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Roland Sachsenhofer
These four pictures begin a project that should result in one of the largest models I have ever attempted. Not the biggest - the 1:32 Liberator holds my record here - but close!
However, the impressively large box contains surprisingly little and, also surprisingly, large components such as the fuselage, wings and tailplane are already assembled. Incidentally, these are made of fibreglass and require their own treatment.
These parts are also stable and clean. A bit of filling was required, as the traces of glue and filler on the seams are very rough and show air pockets. This will now be sanded, the cockpit sawn out and the windows drilled - well, modelling a little differently than usual! 🙂

Gergő Takács
This looks like a cool project! Following.

Treehugger
The panel lines look ok I guess. I mean, I would be happy with those panel lines.

Mr D
Like it , nice project.
I'm working on the Beriev Be-6 Armoured Flying boat,
Revisiting a kit after 33yrs.
All the best with yours...😃👍👍

Robert Podkoński
A true behemoth it is. I will surely follow this build with utmost interest!

gorby
Looking forward to seeing this take shape. 🙂
I believe the last Mars had it's final flight two weeks ago.
Youtube Video
Youtube Video

Nathan Dempsey
Oh my another giant. Following 👀

Robert Podkoński
BTW. Do we see the finished Fairchild in the background, Roland?

Roland Sachsenhofer
I am very happy about all your interest! In fact, I also started this project because of its topicality; the pictures of the last flight of Hawai Mars are always a heart-warming pleasure; this one in particular, thanks Gorby for posting it!

Today I drilled the openings for the windows in the fuselage; I determined the diameter of the holes from kit glass parts. They seem a bit big to me, but we'll see. As I'm not going to use the clear parts from the kit, but want to make them with Klearfix, I could reduce the diameter quite a bit.
The next steps will be to finish sanding the fuselage seams - now only the top side has to be done - and then to glue the wings and stabilisers to the fuselage. To do this, I'm cutting solid steel rods to length, which I'll glue in place with a two-component adhesive.
The Mars should be ready by mid-October: I want to take it to the Euromodel in Ried, Upper Austria.

And yes, In fact, the more or less finished Fairchild F.91 had to serve as a scale model in the background! 🙂

Thomas Mayer
Du bist echt eine Bau-Maschine, Roland! Und immer kommt etwas sehr schönes raus! 👍

Roland Sachsenhofer
Danke für die Einschätzung, Thomas! 🙂

Roland Sachsenhofer
The construction of Mars is progressing: I'll show you a few construction steps in a little 'time lapse'. Attaching the wings and tailplane with 2k glue worked well; the materials could be sanded smooth and fine afterwards. However, the brittleness of the fibreglass caused some difficulties; parts kept splintering off and had to be filled, sanded and re-engraved. As I always do the whole thing standing up, wearing a mask and under running water, this always turns into an almost athletic exercise 🙂 But now it seems to be over and the Mars is ready for its first encounter with colour... I took the two crew members under the cockpit canopy to make the proportions clear and to keep my options open for presenting the finished aircraft - who knows, maybe it will take off or fly?

gorby
It's a bit of a monster! 😮
Doesn't look like an easy build but you seem to be beating it into shape. 🙂

Robert Podkoński
You're the brave man, Roland, not me...

DerMattes
Das schau ich mir weiter an 🙂

Mr D
Looking good Roland 👌
Be a nice bird when she done, pilots look smart 👍👍

Cuajete
Wow... an unusual and gigant model... It seems like fiberglass is difficult to handle.
Great job so far, Roland!

Michael Kohl
Na, da hab ich doch auch nen Blick drauf

Roland Sachsenhofer
Thank you very much for your motivating feedback and your interest, mates!

Łukasz Gliński
I have to follow that behemoth 👍 I don't think I'll ever find enough space to build one myself 😄

Robert Podkoński
Taking a seat here as well 😉

Roland Sachsenhofer
An ambitious project: I am building this TF-104 in Italian colours for a friend. The two-seater starfighter brings a welcome and extremely good-looking change to the currently somewhat corrugated metal-dominated modelling scene! In the cockpit of this beautiful Hasegawa kit you can see Eduard's cockpit interior made from etched parts.

Vincent
This already looks great!

Roland Sachsenhofer
Thank you Vincent!

Roland Sachsenhofer
I've just realised that it's been a while since my last update here, so here are a few new pictures! This is the current state this morning, but today Gunze H 308 will also be applied over everything as a surface colour for the attractive Italian machine. The build itself, a friendship build for a friend, will be built with the Eduard etched parts out of the box except for the cockpit.

