Hajo L. Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Well, when I reviewed the kit of the Mach2 Learjet 35 ( ) I´ve never thought that I would regret building that kit that soon after starting it. May I introduce the cockpit: Considering the usual quality of other short-run-kits I really wonder how Mach2 dares to release this... But I won´t give up! HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Silenoz Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 that's sparce... at least you have the seats... on the other end, what will be seen once completed? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Hajo, it could be worse. You've got an interior. Just be lucky it's not a vacuform kit, like the BroPlan 1/72 Falcon 900Ex, which I have to start one day. But after seing your scratch built boat, I know you can do it. Show us the pictures of the build! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balls47 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 (edited) Yessir, I don't know how much $$$ you have tied up in AM "stuff" yet, but here is one solution. Depending upon how you feel about In-Flight builds, that may be a viable option. You could build the model with gear up, over-paint the canopy so your cockpit would not be visible, put it on a nice stand, and call it a day. You could put a patch on the base of the stand from the Swiss Airforce unit that you are modeling. If you haven't invested in a pile of aftermarket cockpit items, you could build a nice in-flight model and donate it to the Swiss Airforce unit that flies this particular airplane. Cut your losses, if any, and move on to your next project. That's just my 2 cents worth. Good Luck!!! Edited October 21, 2016 by balls47 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Major Walt Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I read your review and loved how you said Mach 2 got its name :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 22, 2016 Author Share Posted October 22, 2016 Thank you for the input! balls47, so far I haven't invested in any AM-stuff (because I almost never do, not accounting that this kit probably has no AM-offers), but will just do it OOB except for the markings. I hope I can meet my own expectation with the kit, since I want to do it in Phoenix Air-markings. So, I was wrong, I DID invest in some AM-stuff, which are self-made decals for this version. This is the current status: The windows look good, although I had to do some sanding to make them fit into the openings. The cockpit itself is the worst thing I've ever seen, but as some said, you probably won see anything due to the distorted clear parts. However, I plan to add some basic pilot figures since I like my birds "manned". HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Some progress! First a look at my pilots - no arms, no legs, no lower body... I also sanded a lot on the nose of the aircraft, not sure how this will look once the clear parts are attached. After having glued on the "clear parts"... LOL As you can see, the nose doesn´t really look like a Learjet: Closer look: In the moment I´m writing this a big blob of putty is drying on the nose of the kit. I hope I can rstore the typical noseline of the Lear. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rich in name only Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 I think the nose looks close. Appears that the center of the windshield has a curve to sand down and that the windshield "glass" bulges too much--again sanding. Put a lot of sanding into their DC-4 cockpit clear partly to see if the blemishes/fog were mostly surface. Those flaws did not improve but it did prove that those clear parts can take a lot of sanding because they are so thick. A bonus was a smoother surface on the clear parts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 I think you´re right! I will cross-check with the Lear 60-kit I have in my stash. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Well, I think the Lear 60-nose will stay where it belongs... I did some work as plastic surgeon: It´s still not looking good when taking a sharp look from close. It looks more like a Cessna Citation nose than a Learjet nose. I think I will start sanding away from the underside of the nose to make the whole thing pointier. The windshield looks "off", like if the bird ate too much and is too fat now. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 I attached the wings. I also noticed that the most aft cabin windows of the Phoenix Air-birds are blind or even deleted, so out came som eputty again. I won´t mention the nose... HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 3, 2016 Author Share Posted November 3, 2016 Well, it DOES look like a Learjet 35. But I´d better don´t measure it up... HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 I can start painting! The wings, engines and tanks went on smoothly, although you can´t disguise the origin of the kit... The red stripe is the base for a smiling shark-mouth: HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lancer512 Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Nice work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 8, 2016 Author Share Posted November 8, 2016 I finished the base coat (Revell 76) and also painted the leading edges: Now I will continue with the tiger-stripes. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 Stripes are on! I used a mixture of grey and black, slightly lighter than anthrazit. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Decals are on! Of course this didn´t went as planned as well... The quality of the decals is good, but they are too small! I got them from a custom decal producer who promised to downscale a set of 1:48 into 1:72... Well, looks like claculating wasn´t their biggest strength. Anyway, I´m pretty satisfied with the general look! HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Finished! The small Learjet 35 is really a showstopper, but I´d really wish some decent manufacturer would do a model of this aircraft. The Mach2-kit is really a disgrace for the Lear! The mouth has been handpainted, using a finescale-pen for the "grin". Loadout are an ECM-pod used by adversary-birds and an ACMI-sensor. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Space Tiger Hobbes Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Nice build looking at what you started with. So the whole nose is built up and recontoured? I think I'd just be happy if I had some stripe decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 Not the whole nose, just the outlines. But I can´t recommend this kit anymore, especially with the current release of the Sova-M Lear 35. HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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