Farman 224 "Le Centaure II" by Ingenia

[papermodelfan]

Here is another in the series of pre-war aviation subjects from Ingenia. The Farman 224 was huge - perhaps the largest French airliner of its day - 4 motors, and carrying 40 passengers. The aircraft flew around 1937, as the civilian version of a bomber. The model is from that era, though the date of publication is not indicated. The artist is E. A Shefer, the scale is 1:50, and the publisher is Pelican Blanc.

The large format is challenging - the fuselage has a forward and aft section, that are joined around an inner box. The design is simple, but contains a complete cabin, with seats and a bar, and a simply laid out cockpit. The cabin is set into a box structure, that provides the skeleton for the plane. The pilots' cabin, which is above the main cabin, sits on a little platform. The landing gear, which retract, are built out in a simple 3D frame, that mounts inside a horizontal frame that traverses the fuselage.

[papermodelfan]

Sorry the photos are so dark. I later realized my camera needed adjustment. The seats were a problem, as the indicated foldlines did not yield the correct shape. I recut the parts that the passenger sits on, and folded them so they were seat shaped. The seats get glued into the forward cabin floor, and the main and aft cabin floors. The windows are cut out and glazed.

The transverse landing gear frame (stiffened with basswood strips), goes into the forward fuselage after the forward cabin floor is mounted.

[papermodelfan]

After reworking the seats, the next challenge was the roof of the cabin. I found that the fore and aft bulkheads made it too high, while the two lateral supports that fold down separating the mid and aft cabins were a little too short. I trimmed the fore and aft bulkheads, so the box would fit into the forward fuselage easily. Unresolved, the cabin box in position was still about 2 mm too far to the rear as well, but that did not seem to affect the outcome, so I did not attempt to change that.

The landing gear are crude but three dimensional. I reinforced them with cardboard, and made them pivot around a round toothpick, so that they retract.

[MacSongLi]

A really cool model, retractable landing gear too. You did a great job overcoming the issues with the interior. I actually thought that I saw some drinks in one of your photos. Nice job.

Keep up the Great Work!
Gary

[Richschindler]

Looks incredible so far. You can't beat those classic airliners.

[rmks2000]

Rob,

You always seem to find interesting models. I wonder if Ingenia ever made a modeln of the Couzinet 70.

[Rubenandres77]

What a wonderful kit!
I guess the problems you mention is something one can expect in this vintage kits.
Your Farman is looking really great.

[YOAVHOZMI]

good work....well done sir.

YOAV

[smithdr]

GREAT looking machine so far. Keep her coming! And get those pics lighter

I really like the looks of the cockpit area. Definitely a French design.

Dan

[wireandpaper]

Aside the very nice looking construction:
Where do you get the "incunables" or "incunabula"?
Muchas gracias for sharing!