Rocast Models

Stock units final stage

Hello everybody,

I am glad to write this entry to say that practically all the stock is done now. There are still the photo etched parts to be done, but everything is being made step by step.
It really took me a very long time to complete these stock units, there are several parts for each item and I had to make new molds on the way, in most cases, changing the distribution of the parts in order to improve the molds and avoid wasting material (because of errors) and time.

Not only I made new molds for these reasons, but for the most important; to keep the parts as crisp and clean as possible. With time, molds degrade and so do the resulting resin parts, in order to keep as clean and sharp parts as possible it’s important to renew the molds from time to time.

As I mentioned, every GSE model has its own parts, so far I’ve made about 900 bagagge, the reason being that there are a total of 42 baggage for every baggage cart set and 7 for each belt loader model.

In the meanwhile, I have also tried to improve the molding of the NeoPW engines, and although it was a success for small quantities, it wasn’t viable as only one out of 8 engines came out fine.
Therefore, I decided to go for the conventional method of two halves which I think isn’t such an issue, it is actually better than having to fix misalignment problems along the whole engine. I will update some photos of the engine soon.

Speaking of the Neo PW engine, it seems that more and more airlines are chosing the LEAP-1A model over the PW1127G, so I am really hoping to make a LEAP-1A version as I am also working on livery decals.
There may not be huge visual differences between those two engines, but for those who have seen both engines carefully, they are quite different. Still, I may use the PW as a base and fully rework the cowlings and the pylons to make the LEAP-1A, this will hopefully save me the troubles of starting from 0 as I did with the PW and be able to make this engine in shorter time.

I am also working on the A350 liveries and working on the new online store. The A350 liveries that will be available once the site is open will be: Generic decals, China Airlines “Pheasant”, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines and Singapore Airlines.
I expect to make more in the near future, but I am planning to make more liveries for the A320Neo as well.

As the stock units are being finished, I would like to do a quick out of the box build with the A350 in order to fully test the interior window decals and another test that has to be done for the cockpit windows, alongside the build I plan to do a full tutorial from preparing the fuselage halves to decaling with these livery decals as well as giving as many tips as I can from errors and experiences I had while painting and clearcoating.

There are still things to be done, but I am progressing forward one step at a time.

Best wishes,
Guillem

A350 livery decals preview #1 – New feature

Hello everybody,

I have received from Rob at Wessex Transfers, the first test print of the A350 livery decal that I’ve been working on for the last month. As I have been mentioning in the blog, it will feature two new decal types which I think, haven’t been done before in this particular case.

This decal feature consists on a decal that represents the window shades and inner frames and it is placed on top of the transparent plastic windows, but it is not placed on top of the exterior of the windows, but on the inside, on the flat surface of the transparent plastic part.
Rob’s long time experience working with decals has allowed for this new type of decal that will increase the realism in the airline models.

Here is an example and a brief explanation of how it works:

The actual color that you can see from the windows sheet, is not the actual result but just the back of the decal.

Additionally, the metallic frames can be later placed on the fuselage as always.

Currently, there will be another feature for the cockpit windows that has yet to be tested.

The livery decals for the A350 done so far are:
– Generic decal set.
– China Airlines “Pheasant”.
– Cathay Pacific.

The decals will include windows in this way:
– Photo realistic windows with metallic frames.
– Metallic window frames
– And yet to determine if the interior window decals will be included in the liveries or will be available separately.

Extra metallic frames for the windows are included as to place them on top of the photo realistic windows + metallic frames after clear coating. For the reason that metallic may get dull after a thick clear coat which modifies the way the light reflects on the metal particles (similar if we clear coat a chrome part, it will become silver).
These extra metallic frames can also be placed later if using the interior window decals as I mentioned above.

The A350 decals feature other elements such as other metallic details, metallic wing leading edges (no more masking the wings other than for the coroguard), and metallic leading edges for the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.

These images are a first preview of the China Airlines “Pheasant livery”:

You can always reduce the chrome effect of the leading edges if desired, by applying more clear coats.

The interior windows decal feature will also be done for other model aircrafts for which we plan to make more liveries such as the B777 and we also may include these for older models.

In the meantime I am also working on the remaining stock units, so hopefully everything will be done in a few weeks.

