"The Flight of the Phoenix"- Scratchbuilt 1/72nd scale

 

The epic movie "The Flight of the Phoenix" is a favorite of many modelers and aviation enthusiasts. Two versions exist, from 1965 and 2004.
The first is the one that will occupy our attention here.
It would be redundant for me to abound in comments and notes about the movie itself, since most are familiar with it, and if not a quick Internet search will provide all the necessary background, plus I like to use the available time to build.
Suffice to say that the movie used several airframes for its static and motion shoots.
Of course there is the "original" plane that has the "panne", the Fairchild Packet. 
Then the plane that is "built" from it, then the plane used by Paul Mantz (Timm-Tallmantz P-1) for the real flying sequences, and then the modified North American 0-47 used for some shots to cover for the demise of the Timm-Tallmantz P-1.
Sources state that to expedite construction of the flying machine Tallmantz Aviation used the nose, engine, prop, cockpit and wheels of a North American T-6 Texan, as well as the outer wing panels from a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor, so I got those kits ("used", at a fair price) to expedite my construction too.
The old Heller kit and the parts that may be used: 

(The completed model is here:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2018/09/flight-of-phoenix-scratchbuilt-172nd.html

Since these are going to be cannibalized,  get affordable ones in a used state:

I will be aiming for the plane used to film the flying sequences (there were actually two, see below).
There are many differences between the filming static prop and the flying machine designed by Otto Timm. The static prop has a three blade prop, if you excuse the redundancy, while the flying machine has a two blade prop. The wing on the static prop has a more elongated appearance with more squarish tips, while the flying machine has a shorter wing with round and narrow tips. The noses are very different, even if at first glance they look somewhat alike.
Many other differences can be spotted. 
The main body is a cylinder, while the tail is a cone, as in the original. The tail feathers will be the usual styrene sheet construction  with spars.
Parts from the Heller kit that may be used:

 Assembled a couple to take measures:

 PVC pipe and Expeditor wings:

The construction guide sketches.
They are in a state of fluxus, though, and surely will be adjusted as I build.
Another note to add to what was said above: the plane flew with both, mannequins (apparently only once, produced too much drag) and silhouetted passengers, so you have that choice too.
Early trials were made with no passengers whatsoever, so you can depict your model any way you like, and still be historically correct.
Furthermore, the plane flew with and without the red markings seen in the original movie, since it was painted in the field after a flew flights.
You need to correlate all those choices, though.

 Tail cone in progress:

 Cockpit opening and parts of the interior:

Reports suggest that the real flying plane suffered a series of mishaps, and it did not have a pleasant handling behavior.
Some modifications were performed, and among those I noticed studying the images one that I haven't seen yet reported: the perforated beams that act as landing gear struts and skis (clearly visible during construction and early tests) were at some point modified in a way that in ulterior flights the beams are actually "solid", and their "holes" are painted on.
 
A few low passes and the crash can be seen here:
 https://youtu.be/n82nN_lqn58

The tailcone skin is attached to the lower spar (where the seam will be more inconspicuous). Once the cement has set, it will be wrapped around the structure, cut to fit, and glued:

Before gluing the remaining length of the sheet, it is wrapped around to give it the curvature to avoid stress later while gluing:

Holes are made in the front bulkhead to let the cement solvent escape:

 The engine nacelles are excised:

 The space is filled with styrene sheet:

 Reinforcements are glued from behind:

The tailcone necessitated more structure, so formers were added:

Ready to be worked on now:

Some parts are given a base color:

The added wing sections are puttied, then sanded. The panel lines are retraced:

 The interior is installed:

 The tailcone glued on:

 The build so far:

The two parts of the vertical stabilizer -the lower with the tailwheel- and the beams for the landing gear:

The horizontal stabilizer is made:

The nice fuselage now tidied-up and with two air intakes as per photos. The parts to make the cowl flaps are seen in the foreground:

 I hollowed the exhaust and made its seat comfortable:

