discussion Tamiya 1/72 Bell X-1

[flyjoe180]

I had this in my storage bins. I bought it second hand many years ago. It came with an Eduard PE fret.

The box art, showing the X-1 at the moment of release from the B-29 mothership prior to rocket ignition.


The instructions are typical Tamiya, despite this being a very old kit. There are dubious colour call outs for the interior, but a little research as always goes a long way to ensuring a reasonable match to reality.


It comes with the option for clear fuselage halves, a stand, and weights if you are presenting it on the landing gear. Inside you would be able to see any section of the interior you wanted to leave umasked if you chose to use the clear sections. I'm going to have solid colour sides, and mount the model on the supplied stand, with the landing gear retracted.


The decals show some of the 'ivory' instead of pure white, a product of its time. I have spares I can use to replace the USAF markings.

 

[flyjoe180]

This is the Eduard PE fret. Check that date, 1992. I'm sure Eduard's PE instructions will be much better than this now days!

The parts are tiny! I was sure much of this would not be able to be seen once assembled.

I fixed the internals in place, just to see how they would look. They'll never see the light of day again, just playing around. I think if you had the clear sections exposed, you might need to either paint where there are gaps, or add a lot of pipe detail.


As I am doing my X-1 gear-up, I fitted the main gear doors closed. Which was a lot of work, as the mould is intended for landing gear down. The cockpit entry hatch is also fixed in place.

 

[Steven000]

Looking good Joe, looking forward to the next steps, cheers

 

[flyjoe180]

The PE was used anyway, although I think personally that in this scale the cockpit provided by Tamiya (or whoever moulded this before them), is sufficient.


I primed the PE, and next day painted the cockpit sides and parts with interior green.

The completed cockpit proves I was right, hardly any of the detail provided by the PE fret is visible. Maybe the biggest improvements are the side console, and the seat harness. This thing is tiny and it was difficult to paint any detail. I suspect the framed canopy will obscure a lot of it.

 

[flyjoe180]

Looking good Joe, looking forward to the next steps, cheers

Cheers mate.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Very interesting model Joe. The other option you maybe could have done is spray the inside of the clear fuzz sides. On a lot of model rc cars you get a clear perspex body shell that you paint on the inside and you get a perfect clear shiny finish on the outside. I think you have already progressed this beyond that now. Following along as usual Joe.

 

[flyjoe180]

Very interesting model Joe. The other option you maybe could have done is spray the inside of the clear fuzz sides. On a lot of model rc cars you get a clear perspex body shell that you paint on the inside and you get a perfect clear shiny finish on the outside. I think you have already progressed this beyond that now. Following along as usual Joe.

Thanks Steve. Yes, I have gone well beyond using transparent parts now. The moulds are very nice, but thick, and with lugs in the nose halves, so it would have looked a bit strange. I had an RC car with a polycarbonate shell many decades ago. Those shells were very thin from memory, and a pest to repair.

 

[flyjoe180]

Today's mission was to sort out the fuselage, gear doors, and mask that complex canopy. I've since sanded and polished the seams.

 

[flyjoe180]

Assembly was relatively straight forward. A fair amount of filling and sanding was required at the wing and horizontal stab joins, mostly achieved with Vallejo acrylic filler. The X-1 was first primed with Mr Surfacer Grey, and after a few days drying, I have applied the gloss orange paint in two light coats. Once this is totally dry in a few days I will polish the paint, before masking and painting the canopy framing black. There won't be much more to paint after decal application, just the rocket motors and probes.

 

[Steven000]

Nice paintwork Joe, looks very shiny already, cheers

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

That paint has gone on nice and clean Joe. Coming along nicely.

 

[PaulTRose]

I just realised its 'Glamourous Glennis'

Dont forget the sweeping brush handle

Looking good

 

[yak face]

Looking very good joe , great paint finish. Cheers tony

 

[flyjoe180]

Nice paintwork Joe, looks very shiny already, cheers

Cheers Steven

That paint has gone on nice and clean Joe. Coming along nicely.

Cheers Steve

I just realised its 'Glamourous Glennis'

Dont forget the sweeping brush handle

Looking good

Cheers Paul. Sweeping brush handle?

Looking very good joe , great paint finish. Cheers tony

Cheers Tony

 

[PaulTRose]

Cheers Paul. Sweeping brush handle?


Cheers Tony

So this was chuck yeagers plane that he broke the sound barrier in...... His wifes name was glennis
As i remember from his autobio the night before he made the attempt he went out for a drink..... On a horse!..... Cos the base was in the desert..... On the way back the horse threw him and he broke a rib..... Knowing if he said anything they wouldnt let him fly and someone else would take his place he kept quiet....... Next day he struggles to lift his arm and cant shut the door on the plane so he confides in his crew chief who goes off and finds a broom..... Cuts off a 2 foot length and its long enough to work as a lever so yeager can pull the door shut with his good arm..... And the rest is history lol

 

[PaulTRose]

I was almost right.... Must be 20 years since i read his memoirs lol

 

[Geoffers]

Just catching up with your build Joe, looking very good

It’s a very fascinating era with all the experimental aircraft the various nations were developing.

Geoff.

 

[Miko]

I do like a research aircraft!

Very nice!

Miko

 

[flyjoe180]

I was almost right.... Must be 20 years since i read his memoirs lol

Thanks for that Paul, I did not know this part of the story. Different times!

Just catching up with your build Joe, looking very good

It’s a very fascinating era with all the experimental aircraft the various nations were developing.

Geoff.

Cheers Geoff. Agree, the post World War period was a very interesting chapter for aviation.

I do like a research aircraft!

Very nice!

Miko

Cheers Miko!

 

[flyjoe180]

No pictures today, but the paint has finally dried completely (it's been humid and wet) and I have painted the canopy framing black. Polishing is next using Tamiya Finishing Compound, just to remove some small lumps.