as my homage to GELI the probably most beautiful and best-known Draken - the 08 of the Austrian Air Force, the Ostarrichi - Draken - will be created here in the next few days.
So it's not about a precise replica of the model, but rather about a GELI impression of the model - the engraving of Mr. Wittrich I have largely preserved and only changed where it was necessary, and a few small errors removed, such as the wrongly struck airbrakes ;) . The only add on I constructed are the additional tanks, because they are very important for the overall impression of the original as well as the model.
GELI Saab Draken Ostarrichi
The kit would probably have looked like this if Mr. Wittrich had personally lent a hand. I resisted the malice of changing the '48' to '70' with a heavy heart ;)
GELI Saab Draken Ostarrich
It is served. We enjoy the virginity of a unique piece and fan out the model sheet expectantly and find 3 color printed pages in the usual dense packing of the parts, as well as the ribs on cardboard. The latter should be written in the poetry album of every cardboard model manufacturer ...
So far for the presentation of the GELI Ostarrichi Draken - and if you are now curious how well the fit of the lettering and the diagonal patterns has succeeded, I can assure you - I'm as well. Success or complete disaster, everything is possible ;)
First segment of the model
GELIans are familiar with the assembly, but since this is formally a construction report, let's start with the original cell, a conically shaped cylinder with connecting lugs for the adjacent segments and two ribs for shaping.
So this is enough for the formal - I printed on 160g A3 paper, the printer is a Canon IX 5000. If you are considering buying an A3 printer, this thing is absolutely recommendable, even duplex printing (yes, even A3).
First three segment of the fuselage
The paper is not as smooth as the original GELI paper, maybe 150g or 140g would have been a better choice. We see here the first three segments, as well as the first, still relatively harmless seam in the lettering.
Front fuselage
Some more segments form the front fuselage, and so far everything fits perfectly. The sovereign badge is a bit too far in front - but it only stands out in direct comparison with the original. The reason (and this also applies to the position of the 'Ostarrichi' lettering) is that I wanted to avoid butt seams in the graphics, because they disturb the look of the model much more than a discrete misplacement.
Fuselage
Fear eat up glue. Part 31 (the long-distance elevation at the hull) is one of the most feared GELI parts, with Ostarrichi Draken even more aggravated by the lettering. Your only chance is to round the piece so that it keeps its shape almost by itself, and then carefully glue it to the body section by section.
Fuselage
The view from above reveals - my college professor for descriptive geometry has not lived in vain. And the rest is pure luck ;)
Fuselage
Sits, fits, wobbles and has air. Even if the hour of truth really strikes only with the wings - the first day has ended without debacle, what more can you expect from life?
Fuselage
Yes, the GELI cockpit. So simple that it's almost ingenious again - or is there another paper model vendor that can handle the entire cockpit equipment with 2 parts?
Fuselage
I have adapted the cockpit hood to the Ostarrichi version - the front and top glazing is free, but the rear windows are completely missing. The mounting of the hood is a little fiddly, also the hinges don't fit perfectly, but don't attract much attention. But what strikes me bitterly - I screwed up the rear - that is completely red at the original and has no black finish. F*CK !!!!
Wing's construction
The moment of truth. The lettering fits almost perfectly, only I'm not quite satisfied with the 6 in '996' - it should be a little more distorted. But nevertheless - you can' imagine, how cool the model looks in nature - it's hard to get across on the pics.
Adding the wing root is an issue in itself - the best way to do it is not to glue the long rib in place but just to stick it in. Also the given distance of 5mm in the instructions from the stop edge is not correct - it is at least 10mm, otherwise the wing root becomes too flat.
Wing's construction
So we complete the first wing and find out: Little me has worked sloppily. A small corner of red is missing at the front behind the wing nose just next to the position light. Also the silver color of the wing nose should be more intense.
Wing's construction
The hour of truth, part 2. Also the other side of the lettering fits, my late DG-Professor blessedly pats on my shoulder and rates my performance in the end posthumously with a 'very good' grade *gg*.
