Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Group and Themed Builds => Kitbash / Frankenstein GB => Topic started by: Dr. YoKai on February 05, 2025, 11:50:15 PM
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Surgery has commenced. I had only gotten a cuts into this project before I set it aside a couple of years ago, but thanks to the motivation of this group build, I have been making steady progress, and the plan is coming together nicely. There is not a whole lot of information on this aircraft, as the company itself seems to have withdrawn the design based on performance estimates. Cost would have like been a factor as well, since a single 67 would have taken the resources to produce at least two and a half MC.202s. Offered as part of a competition for a heavy fighter in 1939, it was withdrawn in 1940, and superseded by the Ro. 58. I first saw this as a beautiful set of painted plan views by the artist
'Flitzer' (Not sure if he's still with us- Flitzer art.com seems to have left the web) and thought "I have to build that...one of these days." And here we go. This was the state I started with-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54308852334_5954088654.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qK64H1)DSCF1119 (https://flic.kr/p/2qK64H1) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
and a bit more cutting and patching on the fuselage lead to this-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54308852329_2edf94bed1.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qK64GV)DSCF1124 (https://flic.kr/p/2qK64GV) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
One of the things that stalled me originally was the prospect of creating the wings from the existing kit parts. The MC. 202 is a much smaller aircraft with a much narrower chord, but I think I have found a solution. Naturally, it is going to involve a lot of epoxy putty and sheet
styrene. :D And dust. so much dust... The taper of the trailing edge appeared to be identical to the trailing edge of the Folgore wings, so, using my scaled drawings, I cut two sections of very thin sheet, which, once the center section has been filled in to the right depth and smoothed, will
then be carefully laid over, bottom first, then a layer of e-putty to fill the extended trailing edge, trimmed and smoothed, then I'll overlay the top sheet, and (hopefully) I'll have a strong stout wing.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54308615561_e2655aaff0.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qK4RjH)DSCF1122 (https://flic.kr/p/2qK4RjH) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
I don't think Nicola Romeo, founder of the famous Alfa Romeo company, was the actual designer of the IMAM (Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali) Ro. 67 trimotor, but it makes for a good title anyway. ;)
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Looks good :smiley: I've seen several Italian whifs that would make great models, I'll have to look them up & post.
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A three engine heavy fighter is indeed super heavy! Maybe more like a fast bomber. That concept was certainly popular in Europe.
This looks like quite a project and I’m sure it will turn out awesome! Will it be in an Italian paint job or something much more strange?
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This so fits with Italian aircraft designs, amongst the great Italian tri motors, like the Sovia Marchetti designs.
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This build is already looking completely epic, Doc!
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I don't think Nicola Romeo, founder of the famous Alfa Romeo company, was the actual designer ...
It does make a great title ;D Thing is, 'Romeo' was also the original trade name for IMAM (although later, the less imaginative 'Meridionali' was more often used).
That said, the IMAM Ro.67 was actually designed by Giovanni Galasso (who had been Romeo's chief designer for years).
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Nice job on the wing extension!
Don't forget to consult the Woodman book (http://web.archive.org/web/20080122044909/www.wwimodeler.com/harry/woodman.html)
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Replies first, then some more pictures.
RAAIF - There are some neglected oddities in Italian aviation. I built a Campini-Caproni as a torpedo bomber some time back, and would like to tackle an SM. 92 someday myself.
Kerick - Probably the spinach and sand seen in the color illustration, unless I get lazy and go with the later dark green/grey.
I mentioned the projected performance figures above-projected top speed on 3300 HP was 620 kph/385mph, so fast, but not
that fast... ;)
Buzz - I built the old Airfix SM 79 as a teenager, and picked up another cheap a few years back-I have plans for the
engines, and the torpedoes.
Apophenia - Thanks very much for the information! I had started to name this thread "Meridionali tris harder" but did a little more
digging and got to Romeo. My references on Italian aircraft are pretty scant, and there isn't a lot on the web as far as I can tell.
Frank - Thanks! I downloaded Woodman the first time you mentioned it some years ago. ;) I should revisit it, though.
Thanks to all for the attention and comments!
A start on the cockpit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54324032913_06475b3937.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qLqSn8)DSCF1125 (https://flic.kr/p/2qLqSn8) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
Cockpit floor and filling a gap ahead ot the wing with laminated sheet
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54324220485_201182a324.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qLrQ88)DSCF1127 (https://flic.kr/p/2qLrQ88) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
And plenty o' putty for the wings. Coming soon, a mountain of dust ;D
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54322913217_3d7c064fee.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qLk8w2)DSCF1128 (https://flic.kr/p/2qLk8w2) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
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Some heavy duty work going on here . . . :smiley:
cheers,
Robin.
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It's moving along-I decided to go ahead and attach the wing to the fuselage. Smoothing out the fuselage and wing contours will be a lot easier with both of them The upper wing plates are just about ready to apply.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54334804133_ab80562fb7.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qMo5gP)DSCF1129 (https://flic.kr/p/2qMo5gP) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
and that in the background? Stay tuned. ;)
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This is already looking awesome! (Although required PSR may result in Popeye-like forearms :o )
... and that in the background? Stay tuned...
Oh you tease ;D
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This is already looking awesome! (Although required PSR may result in Popeye-like forearms :o )
... and that in the background? Stay tuned...
