210208: Contents. Note two sheets of cut masks for the windows, wheels, etc.
210208: SRJ2 Decals (top); 1/200 scale DC-9 decal sheet I'll use for the NorthWest logos, etc. (bottom)
210208: contents, from the BMK website.
210209: Not a very large aircraft, but still comparable to a DC-4
210209: Parts layout is quite good, with fine detail. Let's see how the brittle clear plastic plays with the softer grey.
210209: initial tape-up
210209: Installing a socket for the in-flight display.
210209: Installing a socket for the in-flight display.
210209: Installing a socket for the in-flight display.
210209: Installing a socket for the in-flight display.
210209: Installing a socket for the in-flight display. Note 5-min epoxy to secure mounting socket.
210211: engine intake rings with integral compressor wheel and hot sections are resin cast.
210212: engine bodies in plastic (styrene) work well with the resin components.
210212: Joining the fuselage halves. That puddle is 5-min epoxy for strength.
210213: Weight and balance. Selecting lead alloy ballast.
210213: Weight and balance. Selecting lead alloy ballast. That'll be epoxyed in, too.
210213: My no-muss method of injecting 5-min epoxy. That's kitchen-grade wax paper.
210213: My no-muss method of injecting 5-min epoxy. That's kitchen-grade wax paper.
210213: My no-muss method of injecting 5-min epoxy. That's kitchen-grade wax paper.
210213: CRJ nose with epoxy fill and counterweight.
2102013: tape-up review.
210215: Seam fill using $-store superglue.
210215: Installing a brass spar to help set the wing dihedral angle.
210301: Ready for primer.
210301: Winglets. I wonder if they'll stay there.
210301: Engine castings are excellent!
210301: Engine inlet castings are excellent!
210307: First flight of complete assembly.
210307: First flight of complete assembly.
210307: First flight of complete assembly.
210307: First flight of complete assembly.
210317: Cutting a mask for the topside red. Clear tape to avoid distortion during the transfer.
210318: Red is Testors MM Acryl "Guards Red"
210318: Blue cheatline and trim color is Testors MM Acryl "Insignia Blue"
210310: Top and sides are MM Acryl Gunship Grey (FS36118)
210318: Problem: Blue cheatline should be horizontal... 🙁
210318: Blue cheatline should be horizontal, so I sanded the paint ridge to hit it again with GGray.
210318: Blue cheatline should be horizontal, so I sanded the paint ridge to hit it again with GGray.
210322: Second try: Blue cheatline in MM Acryl "Insignia Blue".
210322: Second try: Blue cheatline in MM Acryl "Insignia Blue".
210322: Second try looks better. Lucy agrees.
210322: Second try looks better. I fixed the edge with the red, too.
120324: Negative mask for the bottom Light Grey. The actual paint mask is on the cutting mat.
210325: Light Grey is MM Acryl "Camouflage Grey" (FS36622).
210325: Leading edges, APU exhaust are shades of Alclad II.
210330: I have no access to white ink, so the "Jet Airlink" is printed on white decal paper with various degrees of grey background to fing a good match.
210330: Making decals. Kit window decals are dark grey and would be invisible. Scanned and re-colored to black and printed on clear decal film.
210330: Making decals. Kit window decals are dark grey and would be invisible. Scanned and re-colored to black and printed on clear decal film.
210402: Looks better with black windows!
210402: Decal application complete. Needs only a clear varnish sealer and panel line accents.
210402: Decal application complete. Needs only a clear varnish sealer and panel line accents.
210402: Decal application complete. Needs only a clear varnish sealer and panel line accents.
210405: Final assembly, ready for flight.
210405: Final assembly, ready for flight.
210405: Final assembly, ready for flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
July 13, 2004 "Flagship 5906" arriving from KMEM.
This aircraft crashed on Oct 14, 2004 in Jefferson City. The crew was lost.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
210405: Complete; First Flight.
Jun 08, 2004 Tulsa Int'l Airport - KTUL
Aftermath, 15 October 2004
Comments
16 6 October 2021, 05:56
Thomas Bischoff Very well done and thanks for the build log!
6 October 2021, 08:01
Nathan Dempsey Nice build and tribute. I always liked this livery.
This aircraft was delivered to Northwest Express Airlines in May of 2000 and transferred to Pinnacle Airlines in 2002, flying under an Air Services Agreement with Northwest Airlines. The aeroplane was lost on a late-night repositioning flight on 14 October 2004 when the two-man crew decided to see what their empty airplane could do and pushed the envelope a bit too far. They departed controlled flight after reaching FL41 and flamed out both engines at altitude, and were barely able to recover control. Still, they were unable to re-start the engines and mismanaged their descent to landing, crashing in the dark a few miles short of their selected emergency landing field at Jefferson City, MS.
The kit is beautifully designed and molded, with clear fuselage halves and an exquisitely detailed front office. The kit includes paint masks for the windshield, cabin windows, and wheel hubs, and includes a small PE fret with antennae, landing gear doors, additional details, etc.
The kit was pretty simple and very nicely detailed, with excellent fit. The engine compressor intakes and hot sections are cast in dark resin. Undercarriage was good although I chose to build an in-flight display. The bottom wing is one piece, but I installed a spar of brass rod in both the wings and horizontal stabs to lend rigidity and to make it possible to tweak the dihedral angle. My only complaint is that the winglets are a butt-join, inherently weak. I haven't broken them off (yet).
I had to cobble some decals from various sources. Draw decals makes a set in the right livery for a 1/200 DC-9 which happens to scale close to a 1/144 CRJ, so I used that sheet for the titles and logos on the vertical stabs. The rest of the decals were printed at home (see photos for details).
Paints are WalMart rattlecan grey primer and Testors Model Master Acrylics for the livery colors.