István Szücs
Interesting project!

J35J
I'm in for the flash flesta 😅👍🏻

Robert Podkoński
Make yourself comfortable, István and J35J. This will be surely a long party... 😉

István Szücs
Robert, almost you'd build an A-Model kit

Robert Podkoński
Believe me, István, A-model kits are much more modeller-friendly than Mach 2... Take a look here, for example: modelingmadness.com/..korean/us/hammx2.htm

Ben M
Another member of the non-aligned movement.

Marko
That's something to be excited about. Mach2 kits don't have the reputation of being shaking kits. 👍

Martin
As I said on the project, I wish you luck with this, it is something you seldom see, but it looks cool in the end. It is quite a long time ago when I did mine - al the best!

and, so far it does not look that bad for a mach2

S M
Gotta see this! 😄

John Hughes
This looks very Gerry Anderson, so I'm in!

Robert Podkoński
What an audience I have... I feel a bit under pressure now 😉 @Martin - you're right, at least the polistyrene seems to be of a good quality.

Guy Rump
I'm watching as well Robert 🙂 👍

Ekki
And me.

Robert Podkoński
Feel warmly welcomed, Mates!

Mid Franconian
Extra like for the striking project title 😂! I expected an old KP kit first…

Bruce Huxtable
Soo many seams.... Watching this tutorial for sure 😉. OMG, Robert, that's quite a critique of MACH, kits.... Good Luck!

Ben M
It's such a cool subject, I remember seeing it in my dads airplane books when I was young.

Ludvík Kružík
Robert, once again you have chosen a great topic. The French experimental jet powered Leduc aircraft looked really futuristic at the time of its creation.
I wish you strong nerves and a lot of fun building your model!

Robert Podkoński
Now I feel even more pressure 😉 ... @Bruce - I know what I am talking about, I have completed a few models from both producers already 😉 @Ludvik - I was lucky enough to see both Leduc 010 and 022 in Le Bourget museum and they still look futuristic imho 🙂

Palo M
Grabbing a sear

Robert Podkoński
Welcome, Palo!

Ludvík Kružík
He certainly wouldn't be a disgrace as a space fighter in Star Wars. 😄

The photos of the kit parts show that you really have a lot of work ahead of you.

John Hughes
Not Star Wars, more Flash Gordon by the looks of those sprues!

Neil
Hi Robert, Haha! 'da Putty Party'... Love it!... Following with great interest 🙂

Robert Podkoński
Feel welcomed to the party, Neil - every party needs a DJ 😄

Neil
Thanks Robert. I'm there mate! 🎧🤘🎶

Ben M
Those parts look gloriously terrible

Robert Podkoński
Still, the plastic is workable, Ben. As far as I have checked: it can be filed, filled, and glued... So, there is hope... 😄

Ben M
I looked in the stash and I have a mach2 kit I bought when I was young and foolish.

Robert Podkoński
I have five, not counting this one... Hmm...the testimony of what kind of mental disease it is? Nothwithstanding, only Mach 2 offered models of some exotic planes, like X-24.

gorby
I wish you luck Robert. Your going to need it (and probably a stiff drink or four). 😉
Was the kit mould made from soap? 😄

Robert Podkoński
Thanks for your encouraging words, Gorby! ... It seems probable, taking into account that in some Mach 2 kits the material itself is "soapy"... 😄

Alex K
A French prototype and a Mach 2 kit? Can't miss that... I see I'm late but a seat way back in the gallery must be still available...

Jennifer Franklin
I am taking a seat in the gallery myself.

John Hughes
Jennifer? We thought you were missing in action!

M0rce
Looks interesting 🤔

Robert Podkoński
Feel warmly welcomed, Alex, Jennifer and M0rce! I am glad to have you all aboard. @Alex - I have started this album yesterday, so you're not late 🙂

Greg Baker
I'm in!

Nicolas
I'll take a seat.

Robert Podkoński
Welcome, My Friends!... I was not prepared for such an audience 🙂

Greg Baker
Don't worry, Robert. We brought our own snacks!

Robert Podkoński
Good for you 😄

Gary Victory
That's nasty....! Good luck with your build. Robert. Take your time and enjoy it.

Roland Sachsenhofer
You are a brave man! I will definitely be watching this with great interest - great!

Robert Podkoński
It is great to have you both aboard, Gary and Roland!

Łukasz Gliński
What a party I've been missing, till now. Wishing you lots of perseverance, mate 👍
PS. Are you going to add the Broplan's Languedoc later on? 😄
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