Focke Achgelis Fa 330

[digger303]

Hi all I am attempting to build and finish this small glider....we shall see how it goes.

Focke Achgelis Fa 330 "Bachstelze" (Autogyro-Glider/Observation vehicle)
As the above says a observation vehicle for the submarine fleet. It was towed and took about a half an hour to assemble. In an emergency the pilot could jettison the blades and parachute down with the main frame.




there isn't a lot in the number of parts.



I didn't know where to start with this so I did the floats to start off for no real reason except to start.


Made stuff up number one and cut the mast short. I thought it was a sprue gate as it was moulded into the outside sprue frame. I drilled and patched.


another angle of the same image

I started to add some photo etch straps and I could not get them to look tight. I have since thought of a better way to do that. I also started thinking about how to add the floats. Which is why I have 2 spars hanging in space. You might also notice I had to do a little replacing of some kit pieces which weren't long enough.

[digger303]

Ok.
the frame proved to be a problem in that some parts were too short or non existant, so I had to use some .3mm brass pipe. I glued this with CA then used some sprue filla to blend the pieces together. I prodded and poked this into place. Doing that cause some surface roughness. I applied more tet over the top and this smoothed right like a seamless join.


ADDED more PE.The instrument panel and supporting frame proved to be a pain the BUTT.


Adding the electrical wire I decided to use silver wire. However I found this had just a little too much spring in it. Lead wire would have been way too soft.

The blades were assembled as I thought fit as the instructions were not great and part fit was problematic. I used 0.2mm brass rod to brace the blades. What I did was to drill small holes into the blades and bent the brass rod at 90 degree's and CA glued for strength. I did the same thing for the tie downs and electrical wire.

AND started the detail painting

[Lysus]

This is awesome! A great choice for your short build time

I never knew such a thing existed.

[digger303]

This is awesome! A great choice for your short build time

I never knew such a thing existed.

Thanks for your kind words, I needed something small . However small or not I have found it not as easy as I had hoped. Bad instructions and non existent parts. Funny the instructions only give a view from the left side.
I never knew about this craft either until I saw it pop up on facebook for sale as a pre loved kited.
I thought your choice for a build was inspired....outside what most would have chosen....

[Lysus]

This is awesome! A great choice for your short build time

I never knew such a thing existed.

Thanks for your kind words, I needed something small . However small or not I have found it not as easy as I had hoped. Bad instructions and non existent parts. Funny the instructions only give a view from the left side.
I never knew about this craft either until I saw it pop up on facebook for sale as a pre loved kited.
I thought your choice for a build was inspired....outside what most would have chosen....

Ugh, had to be something challenging, eh? At least there's only so many ways to figure out how the parts can go together, yeah? Maybe they only had enough in the budget to pay for left hand side drawings

To finishing by Friday night!

[Lysus]

Hah, I just saw you added more!

You're nailing it with the PE; it's looking pretty slick for such a little thing!

[digger303]

To finishing by Friday night!

I have to finish Thursday. As I promised to go to my partners house and renew her verandah posts. All stirrups rusted away . I can kick them and the posts come away from there fixings. One good wind from the wrong direction and she could loose the roof. So that will be my weekend.

[digger303]

As you might have noticed I started painting. I used Mr Surfacer 1200 as a primer, then Tamiya light blue xf-23 and finial base coat of sky grey xf-19.



Using matte leather from life color and it ain't looking like leather. I shall continue to fumble my way forward or backwards....i don't really know

[digger303]

See the big blue stain....I knocked over my TET ....swamped the blades and the xf-23 ( blue) dissolved and the sytrene so quick. Very potent stuff. Big repair, sanding back the heli blades and repainting. In my haste to pick it up I left a perfect thumb print on the end of one blade. Took a lot to get it out.
Damn it....resolved to make a pot holder with a large base, cause this isn't the first time.

[digger303]

Small update.
decals on ( bit on the thick side ), gloss coated with x-22/Mr hobby slt. Applied Ultimate dark dirt to parts of the frame and Ultimate rust to the seat. Still doesn't look 100% leather, but better.

[digger303]

Done...I'm happy enough with it. I could have done some of it better, certainly gave me enough headaches and patched it more than once as I continually knocked bits off. Right at the end I used the tali as a grip and off it came as the blades added a fair bit more weight to it.



For such a piddly sized kit it called for an effort larger than putting a tiger together and takes up a least the same if not more space.



cheers to those who looked and more so to those who encouraged.

http://www.intscalemodeller.com/viewtop ... 05&t=19880 for the reveal.