Bridlington & Wolds Scale Model Club Forum
Models => Modelling Projects => Topic started by: cph64 on June 06, 2020, 01:45:41 PM
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After a brief flirtation with RAF jets it's back onto safe(?) ground. Some of you know I have a 'soft spot' for the designs of Alexander Lippisch from his initial designs, through the Me 163 to his data being used for the Douglas F4D Skyray, as in my vignette 'Genesis to Imitation' which I took to Sword and Lance.
In March 1945 Lippisch was approached for ideas towards the 1-T-L (single jet engine) Volksjager program as problems had arisen with the He 162. This 1/72 scale Unicraft kit is the third design from a section of 3 which had the engine above the body, from a total of 10 designs all bearing the designation P.15. The first of the 3 had the pilot prone, the second seated normally and the third reclining.
The kit is made of resin and consists of only 7 pieces and a vac-formed canopy. Photo 3 shows the resin plugs being removed in a makeshift bath, a small roasting tin with a cutting mat, to stop the spread of resin dust. After sanding down it was time to start building and filler was the order of the day, photos 4 and 5. The HeS 011 turbojet housing didn't have the intake and exhaust hollowed out so it was out with various size drills to open them up. All went well until I upgraded from 4mm to 4.5mm on the intake, photo 6. So it was out with the superglue, sit back and wait!!!
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Small, but beautiful.
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Quality always come out whatever the scale.
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It would take a brave man to fly that.
Like it.
Andy.
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It would take a brave man to fly that.
Like it.
Andy.
Hi Andy,
I think 'Stupid' is more accurate.
Great modelling Chris, look forward to seeing it finished, and amazed by its look.
Bigkev
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The first photo shows the amount of detail I have to work with for this model. There is a couch and an instrument panel for the cockpit but no instructions on placement or orientation, so I emailed Unicraft for guidance and got a quick reply from Igor (I know what you're thinking MSea!!!). He said they had no idea as they worked from the sketch at the bottom of the instructions!!! This begs the question 'Why put things in if they don't look like what's required and you've no idea where they fit?'.
The good news is it gave me carte blanche to make an interior up from etched brass and items from the spares box. The second photo shows most of the fittings in place but now it's primed to see how it looks I'm not happy with the head end of the couch so I'll alter that next session.
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It looks like something MSea would have dreamed up.
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What are you trying to say Haddock ???????????? hohohoho
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Version 2 of the cockpit that I'm a lot happier with. The backrests, joystick and rudder bar are spares from the Special Hobby Me 209, as will be another instrument panel. Rudder pedals, if they fit, will be from the Huma Ju 287. The headrest is shaped Perfect Plastic. All other instrument panels are from scrap with the decals from a spare Swift set and Mil 8 leftovers. The vacform canopy took a lot of patient work to get it to fit and showed up a gap in the moulding of the front part of the cockpit, so once the superglue has dried it will be time to recheck the fit. Frame work for the canopy is very faint so it's a 'best guess', to be checked later.
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Very small indeed.
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What are you trying to say Haddock ???????????? hohohoho
Designed by someone with a vivid imagination and a feel for the unusual.!!
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I will accept that - hohohoho
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That looks real small.
I struggle with seeing stuff like that now. Age is catching up with me.
Good work Chris.
Andy.
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The final adjustments were made with the cockpit fittings then it was time to spend (a lot of) time making sure the canopy sits properly. Before permanently fitting that I spent some time working out the placement of the wings as there are no guidelines in the instructions. The sketch with the kit shows them slightly further back than in profiles so it was a case of getting them to sit 'as best as', working with the castings. This still left some gaps (I think I ought to have shares in Green Putty!!).
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Looking good though Chris
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After much careful adjusting the canopy has finally been fitted, you only get one so you do need to be VERY careful. This was followed by the motor and 'shark fin'. Priming with good old Halford's Grey revealed lots of little pin holes and other lumps and bumps so it was out with the filler again, this time Vallejo.
I went for an MRI this morning and ended up in the same position that the pilot would have been in in Version 1 before I altered things. He would have had a great view of the sky I just saw the edge of the Siemens machine!!!
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Hi Chris,
Few days since I last looked at the website properly, this build looks like it is going nicely.
Hope the MRI scan went okay, albeit in a pilots perspective!
Cheers,
Bigkev
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Completed model finished as the 5th experimental air-frame (Versuchs 5) during trials with 1/JG 1. Underside and scuffing is Tamiya Matt Aluminium, with Revell Mud Green weathering powder. Upper surfaces are Lifecolour RLM 81 & 82, weathered with Flory Black wash. Markings are from the spares box.
Thankfully there wasn't much tidying up to do around the cockpit when the masking tape was removed. A great topic if you're into Luft46 or looking for something different but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone new to resin.
The launch trailer is borrowed from the PM Models Lippisch P.13a.
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A nice addition to your unusual German stuff.
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When do you make the diorama to put it into ???????? hohohohoho
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An interesting model Chris - looks good.
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Nice model but the subject looks like the product of a deranged mind.
Haddock.
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You've done a great job on this one Chris.
Well done.
Andy.
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You've done a great job on this one Chris.
Well done.
Andy.
Naw…. He hasn't
he has done a brilliant job!
Bigkev
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Thanks guys
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Well done!
Your model looks good but the thing itself looks all wrong!