Greetings all.
Having recently re-discovered 1/72 scale, I was looking for a simple project
with a subject that I had not seen modeled very often and I came across
Hasegawa's X-29. When it comes to simple, I doubt you'll find a Hasegawa kit
that's simpler than this. With two sprues (and even less when you intend to
mount it on a pole its a quick build. Being an aircraft that I had not seem
modeled extensively, it got the nod and made it onto the bench.
Some time back. I'd picked up a copy of the Aeroguide Special on the X-29 by
Bill Gunston. Loads of pics and drawings, I used it to gauge the accuracy of
Hasegawa's kit, and to my satisfaction, only found a couple of easily
rectifiable problems with the model.
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As you can probably visualize, this a fairly small model. As such I wanted to do something to make
it more impressive on display and to highlight the main unusual feature of this
aircraft, its Forward Swept Wings (FSW). In a moment of inspiration (they happen
every now and then), I decided that displaying it in an almost vertical climb
would do the job nicely. Having by now built several models on stands, this was
pretty easy to achieve.
The model went
together perfectly. With the addition of a pilot figure (to simulate Chuck
Sewell), she was ready for painting.
As the kit is moulded in white plastic, I decided to prime the entire surface
with Alclad's Primer/MicroFiller. I've starting using this product all the time
now for priming as it dries fast (25mins to sand), comes pre-thinned and is a
perfect shade of neutral gray (as a primer should be.)
Painting proceeded
using my trusty Humbrol enamels, with H130 Satin White, mixed 50:50 with Humbrol
Glosscoat. Why not just use H22 Gloss White I hear you say ? Well, I find I can
control the application from the airbrush of the satin:glosscoat blend much
better than gloss white. Perhaps its just me, but ya gotta go with what works
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Small details like pitot, intake
lips and exhaust where dealt with using Alclad colors.
Following a coat of Future, it
was time to decal. This I was not looking forward too, as the kit I had was a
1999 boxing and the decals looked thick. My fears turned out to be well founded
as the decals did not initially respond well to setting solution (turning up at
the edges etc).
The model nearly went head first
into the nearest wall a couple of times that night, but as I always do when
these things happen, I put it down and walk away. Needless to say I persisted
and figured out that the decals did not mind the MicroSet solution, but did not
at all like the MicroSol (softening agent). To my surprise, the decals even
though they where thick, did settle down nicely when dry without the need for
much MicroSol after all. Still if you look closely, you can see areas where
there are creases and deformations in the decals. I learned to live with them.
All that was left was to attach
the various antennae and nav lights (fashioned from tinted plastic toothbrush
off-cuts) in the correct positions offset from the fuselage centre-line, not on
the centre-line as Hasegawa had molded them.
As you can tell I chose not to
weather this model at all. The two real aircraft, always seem in immaculate
condition. I did apply a very toned down panel wash to hopefully just accentuate
the panel lines, without distracting from the white finish.
So there it is, another pole
sitter. I think its turned what could be a fairly mundane model into something a
little more eye catching.
Hope you like it.
Gary
If you are interested in my
previous ARC submissions, please check out the links below
or for a complete gallery of my
models, visit my website www.scalespot.com
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