Wing's construction
It's written here - Ostarrichi 996. To be honest, I still can't quite believe that it actually worked. It's a pity that you can't see the model in real, it's already my favorite model.
Wing's construction
Here a view from the front perspective.
Tail fin
After everything had fitted so far almost unbelievably well, gremlin strikes mercilessly when it was almost done - although the connection points at the base of the vertical tail are correct, the angle of the white area is not at all. My DG professor sends a merciless 'Not Enough' grade earthwards, and me embarrassed put a paper strip on the faulty part, which shows the correct angle.
Left external tank
Back to the drawing board. To be safe from further surprises, I assembled the left external tank as a precaution - it is basically borrowed from the Fly-Draken kit, the tail fins are improvised to it; the graphic fits perfectly, in the direct projection from above the red-white border forms a clean straight line. All small and big mistakes are fixed now, and- the corrected rudder is simply printed out again ...
Tail fin
The applied tail fin, here now with corrected angle. In the absence of a 160g A4 paper (I regretted to use a whole A3 sheet for a single part) printed on 120g paper. Not a good decision because it is a bit thin. Good decision, because the application of the fin is quite tricky and needs a lot of improvisation talent - the part doesn't fit very well and has to be reworked at the base and squeezed a bit into shape. If you just don't use the ribs, the tail becomes too narrow at the base and doesn't even fit anymore. Instead I built in a toothpick along the trailing edge.
Tail fin
Slowly the thing gets a resemblance to the original. I put the antenna in front for aesthetic reasons for the photo - it's not glued yet because it wouldn't last long due to the oncoming manipulations.
Tail fin
The take-off perspective, as landing gear a kiwi is used.
Comparison between original and model
Here we have a direct comparison between original and model (the model picture unfortunately is a bit blurred) - and one of the main problems becomes obvious: The GELI-Draken is a good approximation, but certainly not an exact model - as you can see the fin is much too long (I have already discreetly shortened it by 4mm), the end of the lower C-arm in the original just goes over the root of the tail. I omitted the crossing C-arm, because its presence would interrupt the white edge of the tail. The pattern of the root is done by the beginning of the lower C-arm, through this trick only experts will notice the error.
Also other important reference points at the GELI-Draken are not where they should be, so I had to cheat a bit at the diagonal borders between red and white, which had an effect on the lettering again - therefore the last 'i' is too long - so overall it is a compromise between optics and model truth, like the GELI model itself.
I also omitted the lowest point of the 'h' - because it is hardly noticeable, but in practice can cause problems during assembly - so the fin only has to be aligned to the red-white boundary, and not additionally to the 'h'.
Adding the external tanks
With the installation of the external tanks as well as the antennas and the chaff dispenser (the latter I installed upside down, which is closer to the truth) we make the model airworthy ...
Adding the external tanks
... why it's time for some aerial photos ;) Yes, the edge colorers among you smile tormented.
Finished model
It's always a raising feeling when a newborn dragon baby stands on its own legs for the very first time ;)
The landing gear is simplified in the usual GELI manner, instead of wheel houses you have flat black surfaces, and also the legs are in their simplicity more committed to the ascetic than to model building - baroque. One has to admit, however, that no more is necessary for the model to stand on a desk or (as I do) be hung vertically onto the wall.
Finished model
The tires were a continuous experiment in the rich work of Mr. Wittrich, as already mentioned elsewhere. From simple cylinders to strip constructions, radially cut circles and treads to interlocking truncated cones, the master was constantly searching for the best solution, and revising and redesigning them. In my opinion, the Draken has the best solution, namely radially cut circles which are arched over an auxiliary ring, and flat running surfaces.
Finished model
Hardly born and already museum-ready. Yes, anyone who has worried about the future of the newborn dragon can rest and take comfort here: I was touched by the request of the Aircraft Museum at Graz/Thalerhof Airport and the Draken will be transferred to my hometown and kept in an appropriate position there.
Finished model
The obstetrician. Even if the comparison makes it clear, the original GELI Draken will come here to his well-deserved honour. He stood by me when my DG knowledge got lost in too curly unwindings and helped me to push the curves of the 6th order back into the usual ellipses.