1/48 LDM Models Walter Extra 230

Gallery Article by Darius Aibara on July 20 2003

 

This is a metal kit that I built for a friend of mine.  Many years ago a "cottage industry" enthusiast in Surrey formed LDM models and seemingly produced a series of 1:48 scale metal kits of aerobatic and racing aircraft including the Extra 230.  I am not sure if any of these kits are available now but my friend obtained the Extra 230 at the time. The kit contains few parts.  The fuselage is spilt horizontally, with the wings and tailplanes cast with the upper fuselage.  The rudder is separate as are the undercarriage (which is cast in zinc for strength).  A vac-formed canopy and white metal prop, joystick and mass balances complete the parts.  Decals are provided for the "Jaguar" scheme as flown by Brian Lecomber.

 

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The metal parts were cleaned up, primed with grey auto primer and cemented with cyano glue.  I used Humbrol filler to cover the seams, which worked quite well.  The whole was then sprayed with two coats of white primer to form the base white.  After this had cured I masked the green areas and sprayed a couple of coats of "Brooklands Green" auto paint, which was the closest match I could get to the decal green.  The model was de-masked and two coats of Johnson's Klear acrylic varnish brush applied before decaling.  The decals were sealed with a further coat of Klear.  The Extra cockpit had floor and side panel windows which I "glazed" with acetate sheet cut from the strips you get with shirt packaging, sealed in with white glue.  Steel wire tail struts, pitot and aerials were added as indicated in the kit instructions.

A satisfying kit to build in an attractive scheme - hopefully there are some more LDM kits at large somewhere...

Darius Aibara

      

Photos and text © by Darius Aibara