RNZAF Aermacchi details

[steveh]

I've recently picked up an example of the Supermodel Aermacchi MB-339A in 1/72 & hope to convert it to an RNZAF MB-339CD. I've found a few articles & pics on the net & figure theres a bit of fiddling to be done with the nose & tail fairings. Does anyone have any other details or links to articles with a bit more info?
Thanks,
Steve.

[Dave Homewood]

Maybe my photos here might be of assistance to you?
rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=walkarounds&action=display&thread=11478

[strikemaster]

Have a look here;

www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/mb339.html

Phillip Treweek has a website loaded with great pics.

[phil]

Basically that's all that needs doing, although I'd also rescribe the horrible lumpy panel lines. Dropping the flaps is another fairly easy thing that will make it look a bit better on the ground.

As for the cockpit, I the seats that come with the kit are a bit odd looking, the headboxes are huge. I'd suggest getting a couple of MB Mk10s from Neomega.

[mumbles]

I did one a few years ago but cheated and used a conversion kit. Three were done IIRC. One by Hawkeye in Australia, one by Kiwi Resins, and one by Vintage in Italy which is the one I used. Try Pacific Coast Models for the latter, I think they specialise in Italian stuff.

[steveh]

Thanks everyone. Dave those pics are excellent, some really useful aspects in there & they compliment the Treweek photos well. I'd already found the latter but thanks for the reminder. I hadn't realised Neomega did seats in this scale & after the demise of Aeroclub was resigned to tinkering with the kit ones. I've already looked for the various conversion sets without any joy so it looks like it'll be plastic card & body putty, some rubbing back & rescribing. I don't think it should be too tough, the hardest will be finding the time to put into it.
Steve.

[phil]

www.neomega-resin.com/seats.htm

E16/72 about half way down on the left.

I cut the original nose off, then cut a piece of plastic tube the correct length and glued that in place. I then built up the nose with milliput and sanded it to the final shape. I also polished the canopy with micromesh as it's quite thick and not especially clear, then dunked it in Johnsons Klear.

[steveh]

Dec 19, 2010 12:07:07 GMT 12 phil said:

www.neomega-resin.com/seats.htm

E16/72 about half way down on the left.

I used cut the original nose off, then cut a piece of plastic tube the correct length and glued that in place. I then built up the nose with milliput and sanded it to the final shape. I also polished the canopy with micromesh as it's quite thick and not especially clear, then dunked it in Johnsons Klear.

Good tips Phil & a good link thanks very much. I was wondering just how best to go about the nose & you've sorted that for me. Don't 'spose you can recall how big a diameter tube you used? Was the correct seat the basic MkX or the A or B models?
Steve.

[phil]

The 'MkX' is the correct seat. The A version is for the tornado as it has an extra pipe running along the side of the headbox, and the b version is for early hawks (pre '85ish) as it has the flared head box.

Sorry I can't recall the dia, but it was evergreen tubing, the inside dia being about right for the light in the nose. Sorry I can't recall the length either, I eyeballed it using a few side on drawings and photos, comparing to reference points in the fuselage to get the proportion correct, ie finding something known on the aircraft that was the same dimension I was looking for. In 72nd scale it's not too difficult, but I made sure I got the resin conversion set for the 48th scale one I have in the stash.

[steveh]

Thanks phil, looks like I'll have to fall back on the Mk I eyeball too. As long as it fills my TLAR criterion I'll be happy.
Steve.