Adam Baker Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) Here's my entry. Revell of Germany 1/144 British Airways 747-400. Kit actually has 3 sets of decals, which I didn't realize. Its got the kit decals for BA, and then Liveries Unlimited Virgin Atlantic & Flight Designs America West. No clue what scheme I'm going to use yet. I prefer flashy & unusual paint schemes on my models, so I'm leaning toward something like the Wunala Dreaming Qantus scheme. I'd do the Nalanji Dreaming scheme, but its a 747-300 instead. Anyway, here's the starter pic for my build. Here's the Wunala Dreaming scheme, if I can find out who sells the decals for it. I actually managed to start on this tonight while another build I'm working on had putty drying on it, so I figured I'd go ahead & start on this. Started by sanding down the sides of the fuselage. I have to say I'm pretty surprised at the amount of flash on the pieces, there's a lot of it, and its every where. Every single one of the 190 windows on the fuselage had at least a small amount of flashing that had to be cut and/or sanded out. Once that was done, I backed all of the windows w/ .010" styrene sheet, so that I can fill them w/ some kind of putty. Like a lot of the other kits I've seen people post up, there are no clear windows, and since the kit decal sheet, along w/ one of the other sheets I have, include window decals, there's no point in keeping the molded in windows. I've got an almost full tube of Bondo Glazing Putty, but I'm leaning toward using the Milliput that I've got to fill the holes. I think the Milliput will do a better job filling the holes and probably be cleaner, and do it in a single application, where as the Bondo will probably require 2 or 3 applications and make a nice big mess in the process. Still don't know what scheme this will end up in. Apparently the Qantas Wunala & Nalanji Dreaming scheme isn't made anymore, so I'll probably have to get lucky on ebay or on the net somewhere to get either sheet. I've found a few sites that sell decals, but since this is only my 2nd airliner I've ever worked on, I dont know where all to look for decals. Edited March 28, 2013 by Adam Baker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fellow Hobbyist Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) For the tiny portholes the I think glazing putty should be more than enough to do the job. Edited January 11, 2013 by Fellow Hobbyist Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Litvyak Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Welcome! Looking forward to seeing this one, too. Hopefully you'll be able to find one of the Qantas schemes! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 What color is that bird? Looks a lot like McLaren flourescent red. I like it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Im not entirely sure to be honest. I thought it was Qantas red, but it looks more fluorescent to me than that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Tamiya a spray bomb may be perfect for it. Forget the designation off hand. Will have to look when I get home. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 The Wanula decals are long out of production and hard to find these days. Brasil Decals did a sheet as I recall. Nice to see a 744 being built! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Yea, I figured they were all out of production, and it would probably cost me quite a bit if they pop up on ebay. I guess I'll just look for other schemes. Anyone got suggestions on where to look for decals? I've found Draw Decals, and Airline Hobby. Obviously there's ebay too. Just trying to get ideas at the moment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Litvyak Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Two-Six has a couple of different Virgin sets and a Delta set for the 744, but also one unexpected one: Thai International retro scheme Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Well, I've already got a set of Virgin decals from Liveries Unlimited, but I just dont know. I'd prefer to not have to do a scheme that's almost all white. One, its just plain IMO, I prefer more color, and two, I dont want to deal w/ the chance of the color yellowing down the line as the model ages. I've found a few schemes I like but it seems most are out of production and very difficult to find. I found a United scheme I like. Its got a lot of white, but its less than half white, so it might be something I'd think about. I've also found a couple KLM schemes I like, being 2 different shades of blue, which is my favorite color, and very little white, haha. Airline Hobby has a few of them, so that looks like it might be my best bet. I just wish their site were a little bit easier to navigate. Their search function leave a lot to be desired. Made some progress this evening. Masked off all the windows using blue painters tape, and then smeared Bondo Glazing Putty over all the windows. I did the best I could to make sure each one is full, but I doubt most of them are completely full, but as long as they come out smooth in the end, I dont care. At least the first sanding will be done w/ the tape left in place, so that I dont have to retape. I'm expecting to have to put down at least 2 coats of putty to get a good fill on all of the windows, but it might take 3, so we'll see. Once I'm sure they are filled well enough, then I'll pull the tape off and do a final sanding w/ a high grit paper to blend it all, and then I'll go back and clean out the few panel lines that were filled w/ putty. I masked off the windows as close as I could, but there are still a handful of panel lines I couldnt cover up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Managed to get the first coat of putty sanded off today. Overall the results were good, but its going to take at least a 2nd coat of putty, which I've since gotten down and tomorrow I'll sand that coat off, and hopefully it'll be good. I've got another build I'm working on that I have to put primer on tomorrow to check my seam filling work, so if I can get the putty sanded off in time, I'll put down a primer coat over the windows, to see how they filled in and whether I need to go w/ a 3rd coat or not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fellow Hobbyist Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Glad to know I'm not the only one with a messy work bench with materials strewn all over the place. With regard to white paint turning yellow I recall a tip where you add a drop of blue to white paint and mix together to make "bluing". You then mix a drop of the bluing into the white paint to be applied to the subject. This prevent the white from yellowing in the future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Haha, yea, my bench tends to stay pretty cluttered, but I also have like 4 different builds going on right now, so all the tools are pulled out and not much has been put away, that sort of thing. Yea, I've heard the same tip, and I've also heard that its more prone in enamel white vs lacquer or acrylic white. Part of it too is wanting a flashier scheme, and one w/ a lot of white just looks plain to me, so trying to find something w/ a lot of color in it. Just not having a lot of luck right now finding decal sheets that I really like enough to get. