Flankerman Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 (edited) Well, I have made a start on this beast - it looks like it may be quite a job It is Contrail quality - the shape is good, but the plastic is a bit crude in places. See:- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/modl_be-10.html for the boxart and kit parts. The plastic is very thick - about 2mm - which makes it difficult to cut out from the backing sheet, but it does give it some strength. I have cut out most of the parts - and hacked away at the 2mm 'lip' around the edges. The wings took a lot of scraping at the trailing edge to get a thin section. My starting point is the wing centre section/engine nacelles - they are complex shapes and are moulded in upper and lower halves. Fitting the upper & lower parts together is not helped by the fact that the thickness of the plastic is different - so the mating edges are thick to thin - adding thin plastic tabs is not easy Deka provide the interior jetpipes as half-round sections that are supposed to be glued together to form tubes....... They also provide a crude white-metal intake lip - plus an etched-brass fan blade - I decided to replace them with intakes made from a hollow 15mm dia plastic knitting needle and jetpipes from a suitable diameter section of plastic tube..... The area of the fuselage around the jetpipes is a complex 'pen knib' fairing - and Deka's moulding does not extend far enough into the jetpipe area - so I have added bits of plastic card to make it good. It is all a bit crude at the moment - I am making it up as I go along....... Ken Edited February 27, 2008 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenshb Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Good idea on the knitting needle - never thought of that. Now if my girlfriend find me pinching her knitting needles, there'll be Hell to pay... Jens Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Good idea on the knitting needle - never thought of that. Now if my girlfriend find me pinching her knitting needles, there'll be Hell to pay...Jens I discovered them a few years ago when I started making scratch-built 1:700 scale subs - they make an ideal starting point for the hull. Up to about 12mm they are solid - ideal for drop tanks, sub hulls etc. I had hoped that the 15mm dia ones were also solid (for some modern US subs) - but after I bought them, I discovered they were hollow. Still - hollow 15mm dia tubing always comes in handy ! Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Quite a kit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Quite the project! The plane looks kinda cool. Don't think I saw one of those before. The instructions say 1961. So these were used in operational service? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Quite the project! ;) The plane looks kinda cool. Don't think I saw one of those before. The instructions say 1961. So these were used in operational service? A total of 27 were built and it saw operational service with a couple of squadrons of the Soviet Naval Aviation - AVMF. It was not an outstanding success - it was outclassed by the land-based AVMF Tu-16's. It did set a number of speed records for seaplanes though - and was designed as a seagoing anti-ship bomber that was intended to be re-supplied by submarine - in the same manner as the US Navy Martin Seamaster. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modelmax Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Greetings Ken, I first came across info. on this bird while researching info. on a Be-6 flying boat. It definately cought my attention, as I like all unusual soviet aircraft, but I had no idea there was a kit out there. I probably mised it, but is it in 1/72 scale? Can you tell me if this kit is still comercially available? Now that I know that there are some of these Beriev kits are available, let me ask you...Do you know of a Be R-1 kit available? Please let me know. I'll continue to follow your build. thanks, Ernie A. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Greetings Ken,I first came across info. on this bird while researching info. on a Be-6 flying boat. It definately cought my attention, as I like all unusual soviet aircraft, but I had no idea there was a kit out there. I probably mised it, but is it in 1/72 scale? Can you tell me if this kit is still comercially available? Now that I know that there are some of these Beriev kits are available, let me ask you...Do you know of a Be R-1 kit available? Please let me know. I'll continue to follow your build. thanks, Ernie A. Ernie, My mate 'found' it on eBay - and ordered it for me..... A quick search on eBay for 'Bereiv Be10' turned up this..... http://cgi.ebay.com/1-72-Beriev-Be-10-RARE...1QQcmdZViewItem As for kits of Beriev aircraft, there is, of course, the Be-6 from Revell/Plasticart (with a new one announced by Trumpeter). There is also a resin Be-12 from the Czech firm of RVHP.... ....but that's about it. No R-1 AFAIK I just wish that someone would do a Be-200 - or better yet, an A-40 Albatros....... Now that the Be-200 is finding export orders and the fact that there are some good scale drawings in the Ukrainian magazine Aviatsiya i Vremya, I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Amodel do it ;) Cheers Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Some more progress...... Here is the wing centre section temporarily taped together to show the complex shape...... The drawings in the excellent Ukrainian magazine Aviatsiya i Vremya plus photos, show that there are two large openings on the outside of the engine intakes. I have cut them out and backed them with spare etched mesh. The white metal intake lip and intake tube are also temporarily installed... The drawings also show another intake between the fuselage and the jet intakes - I have also added these - to be sanded and blended in later.... The area around the jetpipes also needs some work - the opening above the jetpipe has yet to be filled - and blended into a smooth curve into the pen-knib plate on the fuselage..... More soon........ Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
