Aermacchi PSS project

[Fred]

Stunning work on the canopy!!  :clap:  :clap:
Can't wait to see the finished product Phil!  :clap:

[Hawk172]

Thanks Fred, are you travelling to the Orme this weekend with John??  Look forward to meeting you there if you are!

The consoles are a cheat really, Ive just stuck on a printed photo but they work well at this scale giving a 3D feel on a 2D surface - image attached in case anyone else finds it useful for future builds, or if John wants to add it to his kits - I just print them off onto gloss photo paper and trim them to size.



The seats are made from balsa and plasticard.  The canopy handles are bent from plastic covered paper clips.  Its only stand off scale but gives a decent feel for the full size.

[Fred]

Thanks Fred, are you travelling to the Orme this weekend with John??  Look forward to meeting you there if you are!

Answer this afternoon! I hope I will be able to make it and meet you all guys!

[Hawk172]

Had a bit of bother with the dark blue camo and I've had to rework it to the correct pattern as my initial attempts (straight from rattle cans by hand) led to massive overspray on the pale blue.



I treated myself to some self adhesive foam tape, 3M Soft Edge feathering tape, not cheap, but easy to use and Im glad to say its given me the camo finish I was after.



A lot of masking later and we are finally ready to paint.

[JohnPearson]

Hi Phil

Looks like the painting is coming along well, interesting way of adding the camo blue coat, never seen this foam tape before, clever idea! :clap: keep at it phil, big winds on Saturday, and with that RG14 wing, this MB339 should burn up the sky!!!

[Hawk172]

Hey John, yeah the 3M tape idea was new to me too, works well - clever stuff...gives a nice soft edge if applied properly.

With the paint just dry I couldn't resist a few hours of decals and detailing tonight...

This is how she looked with all the masking off.




Ive applied all the vinyl cut decals and a few of the water slides... John the water slides are super, a great addition to the kits.





So this is how it looks at the end of play tonight... just a few bits of detail painting needed now, a few panel lines, and a clear lacquer over the water slides and she's s ready for the slope.  Ill add the fus strakes and some more detail after the maiden.

[JohnPearson]

Hi Phil

Wow, she looks fantastic, the two tone blue colour scheme looks the business.
I will have to draw up a set of waterslide decals for the various vents and panels for this model when I get some time, with this colour scheme, the various panels and with panel lines applied, along with the various fuselage text, would stand out on this already fantastic model.
I want a few good photos this weekend of this model for the website, well done, outstanding work. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

[Hawk172]

Last post from me before we head off on the Orme trip, she's all balanced and weighs in at 6lb 12oz ready to go, a little overweight (I think nearly 2lb of this is paint!) but this will give it a loading well suited for the big hills she's been built for.

Anyway, job done bar some matt black paint on the intakes, some silver on the exhaust and a few key panel lines, which I'll add this evening.





I've set the CoG at 5" as per the instructions, let's see how she goes!!

[Fred]

Absolutely beautiful model Phil!!  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Just a shame I will not be able to see it this week end in flesh  :cry:  :cry:  Yep, have to be on standby for work Saturday night  :!:  :!:

Hopefully next year! But that gives me big motivation to start mine! (at last!!)

For the paint, in my plastic kits days, we use to use rolled Bluetack to get this paint effect    

Have fun this week end (lucky  :evil: ) and enjoy the first flight!  

[Hawk172]

Took the Macchi to the PSSA event on the Orme this weekend and she flew both days in good conditions - I'm glad to report she flew really well!!







The RG-14 wing section really gave this model a turn of speed yet even at 7lbs AUW it could still stooge around when the lift died off a little for PSS.  Spoileron mix proved very useful to slow the model up on finals.  A bit of refinement needed on the Tx set up with rates and expo will see this model fully fit.

[Keith]

Well done  :clap: Cracking looking model

[Fred]

Congratulation on the first flight Phil!  :clap:  :clap:

And absolutely stunning photos! The plane looks fantastic!  :clap:  :clap:

Any reports of the week end?  

[Hawk172]

Thanks Fred,
Yeah well chuffed with the maiden, and the second flight on the Sunday - it shows a real turn of speed with the RG14 section and was dead smooth in flight from the off - very little buffeting - very jet like - helped no doubt by the AUW at nearly 7lb - but she was stooging around quite nicely in 12-15mph winds so no bother!  Should be pretty awesome when you can really get the trims forward on a high wind day!

Write up is under prep - first job was to edit the photos, which will be available soon, then the write up to follow.  Will post link here (well, in the general PSS section) when it is done.

[bren.p]

nice one Joe looks really well.

How you guys make these foamies is beyond me or is it ? HHMMMM :!:

[Hawk172]

So since the maiden flight I've been working on finishing the Macchi with details like stencilling, key panel lines and a little weathering before it is all sealed with a clear lacquer.

This really helps break up the large areas of painted surface, and brings the model to life... its only 'stand-off' scale of course, the lines simply applied with a range of permanent marker pens.












Next stage is a little weathering, not too much but just enough to take the shine off the model in certain places that would naturally get mucky on the full size.  I'm still experimenting with weathering, so bare with me, I've just treated myself to a set of artists pastels, which I'm hoping will do the job!