This…is definitely not plastic but is merely a filler build for me. If I find myself working on a project for longer than 6 months ( like the 67 Mustang that I’m currently building) I need something to give me a kick in the pants so I’ll have a sense of accomplishment or, in this case, a sense of actually completing something. I’ve been seeing thiss kit at HL for the last few months and have been wanting to build it after building the Metal Works Avro Lancaster last year.
So…I bought one.
It took me two days of dedicated building with the difficult parts being the assembly of the machine guns and the finicky landing gear. The trick to these is to pay attention to what you’re bracing against on any given backside surface of where the retaining tabs are being bent. If you’re braced wrong then stuff starts to bend and distort. It’s a careful process but it yields in a pretty snazzy finish when it’s all said and done.
Being all metal and smaller in scales, it’s neat to see one of these kits (whatever the subject) all built up and while not the most detailed and certainly not accurate, they are cool little conversation pieces anyway.
The finished product…
The cockpit and engien were decently portrayed with some details. A seat belt harness was built into the seat but like I was saying about the accuracy, these aircraft only came with a simple rope in which to hold the pilot in. I couldn’t help but to apply a wash to the cooling fins on the outside of the cylinders which brought out the detail that much more. Each one of those cylinders had to be individually rounded and installed.
That’s very cool, Joe. And nice work on the assembly[Y]
Not sure if I’d have the patience for a Metal Earth kit or not. I’ve muddled through my share of PE, but bending has never been my favorite activity. Especially curves.
I didn’t realize any of the Metal Earth kits came painted. Surprised when I saw pic #2.
I have built some ME kits making a carved wood replacement for some of the curves. This was for the non- colored kits that I primed and painted myself.
I have found a kit now that has me stymied- the peakock. The slotted tabs have a slot so fine that it closes up when you bend the tab. I had been about to give up, but it was one of their most expensive kits, and I decided I will experiment to find a way to overcome that problem.
Greg: Thanks brother. Been a long time since we’ve talked. Hardly any time available between work, stuff to do at home and then whatever time I have left goes to modeling. lol
John: Thanks man. Yeah that thing surprised me too John at how small it was and then again on how much it weighed. I shouldn’t be surprised though because it is all a bunch of metal. lol
Jim: Thank you as well and I hear you man. My son builds ALOT of Legos but won’t touch a plastic kit to save his life. To each his/ her own I guess. At least they are into SOME sort of hobby that aint on a dang electronic device.
Goldhammer:'Preciate the comments. They are pretty fun kits indeed. I’ve got the T-800 Terminator Endoskeleton kit. Sheeeesh!!! I had to put my “big boy” pants on for that one and it’s gonna take me a looong time to finish that one up.
Chad!!!: Thank you for chiming in brother. Been a long time since I’ve chatted with you as well. I do hope all is well for you.
Ernie: Thanks bud. This one was one of the more realistic looking builds. I think I want to try that P-40 Warhawk as that looks like a fair representation of one. I looked at the P-51 and skipped it. Didn’t look right at all.
DM: Thank you as well. Had alot of fun with this one and even picked up a small case for it.
Don: I saved your reply for last because I had an image to go with it. There aint no way in HELL I’d ever take on that peacock kit and my hat goes off to you for taking it on. You sir…are the frickin’ MAN!!!
I’ve built the Metal earth dragon and it was tough. This is very cool and I may have to pick up some more to work on. They are really pretty neat. Well done, very cool.
Very nice tri-plane! Those kits are a nice filler project, and they look great on display. I’ve done a few of them, currently have the St Basils cathedral in progress (for at least a year!), need to pull it out and fiinish.
Yep, that is the one. I suspect the answer to the problem is to ignore the slots and just glue the tabs.
By the way, I never considered myself a plastic modeler. Modeling should be done with whatever materials are onhand, workable, and cheap. I began modeling a few years before plastic kits became available. Kits were balsa- stick and tissue for planes, though I did do some “solid model” planes- pieces of balsa that one carved to shape. Car kits were carved balsa too, except for phenolic wheels.
