Author Topic: MESSERSCHMITT - BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT!!!  (Read 1240 times)

Wizzel

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MESSERSCHMITT - BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT!!!
« on: February 26, 2017, 09:13:28 PM »
Good evening all,

Finally I'm back online and back at the bench.  Although I still have an unfinished project to crack on with and add to on here (the Polish bomber thing) I thought I'd start something else to do alongside to stop me getting bored and frustrated with just the one kit then losing interest completely for while- anybody else tend to do that?

Anyhow, I had a rummage through the kits and decided on the Messerschmitt Bolkow-Blohm BK.117 helicopter by Matchbox/Revell.  One of a job lot I took off Kiteman's hands on a previous visit, it was something a little different for me to get back into it again.

After giving the parts a wash in warm soapy water, assembly commenced.  As you would expect, it's a fairly basic kit as far as 1988 standards go but I intend to build it straight from the box anyway, just to hone my modelling skills.  It only cost DM5.99 anyhow back in the day.

Moulded in 2 colours and with some sink marks and ejector pin marks to be dealt with, I'm glad to say those things no longer scare me - in fact I quite look forward to them as to me it's all part of modelling.  I dread the day when I can tip the parts out of the box and they fall out and assemble themselves!!!

I've largely ignored the actual shades for the interior that Matchbox/Revell quote, instead going with what I fancied and what looks good enough to me.  I'm going to be more concerned with making a decent job of it rather than every shade and rivet being correct.  I settled on the Japanese variant in white rather than the German ADAC yellow.  Small differences to the aft cabin are also evident.

What quickly became apparent was that there are no locating pins/holes on any of the mating surfaces of the fuselage and engine pod halves so when I get that far, it'll be softly softly, catchee monkey (said with a Japanese accent of course).  To date and over this weekend, I have managed to get some ejector pin marks ground away and sanded off, the interior painted and assembled (with just a little touching up required which is always evident once you've taken and looked at photographs of it) and the rotors painted.

As far as the build goes, it should come together quite quickly once I get the major components ready to go and have done plenty of forward planning and dry fitting as the engineering of the kit itself is not spectacular - nonetheless I relish the challenge.  Hopefully, there will be more to report soon, watch this space...
« Last Edit: February 26, 2017, 09:18:36 PM by Wizzel »

Kiteman

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Re: MESSERSCHMITT - BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT!!!
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2017, 02:15:31 PM »
I am watching!!

Wizzel

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Re: MESSERSCHMITT - BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT!!!
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2017, 08:51:04 AM »
No pictures yet as there is little of interest to see but last night after getting back from Poppy's "meet the teacher" evening at college, I got the fuselage pod closed up and the tail boom stuck together.  Again there is a lack of locating pins/holes but the parts are well enough moulded that it really makes no difference.

There is some sanding of join lines necessary but no filler needed that I can see at this early stage but this will take a little time as the cockpit dashboard combing is a little tricky to access.  Hopefully an evening's work will see this under control.

Painting of the smaller parts such as landing skids, tail rotor and grab handles has commenced too and it's all coming together quite nicely and a lot quicker than I imagined it would - but then, I often get to a certain point and somehow can't bring myself to do the last few small finishing touches for a while.  Keep the pressure on you lot as I would like to get this done by the end of March!!