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fellow Hobbyist Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Have you considered NW Airlines Red/ Gray/ White color scheme? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Yea, the Bowling Shoe scheme? I've seen it, and just not sure if its what I want or not. I've found real a/c that I really like, but no clue if they've ever been done in scale or not. I'm also having a lot of trouble in that I've found several I like, but they are out of print, so that's making it a lot harder too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kiwifire Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Looking pretty good there i must say, i have always wanted to have a go at the 747 well done i will be watching this one Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Just a quick update. Got the fuselage primed on Sunday, to see where I stood w/ the windows being filled in, after 2 applications of glazing putty. Results were good, but not great. Things are smooth, but the window outlines are still pretty visible. So it means at least 1 more coat of putty, but I'm thinking about trying CA & baking soda on each window and sanding it smooth. Hopefully that would be enough to get them filled completely and smooth. This one probably wont be worked on again till after the first of February. Leaving for a week in California on Sunday, and I've got a group build on another forum that ends on Jan 31, so I'm trying to get that build finished up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fellow Hobbyist Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I think your are fine (though that is my opinion). If you wish to proceed with completely filling the windows I would steer clear of the CA/ Baking Soda for two reasons. 1.) It is a ***** to sand! You risk inadvertently scouring the panel and hatch lines while smoothing out the dried mixture. 2.) I recall reading that CA and baking soda will interact chemically producing a oily black substance that will bleed through any paint work over time. One or two more applications of Bondo will finish the job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Do the decals not line up exactly with the holes? If they do it would probably look better if they were sunk in a little like that. May have to do them one at a time but I bet it would look great in the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 Thanks for the info. I've never tried the combo but heard it works pretty good. I'll steer clear of it then. I think your are fine (though that is my opinion). If you wish to proceed with completely filling the windows I would steer clear of the CA/ Baking Soda for two reasons. 1.) It is a ***** to sand! You risk inadvertently scouring the panel and hatch lines while smoothing out the dried mixture. 2.) I recall reading that CA and baking soda will interact chemically producing a oily black substance that will bleed through any paint work over time. One or two more applications of Bondo will finish the job. I havent gotten the decals yet for the build, so I dont know how they'll fit. I think that I'm going to go w/ Draw Decals KLM decals, since I like the 2 tone blue on it. Just gotta have the extra cash to order the decals. Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of weeks. http://www.drawdecal.com/store/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=30058 Do the decals not line up exactly with the holes? If they do it would probably look better if they were sunk in a little like that. May have to do them one at a time but I bet it would look great in the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Finally a little bit of progress to report on my build. Put in a lot of OT at work this weekend, so didnt have much time for modeling, but I was able to get some in last night. The first task this weekend was getting the fuselage halves glued together. Fit was well below what I had hoped it would be. I'm finding on this kit, that the fit is horrible, w/ lots of cleanup work required anywhere that 2 pieces have to be joined together. The 2 fuselage halves went together ok in a few places, but for the most part there's at least a small step at the join all the way around thats going to require a lot of sanding and clean up. The worst area by far, is around the wing roots & main gear bays. It took some .020" sheet to fill the first set of gaps, just to help start stabilizing the parts together so any more work could be done. Thats where I ended it last night, to give the glue time to dry completely. Tonight I'll trim the plastic strips out and sand it smooth and start work on filling the other gaps w/ sheet and stretched sprue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Following a comment made on another forum about internal bracing, I went back this evening and removed the belly panel I glued in, and it came out frighteningly easy. I could tell there was very little holding it in place. When I glued the belly on I didn't try adding any bracing, and the fuselage was noticeably weaker in that area, so I corrected it. Once I had it out, I started working w/ the sprue that came w/ the kit to add reinforcement. Thankfully the kit sprue is pretty large and worked perfectly. This is what I ended up w/ once I was done. The fuselage is a lot more rigid now. Plus it gave me a little bit more gluing surface for the belly panel. I then glued the belly panel back in place, filling some of the gaps w/ sheet styrene, as well as using stretched sprue. I also finished gluing together the other wings. I had one wing glued a few weeks ago, but never did the 2nd wing or the horizontal stabs. Now the cleanup work beings on all the seams. Hoping to order my decals this week. Probably going to go w/ KLM airlines from Draw Decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fellow Hobbyist Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Very novel solution. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Nice work, I have a couple of these and will have to go down the same path I think. Also as for the KLM decals, are you going to worry about the engine mismatch? Your kit has Rolls Royce RB211s while KLM 747s use GE CF6s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Baker Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 I didn't know about the mismatch actually. I was wondering what engines came in the kit, but hadn't looked especially hard to find out. I guess I'll look into replacement engines, and if they aren't too expensive, then I may replace them, otherwise I just wont worry about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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