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This is an Authentic Airliners 1/144 scale MD-11 build. Anyone who has enjoyed building an AA model can testify that this is not an average model, nor do they take a routine process to finish. The solid resin casts present unique issues that are challenging in their own right, but with patience and persistence return great reward. This is my first AA build. I’ve wanted to build an MD-11, in particular the AA kit, and thoroughly enjoyed learning a “new” process that took me outside of the usual “box” of model airliner building. I decided before beginning that I would finish her in the early Delta Air Lines “widget” livery, choosing in particular N801DE. This MD-11 began her life with Delta in 1992, outfitted with a cheat line stripe on her #2 tail mounted engine, which stood out as “different” than her sisters in the fleet. I am not aware of any subsequent MD-11s at Delta that carried that cheat line. She led a distinguished life at Delta, flying from Atlanta to Osaka, Brussels, London, Frankfurt, among many others, as well as some domestic routes. At some point, she was painted in the newer Delta “stripe” scheme before she was retired and stored for a while at Montreal. She began flying again for World Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, then again for World, and finally ending up at UPS, where she was outfitted in 2008 as an MD-11F. She STILL flies today as a freighter! In fact, as I write this biography, she actually (in real time) flew this morning as N294UP (under UPS livery) from Louisville, Kentucky (SDF) to Ontario, California (ONT). Hope you enjoy the building process of this amazing and fine kit.
Paint used was Tamiya grey surface primer, Tamiya TS-26 white, Alclad black surface prep, Alclad Chrome for the underside, duraluminum for the engine inlets, and airframe aluminum for leading edges on the wings and horizontal stabilizers and the hot sections. Testors flat black for the tires and nose; and a special enamel blend for the grey fuselage fairings, wings, and horizontal stabilizers. A mixture of Testors gray, metallic gray, and anodonic gray was used for the coroguard. Livery is from 26 Decals, 3D cockpit windows and passenger windows, some of the details, and static dischargers are from Authentic Airliners Decals. I did use some of the Nazca DC-10 detail decals as well. NAV lights and position lights are .06mm model railroad lenses.
When the kit box is opened, it unpacks as this:
First step was to prepare the tailcone to be attached to the fuselage. After trimming the flash away with a small hobby saw, I drilled a small trench in both the fuselage and the tail piece, where the two would join, so as to accommodate the epoxy used to cement these pieces together.
Once joined, putty was applied to close the small seam and sanding done to smooth it all out.
Next came the engines. I first trimmed the fans, sanded the nacelles even after trimming the flash, the joined the fans to the nacelles, then the nacelle halves together. Applied putty to close the seam, more sanding, then priming. The hot sections were trimmed and sanded to receive the primer. I prepared the hot sections with Alclad black base, then painted them with Alclad airframe aluminum and Testors anodized gray. Once painting was done, all were joined and finished.
Then I took to the wings…primed and masked for Alclad airframe aluminum on the leading edges, then a mixture of metallic grays to get the coroguard just right. Added NAV lights and lenses, too.
The fuselage comes with a light coat of primer already applied. It was necessary to sand it in some spots to eliminate some of the casting seams, and close a few chips here and there. I primed it using Tamiya gray surface primer, then painted the upper with Tamiya TS-26 white. After allowing several days for curing, the underside was painted with Alclad black surface prep, allowed to cure, then shot with chrome and lightly polished. Next came the masking of the entire painted fuselage so that I could paint the nose flat black. I decided to paint the nose rather than risk applying the decal for the radome, assuming it would not fit the complex curves.
After allowing for curing, she was now ready to put her “clothes” on….so I began decaling.
And then the wing attachment. The fit, as is for the entire kit, is nearly outstanding. I did have to do some sanding and a little shaping to remove some excess paint, so that the wing joints would fit properly with minimal gap, and enough contact to allow the epoxy to be applied and cure properly without spilling out and making a big fat mess. I used 5 minute epoxy; but after applying and setting the assembly up on the jig to cure, I left home for the week. upon returning, the wings were solidly “on.” Repeated the same process with the horizontal stabilizers.
