Challenge Build 737-268C - AIR SAUDIA -

[TheChronicOne]

Brave man doing this. I hope you have this finished by Expo so we can all see it in person.

Thank you. I'm having my doubts. The last thing I'm going to do at this point is rush it. I really, really do enjoy the subject matter and have poured a ton of time into it already so I want it to turn out nicely.

That said.... I did not realize this thing was an Advanced when I started it..... (the initial pictures I looked at showed only partial kit application.... no gravel plates or nose fairing) and only later did I realize that I would, at minimum, need the fairing, the plate, and vortex dissipators for MY version. This isn't counting general things done to "fix" the base kit to make it accurate, etc. (none of which I'm actually doing). Even though I'm not making any other modifications, just the gravel kit stuff itself is rather daunting and I'm making progress at a glacial pace. I haven't even started on the engines... It's looking like I'll be having to modify the kit ones because I can't find any for sale (Authentic Airliners ones, I don't want the BRA.Z).

Sure as hell ain't givin' up, though!! I'll keep plugging along and I could make it yet! Good part is, I've exited the disasterous PSR phase. I tried an experiment with filling in the windows that easily added a month and a half or two months to the build.... But like I said, I'm beyond that, now, and am once again making actual forward progress.

[TheChronicOne]

OK. So..... I've decided to buy the entire set of those Airliner Modeller magazines. That costs $150 so I'll need to wait until sometime next month to do that. That means that this thing is mainly on hold.

Brad have a look at the PM from Graeme and let us know what you think?

Sweeeeeeet! USB thingy has arrived as of.... 3-4 days ago now! Many thanks Graeme!!! Right on time, too,as I've been working more on this in the areas I need help with. Finally got out of the PSR for awhile to the nose fairing has to be done next before I can proceed so we're sittin pretty now!

[TheChronicOne]

Working on this again. I have a question.... in the reference material I have, it says to fill in the top rudder hinge on the advanced. However, I have a picture of one in direct conflict with this. Could it be that newer versions switched them and that's why they aren't mentioned, or is the reference material wrong?




In other news, I've done about all I'm going to with the gravel deflector plate until I glue it onto the nose gear. After that I want to add a couple pieces that connect to the sides of the wheels. This was some TEDIOUS WORK I tell you what. I don't have the proper tools for this, AT ALL, but I did the best I could and I now have more items on the tools/supplies shopping list...







Not too shab!! For this damn small, I think I did pretty well. I've never done any PE work before.

A fine time to mention, as well, that if you didn't know.... you can take apart clothes pins, reverse and flip the wooden pieces, then put them back together and they turn into very handy "wooden needle-nose clamps."

[TheChronicOne]

Checked a bunch more references and true enough, "fill in the top hinge" was an error on the part of the author. It's easy to do such things... happens to me all the time, left and right, up and down, top and bottom, etc.

Even being a small picture, it's easy to make out that the two hinges are middle and top:



Then I went a step further and verified it with a picture I already had (imagine that... ) of the actual airline and aircraft (although not my specific bird):



Top hinge is definitely there.


So, with that mystery solved, I've gone back to the other end of the aircraft. Modified nose gear fairing. I've managed to the get the overall "footprint" the proper size and now I just need to thin it toward the front and achieve the proper angle(s) as well as make a bit of a cut-out at the front edge. Then, at the rear, I have to make more cut-outs to match the shape of the front of the gravel plate. After that, it's done! Just need to sand it a bit and re-prime then I can finally dig out my appliance white! ;D


Getting closer!

[hrtpaul]

Coming along nicely Brad

[TheChronicOne]

Thank you!!! This has been a very strange experience.... lots of periods of down time followed by jumps in progress.

Learning a lot.

Using and learning how to use new materials.

Working with PE for the first time.


etc

Anyway! Last night I worked more on the nose fairing to get it thinned a bit toward the front and get the proper angle at the front. It's very close now and looks pretty good! I suspect I'll have no more than an hour of work left on that. Also, I filled in the hinges on the rudder with Tamiya putty and will sand them smooth today. After that, back in primer and I can finally start working on getting the appliace white on! This is the stage where I say that I am damn glad I've already finished the wings and landing gear and don't still have to worry about them all.

That leaves the engines, however. I'm going to just bite the bullet and modify the kit ones. I'll copy you all as I know it's been done recently, with pictures, so I'll copy y'alls homework.

[TheChronicOne]

My better judgment got the best of me and I decided to actually make the nose fairing 'correct', instead of just "superficial.". So, for the last hour I've been lovingly chiseling out the interior section and it's now looking pretty close! At some point I will sand the well, prime it, and re-evaluate but for now I just need to make a couple notches in the back part of that forward chunk and it will be finished. I still need to add the bulges to the gear doors, however.



I've also begun modifying the kit engines. I have cut them and will need to extend them and make the new pylons.

[hrtpaul]

Coming along nicely

[TheChronicOne]

Thank you!!

I'm actually quite pleased that I was able to start tackling some of the more tedious aspects of the build. I've had a fair amount of anxiety built up over it all. So much of this is new territory for me and I'm so scared I'm going to mess it up...

So, it's going well, considering..... sad thing is.... I've been working so much lately at my business and doing yard work at home because it's Spring now that I've all but completely stopped working on builds. It's been a solid two weeks since I've even looked at anything.

Might be this way for awhile, too. As long as weather permits and my Sciatica stays in check, I'm going to keep working outside. I'm always too tired after to do anything else...


BUT, I'll be back at it stronger than ever at some point soon, I'm positive!

[Graeme H]

I'm really liking your dedication to this one, coming along beautifully