Dora Wings 1/48 AT-9 Jeep

Started by Tom Cleaver · 25 · 2 years ago
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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    The review kit arrived yesterday, and as you can see, I didn't waste time.

    The kit is not difficult, though you will have to work on all join seams to get the nice smooth surface you want if you're going to do it in the classic polished aluminum. Or even if you do the camouflaged option.

    As is usual with Dora Wings kits, the trailing edge of the flying surfaces is part of the upper part and you fit the lower part into that. Test fit, test fit, test fit, test fit, and sand down the interior of the lower part till it fits perfectly level with the upper part there. You fill in the seam and sand smooth.

    Overall fit is excellent, I have only had to fill in along the upper wing/fuselage joint and that might have been a Modeler-Induced Problem.

    I've always thought this was a good looking airplane. It has a lot of the "art deco" sensibility of 1930s design in it.

    The airplane was designed to be a "handful" to fly, as training for such aircraft as the B-26 Marauder and P-38. I had a friend who flew the B-26 who trained in the AT-9 and he said after mastering the AT-9 the B-26 was "almost a relief."

    As you can see from the photo of the assembled airframe with the canopy over it, it is possible to do the model with one or both cabin doors open. I think I might open at least one.

    12 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Andrew H said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    I didn't realize this was so soon to be released.. just when I decided no more new kits this year... it is August already, however..

    Great progress so far! Is there a respectable level of detail in the cockpit? Specifically the IP?

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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    @pb_legend - yes, the instrument panel is p-e and has raised detail. The other instrument panels - below the main and in the overhead - are there too. Seats are nice, photoetch seatbelts, etc. The engines have full detail and even are on engine mounts, so one could remove a cowling and do a servicing diorama. Experience with "high-end/limited-run' very necessary. If you have that, it's easy.

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    Jeff Carle said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    A really cool airplane, and seriously rare. I just received mine and may move it way up the to-do list. Thanks for the info on how -to Tom!

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    John Healy said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    That’s a seriously good looking plane. Thanks for sharing this , Tom. I might have to get one.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Great entry, my friend @tcinla!
    Looking forward to it.

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Great looking aircraft, Tom @tcinla
    Looking forward to see this one finished.

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    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Thanks for previewing, Tom (tcinla). I just picked this up over the weekend and put it in the queue for future builds. I was thinking I would break my prohibition against natural metal finishes and give it a try.

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    Walt said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    What a great little kit, and fun looking build. Amazing that they built an aircraft to be hard to fly on purpose. Usually we would call that a bad idea. Seems to have worked for its purpose though. I would love to build one of these, but not if I have to do it in silver.

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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    the airframe is finally ready to accept a polished aluminum finish. I spent quite a bit of time chasing the ferschlugginah "ghost seams" particularly the fuselage centerline - apply CA glue, let it set, sand down, sand down finer, sand down finer yet, use the polishing pads. Hold it up to the light _Gahhh! Rinse and repeat. but now I can hold it to the light and there aren't any.

    I'm definitely glad there is a black wingwalk area right over the upper wing/fuselage joint, to hide the fact it is impossible to get that area perfect, given the upper half of the engine nacelle is integral to the upper wing and its a very narrow space to get in there without scratching up the nacelle.

    Fortunately, the cockpit will be easily installed, and the doors and upper canopy fit well.

    I also found it much easier to detail the front of the engines, then push them inside the cowling up to the front and glue them in place, rather than assemble the engine mount and do it that way. If you use the engine mounts, you'll want to use the rear parts of the engine (exhaust collector rings, etc.) which cannot be seen if you close things up, but would look very good if you were doing a diorama of the airplane getting engine work.

    5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Great job so far, @tcinla!
    Looking forward to the NMF!

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    Eric Berg said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    @tcinla - oh boy does this look like another Dora Wings winner!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Coming together real nice, Tom @tcinla

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    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Looks ready for the NMF, Tom (@tcinla). I don't ever do NMF, but I may need to start for this kit.

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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 9 months ago:

    Painted - Vallejo Aluminum over a glass-smooth primer coat of Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black.

    I didn't actually intend to have an open door, but that door popped slightly out of closed position enough to be obvious, and too difficult to get back into position without harming the paint job. So now it has an open cockpit door.

    4 attached images. Click to enlarge.