Bridlington & Wolds Scale Model Club Forum
Models => Modelling Projects => Topic started by: Wizzel on October 01, 2014, 12:03:33 PM
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Well if you were at the pack up of our show, you may remember I decided to take on the task of building the BV 138 for Ted Winkler - a good family friend of the Ketley's - after initially shying away from it. Ted had asked if anyone was willing to put it together and had in fact provided 2 kits, one to build for him and the other one for whoever built his. There were several factors behind me stepping into the breech; 1. I know Ted quite well and would be pleased to help him out by doing this. 2. I really needed to get building kits again to give my confidence a boost. 3. I didn't have a BV138 in my collection yet. Last night, after a good sort out of my bench, I decided to make a start. I would build mine first and use it as a learning experience for Ted's, hopefully not making the same mistakes twice!
The BV 138 is a twin boom, high set wing, tri-motor seaplane with one engine at the front of each boom and the third in a nacelle mounted centrally above the fuselage pod. It is nicknamed "The Flying Clog" for obvious reasons. A picture of it is attached for illustration purposes! The 1/72 kits I have are by Super Model. The plastic is light grey, reasonably soft and with sufficient sharpness to cause me no sucking of teeth. No flash, sink holes or ejector pin marks were evident and the seam lines were mild. I have no research material at the moment to comment on the level of detail but if I enhance anything, it will be scratch built as I am not a fan of spending 5 kits' worth of money on after market parts for 1 kit. The clear parts were clear with decent framing - the clear gun turrets are of the type that come in 2 parts, joined vertically together so I will be asking for some advice on how to best do this and not get an obvious line. The decals seemed in good nick for the age of the kit (I did have one a long while ago and think it dates back to the 1970s). I was pleased to see the inclusion of swastikas on the sheet and can never understand the refusal to provide them, being as they are as much a part of the historical accuracy of the kit as the machine guns or bombs! The instructions are not too clear on the location of parts so plenty of dry fitting and common sense is called for.
The one I opened had already been started - presumably Barry was going to do this for Ted. The outer wing sections with the twin booms had been glued together and the hull sides had been glued to the fuselage pod. Filler had been applied but needed to be sanded down. The whole thing is covered in raised panel lines which I thought I would probably get rid of and scribe recessed ones using the other kit as a guide. A beaching trolley is included in the kit and so I thought I would build that first, to get a feel for the plastic and also to provide a stand for the kit to rest on as work progresses. I spent a deal of time first checking to make sure all the parts were present (apart from one propeller blade being missing from each of the 3 bladed boom engines - the central one is 4 bladed - all was there) then test fitting the main parts which had already been assembled. The fit was good and so I relaxed even further. Tonight, work begins in earnest, assembling the trolley and doing a little research on the interior colours so I can get that painted and to see what I could do to improve details.
Pictures will be posted when I have taken some (tonight) but I figured that if I at least made a start on an article for the web site, there would be the motivation to get on and actually build the thing(s). If nothing else, it's got my bench sorted out - a long overdue task. To be continued - SOON.
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Looks like a challenge!
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A challenge I am relishing now that the bits are on the bench.
As you can see in the attached pics, most of the main components have been started on. It looks smart, even just cobbled together with rubber bands and tape! It's not quite as large as I thought it would be either. Them panel lines will have to go though, probably be 3" high at full scale. I didn't mention before that 4 crew members are also supplied - 3 seated for the flight deck - pilot, co-pilot and radio operator - and one standing for the gunners/observers cupola at the position just behind the centre engine! I for one am pleased that manufacturers have started to put figures in their kits again.
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Hi Wizzel,
Well now you've started, we'll all be watching your progress with the BV 138.
No pressure then.........................
Bigkev
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Great stuff.
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Seen as it's a plane that floats, you may need to mount it on water.
Haddock.
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I may end up using the Haddock "sea method" on the aircraft; prod it about until it looks right then bake it!"
As I have 2 to build, I will make Ted's from the box and use the trolley, but the other one may well end up on/in water. You know I like my kits in some sort of context - I may have to have some private tuition in making sea!
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Thought I might waffle for a few minutes about making sea at the next meeting if anyone is interested.
Haddock.
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It was a big box as I remember, I thought the aircraft would have been larger?
So, it will be all at sea at the next meeting?
