Author Topic: Lockheed Vega (First New Model Of 2013) (Read 10349 times)

John Howling Mouse · « **on:** January 05, 2013, 08:16:39 AM »

Wow, so this is how models were made in 1953...AMT 1:48. I scribed some panel lines for the sake of adding interest. Found it sort of odd that the pilot was sculpted with a noticeable eye-patch so I'm wondering if there's some sort of back-story to that for Alaska Airlines back in the thirties. Here are some in-progress shots:

Cowl and engine face details are not too bad. I ended up going over some of the heavy-handed silver weathering on that prop later.

...and the cowl painted up:

Cockpit masked up. I can't imagine how these intrepid bush-pilots managed to see ANYTHING through those tiny glazing panels!

All primed up and ready for paint (translation: the swearing from attempting to put together all those float-struts finally ended):

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2013, 08:26:12 AM »

Wow you're off to an outstanding start on that Vega, Mr Howling Mouse! Your detail work on the engine is superb!

It looks like you're also on your way to discovering that some of those older, simpler kits can be excellent whiff fodder too!

As to the pilot with the eye-patch, it's probably supposed to represent the most famous Lockheed Vega pilot of them all, Wiley Post, the first person to fly around the world solo. He lost his eye in an oil well mishap and used the compensation to buy his first airplane. He was sadly killed along with Will Rogers in an airplane crash in Alaska in 1935.

I'm really excited to see where you go next with this exciting project!

Brian da Basher

John Howling Mouse · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2013, 08:26:28 AM »

And here is my weather-beaten-yet-still-dependable island-hopper and first model completed for me in 2013 (and, yes, I know it needs beaching gear really badly):

And the underside for those of you who like that sort of thing:

And a kinky close-up:

John Howling Mouse · « **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2013, 08:37:20 AM »

Quote from: Brian da Basher on January 05, 2013, 08:26:12 AM

As to the pilot with the eye-patch, it's probably supposed to represent the most famous Lockheed Vega pilot of them all, Wiley Post, the first person to fly around the world solo. He lost his eye in an oil well mishap and used the compensation to buy his first airplane. He was sadly killed along with Will Rogers in an airplane crash in Alaska in 1935.

Brian da Basher

No kidding! Of course I've heard of Wiley Post but I never knew he had an eye-patch, poor fellow. On his record-breaking 'round the world flight, he stopped right here in Edmonton, too! But I never realized he accomplished all that flying with one eye. Wow!

Logan Hartke · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2013, 08:45:51 AM »

Lovely! This is great, JHM! I love '30s aviation, so this is great. I love the color and it looks very realistic. I think it would fit right in a TaleSpin or Crimson Skies universe.

Cheers,

Logan

apophenia · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2013, 09:33:54 AM »

Gorgeous build! Hard-worn like any respectable bush plane :)

sotoolslinger · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2013, 11:48:56 AM »

Sweet!

Love the plane and the build. :) 'cept where are the guns

Scooterman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2013, 12:26:04 PM »

The Rodent is back, baby!

raafif · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2013, 01:17:46 PM »

very very nice !! :)

We need more civil aircraft here.

Didn't you ballast the floats ?? Judging by my experiences in the bathtub as a nipper, I'm sure it would float .....

jcf · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2013, 03:25:54 PM »

Nicely done Baz, judging from the paint chipping I gather this is the rare all-metal Vega.

One thing though, the AMT kit dates from the 70s and is not the same as the old 50s vintage Lindbergh kit.
As Brian sez, the figure is indeed supposed to be Post, as the kit was originally released as the Winnie Mae.
I built one when it was first released.

Here's a Vega that never was:

According to Richard Sanders Allan in Revolution In The Sky: The Lockheeds of Aviations Golden Age,
Northrop had intended for the outrigger floats to be retractable.

BTW all of the Lockheed Stars (Vega, Sirius, Altair and Orion) and the Air Express had the same
basic fuselage and wing, whether wood or metal, high-winged or low, so that basic Vega kit can be the
starting point for all sorts of fun. The aircraft Post and Will Rogers died in was a hybrid of an Orion
fuselage and the longer span wing of an Explorer.

elmayerle · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2013, 04:04:10 PM »

Beautiful job!! I'm not sure about showing much in the way of panel lines, most Vega fuselages were formed from plywood in two halves (using male and female concrete forms) and then glued together as a monocoque (sp) fuselage.

upnorth · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2013, 05:12:57 PM »

Very nice indeed!

Tophe · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2013, 06:04:23 PM »

Wow!

Hammerhead · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2013, 03:20:17 AM »

That is really something else John.

Where have you got it parked? Looks like Geneva?

John Howling Mouse · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2013, 08:23:46 AM »

Thanks guys. Yeah, I know it's likely not "accurate" in all sorts of respects but this is pretty close to how I saw it in my mind's eye so I went with it. A pilot once pointed out to me that aircraft, being made of aluminum, really should never show "rust," per se, in a model rendering. He forgot that he was talking to a guy who believes Batman is real and thinks that LMP (Lemon Meringue Pie) is proof of a Higher Power. Heh, heh.

jschmus · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2013, 08:51:07 AM »

Very nice. A little reading reveals that the late Mr. Post was a 1:1 scale what-iffer. The plane that crashed in Alaska was custom-built from the fuselage of a Lockheed Orion, with the larger wing from a Lockheed Explorer. Lockheed said the two designs were incompatible, and refused to do the work themselves, so Post did the work himself and added floats.

ChrisF · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2013, 09:01:46 PM »

Whats my rule ? If it looks right it is right.. End of :)

Doom! · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2013, 03:13:20 AM »

JHM, great way to start off this years whiffing!

I'm so happy to see you back at it. :)

Daryl J. · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2013, 07:04:25 AM »

Yes! :) :) :)

Having built that kit in the late 1970's it's great to see one here!

elmayerle · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2013, 11:08:32 AM »

Quote from: John Howling Mouse on January 06, 2013, 08:23:46 AM

Thanks guys. Yeah, I know it's likely not "accurate" in all sorts of respects but this is pretty close to how I saw it in my mind's eye so I went with it. A pilot once pointed out to me that aircraft, being made of aluminum, really should never show "rust," per se, in a model rendering. He forgot that he was talking to a guy who believes Batman is real and thinks that LMP (Lemon Meringue Pie) is proof of a Higher Power. Heh, heh.

On further digging, I found that there were metallic-fuselage Vega's built (apparently a major STC) so I was wrong, the panel lines are not at all out of place.

It's a beautiful build, Baz, and I'll not throw stones at something that looks so right.

sotoolslinger · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2013, 02:37:18 PM »

MMMMMM... LMP :)

finsrin · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2013, 03:04:29 PM »

Quote from: sotoolslinger on January 05, 2013, 11:48:56 AM

Sweet! Love the plane and the build. :) 'cept where are the guns

Great all over. Even to bottom of floats. Captures Alaska bush pilot look to me.
About those guns; mini gun pod under each wing or one at door gun ship style

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2013, 04:10:01 AM »

Nice work. :)

TerryCampion · « **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2013, 07:19:49 AM »

That is bloody good....I love it


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Author Topic: Lockheed Vega (First New Model Of 2013) (Read 10349 times)

Hammerhead