1/16 scale Po-2, "Night witches" version - Page 11

**OSTOJA** · #**101** 11-09-2013, 12:50 AM

I also have those moments sometimes. Russian witches probably will wait yet. Good luck.

**treadhead1952** · #**102** 11-09-2013, 02:00 AM

Hi Leif,

Well, I'm glad Ostoja poked you to re-open this amazing thread so I could enjoy it too! Simply more awesome Leif modeling at its' best.

Quite the fitting tribute to the Night Witches and their courageous actions during the "Great War" with some obsolete biplanes and basic skills taking the war to the enemy.

I look forward to seeing some more on your build as time and scheduling permit.

**BILL AMOS** · #**103** 11-10-2013, 10:01 AM

I lucked into a supply of printers binding wire..good small diameter bends well or use a wwi rigging...ask your local printer if he uses it luck bill

**Leif Ohlsson** · #**104** 11-10-2013, 11:51 AM

Thanks Bill! Never thought of that. - L.

**teslin** · #**105** 11-11-2013, 01:18 PM

Going along with Bill Amos' statement, the wire is also known as stitcher wire. I used to wait for the bindery department to change out their spools of wire. The printers that use the wire usually make any thing from small pamphlets to magazines. The wire is used in their automatic stitchers/staplers. The wire is handy for a lot of other uses too and there is usually several meters/yards of wire left on an "empty" spool.
Alan

**Tapcho** · #**106** 12-21-2013, 12:31 AM

In the series 'Lives they lived' - a story of one the 'night witches' by New York Times.

Here's the story and animated short film.

Tappi

**Leif Ohlsson** · #**107** 12-21-2013, 07:39 AM

Thank you, Tappi

. - L.

**Johnny** · #**108** 12-21-2013, 01:13 PM

Really a great build Leif!!
Very high entertainment factor

Just love your exellent work and methodes!!

**Leif Ohlsson** · #**109** 03-02-2014, 12:54 PM

The last real entry of this thread was made in July 2013. Having got sidetracked by then - again - I left out several installments I had actually prepared. No reason not to publish them now. The dust collected by laying around for some eight months hopefully will not be too noticeable, except possibly for some out-of-season references to warm summer days...

13. Instrument panels

My first attempt at the instrument panels failed the quality control. You can see the result at right. It was a misdirected attempt to really show off with lots and lots of layers with holes drilled and sanded with ceramic dremel tools, intervening layer of overhead films, etc., etc. It all turned out completely overworked and tacky.

Above: The panels I will use are in the foreground. They are built per instructions, nothing fancy at all. They are much better, and as good as I can get them. I can't do the very fine jobs I've seen elsewhere on the site, with metal rings around specially punched out individual instrument windows. For a good recent example, see Ray's supderdetailed Mig-13 build. His instrument panel was made up of 30 pieces and 19 individually punched-out instrument glass covers (sic!).

Above: The kit provides double set of panel parts, one of them with blank instrument faces for cutting out. This is a very good and simple way of making a reasonably impressive instrument panel. They recommend glueing a sheet of transparency between the two layers of panels for simulated instrument covering glass.

I went one step simpler than that, and just taped over the bottom panel parts with "Krystal Klear" tape. You can't see it in the photo (that's how clear it is…), but the two rows I'm pointing at are in fact taped. Now imagine that you glue the cut out parts over that and you get this:

Above: The tape really does glint at the correct angle, I can assure you (for another example where this effect is clearly visible, see the DH Chipmunk panels). I have added some details on top of the panels, ignition switches and some knobs, which is a first for me. Smaller details than that I cannot cut out.

[Jan Kytop recently used "Krystal Klear" tape for making windshields on small models, laminating the card frame part between two layers of tape. See this post & following.]

I should say also that all holes were cut out by hand. I have assorted punches, but I always somehow seem to miss the center of the instrument faces. And it is actually fun to cut out really small holes and parts…

I have now run out of subassemblies to build, even if there are a number of smaller details left. I'll deal with them as they come along. Time now to cut into the large sheets and build some real aircraft parts.

**Don Boose** · #**110** 03-02-2014, 01:01 PM

Very interesting and informative. I am always glad to see anything on this impressive work in progress.

Don