#4470303 - 04/13/19 04:19 PM
Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
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Joined: Mar 2000
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goon
Apex avoidance specialist
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Hi All, I was going to give the WIPs a bit of a rest, but this is too good / appalling / hilarious not too. I've long had an interest in early VTOL projects, and when I saw this at the excellent Porthmadog Models whilst on holiday a few weeks ago I couldn't resist. I did a bit of reading about the kit before I bought it, so I was well aware it comes with its problems. Nothing prepared me for just how bad the mouldings are though. It's so bad it's actually funny. Here's the box. The sprues don't actually fit it properly (more in a bit), and the tray isn't glued or stapled, it just relies on the top to keep it in shape. (It makes Revell's feeble end openers look like luxury gift packaging!) The shop owners actually added their own tape to the tray to keep it together on the shelf. I had some basic tools with me while we were away so I spent an afternoon cleaning up the parts. Here are some highlights. Here's the two halves of the annular wing. These have been cleaned up significantly at this stage, but you can see the remains of the flash, and some of poor surface detail. These are the wheels for the trailer. Completely unusable, with appalling sink marks and misalignment of the mould halves. There isn't a single one I can use to make copies, so if anyone can point me at an addon or donor kit that matches I'd be grateful. A real highlight. See where the handrail at the top is utterly destroyed? That's a result of the sprues being snipped by the manufacturers so as to be able to cram them in to the box! I had to cut the sprues in to sections to get it all back in after I'd opened it. Bloody marvellous! Progress will be sporadic as I'll be working in on it when waiting for other stuff the dry, and when I need a bit of a laugh! Cheers, Gareth
Last edited by goon; 04/13/19 04:20 PM.
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4470308 - 04/13/19 04:46 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,301
Nixer
Scaliwag and Survivor
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Scaliwag and Survivor
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Living with the Trees
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Don't despair.... Just follow the box top info and get a three year old to help! You do enjoy challenges, and it seems you have really got one here.
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Look for me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Tic Toc...or anywhere you may frequent, besides SimHq, on the Global Scam Net. Aka, the internet. I am not there, never have been or ever will be, but the fruitless search may be more gratifying then the "content" you might otherwise be exposed to.
"There's a sucker born every minute." Phineas Taylor Barnum
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#4470411 - 04/14/19 02:15 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon
Apex avoidance specialist
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Doing a bit more. Here's part of the trailer cradle. Hard to tell where the sprue ends and the part starts! Great fun working on this. I managed to make some of the parts fit together and resemble the real thing! Here's the main art of the cradle on the trailer. I scrapped the guard rails on the trailer, and replaced with plastic rod. It looks much tidier. More soon!
Last edited by goon; 04/14/19 02:40 PM.
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4470534 - 04/15/19 04:05 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Dart
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Measured in Llamathrusts
Lifer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Alabaster, AL USA
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That kit is designed for internally placed firecrackers.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events. More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.comFrom Laser: "The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
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#4471183 - 04/19/19 03:41 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon
Apex avoidance specialist
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Some progress! Here is part of the trailer that stands the aircraft up on its wheels. I was gong to complete the trailer before starting the aircraft itself but I'm waiting for some wheels to come from the US, so progress has stopped. I've sorted the side windows. I used the terrible kit parts, trimming them to fit then securing with super glue. After flooding the inside with Klear to enhance the clarity I sanded the outside flush, then polished with decreasing abrasives until I was using a finger nail polishing stick. Looks quite good. These are the forward part of the intakes, which I've cleaned up and drilled out the supplementary ones on the lower side. We have a seat! The aircraft was equipped with a Sud Aviation E120B, which as you might guess does not exist as an aftermarket item. I tracked down some photos of the seat taken in the immediate aftermath of the accident that destroyed the Coleptere, and the nearest I could find was Eduard's replacement for a MiG-15. Close enough for jazz! This, and the trailer wheels, will probably be the most detailed parts of the entire model! More soon, Gareth
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4471196 - 04/19/19 05:01 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,301
Nixer
Scaliwag and Survivor
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Scaliwag and Survivor
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Living with the Trees
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Talk about an obscure and unique subject.... I didn't have a clue about this aircraft and it seems hardly anyone else has either. Very little on the web I could find. A few pics and info in this vid at the 1:57 mark: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h76xz
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Look for me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Tic Toc...or anywhere you may frequent, besides SimHq, on the Global Scam Net. Aka, the internet. I am not there, never have been or ever will be, but the fruitless search may be more gratifying then the "content" you might otherwise be exposed to.