The model as today. As you may notice, the "skids" and the cabanne struts have to yet to be made:

The skids are tackled now. They are actually a box made of four sizes, the top is also hollowed. Four oversized planks are glued only at the front and back with a small dot of cement, and the holes' location is marked:

 Holes drilled, first with a small bit, then to full size:

 The planks are shaped and separated:

Almost ready:

A third air intake was spotted on photos, so it was shaped and added:

 Wings primed to spot blemishes:

The slots for the landing gear legs are carved:

The position for stab is carved:

 The outer ends of the horizontal stabilizer (after the elevators were slightly deflected) are capped with small planks later to be contoured:

The wings are now marked and trimmed back to the right span:

They will have to be adapted to the angle and curvature of the fuselage:

Wings and horizontal tail on:

At some point Mantz requested bigger wheels, so the Texan's ones were replaced. Having found that, I am preparing another set:

Legs on and first coat of primer:

Since the windshield rows on the wing are a complete aerodynamic nonsense and would have completely disrupted the airflow making the wing catastrophically inefficient, they were located only on the static prop. The flying prop have very cleverly only the metal frames and no "glass". One flight was attempted with mannequins, but did not work, so silhouettes were fabricated and mounted on the wing for some scenes.

So one of the choices is the put normal figures to depict the mannequins attempt, or make paper silhouettes to depict those used on footage.

Thanks to my dear friend, Volkania's Ebilest Genius Sönke Schulz, I now posses 1/72 figures that may solve the issue. Although there are no really prone ones, may be they could be modified to be posed so. Mi color printer went to printers' heaven, so the silhouettes are not an option right now.

The figures (some kind of orgy seems to be going on on that plastic bin):

After chopping and re-positioning some heads, arms and legs from the little fellas, a group was made (I just watched Deadpool II as training) to represent the pilot, the GIB, and five mannequins, just in case I decide to use them:

The skids are glued:

 And then the two cross members that tie the skids:

 Wait, not so fast: the flying prop was conceived as a 3/4 scale rendition of the static one, so the figures mounted on it where smaller than life size. Therefore I got some small railway figures that will also have to be modified. The work of the serious scratchbuilder is never done.
Engine gills in place:

The base color is applied. The skids, legs and cabanne struts were painted on a dark and drab zinc chromate-like hue. The plane in movie stills shows either a metal finish or an ivory tone with almost imperceptible hints of  orange and greenish hues.
To apply to overcoat I will have to decide first on the proper hue. Red trim is seen on nose and tail leading edges:

I finally decided to present the model as the plane really flew, with the silhouettes, so I hand-made the five "passengers":

Very close now, all parts ready. The decals are on their way. Cabanne struts and rigging remains:

The supports for the windshield panes are made. They were for show on the flying prop, the only real windshield pane was the none for the pilot, the rest was "pretend". They will be painted and added at the end, so they don't disturb masking, further painting and decal application:

Masks for the vertical stabilizer are drawn and cut. The stab leading edges will be dealt with with decals:

Model masked:

 And unmasked:

Cabanne struts, all wheels and rigging in place:

 It annoys me to drab a good finish, but the prop wasn't shinny, so to the airbrushing station again it egos:

 A satin finish is applied as well as some smoke and stains:

Engine and exhaust on:

 Cowl, propeller and wing rigging stiffeners in place:

 The Texan kit propeller lacked the counterweights, so two are fabricated punched from a very old Mattel "metal" vac sheet:

I started to paint the figures of the pilot (Paul Mantz) his flight companion Bobby Rose and a spectator:

 Before decaling, the last details go on: the "pretend" window frames used on the flying prop (real for the pilot).
The 1/72 figures of Mantz and his flight companion Bobby Rose behind him are complemented by the silhouetted figures used to film the flying sequences:

 The spectator holding his hat on the propwash:

 Ready now for decaling:

The decals arrived!
Look at the envelope, I call that class and excellence:

 To be continued.....