Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]

CLICK HERE to see new posts in last 24 hours
Mark all forums read
Welcome to 72nd Aircraft. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Re-building kits; Scratch building/Updating
Topic Started: May 22 2012, 08:25 PM (604 Views)
messerschmitt 264
Member
[ *  * ]
Hi,
I'm just in the process of re-building the undercarriages to the Heinkel 177 by Revell and the Loading ramp on the Ju 290 spy plane by Revell..I wanted the ramp to be down at the back of the Ju 290,but was aware that there was a set of single steps which aren't detailed on the Revell kit if you leave the ramp down..so I'm going to make the steps from plastic card..Anyone know how many steps there were? I counted around 20 from the only picture I can find of the Ju 290 with it's ramp down. I used the resin up-grades by CMK for the Heinkel and the original Revell undercarriage legs..I could never understand why Revell didn't produce the Heinkel 177 as years ago with the open undercarriage bay..it wouldn't have taken a lot of detail to make it look good..Does anyone know if all the undercarriage doors were left open on the ground. Are there any decent pictures of the interior of the undercarriage bays on the Heinkel 177..i.e hydraulic pipes etc? I'm going to be making the Messerschmitt 264 V1 soon as well by Special Hobby..I have so many of the Luftwaffe planes all in 1/72 scale..I also made a 1/72 scale Natter launch tower..I used the instructions from the 1/48th scale kit and reduced the instructions showing the parts for the kit..It came out really nice for a first attempt at such a wild idea..It was reduced on a photo copy machine to be exactly 1/72 scale...I put a Heller Natter on the tower so it looks really good..I did have ALL the German radar by Extratech,but it got ruined so I have to re-build the set..I have photos of all the models I did have at one time..I'm looking forward to joining in the discussions and fun on here..Thanks for letting me join!

Steve in the USA
Goto Top
 
Russell M
Member Avatar
Proud Member of the "Twelve"
[ * ]
Welcome to the forum Steve. I might be able to help with the He-177 if I can find my references, won't be till this weekend. If you still have the Natter launch tower plans I'd be interested in a copy, there is a new kit coming out and I've always wanted to build one on the tower. Post some photos of your builds and enjoy, lots of good stuff here.
Russell Mapes
Austin Texas U.S.A.

The drive for 12 in 2012 is on!
Goto Top
 
InchHigh
Member Avatar
It's a good day to build.
[ * ]
Hi Steve, and welcome!

Your OP covers alot of ground ... here's a few things which might be useful:

The loading ramp on the Ju 290 is not very well documented, at least from what I've seen. This site has a few useful pictures, the one taken from under the tailplane is particularly good: http://www.luftwaffephotos.com/lju2901.htm The photographer also took a few from other angles. I count 13 steps in that picture, I doubt there is room at the top of the ramp for many more, although there could have been a detachable extension for the bottom.

The Monogram Close-Up gives the ramp dimensions as 16 ft 2 inches long by 7 ft 8 inches wide, the photo of the ramp could be scaled using these dimensions to come up with a working drawing for construction.

The main wheel covers on the He 177 were normally closed on the ground, but there are a few pictures of aircraft being serviced which show them open. There are a few reproduced in the Smith & Creek volume, and also in Wydawnictwo Militaria 46. Neither show more than the basics of the sidewalls, however. One thing to watch on the He 177 is Revell has molded the exhaust dampers too small, but that is a relatively easy fix with some tube stock.

Hope this helps!
Jeff

Time spent modeling is not deducted from your lifespan.

I spent most of my money on beer and women. The rest of it I just wasted.
Goto Top
 
messerschmitt 264
Member
[ *  * ]
Thank you for the great replies! I messed with various ideas for the ramp steps on the Ju 290..I tried scoring and bending thin plastic card..tried strengthening with thin pieces of plastic under each rung,but it kept twisting as I tried to install it in the ramp..uumm? Another idea was thin cardboard..folded to form the steps..I really have no idea how many steps there were on the ramp..how far they went etc..so I made 12 which doesn't look too much to my mind.Finally after much messing about I made the steps from thin layers of plastic glued together and the steps cut like saw teeth individually with an Exacto blade and filed. It looks good between the the ramp..I cut the middle section of the ramp out completely so as to insert the steps. I made the steps 6mm wide to fit the middle of the ramp snugly.I'm also in the process of starting to build the RS models Kolibri Fa 282..I had to replace the undercarriage legs because they got snapped off and broken too badly to just glue back..It'll look fine painted though..I'm getting the complete set of German radar by Extratech within the next couple of weeks..and the Fraulillie missile and launch ramp. Freya is something else to build! Hopefully this time the set of them will be safely in a case this time..and I have Leopold,Morser and Dora to build..The Ju 290 and Heinkel 177 are on the sidelines. I can't see why Revell didn't add the wheel wells in the Heinkel 177 like Airfix years ago,at least you had the option you know..I carved mine out with a scalpel blade slowly and carefully! The next stuff will be the German artillery pieces by Ace..waiting for the two half track rocket launchers by Roden as well..Really looking forward to the Revell SdKfz 7..If I could get plans for it I'd strip one down and re-build it as the V2 control half track..I like the look of the tracks on the Revell SdKfz 7..I've waited patiently for anything that is better than ther Hasagawa and Airfix versions. I'm seriously tempted to re-build a couple with the single and quadruple flak guns on..Armo do great flak guns with turned barrels and resin. Waiting for the 4 Trumpeter King Tigers as well..I wanted the Porsche KingTiger with the Zimmerit and without..Dragon aren't doing those versions anymore in 1/72..so Trumpeter do fine in all 4 of them..King Tiger Porsche and Henschel with and without zimmerit. I really wish someone would bring out the complete V2 Launch assembly..I did have the Mac 2 Armageddon V1 rocket launch site as well..It got pulverised on it's way to the USA as well..including crane and meillerwagen..I had two of the Planet Models Meillerwagens at one time..And I have the Special armour Vidalwagen to build...I did build the FCM crane,but the resin molding was so dreadful it ended up part Extratech and FCM resin alone with a lot of scratchbuilding from heated sprue and plasticard..One set I do wish I could track down is the 1/72 scale 150cm searchlight set-up..FCM made them from appalling resin molds,but seeing as they were the only 1/72 scale searchllights I perservered with them and they came out really nicely..I always wanted a flak battery set..88mm.12.8cm Flak Zwilling..I got half way..I was always tempted to build a flak tower..with the Wurzburg radar etc..I never got there as most of the flak battery and rare resin never made it to the USA..I'm getting a few oddities though..I will have the complete German helicopter collection soon..It's tempting to go after the Gigants as well..I might and the G0224 by Italeri..the whole German glider set and transport hybrids..all depends on space though...Always wanted to build a site like Peenemunde..stuffed to overflowing with secret weapons. No idea where Dora will go though!!! As for the Natter launch tower plans..I have to go through all the paperwork I had sent over from the UK..I did have the complete report on Operation Backfire as well I bought from RAF Cosford in the UK where they still have a complete meillerwagen with V2 on I believe which was left over from the UK launch tests after the war..As for pictures I have hundreds,but I must stress I no longer have 95% of these models as they were either smashed up on-route to the USA or never even got here. They were my models though in the UK..Soon as I know how to upload photos I'll upload loads. I look forward to participating on this site. Hopefully I can share with you all..Thank you all Steve in the USA..formally the UK
Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Help, I'm about to start... · Next Topic »