Here
we have an Orion with a bit of a twist: it’s a P-3F, the variant sold to Iran
in the late 1970s, before the Shah was deposed.
I can’t be certain but from the markings on the tail I think this one
may be post-revolution.
Click on
images below to see larger images
It’s
Hasegawa’s old stalwart, the P-3C, in one of the earliest 1980s boxes, built
from that box apart from the camera fairing under the nose - which is almost
totally wrong, I believe, but perhaps they re-fitted it or something. The
national markings come from an old Superscale sheet; cost me an arm and most of
a leg, but I’d wanted to do this particular colour scheme for over twenty
years, so ... The rest are from the box, and they stood up pretty well to
sitting around for all that time, apart from being irretrievably yellow.
Amazing what a coat of pastel dust and a careful choice of camera setting can
conceal, though.
Every
model should be a learning experience or it’s no fun. So, what did I
learn making this?
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If you have engraved panel lines - and especially if you take a
month to engrave your own - clean them out after every
coat of paint. It’s tedious but it’s vital.
-
However much weight you think you need, you need more. This thing has
weights inside the propeller spinners.
-
Future isn’t smooth. If you brush it on, take care to spot bubbles
and wipe them over, or you get pimples.
-
The more you add to your aerials, the more they’ll sag, unless they’re
wire-taut to begin with. I recommend not
spraying them with matt varnish.
-
Use less
PVA!
Seán Langley
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