Japanese Solid Model Builds by modan — From the Japanese Solid Model Forum

[K_mars]

[06] Savoia S.21 Schneider Trophy Racer — 1/28 Scale Build Log (2014–2015)

This time I would like to introduce modan's Savoia S.21 Schneider Trophy Racer.



This is one of the most visually distinctive subjects in modan's build logs: a Schneider Trophy racing seaplane with a short upper wing, a long lower wing, and an engine nacelle carried between them. In the original Japanese article, modan wrote that this unusual arrangement alone made him want to build the aircraft.

The build was not straightforward. Reference material was limited, so modan prepared the drawings and wood cutting based on written information and related Savoia aircraft such as the S.13 and S.17. He also noted that some parts would have to be interpreted or imagined.

The photographs show the hull carving, cockpit work, beaching trolley, wings and tail surfaces, engine nacelle, propeller, struts, and final red-and-white finish. I find this build especially interesting because it clearly shows modan solving problems as he goes: correcting rib lines, dealing with an over-sanded underside, using putty around the engine nacelle, and making a simple jig to set the strut positions.

The finished model has a very lively presence, but the build log is equally valuable because it shows the decisions and corrections behind that final appearance.

This is only a short introduction, not a full translation of the Japanese article.

Full article:
https://forum.fine-scale.net/index.php?topic=90.0

Model and original article by modan.

[lastvautour]

Beautifully done mdel.

Louis

[K_mars]

Thanks, Louis.

I agree — modan did a beautiful job on this model. The unusual layout of the Savoia S.21 and the red-and-white finish make it a very attractive build.

kenji

[K_mars]

[07] Savoia S.51 — Schneider Trophy Racer Build Log (2015)



This time I would like to introduce modan's build of the Savoia S.51, another Schneider Trophy racer, originally posted in 2015.

In the original Japanese article, modan wrote that this aircraft appeared in 1922, one year after the Savoia S.21. He was attracted by the unusual layout, where the wings seem to extend from the engine cowling almost like a bird spreading its wings.

As with the previous Savoia build, reference material was very limited. Modan noted that there were two types, A and B, and he chose the A type because he liked the slightly rounded, somewhat bulky shape around the nose. He also used a 3D technical illustration as one of his references.

The build log is especially interesting because it shows how he approached the very distinctive engine cowling and wing arrangement. The photographs show the cowling and wing carving, hollowing out the body to install the engine, a top cover made with glass cloth and epoxy, the sub-wing and strut holes, the engine mount, radiator, Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine, and the completed red seaplane.

One point I find especially valuable is that modan did not hide the difficulty of the project. After a pause in the work, he wrote that the build involved repeated corrections and that a lack of information slowed the process. Even so, the finished model has a very strong presence and captures the unusual character of the Savoia S.51 very well.

As usual, this is only a short introduction, not a full translation of the Japanese article.

Full article:
https://forum.fine-scale.net/index.php?topic=91.0

Model and original article by modan.

[J Luke]

Those engines are just incredible!

[lastvautour]

Outstanding details on that engine.

Louis

[K_mars]

Thanks, Jordan and Louis.

I agree completely. Modan put a remarkable amount of care into these engine details. Here are a few in-progress photos of the engine parts before installation. I think they show very clearly how much work goes into the areas that may become only partly visible in the finished model.

[Jim]

Does Modan build his models in such a fashion that parts can be taken off to display the wonderful details of his "interior" workmanship that would otherwise be hidden?

I remember when I was a kid my uncle built a beautiful model of Revell's Spad XIII plastic  kit. It was designed, as I recall, in such a way that the forward fuselage parts — the prop, cowling, radiator and  top-decking access panels —- could be taken off to reveal the details of the twin Vickers guns and the 220-hp Hispano-Suiza engine could be exposed and appreciated by the viewer. And then everything could be put back together again like a jigsaw puzzle. To a 10-year-old this was the absolute apogee of COOL!

