.......drilled out some sprue and filed to shape, but in the end I wasn't happy with the result. so removed them all and ordered some Evergreen 1.5 & 2.0mm half round.
Time to mask up the windows - I'd decided before commencing the build not to use most of the kit windows, just the main cockpit window and the tailgunner station. I use the adhesive foil which comes on soup/gravy flavouring cubes.
This is the decal sheet I made up - lots of grabbing from those hi-res pics using GIMP, trial and error to achieve the correct sizing, then printed onto "Mondo Decal" paper. After trying a couple of other brands I found this is almost as good as many kit decals. The printer is an Epson WF-2630 and I use only genuine Epson ink.
Started working with the Evergreen strip yesterday, the 1.5mm half round looks perfect to me for those small air intake fairings on top of the nacelles.
Commenced filing to shape using the basic "hold tightly in left hand" clamp but soon realised this wouldn't do, so improvised a suitable clamping system.
This is the Trumpeter effort after I drilled a hole to try and improve the appearance, nothing like the real thing plus two are on the wrong side of the nacelle. The 1/72 kit is just as bad!!
Aerial installation time; after drilling a hole for the front attachment point I asked Patrizia for a couple of her daily discarded hair shafts - I have discovered these to be ideal for this application, much easier to handle than stretched sprue. This pic shows the hair after attachment using cyano.
There is an auxiliary aerial near the lower anchor point, more cyano to attach and also added a couple of droplets top and bottom to represent insulators (at least, that's what I imagine they are on the actual aircraft).
After installing them and setting at a slight downward angle they looked good.......until the model slipped off the supports backwards onto the guns and also wiped off most of the underside blade aerials 🙁
After sulking for a couple of days as I was sure they weren't repairable I returned to find i was able to reinstall then rather successfully. Wouldn't be OK for an exhibition but definitely good in my display cabinet.
These are the kit pitot tubes, which I left to last as it was obvious they would be very breakable. The sensor tubes are so far out of scale as to be unusable, so I decided a rework was necessary.
Here is the underside, I didn't get too carried away with the weathering as all the pics I have indicate that these aircraft are rather well maintained and are regularly washed.
33cm of 1/144 scale wonderfulness - this is the Trumpeter Tu-142MR, scaled down from their 1/72 kit. Another one of Vlad's tools to keep the western nations on their toes!
Painted in the current ocean grey scheme complete with fuselage art "Великий Устюг" ("Great Ustyug").
The build is now completed, really enjoyed this one!
Nice kit but not so accurate in the details - those engine fairings, some of the engine panels are engraved in mirror image, various sensor pods not needed or missing, a few cockpit windows missing.
David R. Meizoso
Richard Cheals
Spanjaard
