220606: Closing up the windows. Tape is High Temp Polyimide Tape with a silicone adhesive (leaves no residue). Available cheap on Amazon.com.
220606: Closing up the windows with 2-part clear acrylic. This stuff sets fully in 24 hours, self-levelling, and perfectly clear when cured. No putty required.
220607: Windows filled with Clear resin (with two sisters, Dh.106 and TU204).
220610: Weight and balance: 3.1 gr
220610: Closing up the nose gear well.
220610: Closing up the nose gear well; excellent fit.
220610: 5-min epoxy to secure mounting socket and nose weight.
220613: Spare B738 winglets, spares from my B38M build Thanks, Zvezda!
220613: I notched the wingtip along a pencil line...
220613: Replacement Zvezda winglets were a near-perfect fit!
220613: Replacement Zvezda winglets were a near-perfect fit!
220613: Checking fit. What little filler I needed was Dollar Store cheap Superglue
220613: Checking fit. What little filler I needed was Dollar Store cheap Superglue
220613: Checking fit. What little filler I needed was Dollar Store cheap Superglue
220613: Checking fit. Canopy dome looks all right.
220825: In primer - WM Rattlecan Gray Primer.
220825: In primer - WM Rattlecan Gray Primer.
220825: Gloss white basecoat (WM rattlecan)
220825: Gloss white basecoat (WM rattlecan)
220827: Trying out Braz models CFM-56 and brass compressor fan.
220827: Braz models brass compressor fan was a bust due to crappy molding in axle and hub components.
220903: I'll stick to the kit's engines, even though they're an older CFM56-3 suitable only for the 737 Classic series.
220908: Metallic topcoat, using Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver and MrC 201 Super Fine Silver.
220908: Metallic topcoat, using Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver and MrC 201 Super Fine Silver.
220908: Metallic topcoat, using Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver and MrC 201 Super Fine Silver.
220909: Metallic topcoat is Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver and MrC 201 Super Fine Silver.
220909: Metallic topcoat is Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver and MrC 201 Super Fine Silver.
220909: Ready for decals!
220911: Part of the family.
220918: Had to fashion a pedestal to place the in-flight MLG wheels.
220918: Decals are a multi-layer affair, and somewhat low-grade.
220918: Good adhesion and conforming to detail (no decal softener needed so far)
220918: Even the wing walks went on without silvering.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display.
221016: Rollout for display. Note home-made display stand!
Boeing 737-800 Astrojet c. 2021
(Revell B738 in 1/144 scale, kit # 04245, c. 1999)
I saw the American Airlines 737-800 in retro "Astrojet" livery a few months ago and it took hold. Fortunately, PAS Decals have a set.
Revell's kit is very well executed, although it has the older CFM56-3C engines with the non-circular cowlings that prominently house the engine accessories at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions from the older 737 "Classic" series. Went looking for aftermarket CFM56-7Bs but the BRAZ models set I found was fairly crummy and I quickly lost interest in getting them ship-shape. So, yes, she has the wrong engines for a Next-Generation -800 bird. Meh. To quote that old sage, Patsy: "It's only a model…"
What really bothers me is that I somehow managed to totally erase the dihedral built into the thoughtfully designed wing assembly. Methinks I created a fit issue while closing up the fuselage, and I couldn't alleviate it even with the brass rod I built in for that very purpose. In any case, her wings are flat as a rock, which looks somewhat weird for an in-flight model.
Otherwise, a fun, easy build.
Paints are Wal-Mart rattle-can grey primer and gloss white undercoat and Tamiya metallics.