Seems like it'd be a shame for Mr. Modan to hide so much of his considerable light under a bushel!

[K_mars]

Thank you, Jim. That is a very good question, and I really enjoyed your memory of the Revell Spad XIII kit.

These photographs are from Modan's Savoia S.51. As far as I know, the panels are not removable. Even though the engine and other details were carefully made, most of the engine is hardly visible once the model is completed.

Still, Modan seems to try to reproduce as much detail as possible, even in areas that may later be hidden. I think this is part of his approach to solid model making.

That is why these build photographs are so valuable. They allow us to appreciate the craftsmanship that would otherwise disappear from view after assembly.

Personally, I feel that the build record itself becomes an important part of appreciating the model.

Kenji

[Jim]

I hear you, brother. And I have the greatest respect for all of you brother builders who manage to chronicle your projects at the same time that you construct them. Fir myself, it's "a bridge too far." It takes all I have merely to get the model properly designed, set up, and built. During this process, my desk is a certifiable pig sty; not fit to be seen, much less photographed, and trying to set up and maintain an ongoing photo shoot to record my progress is really more than I care to undertake. That's why I usually confine myself to images of the completed project, carefully posed on my cleaned-up workspace. Fir itself, the finished model actually conceals a wealth of builder's mistakes and errors. What's "under" the paint isn't obscured. it's hidden!😋

[K_mars]

Thank you, Jim. I hear you too, brother.

When I first met Modan online, our relationship was mostly about showing each other completed models. But as we began asking each other questions about construction methods, and as we shared reference materials for unclear parts, we gradually started showing each other work in progress as well.

In that sense, the build photographs are not only a record of the model itself, but also a record of the exchange between builders.

And I fully understand what you mean about the workbench. My own workbench often looks like a ruin too. When I take photographs, I usually move the model to another place and photograph it there.

You are also right that the finished model can hide many things under the paint — mistakes, corrections, compromises, and decisions. That is one reason why I find build records so interesting. They show not only the final shape, but also the process by which the model gradually becomes what it is.

Perhaps the very existence of Solid Model Memories points in the same direction. It is not only about displaying finished models, but also about preserving memories, processes, exchanges, and the ways each builder understands form.

At least for me, seeing both the finished model and the path toward it makes the work even more meaningful.

Kenji

[lastvautour]

That is a magnificent model.

Louis

[Jim]

Kenji:  As they say in baseball, you and your compatriots are in a whole 'nother league!

[K_mars]

Thank you very much, Louis and Jim.

Yes, Modan's model is magnificent. His craftsmanship and attention to detail are always remarkable.

Jim, I love your baseball expression. I also feel that Modan and many of the builders here are in a very special league.

Kenji

[K_mars]

[08] Howard DGA-5 "Ike" — Build Log (2016)

This time I would like to introduce modan's build of the Howard DGA-5 "Ike", originally posted in 2016.



In the original Japanese article, modan wrote that the DGA-5 "Ike" was the last of the Howard DGA racing aircraft. He described it as having clean and elegant proportions, and even mentioned that the fuselage reminded him somewhat of a grasshopper.

One reason he chose this aircraft was the attractive Chevrolet markings and lettering. At the same time, the model presented some challenging details, especially around the cowling, where there are many heat-exhaust fins compared with the earlier DGA-4 series.

The build log shows the cockpit work, aluminum covering, cowling details, surface preparation, and final finish. Modan also wrote that, during the later stages, he noticed that the wing incidence was a little too strong and adjusted it around the fillet area. He also had to correct small issues such as the left-right alignment of the landing gear.

I find this build especially interesting because the finished model looks very clean and graceful, but the build log shows the many small corrections behind that appearance.

As usual, this is only a short introduction, not a full translation of the Japanese article.

Full article:
https://forum.fine-scale.net/index.php?topic=93.0

Model and original article by modan.