It certainly will, Kevin is away and I may be in charge but not control.
Dave
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Yes please Haddock, I'll be taking notes. The level you need to pitch at for me is the absolute lowest - well below sea level if you will!
It is quite a compact size Zak. The picture on the box is bigger than the kit itself and that gave my confidence another boost as it's not too cumbersome for my hesitant hands.
Anyway, last, I built the beaching trolley frame - 6 parts which I took time to clean the seam lines off - which consist of two sides and 4 cross members of tubular steel construction which equates to 16 points of contact to be glued as precisely as possible so the frame doesn't end up warped. I had been using the bottles of Vitalbond CA glue from Boyes which had done me well to date but the plastic on this kit didn't seem to like it too much. I decided to try the Mr Hobby Mr Cement S that I bought at our show in 2013 but hadn't tried yet and got on with it extremely well. The applicator brush allows almost surgical precision and it dries invisibly.
Tonight, I'm starting on the cockpit and interior. The flight deck itself looks like it will be fairly cramped with little to see once the crew are seated at their stations so I won't worry about any major detailing other than thin fimo seat cushions and very thin seat harnesses over the pilots once they are in place. The cockpit consists of floor with moulded centre console and rudder pedals, seats, instrument panel with a decal for the dials, control sticks and yolks. Aft there is a bank of radio kit again with decal faces and a separate floor and seat for the radio operator. All crew members have separate arms for "multi posing. I shall get these put together then dry fit them to see exactly what is visible. I don't want to spend too much time on small detail if it won't be seen. For now anyway. Update to follow along with some more pictures.
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Hi Wizzel,
Keep the posts coming. I always wanted to see how one of these beasts build.
Nice work so far, me 'old mucker'
Bigkev
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Progress is slow but steady. Time is the main enemy as well as DCOS appearing to insist I look at her latest craft project just as I'm about to embark on a delicate bit of painting or gluing.
Since we last spoke, the main components have been roughly rubbed down to remove them panel lines, the cockpit has been almost assembled, painting on the crew started and the turrets partly assembled. During these stages, I had to make a new yolk for one control column as the carpet ate one - a bit of stretched sprue and fuse wire did the trick. I also cut the rather delicate gun barrels off the mounting plate which I drilled for insertion of a pin on stretched sprue right at the end.
Next steps will be to finish the crew and install them in their seats, complete the turrets then assemble the fuselage. Then it's wings and tail plane on, paint on, little bits on and decals or transfers on. Dead easy eh? Well, I'll be the judge of that, with your help of course.
To keep you going, some random pics of how we are to date are attached. So far though, a thoroughly enjoyable kit with just enough work to do to make it modelling not assembling, but not too much to make it a chore.
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Hey, you`ve been busy whilst I was on me ols. `Nice work mate, ist good to see you back on kits instead of the camp diorama (nothing against the diorama by the way). I look forward to seeing the progress on this one, a very interesting looking aircraft.
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Hi Wizzel,
Yes, I agree with Kiteman, nice to see you producing such a handsome machine. I'm looking on with great interest.
An aircraft with great presence, I am sure it will look great once finished!
Bigkev
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Hi Wizzel,
Has the Blohm and Voss yard gone on strike!
Can you update us on progress please.
Bigkev
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yeah! Come on slacker, ist about time you made an appearance ;)
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Good evening all. Apologies for the long absence; a refurbishment of the hobbies room including the dismantling of my bench, the Christmas rush at work combined with various other commitments such as daughter's exams and college visits for next year have all conspired to keep me away from ALL THINGS MODELLING.
Things will get back to normal tomorrow when my bench gets rebuilt and I get sat back at it.
See you again soon...
Dave
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I'm pleased to report that the bench is now complete - in so much as it is finished in it's latest form as these things have a habit of developing as needs change or become apparent. I am sat at it now as I type this!
So, on the go again is the BV 138 AND the Officers' Mess (note the correct placement of the apostrophe) for the Thirtle Bridge Camp diorama. I'll not bother reporting this as a project but will bring the finished building to the January meeting.
The BV 138 now has the cockpit installed in the port fuselage pod and now awaits the placement of the crew when the fuselage halves will then be joined together. The location is fairly approximate as the instructions are vague, although there is a line scored in the fuselage to line up the rear of the floor, which sits on an integral moulded box at the bottom of the fuselage/hull. There are no other tabs, pins or holes so it's a case of chucking some glue down, dropping the cockpit on the glue and holding the fuselage halves together to ensure the cockpit remains level until the glue sets.