Oh you tease ;D
I am a scoundrel, I don't deny it. ;)
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The weather has finally been improving after a couple of weeks of weather for which our part of rural Virginia was rather unprepared, but I have managed some progress. The wings are plated, the horizontal tail surfaces started (The rudders need a bit of refinement, but I will leave them off until psr is complete. I propped them up against the stabilizers for show. ) and I have started on the nacelles.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54350175453_fa6140e270.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qNJRCz)DSCF1139 (https://flic.kr/p/2qNJRCz) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54349951501_5d142baa3d.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qNHH4k)DSCF1142 (https://flic.kr/p/2qNHH4k) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
I am going to build it 'in flight' on a stand, which will save a bit of effort, and I will probably replace all three props. Surprisingly, a single blade has broken off both the nacelle props, but the center engine prop is intact despite much more frequent handling. ??? Fortuantely, I also have three old Hasegawa Zero kits in the stash, picked up because they were (1) Cheap and (2) full of useful spares. The props are also a little closer in appearance to the more 'paddle blade' props of the drawings.
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8)
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Looking good, Doc :smiley: What an absolute beast the Ro.67 would have been!
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Wot he sed . . . :D
cheers,
Robin.
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Yikes, three weeks since and update?! :-[ Progress did slow a bit because of distractions and weather, but it is almost to the paint stage, just need to sand down the final patches.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54419681614_4522497e3c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qUT6oE)DSCF1160 (https://flic.kr/p/2qUT6oE) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54419681804_c3180cb653.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qUT6rW)DSCF1162 (https://flic.kr/p/2qUT6rW) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
Underwing radiators were modified from the kit parts-just a little more surgery.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54419876740_eef48c7d44.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qUU6oU)DSCF1159 (https://flic.kr/p/2qUU6oU) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
The canopy is a perfect fit-I'll take a couple of pictures when I get the cockpit squared up. Debating sanding down the existing frame lines-I have one of those 2000 to 8000 grit sanding pad sets, so I should be able to get it back to clarity-just need to find a bottle of what ever they are calling Future these days to dip it in. Probably won't do too much with the cockpit-even sanded down, the molding will be fairly thick. More later, thanks for looking.
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Romeo is looking amazing, Doc! :smiley: :smiley:
Future: Apparently it was rebranded as Pledge Multi-Surface Floor Finish or Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish. And don't those new names just trip off the tongue?
-- https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/future-floor-polish
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The blending in of the various components is coming along rather nicely. Looking like a proper flying machine in the last three WIP images. :smiley:
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Really nice work on the construction here :smiley: :smiley:
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The construction is excellent. I love the waaaay back cockpit, too.
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The closer this is getting to completion, the more I'm liking the look of it. Nice work, Doc! 8)
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Looking good :smiley: :smiley:
Mog
>^-.-^<
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This is looking really good now, can't wait to see it finished . . .
cheers,
Robin.
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Thanks for the comments and encouragement, colleagues, comrades and friends! The rudders have been tacked on, and I started detailing the cockpit. I'll need to scribe the control surfaces and the gear doors, but should start painting over the weekend.
Frank-The long nose does give it a certain elegance, but I suspect the test pilot would have had something to say about the views on take-off and landing. ;)
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Paint! The little glob of Silly Putty next to it is the masks all rolled back into a ball. Took about two hours to do the whole thing. The colors aren't precise, but I think it's a fair approximation of the 'spinach on sand' style. This will dry for a couple of days, then the grey undersides, clear coat, decals, canopy frames(shudder) and final matte before I put her on the stand.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54466326072_e8ded0fb7b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qZ1aas)DSCF1180 (https://flic.kr/p/2qZ1aas) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54467425038_200a17206a.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qZ6MR9)DSCF1183 (https://flic.kr/p/2qZ6MR9) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
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Lookin' good :smiley:
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Very good, even! 8)
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A minor setback with the paint. I had mixed the grey for the underside a bit too thin, and there was some bleed-through on the upper wing surface. Nothing that a small brush can't touch up, but exasperating nonetheless.
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Let's be honest, we've all done it at some point in our modelling career's ;D ;D ;D
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Let's be honest, we've all done it at some point in our modelling career's ;D ;D ;D
More times than I care to remember. In any case, a bit of touch up, a gloss coat, decals, and a touch of panel line color for the control surfaces along with canopy framing, and she's done. Further beauty shots in the gallery thread.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54496944409_de8536bd97_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2r2H5VP)DSCF1190 (https://flic.kr/p/2r2H5VP) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
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Very nice camouflage! :smiley:
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Gorgeous ... just gorgeous! :-*
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:smiley: You just can't mistake an Italian aircraft for anything else !
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:smiley:
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:smiley: You just can't mistake an Italian aircraft for anything else !
Yup! Three engines? Spinach camo? Stylish design? Italian. Just like you can tell a French design.
Great job, Craig!
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Fantastic work, Craig! 8)
That is so Italian it looks RW, especially in sand-&-spinach! :smiley: :smiley:
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Thanks, everybody! It came out better than I expected-this is probably the most ambitious bash I have yet attempted. The Ro. 67 is probably one of the most attractive bad ideas I have ever seen. ;)
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Oohh, that's a bit special, that is . . .
Looking at it, you wouldn't know it wasn't an OOB kit build.
cheers,
Robin.
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That is incredibly elegant and excellent camo too
love it :-* :-* :-*
Mog
>^-.-^<
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Big tick from me as well
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Beautiful! :smiley: