I have just started work on this model:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.345245385595042.80400.334545143331733&type=3which I will try to build as a replica of a flag-ship of the first Polish Naval Squadron based in 1920 in Puck on Baltic Sea. This only FF49 in Polish markings is seen here second from right:
My very optimistic first-sight opinion on this TopGun kit expressed in the What's New section proved quite wrong. In fact the kit requires a lot of substantial work to bring it to a reasonable quality and accuracy. Unfortunately, there are a lot of discrepancies from the scale drawings included in the kit instructions (absolutely hard to understand for me!!!).
The wings required corrections in the aileron outline, strut location points and the shape of root cut-outs.
Left lower wing, upper side
Pencil circles depict the original strut locations, the crosses point out where I drilled the sockets in the correct position. Dark lines are the original aileron outlines, already filled with liquid CA glue, while the bright ones are the rescribed correct ones
Right lower wing, upper side
Left upper wing, upper side
Right upper wing, under side
Here I still have to trace the location for strut sockets, for a moment only the wing spars are marked.
The fuselage is quite right in the outline, only some two milimeter sections at the rear had to be cut off. However, there was no location for the lower wings. I have traced the points where the spars would enter the fuselage - with respect to the datum line, again using the scale drawings from the kit instruction.
The interior sides have the internal structure moulded but only the longerons were at the acceptable locations. The vertical struts and cross members had to be removed.
And the floats... The steps had to be moved back by 3.5 and 4.5 mm, respectively. The rear bottom section had to be lovered by some 2mm and the very front parts lenghtened and sharpened in the side view. I have used Magic Sculp to do these.
While sanding various surfaces numerous air bubbles inevitably emerged, especially on the upper wing under sides and the float sides.
Well, in a summary of this first build report I will only say: what a difference WNW kits make!