Turrets: These have now been glued together and the joins need cleaning up then the panel lines painting. The instruction will have you fit the turrets when joining the fuselage together as the bottom of the turret has a lip running around the edge which sits, supposedly, in between 2 horizontal, circular profiled ribs in the fuselage. It doesn't work, so I've cut some platforms to glue between the ribs and will sand off the lip of the turret so that I can drop them in the holes and onto the internal platforms at the end of the build.
Work on the small parts such as the floats, tailplane and props is also underway so it shouldn't be much longer before I get to assemble it. Pictures will follow.
I have been using the Vallejo acrylics - model colour, not model air as I am brush painting - as I have a fair old collection of these now and although I also have Humbrol enamels, I don't like what I am reading and hearing about the new generation of them. The sit nicely and the colours look nice together - how exactly accurate they are is not something I am overly concerned about; I place more importance on them being pleasing to the eye.
Well, on with the show then and I'll update you further tomorrow as I am getting rid of DCOS for a few hours so will have some peace and quiet.
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PS, since my last post on this matter, I have been sat quietly trying to get "into the zone" again. DCOS has been sorting the bookshelf out in the hallway and has been in no less than 4 times to place food magazines she's collected on my bench with a request to "have a look through and see if there are any recipes you want".
Is it any wonder I never get anything of my own done!! >:(
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Get some photos posted, its always nice to see what is going on.
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As requested then, a couple of pictures for you as evidence. There's one of my latest bench set up - previously, it was just the 4' length along the wall with the shelves. I have now extended it into the corner and along the back wall. The corner piece is a "pop out" insert which can be removed and stored under the bench, then the piece along the back wall can be "unlocked" and slid into the corner in it's place, thus freeing up some floor space for an air bed for guests (this was at the request of DCOS!) I now have much more space and am happier sat at the bench.
The other pictures show the cockpit in place - pilot and co-pilot are just placed, not stuck for the moment and the control columns are not fixed in yet. The paintwork on the figures will be tidied up once they are stuck in as there is plenty of room to get at them, even with the fuselage together. The turrets I thought would prove to be a bigger problem than they were. initially, I was going to cut strips of painted sticky label for the framework as it is quite intricate and started to do this on one turret but it looked a touch messy. I then had a go at hand-painting the other one as I used to do as a youngster and am getting on fine like that so will carry on. It's a long process as I will need a couple of thin coats on and am taking my time, doing a small section and giving my eyes a rest while it dries and I'm also allowing the paint to dry properly which I never used to do as I was keen to get it finished in record time. They should be done by bedtime tonight though and tomorrow, I will check them over and tidy the lines as necessary, scraping off any overpaint with a cocktail stick.
I mentioned the lips on the turrets. I'm now leaving them on and will hold the turrets in place with a small bits of Blu Tac, until the fuselage dries. After experimenting earlier, I found I could dislodge the Blu Tac by turning the turret and then gently shake them out of the cockpit opening.
In the meantime, as I said, I'm assembling the props, floats and other gubbins. I'm confident things will crack on at a quicker pace now.
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Zzzzzzzzzz! ;)
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yes, yes, I know. As you know I've been a bit under the weather so EVERYTHING has been on hold - no point modelling when you've no energy and don't feel like it. It's been all I could do to get the crocodile anything like for taking to Huddersfield as it is.
So I have about 4 days' work left on the crocodile and then it will be back to this thing.
HONESTLY!!!
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The croc looked ok at Huddersfield.
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Seconded!!
You were like a little schoolboy today at Huddersfield. Good on you mate. Thanks for bring my Tes....cle cleaner.
Bigkev
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Yes, well done, his parts will be very clean now.
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hahaha, thanks. That cleaner is ideal for bringing a shine to the tiniest little bits! I loved Huddersfield - just submitted a field report under the general conversations heading so if anyone has any pictures to back up my story.....
