Modelling > Scaleorama GB

Operation Beriev or Bashing a 1/72 Be-4 into a 1/144 Flying Boat

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Brian da Basher:
Sometimes you come across something and it all seems to click pretty nice so you've just got to dive right in. It was like that with a bagged eastern bloc 1/72 RPM Beriev Be-4 Soviet rescue seaplane a good friend sent me recently. Granted, the brief history is a bit hard to parse...



Hmmm, never heard of this maker before. Luckily, the sprues are simplicity itself.





Of course, since this will be a 1/72 to 1/144 bit of Scale-O-RamaŠ some extras are called for:



I just got most of the major assemblies together without gluing my fingers to my forehead (for once). Updates after things dry.

Brian da Basher

Jeffry Fontaine:
A subject with some class on par with Porco Rosso in some respects. 

Scale-O-Rama or OOB, I am sure you will do this subject justice with the finished model. 

Frank3k:
I have this kit, Brian; ehen Squadron sells Eastern European kits at a deep discount... there's a reason.
 Good thing you're going to re-scale it, because it's not a good kit when built as intended.

Brian da Basher:
Well those modern, space-age adhesives are now dry and this bird is ready for Stage II.



I ended out substituting a few parts. That's allowed, right Ref? Ref?



Oh wait, I am the ref. D'oh!

The kit's horiz stabs come in thick upper and lower halves and work well enough with just one half, so I wanted to squirrel them away. Opportunities for biplane horiz stabs being quire rare, I swapped them out with some P-40 parts.



I found some bean-shaped Me-109 drop tanks and those guys don't need the gas so I swiped them to use as engine nacelles.

I also hoarded those lovely wing tip floats and went with stabilizing sponsons made from cast-off sub fins (hello Bill!).



I also couldn't resist bombing it up. Inside I think I'm still around 7 or 8 years old.

My trusty JLC razor saw performed flawlessly thank goodness.



However, I performed far less flawlessly and dropped the whole thing and had to re-attach a wing, strut and opposing sponson.

Which explains this late post.



Operation Paint the Beast starts in the morning.

Brian da Basher

finsrin:
Masterful parts mix.  You are on a roll....

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