Minicraft 1/144 Pan Am Stratocruiser

[kfutter]

Thanks, lads. I've now touched up the cockpit windows, and applied a few more decals. It's far from my best build, but I think it looks quite nice if you don't look too hard! I've still got to deal with the props and the landing gear yet, and I'm not looking forward to trying to repair that nose wheel leg...

Kev

[skystreak80]

Hi Kev,
Excellent work on the strato nice save with the blue stripe too i cant wait to see it with the props and the wheels.

Lee

[kfutter]

Thanks, Lee. I'm still hoping to get it done this week if I can!

Kev

[Graeme H]

Despite the minor setbacks, coming along a treat

[kfutter]

Thanks, Graeme.

Kev

[kfutter]

OK, here's what the model currently looks like with nearly all the decals on:



There are just some tiny little decals for the engine nacelles left, and I may yet leave them off. The nose door also needs the last 3 digits of the registration applied, but I have to assemble that from tiny individual numbers (much like the serials themselves on each side of the fuselage). I still had some alignment issues with the window decals too, but all of my own clumsy doing. The decals themselves are fantastic! A belated thanks to Jennings for doing such great work.

Here's Clipper Australia:



And here's a comparison between the Cobra Company white metal props (left) and the kit version:



The kit one has its spinner nose cone glued in place, and of course, they're all a really poor fit! Will have to see what it looks like under a coat of primer. The kit props, despite being poor overall, are still closer to what I'm seeing in photos than the Cobra ones, so that's what I'll compromise with. I think the Cobra props are meant for the tankers and freighters, rather than the cattle trucks.

And here's examples of the terrible kit wheels:



Ugh! Not sure what to do about those, other than nothing. I really should have built this one in-flight!

Kev

[hrtpaul]

Lovely mate

[kfutter]

Lovely mate

Thanks, Paul! But what do you think of my model so far?

Kev

[hrtpaul]

Bahahahaha yeah that's not bad either

[kfutter]

So, down to the wire now. In the photo below, from a previous update, you can see where I managed to break the nose wheel leg:



Here's the broken part:



There was just no way I could get away with simply gluing it back in place, since it will be a crucial load-bearing element, so I decided to replace the vertical support with a segment of aluminium tubing, and then create a small pin by inserting a piece of guitar string:



I drilled a suitable hole into the main part of the nose wheel leg unit, and inserted the pin into it. I think the combination of the pin and the CA I've used to attach it should be strong enough for the job. Here it is, all finished:



And here she is, finally on her legs:



I did what I could with the horrible main wheels:



And the props are done:



So, all that remains is to finish and affix the landing gear doors, and then it's done! That should later today.

Thanks for looking!

Kev