I shall be adding to the Crocodile project later tonight in anticipation of continuing this thread in it's true form by the weekend :-)
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Finally found time to get on with this again. The fit of things is okay only and so a little bit of attention is needed filling and sanding but that's okay as for me that's what modelling is all about. The boom to wing joints have already been filled, sanded and primed - there are a couple of very small areas that just need smoothing slightly but as I can get to them easily when the thing is together and it will only take a very light touch to sort, I thought I'd get the major components joined. The joins between the fuselage halves have been attended too already but not quite finished or primed but as I'm getting the hang of what to do and how to do it, everything is becoming easier. For the delicate areas around the turrets, I'm using Little Cars sanding sticks which have no abrasive on the edges but I have turned the turrets backwards and have also put some protective strips of Tamiya tape on the glazing just in case. Glad I took the guns off back at stage 1 of turret assembly now so I can get them 180 degrees. Tomorrow then will be wing to fuselage roots and tailplane to fin joints then the whole thing primed and checked. Until then, here is evidence that the BV Flugzeugbau Withernsea is back in business!
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I had almost forgotten about this.
Keep plugging away.
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coming on nicely Wizzel....keep it coming
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Hi Wizzel,
Can you give us an update on the BV 138 build please. Its been some time since we heard from you on this one..............
Bigkev
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Hi Wizzel,
Can you give us an update on the BV 138 build please. Its been some time since we heard from you on this one..............
Bigkev
I think he's chucked it away and is secretly building ships!!!!
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One of your new converts!
Eh, Haddock.
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Haddock has secretly been supplying Wizzel with Tamiya ships possibly?
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When can we call it the "Bridlington & Wolds SHIP modelling club" ??????
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When can we call it the "Bridlington & Wolds SHIP modelling club" ??????
Never in the ............................................... you can finish the quote.
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Never in the field of plastic modelling have so many ship builders owed so much to so few aircraft builders!
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blooming heck, a year down the line already!!! Where has the time gone? You will be pleased to know that progress is being made again. I have started the painting now - photos to follow in the next few days but the main components are together and all the little bits are just being finished off ready to go on once the paining is done. So far, the underside has received the first coat. Number two tomorrow night and things shold progress quite quickly from there. Not long now!
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Just put coat number 2 on the underside. Due to my well publicised car troubles lately, I am still brush painting rather than airbrushing, but I've decided not to let that be an excuse for holding things up. I'm using Humbrol enamels, thinned to probably airbrush consistency and brushed on with a flat brush. Several very thin coats with at least 1 day between to allow to dry and they are laying very well. I shall probably give it one more coat and then burnish gently with "Scotch Brite" just to level it all off and see how it looks, then mask up and get ready for the dark green/black green splinter on top.
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Dear Diary, Sat 12 Sep 15. 0830 - 1340, work and travel to Hull. 1340 - 1500, book fayre at Central Library to meet local authors and buy Christmas presents. 1500 - 1930, go home, walk dogs, do 2 lots of laundry, cook and eat dinner. 1930 - 2100, MODELLING!!! Underside light blue done and cured. Dark green topside done and ready for curing then burnishing in preparation for black green splinter camouflage. Floats painted. Small bits such as aileron actuators, RF ring and such like cut off and cleaned up ready for attaching. It's looking less like bits of plastic now. The dark green may look a bit streaky, but once it's cured and burnished, that'll sort the finish out.
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It's coming together now, keep at it!
Bigkev
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Clothes shopping for Poppy in York took care of most of today, then there was laundry, dog walks and ironing to do. I still managed to mask off the area for the RLM70 black green splinter camouflage though. Also got my paint mixed and ready to put on in the morning - too late now. The benefit of brush painting is that I don't have to mess about masking the area WITHIN the tape that needs to stay RLM71 dark green. Right, bed time then.
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nice...Keep it coming.
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Roger that, Kitey. RLM70 applied and tape off. It's the first time I've used the Tamiya masking tape for masking rather than holding and I must say, it does a grand job. Even with the extra thin paint I was brushing on, none escaped under it, even on the ribs atop the booms or the rather deep panel lines for the access hatch on the wing.
