Guntruck
04-17-2011, 02:35
I picked up the Short Bomber yesterday at Salute and tipped out the contents of the box this morning.
Usual array of bits - metal struts, fin etc, resin fuselage and a set of wings Hugo Junkers would be proud of! The wing ribbing is not so pronounced as on the 0/400, but would still benefit from a sanding down. Other than that looks like a fairly straightforward kit to put together.
Comparing it against scale plans it is slightly too long in the fuselage. The top wing length is about right if a little too wide, but the lower wing is more of a problem. As far as i can ascertain, the lower wing should have rounded tips, whereas the kit has straight edged tips as found on the Short 184. If anyone has proof that some Short Bombers had straight tips I'd be grateful, otherwise the lower wing needs to be scratch-built as it is too short to just round off the tips. Which means scratch-building the top wing so they both match.......:(
I had a word with the Skytrex chaps about the way they make the wings of the bombers. This is done by using a plasticard blank shaped to the profile of the wing, then gluing plastic rod on for the ribs and blending them in with Miliput. I suggested that at 1/144 scale this produces an overscale effect that looks wrong, and at this scale it might be better to scribe the detail on instead, or at least use a much thinner piece of plastic rod for the ribs. I am assuming they use the same process for the fighter wings, which do no look too bad, so thinner gauge rod would improve the appearance of the 'heavies'. They were going to have a word with their designer to see what he thinks.
Usual array of bits - metal struts, fin etc, resin fuselage and a set of wings Hugo Junkers would be proud of! The wing ribbing is not so pronounced as on the 0/400, but would still benefit from a sanding down. Other than that looks like a fairly straightforward kit to put together.
Comparing it against scale plans it is slightly too long in the fuselage. The top wing length is about right if a little too wide, but the lower wing is more of a problem. As far as i can ascertain, the lower wing should have rounded tips, whereas the kit has straight edged tips as found on the Short 184. If anyone has proof that some Short Bombers had straight tips I'd be grateful, otherwise the lower wing needs to be scratch-built as it is too short to just round off the tips. Which means scratch-building the top wing so they both match.......:(
I had a word with the Skytrex chaps about the way they make the wings of the bombers. This is done by using a plasticard blank shaped to the profile of the wing, then gluing plastic rod on for the ribs and blending them in with Miliput. I suggested that at 1/144 scale this produces an overscale effect that looks wrong, and at this scale it might be better to scribe the detail on instead, or at least use a much thinner piece of plastic rod for the ribs. I am assuming they use the same process for the fighter wings, which do no look too bad, so thinner gauge rod would improve the appearance of the 'heavies'. They were going to have a word with their designer to see what he thinks.