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My 1/72 scale aircraft

Well…we knew the painting wouldn’t hold me back long. With new shelves and new models, I put it to the side to be worked on later. ;)
As always, choosing what to work on next is never easy. But going through all my kits and categorizing them, I decided it’s time to build the Bolton Paul Balliol T.2, which is RAF trainer. It has a side by side seating arrangement. I have a few trainers already and this I found to be an interesting design and so I purchased it a while back.

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Below is my reference…

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First step is the cockpit, which is very tedious and a lot of tiny parts…including PE micro parts so small it’s hard to pick them up with tweezers…but it is 1/72 scale, so I already knew this would be the case! ROTF

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After a few hours of prep and organization, I have a start. It’s in the ugly unpainted phase as I continue with assembly. The seats and seatbelts are next.
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I think after this one I will build a few jets, because that category of my collection needs some additions. I’m thinking maybe the F-104 Starfighter and the F-5E Tiger would be two that I could finish fairly quick. Anyway, back to the Boulton Paul…
See ya next time…
 
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Smithy said:
There’s a lot of unusual aircraft available in 1/72 scale.
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Yes, I was surprised and happy about that since that’s the scale I chose. It gives me a better chance of being able to have a large collection, but the detail sure is tiny! I used to build in 1/48 scale and I love the detail. However some of the 1/72 scale models now have just as much detail, like the P-39Q Airacobra by Arma Hobby I built. I was very impressed with the kit.
 
More assembly and painting was done. The PE parts are like doing surgery! :( But I survived.
Now steps 1 and 2 are completed and it’s time to put the fuselage halves together and add the instrument panel.
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It’s really hard to get good pictures of this tiny stuff.
The PE parts are brass…

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This is the instrument panel painted…

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Not sure about the gauges, I know they were black, but you will never see them. So I may leave them light grey or change to a dark grey? Decisions…

See ya next time…
 
Dean62 said:
Yes, I was surprised and happy about that since that’s the scale I chose. It gives me a better chance of being able to have a large collection, but the detail sure is tiny! I used to build in 1/48 scale and I love the detail. However some of the 1/72 scale models now have just as much detail, like the P-39Q Airacobra by Arma Hobby I built. I was very impressed with the kit.
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More and more detail, but smaller and smaller. I was looking at your PE rudder pedal straps and thinking how ridiculous, they will be impossible to see at the bottom of a 1/72 cockpit with the canopy on. My Jaguar has hundreds of really really tiny stencil decals. I won’t be using them because I look at my models from a yard away, maybe 2 feet. At 1:48 scale that’s a viewing distance of 100 to 150 feet. From that far away, you can’t see stencils. You can’t see aerial wires. Come to think of it, you can’t see all the details that I intend to paint in the undercarriage bays either! ROTF
 
Smithy said:
More and more detail, but smaller and smaller. I was looking at your PE rudder pedal straps and thinking how ridiculous, they will be impossible to see at the bottom of a 1/72 cockpit with the canopy on. My Jaguar has hundreds of really really tiny stencil decals. I won’t be using them because I look at my models from a yard away, maybe 2 feet. At 1:48 scale that’s a viewing distance of 100 to 150 feet. From that far away, you can’t see stencils. You can’t see aerial wires. Come to think of it, you can’t see all the details that I intend to paint in the undercarriage bays either! ROTF
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True, it seems we add a lot of detail that will never be seen. But we know it’s there! ;)
 
Dean62 said:
More assembly and painting was done. The PE parts are like doing surgery! :( But I survived.
Now steps 1 and 2 are completed and it’s time to put the fuselage halves together and add the instrument panel.
View attachment 556629
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It’s really hard to get good pictures of this tiny stuff.
The PE parts are brass…

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This is the instrument panel painted…

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Not sure about the gauges, I know they were black, but you will never see them. So I may leave them light grey or change to a dark grey? Decisions…

See ya next time…
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That’s really small stuff, Dean. It’s looking nice!
Regards, Peter
 
dockattner said:
Hi Dean, just popping in to say hello. I don't share you interest in tiny planes but have the utmost respect and admiration for what you do with them. Stunning craftsmanship!
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Thank you Paul! Thanks for reaching out! You have a current build going?
I just love airplanes, and I started building models of them as a teen. I will eventually get back to my ship, but right now I’m just having too much fun adding to my aircraft collection, or as I call it…my 1/72 aviation museum. ROTF
Some of my current back log…

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The beauty is I will be retiring in another 4 years, God willing, and hopefully my skills will still be intact so I can eventually get all of these built and on display. Problem is I am adding new kits faster than I can build them.
 
Dean62 said:
You have a current build going?
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That's quite a collection of unbuilt models, Dean!

And yes, I am attempting a scratch-built stern section. It's primarily a carving/decoration project but it requires a substrate so my time thus far has been building the butt end of a ship. Lot's of learning along the way... There is a link in my signature (though I would say its nothing you haven't seen before done better by more experienced/skilled members of the forum).

Otherwise (like you) I'm still working at my paying job as well as my hobby job. Keeps me off the streets and out of the bars ROTF.

I'll try to stop by more often!
 
Dean62 said:
Not sure about the gauges, I know they were black, but you will never see them. So I may leave them light grey or change to a dark grey? Decisions…
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a lot of detail for 1/72! I realize it's too late now, but I've been unable to spend much time here since my PC's motherboard decided it was time to retire and I've had to rebuild the computer, but regarding the instrument panel, doesn't the instructions show a decal that goes behind the PE panel to show the gauges?

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dockattner said:
That's quite a collection of unbuilt models, Dean!

And yes, I am attempting a scratch-built stern section. It's primarily a carving/decoration project but it requires a substrate so my time thus far has been building the butt end of a ship. Lot's of learning along the way... There is a link in my signature (though I would say its nothing you haven't seen before done better by more experienced/skilled members of the forum).

Otherwise (like you) I'm still working at my paying job as well as my hobby job. Keeps me off the streets and out of the bars ROTF.

I'll try to stop by more often!
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Thanks Paul, I will look in on your project.
The unbuilt models are aircraft that I want in my collection and some I want to have in hand before availability is gone. Because some of the kits are getting hard to find as they are no longer in production and have to be purchased second hand. So a bird in hand mentality! ROTF
Ps - I currently have 65 aircraft built and you would think I would be running out of options for models to purchase…not so!
 
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RussF said:
Wow, that's a lot of detail for 1/72! I realize it's too late now, but I've been unable to spend much time here since my PC's motherboard decided it was time to retire and I've had to rebuild the computer, but regarding the instrument panel, doesn't the instructions show a decal that goes behind the PE panel to show the gauges?

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Yes, they show a film decal, but it’s no where to be found in the kit…so I moved on without it. Gauges were black with white markings, etc., and I feel like they would be lost with the canopy on at this scale. So I chose to leave them a medium grey in hopes that in the end you could see them through the canopy and at least be able to tell gauges are there!
So a little artistic license at work. ;)
 
Next on the Balliol was the radiator…
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It’s covered by the lower cowling that directs air thru the radiator.

After pulling an all nighter, I was able to paint the airplane base coat of silver, then I did the stripes, some washes, dry brushing and weathering, and finally some decals and clear coat. I gave my hair dryer a workout! ROTF That allows me to paint, dry it in a few minutes and paint again.
I weathered it enough to make it look aged…

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Next I can start on the landing gear, exhaust, prop and canopy…

See ya next time…
 
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