During the dark years of the cold
war, the KGB envisioned a plan to spread chaos among western society: they
decided to create a model impossible to build. Resourcing to cutting edge
technology, they used marzipan to create the master molds, and bananas to
engrave the panel lines. The parts of the model that had two halves were
carefully mismatched, and the remaining pieces didn't fit in their locations,
being to small or too big. The transparencies were of course foggy, and included
malicious air bubbles (this technique is now widely imitated by other
manufacturers). No panel line will agree with its supposed companion, and
elevator separation lines will be in different positions. To tell what is flash
and what a part...well, pray and cut.
It was supposed that the modelers, in an impossible attempt to build the model,
would develop mental deceases that would affect normal functioning of western
society.
Well, the plan was never executed, but the molds remained in a forgotten bureau
were they were found by RPM of Poland, and the model finally made it to the
market, this time under the more peaceful intent of providing some extra bucks
for the budget.
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|
|
Where to begin...the
instructions, written in Polish, make good use of a representation system
(perspective) that have its roots in experiments with psychedelic drugs in the
sixties. The struts are just square-section chunks of plastic, the propeller is
of the well known type of zero-incidence variable-length, that is, the blades
are dead flat and while rotating some will touch the fuselage and some not. The
air intake for the carburetor and the seats are made of equally shaped parts, in
a brave stretch of imagination. Some parts wont be completely molded, this time
allowing the builder imagination to take part. Oh dear, I could go on and
on...but, isn't it great to have these beauties around to play with?.
I replaced all struts with strut material from Aeroclub and Strutz. Vacuformed
canopies were made using the kit injected ones as patterns, correcting the shape
of the rear one that was...well, very creative. I had to open the side windows,
not even marked in the fuselage. The machine gun will make you laugh.
Interior was scratch built, new pitot tube, new exhausts, rebuilt engine, stand
scratch built, etc etc.
Household type paint cans were used, primer and silver-aluminum. A little bit of
Tamiya smoke here and there, a tad of a different metal shade from another can,
and so on. Decals were OK. I found the subject I wanted to model on the
Internet, as a side view (that happened to share some of the marking with one of
the kit subjects), so I'm not sure about the scheme I used.
As a conclusion: if you have the guts, enough budget for the filler and
sandpaper and you are so inclined...go for it.
As for the mental diseases...well, I already have'em anyway.
Gabriel
|
|