ICM I-153

This will be my second ICM plane. I have never done a bi-plane before, and this will be my first attempt with rigging. I am excited for this build, and i really enjoyed the last ICM kit I built. I did get the Eduards PE set, and I don't know why I did, because other than the actually instrument panel, I think I have lost just about every PE part I have tried to use.  

This is not a very good photo. I am sorry. 

I really like Eduards instrument panels, but the rest of the PE parts I think I lost them in my carpet or I broke them. I am not very good with PE parts. 

I know that the bracing is not meant to be painted brown, but I liked the contrast against the light grey.  

I spent over an hour fiddling around with the PE spark plug wires. They just would not stay in place. After I finally got them glued in, I thought to my self if it was worth all the fuss. Your not going to get to see the engine anyways.  

The fit of the fuselage is very nice. I have had no fit issues at all so far. I really like ICM kits. They are simple and go together great. The plastic is softer than the Tamiya tanks kits I am use to.  

Building and painting the engine of an propeller plane is by far my favorite part. I am excited to start painting this. Even though you will not be able to see it, I am still excited to make it look as real as I can.  

I painted the engine Tamiya gloss black first. Then I sprayed it with Vallejo Metal Color dark aluminum. The hub in the center of the engine is painted Tamiya light grey, and the rods on each cylinder are painted Vallejo Metal Color white aluminum. The spark plugs are Tamiya flat white. I then washed the whole thing in Mig engine grime.  

I am sorry that the photo is out of focus.  

This kit went together very well except for the skis. I had the hardest time getting them to sit right.  

I primed the whole thing in Tamiya gloss black. I am going to spray the whole thing Vallejo Metal Color white aluminum, then paint the metal parts light grey, and the cloth parts flat white. It should be very nice looking if I don't mess it up like I did the I-16 type 29 kit I did a few months ago. 

I love spraying Vallejo Metal Color paints. This is white aluminum.  

I know that most of this plane is cloth. I am going to paint it winter white and grey over this metal finish, and chip the metal parts down to this. I hope it looks as good as the idea in my head. 

This is my first time building a biplane with rigging. I struggled greatly with the rigging. I would get one side to stick, and then the other would not. It took me about a week just to get the little bit of rigging that is on this kit to stay. I finally got one end of every line glued into place, and couldn't get the other side, so my son took over and finished the rigging. He was like "is was super easy dad!" so guess who is doing the rigging on the next biplane. 

I really loved building this kit. Everything about it is cool. ICM built a great kit, and I just love looking at it. The shape is really cool, and I love the way the Russian red star looks against the dirty white wings. I think my next plane build will be another ICM, either the Gladiator, or the Fiat CR42.