This is the preview no.1 of the process-tutorial I want to write on the build of the A350 China Airlines “Pheasant”, so I hope to start this build in the upcoming days.

Best wishes,
Guillem

Current progress and upcoming projects

Hello all,

As you may know, I haven’t been able to update the site with news on the projects because I have been working on the stock units also on the weekends.

I not only have been working with these, but have dedicated quite a lot of time to design the first A350 decals after I made some for the A320 model as well as fine tune the new online store.
These are not a simple decal set; the decals include several details and we tried to include a new feature that I would really like to test on the A350.
I am hoping to receive the first A350 decals from Rob soon, and will do a review/tutorial with an “out of box” build to be used as a test/example with hopes for a good result on this new feature.

I do like airliners, so I also took my time to design profile views as detailed and realistic as possible. I grown fond of drawing profiles that later can be included in the instructions rather than just making simple plain illustration, so for me this will be a little different concept. In fact, in most cases, prior starting to design the decal artworks, I start with the profile to have a general view of the aircraft and have an idea of what decals need to be done.

The stock is currently at about 47% done, the most time consuming items have been done, thus from now on, the remaining items won’t take me that long to make.
The main reason why the online store is not open yet is because I wish to have at least most if not all items available, since it would make no sense to release an empty store.

I would like to take this chance as I am writing this post, to comment on what will be the current and upcoming projects that I would like to undertake.

– Boeing 747-8F – B747-400F cargo set:

As you have been able to read from the last couple entries, I plan to do a detailed set that will include a cargo deck compartment, the nose door and side cargo door for hopefully both, the 747-8F and 747-400F.
Although I have not “officially” started to work with it as I haven’t done any cutting yet, I did gather all the information I need to start and have been doing a plan, which is something I always do to schedule what to do and how to proceed.

The main issue will be the work on the deck floor, not because the floor itself but because Revell’s kit has the gap on the wing root and although the floor level is correct where the wing joins, the problem is the thickness of the plastic, thus if that is not fixed, the floor would not follow the level.
A litle complex thing to explain without any visual reference, but I will show this in later posts of the build progress.

– GSE items:

Charlette tug: Some time ago I was contacted on regards this particular tug, and after having made the MA50, I always wanted to make a new improved tug with more details. The Charlette tug will be one of the upcoming works as I was asked if I could do this in 1/144 scale and I currently have good references for this project.

Pushback tug GT-110: Most recently I have been mentioned about this pushback, and after a little research I found it is used for several airlines.
What attracts me to do this tug is that unlike the AST-1, this pushback makes use of a bar, and in some ways it is a smaller model.
It has always been on my plans to make a smaller pushback tug in the future, and since I have some references already, I am really excited to start this.
One of the goals I have for this pushback are the wheels; I want to improve the tire detail and would like to make the wheels to actually turn.

This project may also lead me to make separate decals of airline logos in different sizes in order to fit to any GSE model, something similar like I currently do for the LD3 containers. So in this way, anybody could have a ramp of a certain location with certain logos on these GSE vehicles.

Hydrant dispenser Meteor: As I have done in 1/200 scale (and yet to be re casted) I would like to do this model also in 1/144 scale. I will be making the “Meteor” platform type since I have good references of it, and use the Eurotruck cabin that it’s already included in the catering model.
The big goal for this would be to make it adaptable to any airliner wing, meaning that the nozzle/bridge will have to reach the wing height from a B737 to an A380.

Bigger cargo loader: The last GSE on the list I want to make is a bigger cargo loader. The purpose of this model is to make it suitable for the 747F cargo detail set, since the Commander FMC15i model cannot reach the required height as it also happens on the real versions.
In this case, I also want to take the chance and take what I’ve learned making the Commander model in order to make a better cargo loader, with as many details as I can and with a better sill system. I still have to consider wihch model to make and if I will be doing double sill system for the bridge or single sill.

These are all the upcoming GSE models I would like to make, but I also have in mind some others that I save for the future.
The list may be a bit long, but I will do one step at a time and focus all my efforts in each model.

Lastly, the 1/12 B737NG cockpit project is not abandoned by any means, I will be working with it as regularly as I can and will be making things by phases. Doing it this way will be the only way to keep things in order, since there is a lot to do, so if I do the MIP, I will be making the buttons of the MIP panel instead of doing the buttons of every panel.
One area or subjet at a time, taking every area as if it is one project.

