MPC (Airfix) U-2A

[datguy]

This is the Airfix U-2; I am using the MPC boxing from the 1980s. I will be building it as an early U-2A and mark it as 56-6717. The aircraft will be depicted as it appeared in service ~1962 with the 4080th SRW USAF; it was subsequently lost in "Taiwanese" service in 1966. The colors will be overall gray (16473) with fluorescent red-orange (28913) high visibility markings on wings and empennage.

The parts breakdown is straightforward, with no rivets but raised panel lines. I chose to rescribe the panel lines. Given their mission profile, U-2's were well-built and kept in pretty pristine condition, so the lines will be quite understated.

U-2s were almost never left with canopies open, and I'll be building this one closed up. Still I couldn't leave the oversimplified seat and bare interior alone. I added a copper wire canopy breaker rail, strip styrene sear framing, and belts from wine bottle foil. The next photo shows a comparison between kit and modified seats.

The back wall of the cockpit received ejection seat guide rails, structural framing, and various doodads using web photos of the 1/48 Cutting Edge interior set as a guide. I also built side consoles in the fuselage halves. Not much will show when she's all buttoned up, but it will be suitably busy inside. The seat and modified cockpit are shown in the next photo

Enjoy-

- DG

[Trojan Thunder]

Nice detailing on the seat and cockpit, any more progress?

[datguy]

Slow but steady progress on this one. The plugs for the slipper tanks were a very poor fit in a very obvious area. It took a huge amount of putty-sand-repeat on those, as well as the undersurface wing joints. The intake fit was fairly poor, especially on the starboard side.

Paint is on and ready for decals. Model Master enamels for the gray FS 16473 and day glo red-orange FS 28913. The gloss grey took over a week to cure. I've had similar very slow drying with this color, even when abetted by laquer thinner or toluene in the mix. Thank goodness I was on vacation for part of the time, so the slow drying wasn't as frustrating!

The custom decals for the tail number are drying as I type. The remainder of the markings will come from a Superscale sheet and maybe the MPC originals for some.

Enjoy,

- DG

[datguy]

It's done. More photos are posted in the completed builds section of the GB. No contest winner, but it will look good on my shelf. I've wanted to build a U-2 since the Rareplanes issue was the only choice, so now I can check that off.

Problem areas:

• The wing joints and slipper tank/pod fits are very challenging to get smooth.
  
• It rides way too high on its nose gear.
  
• The joint on the fin is tricky because clamping it tight caused a few degrees of warp. I didn't see that until way too late to correct it. And I never predicted that as an outcome of clamping.
  
• The canopy seems too flat.
  
• The wheels on the pogo outrigger gear are too wide
  

Edited July 13, 2008 by datguy

[Jack-Swiss]

Just wooow!!!!

Great job on that,really!!!!!!

Cheers

[Trojan Thunder]

Nice to see it finished DG

Were these the kit decals?

[datguy]

Nice to see it finished DG

Were these the kit decals?

Thanks. No, not the kit decals. These are from Superscale sheet 72-461 except for the tail number which I made myself. There weren't quite enough walkway stripes on the sheet either, so I had to scrounge some from elsewhere in the decal collection.

DG