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Chinese Air Force 1/72 ICM I-15 Bis
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Author Topic: Chinese Air Force 1/72 ICM I-15 Bis  (Read 33072 times)
TapedFingers
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« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2013, 11:58:14 PM »

Hi Everyone,

Here is my best guess at the sheet metal protective panel for the removable landing lights. I will probably drill holes for the lights but leave them off because not many pictures show them in use, probably because they would likely be used only for night missions. More progress soon. TF

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xan
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« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2013, 03:24:33 AM »

Xan's nice model was one of my inspirations,
I feel very proud, thanks a lot
I don't know about chinese coulours. where the planes repainted or do they ware VVS colours ?
French planes such as the dewoitine D.510 were repainted...
Xan
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KL
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« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2013, 07:56:57 AM »

I don't know about chinese coulours. where the planes repainted or do they ware VVS colours ?

I don't know either.  Later during the WWII, the Chinese repainted I-153s in what looks like American Olive Drab.





For 1938, I would leave I-15bis in its original Soviet colours...  Like this drawing that shows defence of Lanchzhou on February 22, 1938



French planes such as the dewoitine D.510 were repainted...

Yes, French Devoitine D-510s were repainted in what looks like I-16 colours


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TapedFingers
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« Reply #18 on: June 10, 2013, 02:58:44 AM »

Those keeping score take note I have painted a second coat of FS 34079 green, and it's starting to take wing.

Thank you KL and Xan. The pictures I have seen show the standard VVS scheme and colors. It looks like later I-15 Bis's were repainted and had a lower demarcation line between upper and lower colors. These two photos are not too clear, and it is hard to tell what colors they used.





It is interesting to note that the Chinese modified some Bis's with parts and engines from Curtiss Hawk III's and added ailerons to the lower wings to create the Jung-28B. A photo of a ground-looped example appears in Squadron/Signal Polikarpov Fighters Part II, that clearly shows the changes. The following article on how to modify a I-15 Bis kit to this hybrid inspired me to plan my own project in the future:

http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2013/03/johan-de-wolf-converts-avusk-i-152-to.html

Further information on the Jung-28B, I-15 Bis, and I-153 in Chinese service can be found at this interesting site:

http://cwlam2000.0catch.com/caf36.htm

Finally, one of the sites I used in my research had a link to incredible Japanese newsreel footage of a I-15 Bis attacking a Japanese bomber formation! The bomber footage starts around the 4 minute mark and the defensive attack is around 5:30.

http://cgi2.nhk.or.jp/shogenarchives/jpnews/movie.cgi?das_id=D0001300393_00000&seg_number=003

Till next time...TF
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TapedFingers
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« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2013, 01:48:45 AM »

Progess...

More pictures of Chinese Air Force I-15 Bis's are here:

http://crimso.msk.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft19934.htm

Since I am using a brush, I tried to use several light coats, but got carried away and put on a coat that was too thick and left brush marks. It looked like a disaster. Then I tried an automotive clear coat scratch remover, and it saved the day by leveling the paint and making the brush marks less noticeable. I used "Scratch Out" by Kit Wax, but other products should give similar results. The photos show several coats of Model Master Dark Green, FS 34079, polished with small amounts of the scratch remover mixed with water. I did not use an overcoat because the polishing left a nice smooth semi-gloss.



The unit marking on the wing struts came from an Aviation Usk decal sheet that has markings for several different CAF fighters in including the subject of my model. It also has the ID# "2709" for the rudder but lacks the characters on the cowling. The red stripes on the struts are from spare decals.

Next comes some black wash in the panel lines before I install the struts and wings. This is slow going but I am not in a hurry. Have fun.
TF
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marluc
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« Reply #20 on: June 29, 2013, 03:44:40 PM »

You are doing a good detailing and a very nice brush paintwork on your I-15bis.Excellent research on the subject,the links are very useful (the modifed plane with Curtiss Hawk cowling and whells is an interesting modelling subject),thanks a lot for these.
Keep on with the good work,greetings.

Martin
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TapedFingers
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« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2013, 04:21:56 AM »

Thank you for your kind words, Martin.

I decided to work more on the fuselage before I added the top wing because its easier to work with it out of the way.

I made the sight from a piece of paperclip (small). The back end has a piece of wire insulation stuck on it, and I made details from wire. I wrapped foil to simulate straps and painted the whole thing with Tamiya X-18 Semi-Gloss Black. I heat-formed the canopy from a clear plastic package heated over a candle and pulled over the kit canopy as a master. Self-criticism for posterity: The sight could be a little thinner. Also, there is a covering where the sight comes out of the canopy, and mine is over-sized because I used a piece of wire insulation. Next time (ha!), I would simulate the area with common pva glue.





I replaced the kit tail skid with one I shaped from solder: After I flattened it with pliers, I carved, filed, it and sanded it. The covering is from wire insulation. I will add a reinforcing plate at the tip using foil. The cover is probably green, but I'm not sure what the skid color is, so I am leaving it natural metal.



I debated the tail stripe colors. I believe they should be the same mid-to-dark blue as shown in the color pictures in this thread and on the decal sheet shown. In black and white photos, however, they appear lighter, which suggests they were faded. I went with the faded theory and used decals from the Encore boxing of the kit. It looks okay from a yard away. I touched up the edges with Model Master 2131, Russian Flanker Medium Blue, mixed with a little dark blue. For the roundels, I plan to use a darker color, since they are only on the bottom of the lower wings.

The aircraft numbers on the Aviation Usk sheet are the correct font and size but and are too close together. I plan to separate them to get the correct spacing.



I hope to show more progress soon.
TF
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learstang
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« Reply #22 on: July 08, 2013, 04:33:11 AM »

Good detail work, TF!