svaz Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 sweet! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Meanwhile, back at the wings....... Cut out, edges scraped to as thin a section as I can manage, spars added, cemented together (at left)..... ...trouble is it is a gull wing - except that the 'gull' join is at the fuselage centre section. There is a massive shoulder on the centre section - and the wings are joined at the gull break - with massive dihedral to be incorporated. It is going to be difficult to get a smooth join - the wing/fuselage junction on the underside is right up under the engine nacelles, where you can't get at it, the join on the top is easier to access for sanding - but it is very visible. On the fuselage, due to the limitations of vacforming, the detail is very 'soft' - especially so at the edges where the vertical fuselage side meets the vee planing bottom. Fortunately the plastic is thick enough to allow for lots of scraping & sanding to get a sharp edge..... This shot shows the scraped and sharpened forward chine on the fuselage half at the top - the original rounded moulding is at the bottom..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vrsa Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Nice work Ken, as usual. These spars, where there in the kit, or did you made them yourself? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Here's a couple of pics of the real thing to show what I mean...... This shows the 'gull' wing - where the gull join is actually at the wing/engine nacelle junction..... This shows the underside - note the acute angle of the wing/nacelle join - difficult to get into with a sanding stick...... ....note also the sharp edges... Here's a small pic showing the wing dihedral and gull section..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tancist Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Ken! I always say, that you are crazy man :) Thats a big brave and serious step to make this "model". I'll looking forward to finish work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 (edited) Onward and upward....... The centre section has been joined and the joints filled with Green Stuff.... ....the biggest problem is blending in the jetpipe into the surrounding 'pen knib' fairing... ....but once filled and smoothed, it is begining to look OK. This is the starboard side - with the plastic tubing jetpipe temporarily in place - I have left it removablae to aid painting later. Ken Edited March 2, 2008 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 Another area that needs fixing is the rear end - with its gun turret. The extreme bottom tip on the kit is too blunt - it needs to be extended and sharpened to a knife-edge. Deka provide vacform 'windows for the gunners station - and a white metal 'ball' turret - but the whole thing is a bit 'vague' and poorly formed. I made a start and cut out the area and added side windows from thick clear plastic..... ....the drawings are from Aviatsiya i Vremya BTW - available to download here. I was faced with a difficult task to get the rear end right - when my pal Jon suggested using the rear turret assembly from the Roden injection-moulded kit of the Antonov An-12BK-PPS kit.... The gunner's station is surplus to requirements in the -PPS version - so a quick sort through the stash found the kit and part.... ... and guess what ?? it fits OK - thank goodness to Soviet standardisation! I'll have to remove the tailplane roots moulded into the Roden parts - but it looks do-able. All I have to do now is graft it into place... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 Guess what - it works!! Thanks Jonathan :) Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Wow. It's really getting some shape! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 (edited) Sweet build Ken! Actually got to fly a Mail the other day...in a beta verion of a new mod for Battlefield 2: Beriev Be-12 ChaykaThe Beriev Be-12 Chayka (NATO reporting name: "Mail") is a Soviet twin-turboprop-powered anti-submarine and maritime patrol bomber/rescue aircraft. It is slow and cumbersome compared to the jets but generally still arrives at its destination earlier than a transport helicopter making the same trip. It carries six including the pilot and co-pilot. Its four small bombs are its only form of armament, but on the plus side - heatseekers won't be able to lock onto it. For reasons of production speed, game performance, and practicality, our Be-12 is a pure seaplane - the wheels are cosmetic only, though if necessary a careful pilot can land on terrain without too much damage. Good luck on your build ;) AW Edited March 2, 2008 by AnthonyWan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dragan_mig31 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 you are doing a great job there as all of your WIP this one is fun to watch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 (edited) Deka only provide a rudimentary vacformed 'tub' for the pilot's cockpit - plus an instrument panel. Floor and bulkheads are provided for the navigators position - but they don't fit very well! I have scratchbuilt the navigator's station - with a new floor, rear bulkhead, some internal structure and a few 'boxes'. Also scratched are the navigator's and pilot's ejection seats - nothing is provided in the kit...... I'll probably add a bit more detail - all purely guesswork - to 'busy' up the area. The pilot's cockpit also needs some more work - instruments from the decals stash, control column, throttles etc. I want to have the nav's hatch open - and, possibly, the canopy - hence the detail work. It isn't Haneto-standard - but in this scale, it'll do for me........ Ken Edited March 3, 2008 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gambler Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Great job so far Ken!!! The scratchbuilt details in the Cockpit look real good. Cheers, Jeff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 (edited) Fictional or not, but the pit certainly looks pretty nice. Edited March 3, 2008 by janman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
upupandaway Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Well, first of all this is an exotic build. The aircraft really looks interesting. I´ve never even seen it before. The mail aircraft had the red star on it - I thought mail delivery was still under civilian jurisdiction or was it managed by some state mail agency with an aircraft fleet that also had to display the red star insignia? Absolutely stunnning work on the cockpit! I really love your work on this!!! :thumbsup: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 The mail aircraft had the red star on it - I thought mail delivery was still under civilian jurisdiction or was it managed by some state mail agency with an aircraft fleet that also had to display the red star insignia? It isn't 'mail' - as in post - it's Mail as in the ASCC (NATO) reporting name. The 'mail' plane that Anthony Wan was 'flying' on his sim is the Beriev Be-12, called 'Chaika' (Seagull) by the Soviets, but given the reporting name of 'Mail' by the ASCC. The one I am building is its predecessor, the jet-powered Beriev Be-10 - ASCC Reporting Name of 'Mallow'. The ASCC reporting system uses the letter M (for Miscellaneous) to identify Soviet/Russian types that are not Fighters (letter F), Bombers (letter , Cargo/Transports (letter C) or Helicopters (letter H). There is a further breakdown in that pure jets have two syllables (Mallow, Blackjack, Flanker, Candid) while propeller-driven types have a single syllable (Mail, Bear, Fang, Coot). This does not apply to helicopter names. BTW, the Be-12 'Mail' in Anthony's sim pics has Chinese or Vietnamese markings - note the red 'stars-and-bars' HTS Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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