ALT 1977 1/400 [5]

I have started over with the 747. It is a slightly better fit than my first try, now I kind of know how I have to work the separate pieces to get them tighter together. I guess I have to acquiesce about the fact that it will not get it any better. Might be the paper, the size or something else I don't have figured out yet that makes it more difficult to get it all really nice and flush.

So, although not for a full 100%, I can say I now am more satisfied with how the parts come together than before. It still is hard to get it right, for instance, the outlines are hard to see. I try to discard the gluing tabs for a more flush skin and that is not the easiest job with this shinier type of paper without really dark outlines around the parts. I use internal gluing strips to line all rings up and the nose part is particularly difficult to get right. I guess it's due to the downsizing and the perfect fit it might have in 1/144, which is its original scale. The smaller, the bigger the deviations and the harder to get it snug and tightly fitting together.
Comparing it to the previous attempt, the nose almost looks just as rough but the overall shape of it is better. I am especially pleased with the cockpit windows. These were kind of recessed in the first version, now they are much more flush. And although the blue-white-red band across the nose is not aligning perfectly, a little further on it gets better and if this continues looking like this up to the tail I think I shouldn't complain.

So here's some picture stuff to look at. At the moment I am really busy with job-related stuff so i have to take this build slow. But I hope to update regularly. I'll keep you posted!

--PK

More after the jump.

This part actually is just 5 mm at its widest.

Again, larger than life, the new nose (on the right) has got a better overall shape, although the rings still make it a bit too rough for my taste. But I guess this is the best I can get it in this scale. Oh well.

These tools are used extensively bu shaping and bending the parts to get it nice and rounded. The 747 has a hard shape to follow in paper, with its hump and curved fuselage.

Now this made me glad. The windows of the cockpit have a very good fit.

Top view. The "cap" over the window section is just curved but has no glue strips at the back, It was edge glued on top of the windows and back part. I reinforced it with glue across the seams on the inside.

Here I am now. The part where the hump gets lower. In the design phase this also was a hard piece to do because of the faded lettering it carries. Here the word "American", the logo of its previous owner, still is faintly visible. It had to be spread out over these rings but also over the hump part. But I already saw in the first attempt it all fits magnificently well. If I cut it out precisely. Let's hope I'll manage that a second time around.
Thanks tor watching!