Pete's BV141

[Tim Marlow]

The canopy damage looks like stress fractures in the plastic itself, so can’t really be brought back to “clear” again. I would leave well alone and simply fill and paint around it. It’s on the tail boom side just above the wing so may not be that visible anyway.

[Gern]

Unless you contact Airfix and ask if they can supply a replacement (Ron had amazing success doing just that for some decals), I'd do as Tim suggests and leave it alone. Breaks like that in clear plastic can't be 'invisibly' repaired and any attempt to fill the hole is likely to make it stand out even more.

I suppose you could try and cut out the broken panel between the canopy frames and replace it with another clear piece cut to fit, but that sounds like an awfully fiddly process - certainly nothing I would even think about doing in such a small scale.

[colin m]

the fracture goes quite a way into the clear part

Pretend it isn't clear. Mask above the damage, fill, sand and treat as fuselage. I won't tell anyone of you don't.

[stillp]

Also, prop and spinner were RLM 70 and interior, wheel wells, and undercarriage legs were RLM 02

All of the interior 02 Tim? Bit of a difference from the 66 I was going to use! I see that Vallejo 71.044 and 70.886 are both listed as RLM02 - not that it matters

Hi Peter
Loads to be honest, there are about thirty pages of diagrams and photos of the plane and its equipment...I don’t have a scanner though.
The book is Valiant publishing Airframe detailing No1 if you’re interested...

Thanks Tim. I can't find that for sale or in the local library catalogue, so that's saved me from going down that rabbit hole!

Thanks to Tim, Dave, and Colin for the suggestions. I might try some Clearfix on the edge to see of it soaks into the stress fracture - I've nothing to lose, I can always cover it up as Colin suggested. Pity to cover up one of the windows though, as they're such a feature of this aircraft. I'll try Airfix, they just might have some spares...

Another question while you're all being so helpful; the canopy has a slot for the upper gun to pass through. How should I deal with that when painting? Possibilities I see are: 1. mask and paint the canopy before fitting it; 2. fit the canopy temporarily before fitting the MG, mask and paint with a blob of blu-tack in the slot, remove it, fit the MG, then refit the canopy; 3. fit the canopy and MG then try to mask the slot and the protruding gun barrel; 4. fit the MG and canopy, brush-paint the canopy. Ant thoughts gentlemen?
Pete

[Tim Marlow]

Definitely all RLM02 for the interior..it’s an early war aircraft after all....just checked Valiant publishing and see the book is now out of print......ref the gun, I would go with your option one, mask and paint the canopy separately, then paint the gun, fit it, then fit the canopy. If any remedial work is needed after fitting the canopy you can remask the whole and touch up the join. It’s how I did a 1/48th Stuka which has a similar gun fittment.

[stillp]

I found a review of the book Tim mentioned here https:tongue-out3:/www.themodellingnews.com/2014/12/in-review-airframe-detail-no1-blohm.html and some of the illustrations can be enlarged, but I can't make out the pilot's rudder pedals. Just as well really!
Pete

[Guest]

Good luck with the canopy and the figures look fine :smiling3:.

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Peter
Do these help? I took them using the IPad....wouldn’t want to do the whole book though....



Hope they help....

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Figures look great. As for the clear canopy

I would leave well alone and simply fill and paint around it. It’s on the tail boom side just above the wing so may not be that visible anyway.

I think I would do that as well. Perhaps polish with very fine compound, if you have any, and a dip in Klear but I would be scared of making things worse.
Jim

[stillp]

Thanks again Tim. Those photos have convinced me that scratching a better interior is way beyond my skill set! I might just pain the bottom of the pilot's feet RLM02 to represent the pedals. Maybe a strip of pie foil running forward from the seat and bent up at the front end, under his feet. The kit seat is wrong though, as well as the control column

Hi Peter
Figures look great. As for the clear canopy

I think I would do that as well. Perhaps polish with very fine compound, if you have any, and a dip in Klear but I would be scared of making things worse.
Jim

Thanks Jim. The fracture seems to be inside the plastic, so wouldn't polish out. The clear parts have had a dip in Klear (well, Pledge!) so I'll see how they look when dry. There's a chunk missing on the other side, presumably where there was a second sprue gate, so I'll have to fill that with something.

Airfix reboxed this kit as late as 2010, so perhaps they might have some spares in stock, though I'm not holding my breath.

Cheers
Pete

[stillp]

The fracture in the clear canopy doesn't look any better after a dip in Pledge. I don't want to go any further with fitting the canopies until I hear from Airfix - I don't want to use the Eduard masks before I know if I can get a replacement or not. I've glued the cockpit nacelle together though:

I wish I hadn't glued that seat in place, I could have made it a bit more like the one in the photo Tim kindly posted, just by filing away a lot of the plastic. Oh well, too late now.
Also fitted the asymmetric tail, the port wing, and the stub wing that the crew nacelle fits onto. There's a step between the wing root and the wing surface on both sides.
More fill/sand/repeat!

The tape is to protect the raised rivets.

Thanks for watching.
Pete

[stillp]

Good news - Airfix have out a new canopy in the port to me, for £3 including postage!

Pete

[Mini Me]

That is good news Pete. As this most critical element of any aircraft build is in most cases the center of attention. Happy landings, Rick H.

[scottie3158]

Pete,
Nice work so far. Pity about the canopy but I'm sure a man of your capabilities will sort it.

[stillp]

That is good news Pete. As this most critical element of any aircraft build is in most cases the center of attention. Happy landings, Rick H.

Thanks Rick. The canopy is especially important on this aircraft, being in the middle of the starboard wing. Full marks to Airfix for having a spare in stock for a 48-year old kit!
Pete