Rogožarski IK-3 Build (Models by Marek, 1/33)

[Kilroy1988]

Hello all and happy new year!

A couple of years ago I got into card models and built a little 1/72 Macchi M.3 that I shared here. I proceeded to botch my next attempt, which was a 1/200 scale Japanese torpedo ship, and put the card to rest for a time while life went on...

This winter I've got back into modeling and this evening I started putting together a model I downloaded from the Zarkov model store recently, which is a 1/33 scale Rogožarski IK-3 designed by Models by Marek. I visited Belgrade last month and was inspired by the Yugoslavian resistance to the Nazis and the unique nature of the build. Although there is also a printed model for sale from MPModel, I failed to find a single build thread showing off a paper IK-3.

I already messed up by putting the two small stiffeners behind the cockpit outboard while they apparently should have been set further in but based on my reading of the instructions, I don't foresee this being an issue with further construction. If so, I'll just have to cut them out and place them where Marek meant for them to go!

Tomorrow evening I'll try to get all of the controls placed in the cockpit and then figure out what to do next... There are no instructions, just two pages of diagrams showing where everything fits together, so it's very much a bit of a puzzle as well as a model kit!

Cheers!

-Gregory

[Kilroy1988]

As hoped for, I finished the cockpit this evening. I made a couple of mistakes in my post last night but I can't find an edit button - perhaps I just don't have access to do that, I don't know. Anyway, I made a Macchi M.5 (not an M.3) and of course I meant that I was trying to interpret the diagrams, as I mentioned there are no instructions!

There was some fiddling about here and I resorted to a little bit of acrylic touch up paint around some edges. The control stick is a whittled down toothpick but everything else is as provided in the kit. Cheers!

-Gregory

[Siwi]

Good start! I had never heard of this Yugoslav type before, so read up on its short service history when I found this thread.

[Kilroy1988]

Thanks, Siwi! We'll see if I can get through to the end... I added the fuselage around the cockpit this morning and came through with a bit of glue residue here and there and slight misalignment, but it's working out so far.

My goal for the weekend is to assemble the tail end and attach it to the existing portion. This will be as involved a process as everything up to this point, as far as I can tell from all of the required parts!

The most important thing is that I am having fun doing this. To be honest the last five plastic models I started all ended up in the trash bin because I grew weary of all of the painting, sanding and smelly glue and filler and fiddly little decals, so the card is a very refreshing medium!

-Gregory

[YOAVHOZMI]

A good start with a promising continuation.

YOAV

[Kilroy1988]

Thank you, YOAV!

I have a lot of experience crafting in mediums such as leather and wood, and some smithing experience and have sewn my own clothes, and I do landscape painting, etc. Putting together the tail of this model today was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, and I made a bit of a mess of it... However, it's all together and not terribly crooked, so I consider it reasonable for a first attempt!

My biggest mistake in general has been my impatience, as I'm often using quick-dry wood modeling glue and that's what leaves all the residue. I'm hoping a few coats of acrylic lacquer at the end to harden it all up will cover some of the blotch marks.

Cheers!

-Gregory

[Isaac]

Interesting airplane. Side view is reminiscent of a French Morane-Saulnier M.S. 406 and top view looks like a British Hurricane.

Nice detail on the interior. keep it coming.


Isaac

[Kilroy1988]

Thank you for the encouragement, Isaac. I've begun to dab some acrylic paint on the fuselage here and there to touch it up with good results, even putting a fine layer over the surface that does not cover the small details like the rivets (all of the yellow has been covered this way already).

Plenty of sloppiness, but I'm determined to finish it. I think that with a few coats of acrylic lacquer it will harden up enough that if I'm not satisfied, I can literally add some putty and gesso, sand it down and give it a totally fresh paint job. I will determine that course of action after assembling and adding the wings, which I'll do next... I'm really trying to finish this model up before my graduate school classes start up again next Monday!

-Gregory

[Kilroy1988]

What a crazy learning experience. I ripped the fuselage apart at three seams to get rid of the overlap I'd created by mistakenly leaving the tabs attached to one part and just sliding the next section over, rather than cutting off the tabs and placing them underneath both sections.

I used touch up paint on the entire upper part of the airplane (yellow, brown and green) with decent results so thought I'd try it on the bottom, and used a blue that was way too blue and which inexplicably absorbed into the paper far more than the other acrylics... So I attempted to use isopropyl alcohol to wipe it all off! These are the results so far, now it's time for the little details.

Please remember that besides one simple little 1/72 kit this is my first paper model!

-Gregory

[Siwi]

One thing I can reccomend especially if printing download kits is to spray the surface printed surface with a clear coat of varnish before cutting anything - preferably a satin. It will protect ink and toner quite well from cracking and moisture damage, makes it easier to wipe off glue you don't want but generally allow glue you do want to still stick ok on the unprinted side.


Also remember that the camera is very unflattering to models. When viewed with the eye the apparent imperfections will disappear. Real aircraft also have all sorts of rough edges, warping, and panel gaps so these are actually more accurate than perfectly smooth plastic parts.