Arado AR 196-B by CDW - FINISHED - Revell Germany - 1:32 Scale - Plastic

[CDW]

Having just completed the 1:48 scale Fairey Swordfish by Tamiya, thought I would stay with a naval aviation theme for my next build, the 1:32 Arado AR 196-B by Revell Germany.

The model kit as produced recreates the prototype version of the Arado from the late 1930's. I would have liked to build it as an upgraded AR 196-A3, but I could not find any suitable production decal markings for it anywhere on the web. I just don't have time this go-round to scratch all those details so I will settle for building the kit as it is straight from the box. Maybe at another time someone will have produced the decals I want and I will do this model again as a Bismarck recce plane which is what I really wanted to do.

Here are a few photos of the box and the parts inside the box (approx 190 of them). I am allotting myself 2 weeks to finish this project which seems to be a reasonable amount of time provided I don't run into unforeseen fit issues. Without further adieu, I will get started on the model.

[Old Collingwood]

Another excellent build  - I have my chair all set up mate.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

I'm bringing popcorn....   

[CDW]

34 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

I'm bringing popcorn....   

Glad you're aboard, Mark

[Richmond]

Wow 2 weeks, how many hours are you modelling per day?

[CDW]

36 minutes ago, Richmond said:

Wow 2 weeks, how many hours are you modelling per day?

I don't keep track, but I would estimate 4 hours per day average.

[Canute]

Sounds about right for me too. Although it's model railroad stuff. Would anyone be interested? Don't want to hijack Craig's thread.

[CDW]

2 minutes ago, Canute said:

Sounds about right for me too. Although it's model railroad stuff. Would anyone be interested? Don't want to hijack Craig's thread.

Yes, I would be interested in seeing your model railroad hobby, for sure. It's something I always thought about doing myself, but never did.

 

Since I retired 9 years ago, I have routine things I do every day and there are always yard work and other home maintenance items needed. Spent most of the day Saturday raking the yard, bagging the leaves, and cleaning out a flower bed to plant new flowers. More remains to be done. My modeling hobby I do "catch as catch can". Funny how retirement caused me to quit keeping track of hours spent, generally speaking. I get paid the same whether I'm marching or fighting. 😎

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, CDW said:

I get paid the same whether I'm marching or fighting. 😎

Amen

[CDW]

Here is my first installment of building construction and painting photos. As is usual with most aircraft models, one starts with the cockpit first. The whole cockpit and structural tubing is painted in typical German RLM 02 (in this pre-1941 time period). Since I was out of that particular color, I substituted something close to it, albeit a little darker, with a Tamiya acrylic I had available. The seat is painted a light olive green using a Mr Hobby acrylic. Then various parts of the cockpit interior receive various shades of gray and brown paints to highlight various boxes, radios, switches, etc. 

The instruments are kit supplied decals, which poor lighting made it very difficult to see in my photos. 

***Important Suggestion/Tip***

If you ever decide to use kit supplied decals to appoint your instrument panel, take the time and care to cut each and every instrument from the decal sheet and apply each one separately. A "clump" of instrument dials all bound together by one clear decal will look a jumbled and sloppy mess if applied as a whole to the panel face with raised dial details as this kit has. If the panel is flat with no raised detail, it would not matter and the entire instrument cluster decal would go down fine as a whole unit. Also, have some Solvaset or similar decal softener to make those decals settle into the raised dial detail. A drop of clear varnish on each instrument will give a great appearance after the decals are completely dry.

The first dry fit of the fuselage halves with the cockpit inside looks great! Very nicely done molds by Revell. The fuelage has beautiful engraved detail as well as throughout the rest of the model. 

[Old Collingwood]

Looking good  - some nice detail there.

 

OC.

[CDW]

5 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

Looking good  - some nice detail there.

 

OC.

Thanks OC.

For a straight from the box, economy priced kit like the Revell Arado, it is well done indeed. A kit like this can be bought from Amazon for a mere $26.99, and that includes postage.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T66T5G4/ref=dp_cerb_2

[lmagna]

/?Dumb question time.

 

The GIB certainly didn't get much to sit on. Is his cushion mounted on slides allowing him access to what appears to be radio gear, while being able to turn around and man the gun to the rear? Or was he strictly a gunner and the gear behind the pilot seat is something else?

[Richmond]

9 hours ago, CDW said:

Thanks OC.

For a straight from the box, economy priced kit like the Revell Arado, it is well done indeed. A kit like this can be bought from Amazon for a mere $26.99, and that includes postage.

Looks like you were ripped off

 

 

[CDW]

2 hours ago, Richmond said:

Looks like you were ripped off

 

 

Is that where my link took you? Wow, that would be a huge rip-off...but it is the 196 A3. I hope Revell hurries up to release that kit again.

[CDW]

4 hours ago, lmagna said:

/?Dumb question time.

 

The GIB certainly didn't get much to sit on. Is his cushion mounted on slides allowing him access to what appears to be radio gear, while being able to turn around and man the gun to the rear? Or was he strictly a gunner and the gear behind the pilot seat is something else?

