Cant Z.501

Max Otten autor
I started this build a couple of years ago. I added some detail to the fuselage interior.
I then had terrible problems getting the fuselage connected to the wings with the struts. You need at least six hands to keep things in place and connections are almost non-existent. By the time I was done (with lots of damage to the struts) I could not find some of the holes I had drilled for the rigging as they were filled in with superglue. I gave up for a while. Last year I managed to buy another kit so I could replace the cockpit canopy, struts and the plate underneath the nacelle where the struts connect.
So I restarted. This time I did not fix the plate underneath the nacelle to the wings until later (not having to handle the wings makes life much easier). I also added lots of pins to the top and bottom of the struts so when they popped out of the holes they would not fly all over the place. Instead of fishing line I used 0.mm bronze rod for the rigging between fuselage and wings. I only added the wings after this part was all done, praying that the wing would go on straight. On the side struts the wire is 0.16mm fishing line. There was a real difference in thickness on the plane so that is ok.
I finally managed to get that done. Next the red sunburst on the top wing. Lots of problems because the sharp tips of all the rays on the starboard wing getting together in one point. The port wing was easier as the ? oil cooler doesn't have the tips. I had problems as Humbrol 19 red didn't give good coverage but stayed partly transparent. In the end I had to overspray with Humbrol 60 with some yellow mixed in. Still the colour is a little too dark to my liking. And then I noticed that on the port wing the 2nd ray from the leading edge is too thin. So that required a lot of fixing as well.

Max Otten autor
Picture 8. Some idiot at Italeri thought that scratches on the control surfaces in the mold running roughly (very roughly) diagonal made it look like an authentic fabric surface. It doesn't. Makes it just look like 'an idiot at Italeri...' In fact even at 1:1 the weave of fabric is nearly invisible, especially after treatment with dope. Showing anything at 1:72 is ridiculous.