There are a few tiny areas to touch up underneath where the upper and under surfaces meet; engines and under one boom where I wasn't paying enough attention to my masking, then it'll have a good burnish all over - for now, I've just started going over the top surface. The burnishing started with Scotch Brite and I'm just giving it a go over with 12000 Micro Mesh cloth now (in the picture, you can perhaps see the difference between the near wing - untouched - and the far wing - started). Once I get a nice even finish, it'll be on with the Klear, then the markings, then more Klear to seal them and then, I'm torn between matt varnish or just a good rub down with Scotch Brite and Micro Mesh directly over the Klear to bring the surface back down to a "honed" finish again as I really like the effect it gives to the raw paint. I'll maybe try that first and if it doesn't work too well, I can 'Klear off' and try the matt varnish and then burnish. Update to follow - I'm away from Wednesday for a week but I'll try to at least get as far as the pre-marking Klear coat before I go.
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Ist looking good to me. I too like the hohned finish from burnishing, as you know I use it on most of my models. The streakyness in the finish, is that intentional or just as a result of the burnishing, however I like it, gives a nice "used" look.
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It's not intentional, just a result of the method I used to put the paint on - I think it may have been a little too thin for the last few coats - and the burnishing removes it slightly, but you're right, it does add something to the finish. I suppose if I was to carry on burnishing, I would get a lovely all over smooth finish but with it being a seaplane, I think it adds to the overall effect of it, looking like it has been smashed with sea-spray so I may just hold it there and hope the Klear doesn't take it away completely - or I'll have to try and recreate it with weathering!
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Tuesday evening. Scout night in Withernsea, so with DCOS out of the way for 3 hours, I got to it. An hour or so rubbing down with 6000, 8000 and 12000 micro mesh cloth made a very nice stressed steel effect that pleased me. The raised panel lines that I took off right at the beginning have now "suggested" themselves under the skin rather realistically I think. So, it is rubbed down and the upper surface has been Kleared, ready for the markings. Tomorrow morning I imagine I'll get the crosses on the tops of the wings before I go to work, but until then, I keep working on them small bits; most of them are very fragile and so many have broken, despite my ever more careful attempts to remove them so it's a very delicate operation with superglue to join them again before painting them the appropriate colour, ready for fixing on right at the end.
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Looking Good Wizzel.
Look forward to seeing it 'sometime'
Bigkev
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It won't be over much longer Kev. I'm cracking on at a furious pace now. I'm half tempted to take it to this blasted wedding to give me something to do just before and immediately after the 'happy couple' have said "I DO" but I doubt that would go down too well with DCOS!
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Markings on - less the under wing crosses as I needed to touch up a bit of the underside so I only just put the Klear on underneath. The crosses will go on tonight then it'll be a top coat of Klear on the upper surfaces, more work on the small bits then an early night ready for a zero five hundred start in the morning. And what does the zero stand for? Zero my god, it's early! Yeah, doesn't have the same ring when you pronounce it correctly does it? As an ex radio operator, I have an intense aversion to people who say "oh" when referring to numbers.
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Now that is turning into a very nice model my friend. I do like the finish from what I can see on the photos.
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Now that is turning into a very nice model my friend. I do like the finish from what I can see on the photos.
I agree, it just needs to be sat on some water to finish it off.
Haddock.
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This particular one will be on the beaching trolley, as requested by Ted, but the next one will be the minesweeper version with the degaussing ring under it. That will be on water.
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Yippee!
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Wizzel? Water, What???
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Wizzle is turning to the dark side !!!!
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Wizzel will wet himself! It would suit him more if he was to mount the aircraft on an allotment.
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Now there's an idea for my next crashed spitfire diorama; "spuds and spits"!
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Anyhow, after a long time away from my bench what with one thing and another, over this last week I've managed to avoid DCOS and her distractions to get to the home straight with this one. The base is an old cork backed notice board from work with a bit of photo-mount card pressed under the frame that I had scored and painted.
It's Ted's 95th birthday on Saturday so I'll be popping round to give him this as part of his present from me. Just a few last minute fiddly things to go on tonight after work; pitot head, DF loop and radio antenna, the bombs under the wing, the sliding side windows in the cockpit glazing, the MG in the open cupola behind the central engine and the cannon barrels in the front and rear turrets and it'll be ready to go. Not before time an' all, eh?
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A nice present for him.
Well done.
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Hi Wizz,
A fitting tribute to the aircraft and a nice gift to Ted.
Well Done!
Bigkev
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I have allready said it and will say it again.....a very nice model my friend!
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Thanks you good people. Well at long last, it is done.
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That was a mammoth build, if you are like me it is a worry building for someone else.
Well done.
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Well done that man.......a very nicely finished model!