MPC 1/144 L1011-1 Tristar

[jonwinn]

After the Minicraft 757-200 I need something a little less stressful, so I have this coming soon. I guess I need another challenge, this should be a bit easier I hope. Want to do it as the L1011-1 I flew on 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines L1011-1 from Miami to Nassau.

 

 

[aircommando130]

I loved flying on Eastern Airlines when I was young. 727's and Lockheed Electra's.

[jonwinn]

Same here. I think one of my flights was an Eastern 727-200. Here it is. I am building OOB, I am aware of the missing S duct, the odd engines, the 6 flap tracks instead of 5, the total non existent scribe lines, the tail not showing the S duct bulges and every other demon and  gremlin in this kit. I am saving my money to buy an EE L1011-1 next year but this will do to keep me amused and sharpen my skills on building large airliners. So far I have added 43 grams of metal to the nose area for ballast, Tamiya taped the inside of the windows as a backer for the putty, glued in the cockpit bulkhead and  bulkhead hiding the non existent S duct in the tail intake for engine #2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by jonwinn
NA

[jonwinn]

I took the clamps and tape off and have started the putty. I am doing it top first then bottom. After those are done and sanded I will do the doors. I'm in no hurry and can see it may take multiple coats in some areas. I am also on the hunt for new decals, the kit decals are 40 years old, yellowing and they have no windows. There should be windows in the light blue cheat line, so I will just hunt down some new ones.

[jonwinn]

Some more work, lots more puttying to go!

[Dutch]

Jon,

You're going to have to buy putty by the pound for this one!  Do you plan on improving the engines, or leave "as is?" As to decals, you will need either ATP Airliners America AD5059 Eastern L-1011 / DC-10, which is the thin cheatline as in your photo above.  However, you will need a separate windscreen (AD5006) and cabin window (MS 44-13) sheet as well.  The Classic Airliners Eastern L-1011 sheet offers the wider cheatline with windows already printed on the light blue cheatline.

K/r, Dutch

Edited August 22, 2023 by Dutch

[jonwinn]

Thanks, already redid putty on bottom and have 4 of 6 rows of windows puttied. Will need to finish last 2 rows of windows then do all 6 rows again, THEN I can add all the doors and start puttying all 12 of them. I am not even attempting to fix the engines or flap tracks. I want to save all that money to buy an Eastern Express L1011 next year, I hope. This will be a "shelf sitter".

Edited August 22, 2023 by jonwinn

[Dutch]

Jon,

Instead of puttying the long straight lines on the bottom of the wings, try gluing the smallest diameter plast-l-strut or evergreen solid rod into the gap, then sand flush.  It will save you hours of sanding putty.  I did this on my Minicraft C-130 wing underside and it worked wonderfully.  Check out my build thread on SCM here, find picture no. 18.

 

Keep up the great work.

K/r,

Dutch

Edited August 22, 2023 by Dutch

[jonwinn]

Thanks, I'll try that next time as the re-puttying is already done.

 

[jonwinn]

BTW nice work on that Ethiopian Herc. I have a soft spot for C-130s as my older brother was a maintenance officer for a "flock" of C-130Es at Forbes from '70 till they closed down in '74. He had a 1/72 model of one he made when at Forbes, musta been the old 70s Airfix kit.

[aircal62]

Jon, nice work on this kit.  The Airfix looks significantly better than the Revell kit.  Are you planning on doing the white crown Eastern or the bare metal finish?  I am watching your build with interest as a Tristar may be my next airliner build.  

[jonwinn]

Thanks, I am doing the NMF version which I flew on. No white.

[jonwinn]

The Puttying is done for a while. The windows and seams have been done twice and are looking good. I just put the doors in and will putty them next. I have some fine wet-dry sandpaper from 1200 to 6000 to use later and get the scratches out of the plastic for a smooth NMF paint job.

 

[jonwinn]

Here is what I think is the biggest problem with the MPC-Airfix kit. They have 6 instead of 5 flap tracks and in the wrong locations. Also the MPC ones do not attach to the wing, only the flap!!!!! The first picture is the correct Eastern Express wing and the second picture is the incorrect MPC wing. I am NOT fixing them....I will live with it and do the better Eastern Express kit next year.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by jonwinn

[aircal62]

Jon, you are doing an amazing job on this kit.  While the Airfix missed details of an actual production aircraft like the flap tracks, and a bulge in the fuselage just under the stabs, it looks like Airfix got a lot right.  Looking forward to seeing your finished model.  

[jonwinn]

Thanks, that's the way I look at it, it's not a total loss.

[aircommando130]

Great job so far! My dad was in the Air Force with a guy he went to high school and college 

with that retired as a Eastern L1011 captain. I was wearing my Eastern L-1011 t shirt yesterday too.

 

Cheers...Ron

[jonwinn]

Thanks, I sanded the doors and one needs some more putty to fill some porosity holes. Then all that's left is the 2 large main gear doors on the bottom.

 

[jonwinn]

Two main gear doors on fuselage bottom filled and sanded, wings are on.

 

[Trojan Thunder]

Nice progress Jon, looking very tidy!

[jonwinn]

Thanks Ray, I am using my tried and true method, slow but steady wins the race! It's putty,sand, repeat, putty sand repeat etc. No magic here, just keep slogging away.

 

[aircal62]

Jon, you're doing excellent work on this kit.  I always hated the Airfix had to have all the doors and cargo hatches separate.  Just a lot of extra work to clean them up.  Can't wait to see how she looks with primer 

[jonwinn]

I have the cockpit windscreen on and puttied up along with the cargo door that had porosity, I've also added the horizontal stabilizers. I can now move on to the engines and go with finer grit to polish up any scratches from the wet sanding on the fuselage and wings.

 

 

[kg4kpg]

That’s looking awesome. I had an Otaki L-1011, wish I would have kept and built it. My favorite wide body.