Brews Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 (edited) My Airfix Short Sunderland is somewhere not immediately to hand, but this one was, so I'll begin with that. The Seiran, for those who are unaware, was designed to be carried and launched by a huge Japanese submarine, for the purpose of kamikaze attacks on the Pacific Fleet and, more specifically, the Panama Canal. One survived the war, lives in the USA, and has been restored, IIRC. Edited December 12, 2006 by Brews Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 11, 2006 Author Share Posted December 11, 2006 Here is the only remaining example: http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircr...ichi_seiran.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 11, 2006 Author Share Posted December 11, 2006 I've removed the major parts - wings, floats, fuselage halves and cockpit floor / seats from the sprues and substantially cleaned up the generous sprue gates. Also, the vac canopy has been separated from its acetate sheet by the score/snap method, with a little clean-up carving via #11 blade. The instructions suggested using scissors ... anyway, I have got as far as supergluing one set of float halves together using gap-filling CA and accelerator. I probably could have used styrene cement, but I was impatient, and the parts were slightly warped, anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Fester Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 The Seiran, for those who are unaware, was designed to be carried and launched by a huge Japanese submarine.... Now that must have been a monster sub, fascinating. Bruce good progress there with a non Tamigawa kit, looks great. Doc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 11, 2006 Author Share Posted December 11, 2006 Now that must have been a monster sub, fascinating. Let's just say that when Revell release it in 1:72, it will dwarf the Gato. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kingoalie Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Are you going to add weights in the floats so that the plane sits level? Just a thought. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 11, 2006 Author Share Posted December 11, 2006 I hadn't given it any thought, to be honest. I don't think I'll make a stand for it, but I might make a diorama base, or poke some wires into it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 12, 2006 Author Share Posted December 12, 2006 Ok, the interior is assembled and painted (unless I choose to add some structure (guesswork), throttles, map cases, etc) except for the instrument panel. I used Gunze H63 Metallic Blue-Green for the interior colour, rather than the Olive green suggested by the MPM instructions. The floats are both cemented together and to the wing, which has been glued together also. The fuselage halves are yet to be glued. One tailplane is attached, but it's a bit floppy, so I'll toughen it up with some CA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ranger74 Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 Here is the only remaining example:http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircr...ichi_seiran.jpg It now sits indoors at the NASM site at Dulles. Its a big aiplane. I saw it back in August. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jrallman Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 It has to be big, it was meant to bomb the Panama Canal! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted December 13, 2006 Author Share Posted December 13, 2006 (edited) It's easy enough, I think, to be overawed at the size of an aeroplane when you're standing beside it. An Albatros DV struck me as being much bigger than I thought, when I was 10. The plane is high, though, because it sits on floats, of course, but otherwise it's about the size of a Fairey Fulmar - smaller, if anything. Edited December 13, 2006 by Brews Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 Yesterday, I masked the canopy with Tamiya tape. It was a tedious job. Later, I made a machine gun from brass shim, a map table from plastic card, and some map cases from brass shim. Also, I made a DF loop from fusewire. I had oils to hand, so I used those to paint the detail bits. The canopy was superglued on, and today I'll prepare the surfaces ... maybe even paint it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
miduppergunner Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 It does look a rather fierce aeroplane - and hefty. Again here is an example of the diverse and unusual aircraft that this group build is attracting! From the pictures you seem to have the Sunderland to hand again - it is a particular favourite of mine so I do hope we will see this progressing shortly, because the Seiran is looking rather good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ted Barrett Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Your Seiran is looking pretty good so far, Brews! I've got a Aviation UsK Pete somewhere in the modelling room (same coloured plastic as the Seiran). Your buildup makes me want to find it and get some paint and glue happening on it! Ted Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 Oh, I feel like I'm on the home straight now. I tried out the Gunze IJN dark green last night. It's a lovely colour! I'll finish this within a few days, I'm pretty sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 Pictorial update: Canopy masking: Interior detail scratchbuilt (prior to painting): Brief spray of IJN Dark Green for "first look": Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Fester Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Yum Yum.... looks great Bruce. Doc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 Well, I touched up a bit more with Mr Surfacer, but it's definitely not defect-free. Nonetheless, it now has a good coverage of IJN Dark Green on those bits that need that colour. More masking, then the IJN Light Grey. My decals are stuck to the plastic protecting them. Curious! I'll cut them out with the plastic and hope they don't disintegrate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BadCop Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 As the little brother to my build, this one looks great! That Canopy is a real bugger to mask, I'm becoming a bigger fan of pre cut masks everyday. Looking forward to seeing some more progress on this one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Funny thing, I was looking for my Airfix He 111H-20 this morning, and I found this model, still incomplete because of a move to Canada 7 years and 8 months ago! A float and a tailplane had broken off, and I can't find the instructions for the painting plan, so I googled them, and this page came up. Oh well, I might as well get on with finishing it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Ghost 531 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Are you going to put U.S. stars and bars on it? I understand that was what they were going to carry on the canal mission. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brews Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 Are you going to put U.S. stars and bars on it? I understand that was what they were going to carry on the canal mission. I did not know that, so I wasn't intending on doing so, but I could be tempted :) I recently found my He 111H-20, by the way, and only this afternoon, I found the exhausts and curious little float-rudder appendages. This has a decent chance of completion soon. I'm sorry I used that Gunze Aotake on the interior - it seems it should have been another colour. Oh well! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.