Regards,

Jason
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"I'll sleep when I'm dead."

- Warren William Zevon
Massimo Tessitori
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« Reply #23 on: July 08, 2013, 09:26:10 AM »

Hi TF, an huge work.
Regards
Massimo
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TapedFingers
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« Reply #24 on: July 22, 2013, 06:52:15 AM »

Thank you Jason and Massimo. This time I dry-fitted the top wing to get the correct alignment while the glue on the interplane struts was drying so I could get the correct alignment. I used a wire pin in the top of each strut and a corresponding hole in the top wing. I broke the struts more than once because they are fragile.



Then I added the center section rigging from stretched sprue but only glued it to the top wing. Once the glue dried and set the rigging at the correct angles, I took the top wing off and used dabs of PVA to add the cuffs on the ends. I painted these gray.



I added the center section struts next. I had cut the forward ones off because I thought it would fit better. I had also drilled holes in the fuselage to accept them. You can see the struts are a bit askew, but I have grown impatient and let them be. They would probably would have fit fine if I left them alone.







The cowling needs to be dry-fitted to ensure the bracing goes through the slots. I had to trim them to fit. I also added the slots for the center section bracing.



Speaking of the cowling, I regret I cut the front cover off because I do not feel like detailing the engine anymore. I believe the subject had the cover in place but thought I would make it look different by removing it. I might add it back with the help of a spare kit. We will see. Next I tackle the part that has given me nightmares: the flying wires with their tandem configuration. This is my first biplane since I was ten years old. See you next time. TF
« Last Edit: July 22, 2013, 06:57:37 AM by TapedFingers » Logged
Massimo Tessitori
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« Reply #25 on: July 22, 2013, 08:22:26 AM »

Hi TF,
your huge work is continuing.
If I  remember well, I made some simplifications on the wiring of my one, I made only one wire where two wires had to be coupled in tandem.
Regards
Massimo
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TapedFingers
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Posts: 22


« Reply #26 on: July 30, 2013, 06:43:18 AM »

Thank you again Massimo. I enjoyed your article and it served as an inspiration. You had many insights like the cowl shape and the interpretation of the colors, and I admire the overall effect.

I lied in my last post and decided to work on the cowl and engine before the rigging. I took the cowl from my spare kit and using a pin in a pin vise, I made repeated circles around the engine face plate from the outside and then the inside until it came loose. Surprisingly, it came off in one piece, more or less, and fits well enough to display on or off the model. I decided not to replace the two gun barrel extensions and drilled them instead. I glued plastic rod to the back of each barrel to give it dimension.



I made the bands around the cowl by pre-painting matte finish transparent tape and cutting it into strips. This was harder than it sounds. I have heard of other modelers building up the area with paint, which sounds easier. Nevertheless, I am happy with how it turned out. I painted the front of the cowl olive drab, and it gives an interesting look.



I was going to cover it, but decided to wire the engine anyway (masochist, remember?). I used too large a diameter wire for the spark plug wires, but it turned out okay. Maybe I should build in 1/48 scale. I did not bother to drill holes in the engine cylinders to accept the wires.



I drilled out the upper gun barrel extensions and air intake. I made the upper gun barrel tubes with a plastic tube (a coffee stirrer, I believe)  stretched after heating it over a candle. 



Next I will work on the Chinese characters on the cowl. This should be exciting! Smiley TF
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learstang
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« Reply #27 on: July 30, 2013, 05:39:58 PM »

Very nice work, again, TF!

Regards,

Jason
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"I'll sleep when I'm dead."

- Warren William Zevon
TapedFingers
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« Reply #28 on: August 06, 2013, 06:06:30 AM »

Thank you Learstang. For the slogan on the cowl, which roughly translates as "Honolulu Overseas Chinese," I started by getting the proper Chinese characters in the right font from the Internet.

 

Then I cleaned up the images in a drawing program because I thought the white space would disappear when the image was reduced. I made the white spaces bigger. This is a matter of personal taste, as we shall see. Next I copied it into a word processing program in several sizes. I printed these onto clear decal paper and picked the size that fit the best.



Now the challenge was making the characters white. Instead of trying new techniques and products, I painted over the black images with white paint on the decal paper and then cut them out. I touched up as necessary.





The original article has strokes that change in thickness and size and are proportioned like calligraphy from a professional sign maker. My rather anemic and uniform lines look more like a sign made by children to advertise a yard sale, but it looks passable from three feet away.

Next is to tackle the rigging. I have made some headway and will describe it next time.  TF
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TapedFingers
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« Reply #29 on: August 10, 2013, 07:21:22 AM »

Hi Everyone,

The rigging was pretty straightforward. I had drilled holes in the wings, fuselage, and  cowling to accept the stretched sprue. I used this rectangular cross section piece of plastic, which a server had conveniently stuck to a lemon in my drink. Here it is showing its other use as a great looking seatbelt buckle for 1/18 scale cars:



I started with the center wire then the two outside wires. I got as much slack out as I could by carefully fitting them before I used cyanoacrylate applied with the tip of a pin. I used a burning stick of incense held close to the sprue to straiten it if necessary. My wires were nearly too thick for this technique to work. Use a piece of paper or aluminum foil to protect the other wires from the heat, if you need to.







I found the best way to duplicate the spacers is with PVA applied with a thin piece of sprue. I tried using a small piece of spure before adding the PVA, but this is difficult and not necessary. Build up the PVA to the proper shape. I also used PVA to build up the covers at the base of the wires. You may want to add a small amount of acrylic paint to make the PVA easier to see.





I hope that my next post will show the finished product.
TF
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