Then….she needs her legs!
Some detailing….
Attached the engines, the flap hinge fairings, gear doors, last details, and she’s finished!
There are full photos of the finished model submitted for posting; they can be found here:
https://www.airlinercafe.com/photo_25076.details
Thanks for looking! A joy to build…a new experience building an Authentic Airliners kit that I can highly recommend.
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WOW!
Very nice build. I have built two of the AA MD-11’s and they are magnificent. I love Kurt’s kits.
Well done,
Mark
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Looks great!!! I LOVE the AA kits. Such a pleasure to build.
One question… How’d you do the lights?? They look great!!
Chris
"Sorry Goose... But it's time to buzz the Tower."
One question… How’d you do the lights?? They look great!!
Hi Chris;
Thanks for the kind words. The lights are tiny .06mm lenses used in model rairoading. I drilles a small”seat” where they were to go, so they would lie flush, then a tiny drop of Kristal Klear to hold them in place. The clear nav light lenses are also Kristal Klear, roudned and shaped to fit, then I used Authentic Airliners metallic decal as a border. I found that I did not like the Kristal Klear as a lens, because it actually magnifies whatever is underneath it. It was suggested by my friend and mentor from the north to try Humbrol Clearfix, which dries crystal clear without magnification. I have yet try it, as the lenses were already in place at the time.
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Very nice looking model! I really like your build.
My favourite Delta scheme looks classy on the AA MD-11.
Cheers
Andrew
CYYZOutstanding build. Beautiful model. Also, this just confirms to me that Tamiya TS-26 white should be behind every widget Delta livery.
-Delta Lima Golf
Superb work. I have the same kit, just waiting for a good set of the 1997 Delta colors. This will help me an awful lot when the time finally arrives. Thanks for sharing!
Jodie Peeler
"In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake." - Sayre's Law
Wow, great build, thanks for walking us through it!
NX28388 :
Superb work. I have the same kit, just waiting for a good set of the 1997 Delta colors. This will help me an awful lot when the time finally arrives. Thanks for sharing!Jodie Peeler
The Deltaflot/Wavy gravy, or the one before?
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LH707 :
The Deltaflot/Wavy gravy, or the one before?The 1997 “Ron Allen” colors. I know there was a sheet done for the Welsh Models MD-11 kit (done by Two Six, IIRC), but I haven’t seen a photo of said decal. I’d like to see the actual decal before I decide if I should seek it out. I have art done in Illustrator, but haven’t gotten around to fitting it to the AA kit.
812 and 810 were in the Ron Allen colors when I flew on them in July 2001. 812 had small “The Centennial Spirit – Athens 1896 – Atlanta 1996” titles on the forward fuselage, marking its flight with the Olympic torch aboard for the 1996 Games. There was also a plaque visible on a bulkhead as you entered the L2 door.
jp
"In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake." - Sayre's Law
Got it, thanks! I kinda like the Ron Allen scheme, looked sharp for the short time it was around. I found a reference to all the original names in here: http://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/delta-brand/aircraft-livery_group/mainline-livery
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Hi Jodie,
I did one of my AA MD-11’s in the Ron Allen Livery using the Welsh decal. The decal fits nicely and it looks good. I was really pleased by the fit finish of it.
If you like that Livery, I highly recommend the Welsh Decal. Russel at Airline Hobby Supplies appears to still have some in stock.
https://www.airline-hobby-estore.com/product-p/wsd-165.htm
Good luck,
Mark
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Thanks, Mark. On your recommendation I’ve placed an order for that sheet.
And to bring the thread back to the original topic, that is a terrific build and a great guide to building this beautiful kit. Thanks to the original poster again for this. Maybe I’ll finally get going on mine now!
Jodie Peeler
"In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake." - Sayre's Law
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