"There's a sucker born every minute." Phineas Taylor Barnum
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#4472958 - 05/04/19 02:31 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon
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Thanks for the video Nixer. This terrible little kit is so much fun it's now pushed my other two projects to the sidelines! The trailer is mostly done. I've gone for an unrerealistically weathered finish to try and hide the lack of detail in the parts. I received the replacement wheels, made by Hauler which look very good matches. The fuselage of the aircraft is complete and awaiting a good polish before Alclading. I'm using the original canopy as a mask for the cockpit (about all it was good for!) so couldn't go any further until I'd manufactured a new one. So this afternoon was all about learning vacforming. What I've managed to produce is only one step up from crash moulding, but it will work as a replacement part. Pretty pleased with that! More soon! Gareth
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4473056 - 05/05/19 01:43 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Dart
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Measured in Llamathrusts
Lifer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Alabaster, AL USA
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Sweet!
And the trailer could be weathered a bit more if you wanted to.
Every airport trailer I've ever seen that has a little use to it has scrape and scuff marks on it - including rubber streaks, which I guess comes from airplane tires (!).
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events. More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.comFrom Laser: "The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
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#4473933 - 05/13/19 03:42 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon
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All the photos I have of the trailer show it in very good condition. The Coleoptere only made nine flights before it crashed, so it didn't get a lot of use. It's mostly complete now, just a few details to add. I scratch built the steps up to front raised area as the kit parts were so short shot they were utterly unusable. I painted the canopy. The frames are a bit too wide really, but at least you can see through the transparent parts! I've got the wing together too. Here you can see the start of the home made replacements for the landing gear, from plastic rod and brass tubing. The brass parts telescope a bit, and rotate so I can get the wheels to sit at the right orientation and all level. And here's why I made them. This is the best of the four in the kit, after a hefty clean up. The only usable part will be the 'wing'. More soon, thanks again for looking in, Gareth
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4474578 - 05/18/19 03:00 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon
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The box lid is great isn't it? One standard box and just cut out a label of the relevant aircraft to stick on it. (You'll not be surprised to learn it fell off within minutes of purchase and had to be stuck back on!) Here's a couple of progress shots. I've got the decals on. The three in a triangle arrangement come SEPARATELY and you get a diagram to show placement. Why no just make one decal?! I've replaced the two stabilising feet at the back of the trailer. I had to because a) the original part was terrible, and b) notice 'part' singular - the kit only supplies one! It hasn't fallen off the spure as there nowhere it could possibly have been! These are the replacement wheels and forks before painting fully. The wheels are from the Skunkworks Royal Navy FAA Deck set. I tried for several evenings to cast duplicates but just couldn't get nice looking ones. The fork is made from brass rod, plastic rod and parts cut from the brass parts for HobbyBoss's 1/48 Tornado airbrakes. Never throw anything away! Very much approaching the finish line now, and despite drinking a bit more than I should because of the quality, it should be good enough to take to a show, and hasn't affected my sanity.
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4474580 - 05/18/19 03:38 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 13,896
F4UDash4
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Here's a couple of progress shots. I've got the decals on. The three in a triangle arrangement come SEPARATELY and you get a diagram to show placement. Why no just make one decal?! I'm building a 1/32 Sopwith Camel, the roundels on the upper/lower wing and fuselage are all 2/3 parts. The upper wing for example is a round white decale, a red blue ring decal that goes in the center of it and a red circle that goes in the center of and on top off the first two!
Last edited by F4UDash4; 05/21/19 10:20 PM.
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
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#4474581 - 05/18/19 03:44 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Mar 2000
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goon
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That's to prevent them getting out of register when each colour is printed. It's a pain, but better than having to replace the decals. Airfix decals used to be infamous for the different parts of the roundels being on different centres.
Gareth UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing. OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing. HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall. TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you. Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
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#4474956 - 05/21/19 04:46 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Dart
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Measured in Llamathrusts
Lifer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,712
Alabaster, AL USA
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The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events. More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.comFrom Laser: "The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
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#4476840 - 06/06/19 01:28 AM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 24,081
oldgrognard
Administrator
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Administrator
Lifer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 24,081
USA
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The marring of the yellow circle with the black D looks exactly right. That is the way stuff gets scraped and marred.
Crazy good !
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
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#4488501 - 09/05/19 02:21 PM
Re: Mach 2 1/72 SNECMA Coleoptere
[Re: goon]
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 13,896
F4UDash4
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Did you ever complete this goon?
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
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