Fuselage assembled; I had to omit the internal bomb bay to make room for some weight (no problem, as I planned to build the model with closed bay doors). Instead of the 45 grams suggested, I put 60 grams inside, combined of modelling clay and lead, but I'm still not sure if this is going to be enough.
Engines installed, and first coat of the main colour applied. According to photos, my guess was Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165), which is currently used on most Indian combat aircraft, so I decided to go with it.
Having applied all usable stencils from the kit decal sheet, next will be the national insignia and serials, and possibly some "home-made" ones in the end.
Roundels and fin flashes put in place; now time for some self-made decals (serials) to be applied to the vertical stabilizer. Black decal in front of the cockpit was my first home-made one. 🙂
At last a picture of the underside of the plane; large serial numbers come from Model Alliance decal sheets. The bomb bay doors will be installed in the very end, in case some weight is still needed.
Small serial numbers on the vertical stabilizer are self-made, using a clear sheet and an inkjet printer. No more decals to be applied for this model, I guess. 🙂
Main gear legs and nose gear in place; I really hope they will be able to withstand the weight of the model, as they appear to be quite delicate and fragile pieces.
Landing gears and bay doors (including those of the bomb bay) installed, and the undercarriage has passed the weight test. 🙂 Only a few antennas left to be glued into place.
Model completed; a relatively straightforward build with just one main colour, my biggest concern was the adequate weight into the front of the aircraft, as well as the painting of the glass nose, not to mention the unfamiliar territory of making decals myself. The first task of these three was accomplished; the other two, well, I don't want to judge myself... 🙂
The cockpit windshield somehow "steamed up" on the inside (again!) because of the glue, despite all my precaution; nothing can be done now about it, I guess.
The kit itself is excellent and contains relatively few parts (at least compared to the C-47, haha), except for the cockpit interior. Fitting of parts is good. Panel lines are a little bit deep and wide. The landing gears appeared to be fragile and too weak to support this weight, but finally they proved to be sturdy enough.
English Electric Canberra IF901 of the Indian Air Force, intended to look as she looked at the time of her retirement. First flown in 1957 and originally produced for the Royal Air Force (serialled XH230), this aircraft was not taken up but exported to India instead. She was one of six IAF Canberras to be deployed with the UN contingent in Congo from 1961 to 1963, and one of the last two Indian Canberras (and the very last B(I).58) to be retired in 2007, from 106th squadron.
