Well, it didn’t turn out as well as I wanted, but at least it’s done.
I rigged it with wire, after fishing line and stretched sprue just refused to co-operate. Each end of the six wires have probably been glued a dozen times (or so it seems!), and have been straightened after being bent. The other big PIA was getting the gunsight and vac conopy to work with each other. Seems like I invented a few new words when I went to glue these in place.
So, here are the pics. Remember - this is a small bird. The fuselage is about 5", with an 8" wingspan. Classic Airframes 1/48 Polikarpov I-153 “Chaika” (Gull), based at Minsk, in June, 1941 (beginning of “Operation Barbarossa,” Hitler’s invasion of Russia).
Clearly, not one of my better builds, but at least it’s finished ! (this one went back in the box in '96-'97, after it had been started)
Hmmm… it looks good to me, Bill! The camo job itself is enough to do you justice, and the rigging just ads icing to the proverbial cake; beautiful build! [:)]
Rick - the rigging was troublesome, even if it is just six lengths. Every time I picked it up, one end or another would pop, or the wire would bend. The wire I chose to use is fairly sturdy, but once it’s bent it’s almost impossible to straighten. But, like I said, it’s done.
This was one of Classic Airframes’ first kits (#406), issued in '96. The injected parts are typical limited run injection moldings. They did one of the best fabric representations I’ve seen when they made this kit. The metal areas are a little unrefined, though. Their newer releases are much better overall, I feel.
Thank you crockett, pingtang, Mark, LionBaron, and Karl !
Mark - I try not to let the kit get the best of me. It’s only plastic, anyhow. A lot can be learned from overcoming obstacles.
Karl - it is an unusual little bird. This kit is long out-of-production, but Classic Airframes released the I-15 not long ago. It is very similar, but has fixed gear.
