Eduard Bell X-1, 1/48 scale
Hey Party People! This is the latest addition to my Good From Afar but Far From Good collection. It was a pretty simple and easy build aside from the problems I created for myself. The biggest problem I created for myself was stepping on and then losing the canopy. Shipping from Eduard was too expensive to be a practical solution, so I would have to design and print my own replacement.
I took some measurements and drew a rough guide on graph paper, then scanned that and used it as a guide in Autodesk Maya. I knew I would have to do some sanding and polishing after it was printed, so I decided to model the frame separately and glue the two pieces together before installing it on the aircraft. I also noticed that the air scoops just forward of the rocket nozzles were omitted from the kit, so I modeled and printed those as well.
Lastly, before I installed the canopy assembly, I used VMS Paper Shaper to make a canvas cover to go on top of the instrument panel. I don't know if there was one on the real thing, but without it one would be able to see the back of the instrument panel since there was a gap between the instrument panel and the front edge of the windshield.
As for the base, I wanted to display it on a dry lake bed. I cut a piece of scrap wood to size, routered the edges and glued some cork board to it. Next was a layer of VMS Smart Mud, followed by an application of Crackle Paint from Green Stuff World. While that stuff was still soft, I rolled the kit's plastic wheels through it to simulate the tracks that the plane would have left behind. Finally, I sprayed a coat of a random desert color from my paint stash, followed by a wash and drybrush session to add depth.
In the end I still enjoyed the build and gained experience points but I was glad to stop shooting myself in the foot and just finish the thing. A wiser person than me once told me, "Dont let perfection get in the way of production" and so here it is. Maybe sometime in the distant future, I might try to realize my original vision with another Eduard X-1.
Excellent work and a great save. I like this a lot.
On the movie The Right Stuff, we had a full-scale mockup X-1- the instrument panel was open in back (you also couldn't get in that thing if you were over 5' 7" - Yeager said that was indeed the case on the real one too).
Thanks for the kind words and the new information Tom! If I ever do another one of these (and I probably will) I will know to add detail to the back of the instrument panel. Cheers!
I think your X-1 came out great, Ramon (@anvil6). White and orange are two colors that are tough to get right, and you have really done them well. I think a lot of test planes, especially the early ones, had very little time or money spent on niceties we see in production planes.
Thanks for the compliment! Orange and white absolutely was a pain in the neck, and I had to remask and repaint several times because once I contaminated the white with orange sanding dust, there was no getting rid of it. Next time I will do the all white version.
This X-1 looks amazing, Ramon @anvil6
Paintwork is indeed done beautifully, especially considering the difficulty of getting those colors done right.
Thank you John, I did have to work at it a bit but the biggest obstacle was my own clumsiness. The next one will be better! 🙂
I enjoy seeing x-planes. Very well done less commonly seen paint scheme.
Nice save on the canopy.
Thank you!
Well done all around, Ramon. Emergency modeling at it's finest.
Thanks Gary! One thing is for certain: I have a lot of experience solving my own emergencies! 😀
Great save, and that particular X-1 scheme looks great to my eyes. I completed this kit early this year, and steered clear of the orange and white due to the perceived difficulty. Your work shows that the effort input magnifies the output results... your build looks fantastic, thanks for sharing!
thanks Andrew! I wouldn't say the paint scheme was difficult, but it was definitely tedious and required a lot of touching up 🙂
This is fantastic. You brought an impressive array of unusual skills to bear on this, and it came out great!
Thank you Brian!
Looks great! Everyone else already highlighted the excellent work you did to get this to the finish line, so I'll just add my "kudos!"
Thanks Greg!
@anvil6 - Fantastic build Ramon.
Thank you Brian - Cheers!
Excellent X-1, Ramon!
Thanks Spiros!
Fantastic build. Really like the base as well.
thank you Alfred!
Great result and great save. I am not sure I would have the perseverance to continued if I stepped on the canopy. Which paint did you use for the orange?
Thank you Marcello. I am just lucky that I know how to model in 3d as well as in plastic, so ruining the canopy was more of a challenge than an obstacle. As for the paint, I just used Tamiya Orange mixed 50/50 with Mr. Leveling Thinner.
Excellent and unique historical build.
Thank you!