Lou

 

Yes, the seat is a slider, going from radio position to gunner's station. Looks better than the itty bitty stool seat the Swordfish radio man got. 😮

[CDW]

The fuselage has a right and left side, but the cockpit structure is first mated to a fuselage bottom which serves as the wing roots. The builder has the option in this sequence of construction to choose either folded wings or extended to flight position. If choosing folded wings, a few extra holes are drilled to facilitate the fold mechanisms. I chose to display mine with one wing folded and one extended. Next comes the installation of a forward bulkhead and fuel tank assembly attached to the forward most part of the tube structure/cockpit. Last thing done today was to prepare the engine mount and bracing to fit the forward bulkhead. While the fuselage is all cement joined together, I have dry fitted the engine mount for the time being for photographs.

If one wanted to take the time to do so, a ton of detail could be added to this cockpit and engine bay/fuel tank bay. 

It's hard to see in the photos, but I have finished all the stock cockpit items with the exception of the rear machine gun. I will wait until near the end to install the machine gun as it will likely get knocked off while handling the model to the finish.

 

[Old Collingwood]

Very nice work mate - the more work we cram into a cockpit - the more we are pleased, doesn't matter most wont be seen, we know its there.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

16 hours ago, CDW said:

Looks better than the itty bitty stool seat the Swordfish radio man got. 😮

I will have to look over your Swordfish build a little closer. That detail slipped right by me. I am also curious about the Curtiss Seagull GIB office now. In my research on he Houston the SOC Seagull is mentioned many times. Probably because at least two of the books were written by one of the Houston's pilots. That sparked my interest in the model, as almost always happens when I read a book and I was thinking of getting one. I am a bit of a seaplane nut anyway.

[Old Collingwood]

5 minutes ago, lmagna said:

I will have to look over your Swordfish build a little closer. That detail slipped right by me. I am also curious about the Curtiss Seagull GIB office now. In my research on he Houston the SOC Seagull is mentioned many times. Probably because at least two of the books were written by one of the Houston's pilots. That sparked my interest in the model, as almost always happens when I read a book and I was thinking of getting one. I am a bit of a seaplane nut anyway.

Dont get me started on counter rotating props lou,   my late farther used to chat to me about them till I got the info.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Or/and the diff  between a spit  and a seafire.

 

OC.

[CDW]

Today the wings and flap assemblies were cemented together. The ailerons and flaps are separate units and can be posed as the builder desires. 

As I stated earlier, I had decided to build my Arado with one wing extended and one wing folded. Here my wings are dry fitted into place, posing for a photo shoot. At this point I have to say...this is one of the best fitting, beautifully molded kits I have seen at any price. This model is a huge bargain. 

[Old Collingwood]

I realy like the idea with the wings  - adds more interest to an already attractive build.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

jeeze......it don't pay to be sick     feeling better,  I come in here to find your done with the swordfish,  and your thick into this one!   amazing progress.....the cockpit looks awesome......can't agree more about the raised detail    Revell is my go to........kits are more detailed than the older ones.

 

neat concept your going for........now to go check out the swordfish.......

[CDW]

12 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

jeeze......it don't pay to be sick     feeling better

Glad you dropped by Denis. Didn't realize you'd been sick, and am happy you're back! 

Take care.

[CDW]

While I was working on the next step of the Arado build, ran across one of the only fit issues I've found with this kit. It's a very minor but annoying gap that appears when the top of the main float is attached to the two sides. Not only is the gap annoying, but it would be very noticeable once the part is finished and painted. When you look closely, there is fine engraved detail all around the small gaps. Filler putty and sanding would potentially cause one to lose a lot of that detail.

Over the years, I learned to use stretched sprue with thin liquid cement to fill in these small gaps without obliterating the surrounding detail. The following photos show the gaps and how I use the stretched sprue with thin liquid cement to fill them in. As you will see, the gaps are nicely filled without even sanding...and the surrounding details are all left totally intact.

If you haven't tried this method of gap filling, give it a try. It's cheap, easy to do, and very effective.

[Old Collingwood]

Thats a great repair mate  as you say so much better than filling and sanding.

 

OC.

[CDW]

Main float - base coat is Tamiya gloss black; finish coat is AK Interactive Xtreme Metal aluminum.

Similar to Alclad, the Xtreme Metal paints go down in very light coats, not heavy. Difference between Xtreme Metal and Alclad is the former requires no clear coat while Alclad does.

[CDW]

2 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

Thats a great repair mate  as you say so much better than filling and sanding.

 

OC.

Thanks OC. It's just another modeler's tool to add to the tool bag.

[Old Collingwood]

4 minutes ago, CDW said:

Main float - base coat is Tamiya gloss black; finish coat is AK Interactive Xtreme Metal aluminum.

Similar to Alclad, the Xtreme Metal paints go down in very light coats, not heavy. Difference between Xtreme Metal and Alclad is the former requires no clear coat while Alclad does.

Very nice finish mate.

 

OC.