Lockheed Vega Jimmie Mattern

 (The finished model is here:)
http://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2012/10/matterns-vega-finished.html

The MPM 1/72 scale kit is the base for the project.
Several details have to be deleted and others added:

1) Deletion of all windows and door

2) Re-scribing of door in new position

3) Addition of faired tail wheel

4) Re-doing of the prop hub

5) New decals

6) Vacuformed canopy (just in case)

7) Modification of the fuselage areas where the two aft landing gear struts rest, which had four fairings (two on each side) instead of one as the kit subject.

8) Two short exhaust tubes replacing kit’s.

9) Venturi on the left hand-side of the fuselage

The kit is nice; it is not a short-run kit but full injection with metal molds. The level of detail is good but there are no locating devices for the parts as in a short-run kit. 

This kit has been reviewed extensively on the Net, especially by two members of the species Pugeticus Irregularis: Jim Schubert and Tim Nelson, so not much needs to be said here.

The fit is just good, with adjustments needed for the wing/fus joint and the engine support part and the fuselage (the former a tad smaller than the opening in the fuselage). The tail feathers’ to fuselage joint again need refining. In my sample I had to remove a little bit of material from the inside of the wheel pants for the wheels to fit comfortably.

The canopy, wing and fuselage joint need also attention. The canopy must be glued first once all the dry trials have been performed to satisfaction.
The kit's instructions will mislead you on gluing the LG oleo legs (A9-A10) to part A21. That's incorrect, as photos clearly show, the oleos should be glued to the wheel pants', into the recesses provided for that effect (small notch on top of are in relief on the inner side of pants).

I am very happy to see a civil kit of a relevant plane, which was presented in many versions and has the potential to be converted in even more models of truly significant machines. Applauses and well done, MPM; now...more, please.

 

 

 

Ooops, looking at the wrong photo of the wrong propeller.

 Here is the right one

 

 

 

The wing is finally glued in position, after careful trimming.

The roof of the canopy should not be leveled with the top of the wing, but a teeny tiny above it, since in the real plane it slid back, allowing the pilot to exit the cockpit without passing through the fuselage:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First attempt with the top wing decals ended up in disaster. To avoid the bumps on the wing center section I cut the decal around it, but the resultant decal was too large to handle and eventually had to be removed:

 

 I had printed a spare decal, but the hard part was having to cut, once more, around each feather to eliminate as much carrier as possible, since these were home-made decals:

 This time I cut three sections, a center one:

 And two sides ones. It worked.

 

et voila