The engines certainly were.  They're ideal for Fw 190s though.  The postwar Czech rebuilt one used Fw 190 props.

[The Wooksta!]

I was to start cleaning up the props, only to find that the spinners look way too small.  I am out of Italeri Ju 188s to steal the props from.

I could well have a pair of them spare. Would you want the Spinners as well as the props?

Gondor

I managed to find a pair of complete prop assemblies and Willie was kind enough to give me another four.  Many thanks for the kind offer though.

[The Wooksta!]

Having checked the Planet 390 props with Revell's 290, it appears that the cheeky sods simply copied the Revell prop as well as the engines and wings (although they were heavily reworked).

The prop in the Revell 290 has the spinner separate, so will take a replacement spinner.

With all the concern over the tailplane/fuselage fairing in the Contrail kit, I thought it prudent to check over the Planet one.  Whilst not as good as the Revell 290, it is better.  Still, it's another black mark against a very pricey kit.

[The Wooksta!]

Tried the hot water trick to remedy the fuselage warp.  It's better, but not by much.  Less filling but still much sanding.  The bulk of the panel lines do not match.  Really wish I hadn't bought it.
So, I've drilled the nose to pin it and try and get it to line up. 

[The Wooksta!]

Took an inordinate amount of time getting the tailwheel bay fixed in place, having to resort to surgery.  Once in, I inserted a plastic card bulkhead and filled around the bay insert with P38 to give it some strength.  I really don't want that bay coming loose - given what Rob's right foot is like, it is certainly possible.

Drilled through the back end to insert a pin to assist in the tragi-comic assembly.  Start at the nose, pour in as much superglue as possible and try to keep everything lined up with elastic bands.  Currently curing, so I'll make a start on the sanding tonight.  The nose will need building up on one side, that's a given.

Experience with the Contrail kit has revealed that you can see sod all in the cockpit aft of the seats, so Planet not including it is understandable.  Although if Magna could do it on their VC10 - bigger and roughly a third of the price of The 390 - I'm sure Planet could have managed.

[The Wooksta!]

Yay!  The fuselage is together and filled, although one or two areas needed remedial treatment with superglue that's yet to be sanded back.
The underside was horrible, so my plan to paint it black has some justification.  I'll need to reinstate some of the lost panel lines.

Whilst I had the P38 out, I built up the areas around the engines where the mould must have slipped.  For a kit that cost three figures and with Planet's reputation for quality, this is turning into a very expensive disappointment.

[The Wooksta!]

The wings are about as fixed as they'll ever be and between the dark camo and the engines themselves I doubt anyone will notice.

Spent the afternoon removing bits from their pouring lugs. The engine fans were interesting and I only snapped one blade off. The u/c scissor links were equally hairy but they came off without damage, likewise the retraction jacks.

The tailplanes have been pinned and I've glued some of the smaller bits on, although I'm leaving off the Trappoklappe actuators until all the underside sanding is done.

All the replacement props are cleaned up - the kit ones are copied from the Revell 290 and the spinners are way too small. Fixable on the Revell kit as the spinners are separate but Planet moulded them integral.  However I need some for a transport Condor and these will do nicely.  They look close enough to the props on the Ju 86E.

Cockpit internals are in the process of being painted and I'd found some white metal armoured seats for the 290 I'd acquired about 30 years ago (can it really be that long???!!!) so they replace the comfy chairs planet give you.

I also cut out the canopy, only to find it doesn't fit the hole.  Not the canopy, the kit, so more trimming, sanding and swearing.  Fits now though.

Until the canopy issue, I had considered gluing the wings on once the engines were in place but I may just leave it.  No desperate hurry.

[The Wooksta!]

Cockpit internals painted and I started on the cockpit itself. I only got halfway before realising that I should be using 02 rather than 66 as the 390 V-1 was a rebuilt Ju 90.  Second coat will go on in the morning.

Props now partially assembled before they get primed.  Re drilled out the fans to ensure they take the Italeri prop shafts.

[The Wooksta!]

Something about the exhaust positioning has been bothering me - it doesn't seem equal, so I checked the Revell 290 and that is the same. 

Started putting the cockpit internals in but work stopped play.

[The Wooksta!]

Took the plunge last week and finished off the cockpit area and fit the canopy.  It's too wide, so it's been pinched in a bit at the base.  However, that left a dirty great gap and I've had to rebuild the upper fuselage top line with P38, after securing the top with more Krystal Kleer and then a coat of RLM 02.  Used tape at the canopy frame edges to protect the canopy edges whilst sanding.  Quite happy with it so far, although I've yet to sort out the base at the front.

I added the engines to the wings, so it's slowly coming together.

[The Wooksta!]

Few minor update shots.

The glazing in place.  Note all the sodding filler.  Nice clear canopy though.

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And this is it all push fitted together. Couple of reinforcement pins holding the tailplanes in place, the wings are loosely in their locating grooves but with some additional pins.  That will need a bit of filler.

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[PR19_Kit]

That's a LOT of wing there!     

[63cpe]

Impressive!

[NARSES2]

She's a big beast, quite elegant though 

[Rick Lowe]