Tonys Korpak 1/72 polikarpov po2 L

[tr1ckey66]

Another Bi-plane build off to a flying (pun intended) start!!!
Hi Tony!
You've got a really unusual and, by the looks of things, challenging little build on your hands there.
That canopy is really bad. I think I'd probably have a go at crashing a new one, something I've never done before, as the original will probably have any framing detail removed in the polishing process (I may be wrong, and you may have a cunning plan!!!)
Either way, I know that this will prove to be a really interesting build with (perhaps) some cracking pointers on how to form canopies!!! As usual, the office detail you put into these tiny models is incredible.

Great and unusual stuff - I can honestly say, I didn't know anything about this aircraft until this morning!
Good luck mate
Paul

[yak face]

Now the rear decking is in place its time to sort the canopy. I thought i’d try polishing it first before resorting to crash moulding . On looking at the colour profile on the box it appears the top part of the canopy isnt glazed so thats helped a little , only the side windows and windscreen to sort . I started out by sanding it all with a very fine grit ( old sanding stick , best guess equivalent to about 2000 grit ) to get all the lumps and bumps off .
Once I had done this it was time to give it a polish , using——— Brasso!
Yes you read it right , good old Brasso , rubbed repeatedly with cotton buds and then polished up with more of the same . Eventually i got a good shine and as clear as the thick transparency is going to get . Then it was masked up and fitted , and painted in the internal frame colour of blue grey. It needs a smear of acrylic putty to sort the joint on the windscreen and it should be fine .

[papa 695]

Great work on the canopy Tony, at least the pilot may be able to see where he’s going.

[Andy T]

Nice one Tony. I thought that canopy was bin fodder but you've worked wonders with it.

[Mark1]

Well whoever came up with the saying you cant polish a turd needs to sit down and reevaluate their life

[tr1ckey66]

Well done Tony - what a transformation. I honestly thought that canopy was a beyond salvage.
Should have known better!

Paul

[Jim R]

Well a maker I've never heard off, a plane I've never heard of, the worst clear canopy I've seen. You've done wonders with that canopy. You've made an excellent start and I'm sure the end result will be a good'un.

[yak face]

Bit more done tonight . The bottom wings have been fitted and the tailplanes. Ive made some control cable horns from plastic card and fitted them to the elevators and rudder - the kit parts were tiny ,unusable blobs . Ive had to scribe the control surface hinge lines on the top and bottom wings as they were raised lines! Yet the elevators were recessed ? While i had the scriber out the access panels behind the engine were scribed ( again raised lines ) and the HUGE battleship rivets sanded off .

[Mark1]

Isambard Brunel woulda been proud of them rivets :tears-of-joy: big improvment getting rid of those.

[yak face]

Isambard Brunel woulda been proud of them rivets :tears-of-joy: big improvment getting rid of those.

Too true mark , they would probably have been too big even for the ‘Great Western ‘
! Scaled up they would be about 3 inch in diameter !!! Funny thing too is that there arent that many rivets on the real thing , and what few it has are either flush or hardly noticeable .

[Steve-the-Duck]

Even the box art is a 'seventies rivet frenzy!
Here's a thought though. Just what is that extended rear spine for? Tents? Calor gas heaters?

[Mark1]

Too true mark , they would probably have been too big even for the ‘Great Western ‘
! Scaled up they would be about 3 inch in diameter !!! Funny thing too is that there arent that many rivets on the real thing , and what few it has are either flush or hardly noticeable .

I can only guess whoever designed the model used their artistic licence,looked at their handywork and smugly thought, yes! Im the best this firms ever had :tears-of-joy:

[Ian M]

That canopy was hard work Tony.

[Tim Marlow]

That’s starting to look good. All down to you though, not the manufacturer…..l.

[colin m]

I was wondering about those rivets. I bet you've shifted the C of G back by three foot at least, now they're gone.