That is all for now, as I am progressing with the stock units and the online store, I will inform of its opening at least two weeks beforehand, I am hoping that everything will really work out well, now it’s time to get back to work.

Best wishes,
Guillem

Making stock units – thinking on the 747-8F (and 747-4F?) cargo deck set

Hello all,

This will probably be my last post until I can have more stock units of the several items. As this takes a lot of time, I won’t be uploading the site with news about the other projects since I will be working with the stock also on the weekends.

People ask me about these items but I can’t really give a clear date, all I can do is just keep on going and doing as much as possible everyday.

The main thing is that last stock units were sold faster than I expected, thus most of items ran out of stock again (in the old store). For this reason, the online store is still not available because it would be meaningless to have it open without anything in it. After I finished the new molds, I am making the models that gave more trouble in the past, which is what I’ve been doing during the last week and that thanks to the new molds, I can produce a little bit faster.

These days I am working on stock units of the catering truck, the AST-1 pushback and the cargo loader at first, then once I have a little bit of most of the GSE items, I will publish the new store.

There are more decals for these trucks on the way from Wessex Transfers, so I am also hoping to put available the A320Neo PW engines with their decals.

With all this work, I only have time to think what I would like to do next, what steps to be done further with the 747-8F cargo deck set as well as the 737NG cabin.

I just want to mention that I am studying the possibility, since I am working with the 747 freighter fuselage, to give several options in order to convert either Revell’s 747-8i or Zvezda’s 747-8i into 747-8F and also into 747-400F and 747-400BDSF / BCF. I have gathered information and references and I can see that the 747-400F and 747-8F deck are similar, but the -400F deck would be shorter.

This would be:

Having a Revell-Zvezda 747-8i that can be converted to 747-8F in which elements included would be: the nose section, the upper deck section and the side cargo door section. This may be worthless since Revell already produce a 747-8F, but for example, there may be more freighter aircrafts operating the 747 than the 747 passenger type. Thus having a Zvezda kit would allow for this transformation.
Having a Revell-Zvezda 747-8i that could be converted into 747-400F, for which elements included would be: nose section, uper deck section, side cargo door, and other elements such as winglets and flap canoes, etc to go from the -8i variant to the -400F. Also a specified descrpition on where to cut the fuselage to make it shorter, stabilizer modifications etc.
Having a Revell-Zvezda 747-8i that could be converted into 747-400BDSF/BCF in which case all the elements of the point mentioned before would be included except the nose door as these conversions (BDSF and BCF) do not include such function on the real airplanes.
Having a Revell 747-8F (or a future Zvezda 747-8F?) for which elements included would be the nose section and the side cargo door section (as well as the main cargo deck, like in all other possible variants).

I know there is more and a lot to be considered in the previous statements, but since I am going to cut the fuselage, I think is worth to have other options, and I would like to design decals for freigthers and converted freighters. Me, personally, I do like the 747 freighters, maybe just a bit more than the passenger versions, the fact that there are no passenger windows on the fuselage, makes this a better canvas to show the airline logos and different designs.

I do not know if this cargo deck set will end up being a trans-kit, but while I am preparing the stock units, I will be thinking about it. When thinking about freighters, I do also have in mind the 777 conversion as well, which at first, should be smaller work than this one with the 747.

Below photo shows an old Revell’s 747-400 kit from which very little to nothing I can use, except to check the panel lines and compare the lenght of the -400 and the -8 variants. Below the 747-400, the 747-8F model with the new cut lines drawn, decided to go with the cut after the L1 door in order to make this door open to show the ladder accessing to the flight deck. This may make possible to make the first section of the deck to be attached inside the nose section, and divide the rest of the deck into two sections (middle and aft).

My points above mention the conversion of the Revell-Zvezda 747-8i into the freighter variants, but I haven’t specified about the conversions having/using a Revell kit. In my opinion, mosf of us airliner nuts we know about the deficiencies of the 747-400 Revell kit, so being the Revell-Zvezda 747-8i a better kit, I would assume these would be the base to go, and it is always possible to go from a Revell-Zvezda 747-8i into a 747-400, but that is another subject.

Best wishes,

Guillem

Boeing 747-8F – Cargo deck interior

Hello all,

These last few days I have been thinking about the next GSE and airliner models that I would like to do, and so I thought to start the list with a project that I have been wanting to do for a while.

