Spanner's Academy 1/72 Catalina PBY-5A, Maritime S.A.R.

[outrunner]

Great bit of painting there Ron, looks great.

Andy.

[Gern]

Very impressive young Ron! Did you use a brush for those letters or some sort of pen?

[spanner570]

Thanks for your excellent, informative and humorous feedback, Gents.

Dave, thanks again for all you help with this project. I hope I'm doing it justice with the limited resources at my disposal, both wot's in my bit box and the depth of my purse!

I brush painted the letters with a Humbrol No. 2 brush from an Airfix Starter pack.


Here's one for you, chaps.....
This afternoon I dry fitted the wing. Talk about a tail sitter! I know tricycle under carriages can be notorious for this feenameenam, but it took 3 bottles of Vallejo paint resting across the nose to bring the nose wheel down to earth!
I weighed the 3 bottles. 70gms or around 2.5ozs in old money. Not a problem in itself, as I could simply glue the front wheel to a base, or stuff summat heavy in it's sno***r. But had I fixed the canopy before this exercise and wanted to push the thing around, I would have been up a creek.

Lesson learned from my first tricycle aircraft.......

Take note any would be builders of this aircraft.

Cheers.
Ron

[Mini Me]

Would that I could find one in 1-87 scale! I have much PBY envy Mr. Ron. Glad you got the nose back to earth w/o too much stress. Excellent painting on this critter........she is really coming to life. PCO Sir. :thumb2:

[Ernie]

Fantastic paint work on the lettering! :thumb2:

[spanner570]

Thanks Rick and Ernie for your nice comments.

Floats and props. added.

Just a couple of fragile sticky out bits to add - last job!

I haven't done squeaky clean prop. tips, (or any other part really) as this aircraft has seen some action....








As good as ready for plonking on the hull. ( or whatever you wish to call the big bit wot the wing sits on)

Cheers all and thanks for looking in,
Ron

[Tim Marlow]

Excellent work Ron. The hand lettering is nicely done.

[Airborne01]

That is coming on most praiseworthy Good Sir!
Steve

[Jim R]

That's a lot of weight. Sticking the front wheel down sounds a better option. The nose wheel under carriage would be under a lot of pressure with 70+ grms.

[spanner570]

Thanks folks.

Quite right Jim. easiest fix to glue the b****r down!

As peeps might remember, I'm too impatient and clumsy to use canopy masks, and in any case I prefer to spend the money saved buying another kit!

Here are the two blisters and the cockpit canopy, brush painted freehand. A bit of a pain, but I had no other option. Near enough for me and I'm well glad they're done and out of the way.






Cheers.
Ron

[Mini Me]

Very Nice Mr. Ron! :thumb2:

[Ernie]

WOW! great job free handing the frames on the canopies! Much steadier hands then I have.

[Mark1]

All looking good.

[Jim R]

WOW! great job free handing the frames on the canopies! Much steadier hands then I have.

You're right there Ernie. He finds that half a bottle of single malt and the shakes just disappear. If he has more than half a bottle his hand is still steady but the eyesight is shot. Also according to Mrs Ron he tends to fall asleep before the job's done. :smiling:

[spanner570]

........... according to Mrs Ron he tends to fall asleep before the job's done. :smiling:

That happened on my wedding night! Much like any other night come to think of it.

Thanks a bundle for reminding me......

Casanova II


Thanks for all the great posts from my buddies on here too.

Ron