Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: Dr. YoKai on August 08, 2025, 07:28:14 AM
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"Oh, I created my share of winged wonders, and more than few winged horrors in my time, but if you want to speak of aviation, my brother Clark was far better at it that I. He was never more at home than when he was behind the controls of what ever had wings and an engine." Wen Yo, Air International interview, June 1986
(It has been almost 20 years since I first created the character of Dr. Yo at the Starship Modeler forums, and a good fifteen or so since I followed up with Doc Yo, Man of Modern Materials, at the What If forums. (Really should renew my password there one of these days.) Just as Dr. Yo was modelled on the classic Oriental mastermind Fu Manchu, so Doc Yo was modelled on Doc Savage, the "Man of Bronze". And one of the features of that series was the collection of aircraft owned by the character. Seldom described in much detail past the basics, I remember that one was described as "a powerful trimotor" along with an autogyro and an amphibian or two. So it was inevitable that I would borrow the idea for Clark Yo jr.)
"I can't tell you precisely why Clark preferred to base himself in France, though I suspect his long affair with Josephine Baker may have had something to do with it. Neither can I tell you when and how he first met René Couzinet, but by the early 'thirties they were corresponding regularly, and Clark was on hand when Couzinet' masterpiece, the Arc-en-Ciel III first flew. He truly loved the design, but absolutely hated the construction-he hadn't built anything of wood in over a decade at that point, and after licensing the basic design, he set about doing the design work to reproduce it in dural and his own "Super Bakelite". By early '35 the new plane was out of his factory near Orleans'. Couzinet was there, and I had shown up as well. I still recall Couzinet's expression, a mixture of amazement mixed with...regret, perhaps? He turned to Clark and said, a bit wistfully to my ear "beautiful, beautiful...but it's not my Rainbow anymore." Clark smiled slightly, and replied "well, Call it Chien du soleil, then. Couzinet was baffled by the idiom, and Clark then explained a 'Sundog' is a atmospheric phenomenon created by sunlight refracting though ice crystals. A bit like a rainbow, but usually a bit more subtle. In any case, it handled as well as the original, and with the increased power of it's three 1100 hp Ogre-Peugeot radials and the decreased weight had even better performance. Clark had a dozen built altogether, five for his airline AllTerranAir, and sold the rest. He modified his personnel aircraft into the 'Flying Observatory', and used it until 1948. I think the Smithsonian has it in sotrage these days." Wen Yo, Air International interview, June 1986
I've had this venerable Heller kit in my stash since the early 2000's-picked it up for a song at a show, and was giddy-the only other time I had even seen the kit was a built example in a North Carolina mall around 1976 or '77. I was visiting one of my brothers, and some modeler had set up a display of his collection, scores of kits, all 1/72 and mostly WW2 and earlier. But I dithered for years btweeen building it stock, and well, as you'll see, I succumbed to my baser instincts... ;)
First thing was to give it an interior-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54604995347_18f04ec2fb_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rcfSH2)DSCF1193 (https://flic.kr/p/2rcfSH2) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54606065669_cf5c560232_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rcmmSR)DSCF1196 (https://flic.kr/p/2rcmmSR) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
And then seal the whole thing up so it becomes largely invisible-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54633306468_d233b0bc2a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2reKYBN)DSCF1197 (https://flic.kr/p/2reKYBN) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
The engines are taken from an Airfix S.M. 79 which I originally bought for the torpedoes. Think I managed to match them adequately to the wings and fuselage.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54655534729_6690061e44_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rgHUiF)DSCF1198 (https://flic.kr/p/2rgHUiF) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
That's where she sits at the moment. Visible in some of the shots are the formidable sink marks and gaps in the wing fit. It isn't often I have to resort to Aves epoxy putty, but the wing joints were pretty awful. As mentioned in the back story, this is a Flying Observatory, and will get an upper green house along with a simulated telescope.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54655531028_87dbc9e63d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rgHTcS)DSCF1199 (https://flic.kr/p/2rgHTcS) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
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I'm liking the look of this :smiley: :smiley:
Mog
>^-.-^<
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OOH ! gonna watch this. The Couzinet 70-71 l'Arc-en-Ciel - Rainbow is one of my favourite French aircraft.
