Subject:  
Bell Aircraft
X-1
Kit Used: Tamiya 1/72

Review & model by:
Ed Findysz
Pictures: R. Forys




[The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.]
[The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.] [The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.]



Modeling and history seem to go hand in hand.   I love history, but to be honest, I really need to read more and take less from Hollywood.   Many of the subjects I am inspired to build come from war stories told by my Grandfather, or from war movies that inspire me to build a particular item.   I like the idea of being able to look into my model cabinet and say that "this" represents the first time "that" happened.





[I got my inspiration to build the X-1 from the movie The Right Stuff.]



The Bell X-1 with Chuck Yeager as the pilot was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.   This occurred on October 14th 1947, at Muroc Army Air Field in California.   Since I have mentioned Hollywood, I suppose you can guess where I got my inspiration to build the X-1.   Yes, it was the movie "The Right Stuff".   When that movie comes on, I only watch it until the sound barrier is breached and then turn the channel.   It may sound dorky, but there is something inspiring to see how Chuck Yeager was depicted as just riding in and breaking the sound barrier.   The worst part of my so called inspiration is that the movie depiction was incorrect.   Chuck Yeager had several tests in the aircraft before he actually reached Mach 1.   It really doesn't matter since Yeager's feat is still an outstanding accomplishment regardless of how the story may be told.




[Tamiya supplies clear fuselage halves with a well detailed interior.]



Once I decided that a Bell X-1 was what I wanted to build, I started researching available kits.   Since this was a small aircraft, I was hoping to get something bigger than 1/72nd scale.   After searching, I ordered the Tamiya kit even though it was of a smaller scale.   When the kit showed up, I got a pleasant surprise.   Tamiya supplies two grey and two clear fuselage halves with a well detailed interior and full engine/fuel tank appointments.   My wife happened to be in the room when I opened up the kit and told me it had to be built with one clear half.   Yes dear, anything you say dear.   I shouldn't be sarcastic since my wife is my biggest fan and advocate.   The rest of the kit is molded in grey plastic with finely recessed panel lines and basically no flash.   The typical mold seams on landing gear was expected.




[I used the grey molded piece for the right side because I wanted to display the Glamorous Glennis decal.]



Anytime I work with clear parts, I am always concerned with glue marks.   This was going to be especially true having one clear fuselage half.   I also needed to determine if I was going to paint the plane with or without the clear parts installed.   My first step was to dry fit the parts several times, and I found that I could paint the parts separately due to the excellent fuselage fit.   I used the grey molded piece for the right side because I wanted to display the "Glamorous Glennis" decal.   I took the clear parts, (fuselage and windscreen) and gave them a bath in Future.   This helps to eliminate the fog on clear parts when using super glue.




[It was a challenge to mount the internal parts to the clear fuselage half without glue marks.]



Now to the building and painting stages, which started with the assembly of the cockpit.   I painted the parts grey, black, and red as noted on the instruction sheet, along with an oil wash of Payne's grey.   This was when I noticed a problem with my clear fuselage half choice.   The left side control panel in the cockpit faces the inside with its back devoid of any detail.   I decided to turn the panel the opposite way and have it face outwards for viewing through the clear side.   The interior was then put to the side for final assembly.   I next installed the wing and stabilizer to the grey molded side of the aircraft, and then sprayed the assembly with Tamiya fine white primer.   The one wheel well was masked off and painted along with the rest of the landing gear as per the kit instructions.   These parts all received a black oil wash and awaited final assembly.   Then the on board test equipment was painted as per the instructions.   The engine, exhaust and pitot tube were painted Floquil platinum mist and also given an oil wash.   Using the box art as a guide, I painted the fuel tanks Tamiya acrylic dark yellow and then misted them with flat black.   This gave them a used appearance.   Since the windscreen panels were so small, I found that I could not mask them off properly.   I hand painted the frames and then used a flattened toothpick to burnish the edges as straight as possible.   Tamiya suggested painting the aircraft with a mixture of 8 parts orange and 5 parts clear red.   Even though it was a pain, I mixed up this concoction and proceed to paint the plane.   Orange and red paints do not cover very well and required many applications to get coverage.   Unfortunately, during the painting process, dust collected in some spots.   This caused me to become quite upset since I had spent a fair amount of time getting the plane ready.





[I found that I could paint the fuselage parts separately due to the excellent fit.]



Once all of the paint had dried, it was time for final assembly and decals.   Another issue that arose due to my obsession on having the "Glamorous Glennis" decal visible on the plane, was that most of the internal parts were designed to be glued to the left fuselage half, where I planned to use the clear part.   I realized that the smallest amount of glue possible would be my best bet, even though that is not generally my style.   My thought was always that if a little is good, a lot must be better.   After many sessions with my therapist, I am learning that a little is better.   The first item I glued into the clear half was the oxygen tank in front of the cockpit.   I used glue for clear parts because it is "supposed" to dry clear.   Ha, I could see the glue mark.   Throwing caution to the wind, I used super glue to bond the rest of the parts to the clear half, and I was shocked that no glue marks were noticeable.   After attaching a wire from the fuel tank to the engine, I glued the clear half to the painted half, again with no glue marks.   The landing gear was a bit fiddly to install, but lined up well.   Finally, the decals went down without any issues and the model was complete.





[My wife told me it had to be built with one clear half.]



This was a good building experience of a really nice kit.   This kit would have been much harder to build and paint if the parts did not fit as well as they did.   I also appreciate the clear fuselage half in being able to show more than just the shell of the plane and not the internals.   My wife was happy and that is all that really matters.





[This was a good building experience of a really nice kit.]