This project may be a little long but I am sure it will be challenging and enjoyful. The lenght of this project will be determined from the process of secondary items that will be linked very closely to this project.

One of the parts that I like most of making these models is to gather as much information as possible; numbers, sizes, and lots of photographs. That is the only way to do things properly in scale and I think it is a very important factor, because it is easy to do something a couple milimeters longer which would be about 30cm longer in the real element.

So from here, if anybody by any chance has access to one of these -8F or -400F freighters, I would be enormously grateful to receive reference photos that will surely help me a lot with this build and make it as accurate and detailed as possible.

This B747-8F project will consist of the representation of the fully raised nose cargo door and fully opened side cargo door, with a cargo bay which will include the interior panels that will cover the whole inside of the model. This project will also include decals, these will be used for several things such as panel illustrations, and other signs.

Two of secondary items that I mentioned before that may be build alongside this projects are; cargo pallets and a new cargo loader. The Commander FMC15i bridge can reach 3,55 meters, while the distance of the floor to the rollers of the B747-8F is of 5,05 m (lightweight aft) and 4,72m (heavyweight fwd). Thus the standard Commander FMC15i would not be able to reach the nose height.

That is one of the reasons why these loaders can also be supplied with a double sill, which would increase the elevation. However in this case I am still unsure about if I would like to make a new and bigger loader or create a variation with the double sill from the current model.

Things that concern me are how to build-add the whole cargo compartment inside the kit’s fuselage, which for this build, I am going to be using Revell’s Boeing 747-8F kit. But that is something I will be thinking about prior doing any cuttings.

This leads me to show a first photo where I intend to do a cut:

Naturally, the nose door will be cut out from the fuselage, but so will be the front section. The reason to cut from the mark I made is for some reasons:

1- Once the nose is separated, there is a lot of things going on in that front section, such as the different elements like the hinges which will be placed on the plastic profile, the structure right under the cockpit windows etc.

2- To ease on the building/adding the whole set. Although the nose can be considered a separate part, there is also going to be detail on the forward section, so I think that having that whole section will be later easier for everybody to just make a cut on the kit’s fuselage and incorporate the front detailed section.

The place where I situated the cutting line was decided based on the panel lines. I would not like to cut on top of a fuselage line, because when joining the front section, the addition of putty or the work with the sanding paper would erase that line. So in this way is very easy to glue the front section in a smooth area, add masking tape at both sides while applying putty or sanding and therefore conservating the vertical panel lines.

Obviously it is impossible to do a cut such as this without having to go through a panel line, but it is easier to do a small cut where the horizontal lines meet rather than a long cut where the vertical panel lines are.

3- It will be easier for me to work with both front section halves glued, since I will be placing the structure under the cockpit windows etc.

4- The connection of the ladder to the cockpit, which may lead me to make a cut past the L1 door so that I can make the door opened and provide the door already open in the fuselage. This makes me think that it is possible that photo etched parts (like the ladder) will also be done.

Cutting past the L1 may be the best solution, after all it is normal the L1 to be open while loading the cargo, so that is something I will probably do.

Another of the things that I will be taking into consideration is the possibility to port this to a -400F type. So I will take a look to see if the floor / rollers layout is different from both the -8F and the -400F.

A bit long project in which I should consider all possibilities before doing a cut, despite some of the new GSE items I like to make, the fuselage of this 8F is already on my desk.

In a few days I would like to comment on which will be the other items I would like to start, but in the meantime, I continue preparing the upcoming stock units of the items I already made.

Best wishes,

Guillem

B737NG PFD and ND done

April 8, 2018
by Guillem

Hello everybody,

I have been able to make the PFD and ND for the B737NG cockpit project this last weekend. Note that there is still a lot to do on that main instrument panel, add all the buttons, screws etc.

These screens will have a decal on them, and I would like to supply different type of decals for different flight stages (IRS alligment, before takeoff, cruise etc). I would also like to include a thin acetate sheet with the screen outline drawn to aid on cutting which later will be placed on top of the decal to create the crystal effect.

I think that before advancing into more details, I should start to make the basic shape of the autopilot panel and glareshield so that I can prepare the base of the cockpit where all the panels and structures will go.

Best wishes,

Guillem

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