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This is looking great! I’ll be watching this one!
Nice work on the interior. Some extra “sunroofs” would show it off even more. But you might be past that stage.
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The interior looks great!
Acording to Scalemates, this kit originally came out in 1964: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/heller-l335-arc-en-ciel--157260 (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/heller-l335-arc-en-ciel--157260)
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First thing was to give it an interior-
And then seal the whole thing up so it becomes largely invisible-
Perfect! 8)
Exactly how it should be done! :smiley:
You, & we, will know it's there & can smirk knowingly at those who don't! ;)
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Thanks, all-I am pretty pleased with the interior, all in all. A second coat of primer was applied today, and I should be able to start the painting and final construction tomorrow. I am on the fence about the paint scheme. Part of me wants to go with a flamboyant overall red with white fans (something like the 'Rising Sun effect on the Japanese flag) on the wings, but I am also considering an overall black* with rainbow wingtips, or and overall sky blue with the same rainbow pattern on the wingtips.
*"Super Bakelite"
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Looking great! :smiley:
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Moving along most nicely :smiley:
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Excellent choice of subjects, Doc!
I love the Arc-en-Ciel just as she was but your 'Sun Dog' takes it to the next level ... especially with that telescope cupola on the roof :smiley:
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Thanks for the good words, colleagues! Unfortunately, further progress will have to wait a week or two. I went to put the base coat on this afternoon, and after setting up my airbrush, mixing the paint, and flipping the switch on the compressor, I discovered that the hose had snapped in two at the base... :o
Well, I do have my project for the '50s GB to attend to....
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These little trials are said to be sent to test us (hopefully on our newly-expanded vocabulary!) >:D
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These little trials are said to be sent to test us (hopefully on our newly-expanded vocabulary!) >:D
My vocabulary is consistently limited to about half-a-dozen words under such circumstances - only the level of vehemence varies. >:D :icon_twisted: C:-)
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Thanks for the good words, colleagues! Unfortunately, further progress will have to wait a week or two. I went to put the base coat on this afternoon, and after setting up my airbrush, mixing the paint, and flipping the switch on the compressor, I discovered that the hose had snapped in two at the base... :o
Well, I do have my project for the '50s GB to attend to....
What! No duct tape?!
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What! No duct tape?!
The break near the compressor end of the hose was too short to effectively patch, alas.
The hose had already cracked at the brush end a couple of months ago, and I wrapped it with blue masking tape. Should have heeded the warning signs. ???
My vocabulary was...adequate to the moment. ;)
Found the Iwata website, will order the new hose in a bit.
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Amazon probably has the hose (or equivalent).
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Got the new hose, and am allllmost finished. Needs proper codes, and detailing of the few panel lines. Teaser for the glamour shots this weekend:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54761060583_4b69e9105b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rr3KsX)DSCF1220 (https://flic.kr/p/2rr3KsX) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
and the telescope I was telling you about-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54760835116_712a01f9ce_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rr2ArA)DSCF1218 (https://flic.kr/p/2rr2ArA) by VileDr.Yo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/46965833@N07/), on Flickr
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Looking good
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Looks like a smooth finish.
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Oh, that is looking lovely! And, as Frank says, smooth ("... with a captial Smoo").
I'm trying to work out this aircraft's designation. The HS 12Nb-powered Arc en Ciel III prototype was the Couzinet modèle 70 and its mailplane mod was the Couzinet 71. Ergo, your radial-engined Chien du soleil must have been the Couzinet modèle 72. But does it become the Couzinet 73 when fitted with its dorsal telescope?
Inquiring nerds need to know!