Payen Pa.350

Don Edgecomb
Awesome model. I've got this model via the cottage industry. It looks like you've rebuilt this from an embryonic resin blob. Excellent work. I think mine is from Unicraft or Antares Models.
Cheers,
Don

gorby
Fantastic effort so far!

Alex K
That's a LOT of work! Respects for persevering! 👍

Ben M
"embryonic resin blob"... how can they even call this a kit!

S M
Well you said it, Ben M. It's almost like scratch building with some already available parts... XD

S M
I found another blog that has completed this kit: maquette72.free.fr/a..acers/index_ao43.php

Spanjaard
lots of work! respect, indeed.

Alex K
And here's another (scratchbuilt) Pa.350 afleetingpeace.org/w..es/p/payen-pa-350-cd - in this case, scratch building instead of using the resin kit seems the... lazy option! Once again congrats for what you have accomplished so far!

S M
@AlexK Thanks for the link. That is one of the coolest scratch builts I have ever seen. Shame I cannot achieve same quality with this kit. I hope the finish line is close.

Pierre Pierre
impressive the way you had to go through to redo almost everything ! It is worth it look very nice and definitivelly original ! congrat and following.
Is all UNICRAFT kit are this quality ?

S M
Thanks, Pierre! I would say almost all older Unicraft-models are like this or a bit better... I have two other kit and two more coming. Bird of Prey (Boeing Bird of Prey (Unicraft Models , 1:72)) is a little better (or atleast I would not recast), but needs better landing gear. Martin 262 B (Martin 262 B (Unicraft Models , 1:72)) is newer production and has smoother quality, but would need some scratch building.

Robert Podkoński
Once upon a time I have completed Unicraft's Payen Racer and Boeing Bird of Prey, too - I have just uploaded two albums with WIP and finished models' photos - take a look, if you wish, how much automotive two-component putty I used... Presumably, I had less patience (and modelling skills...) than you...

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Really nice job! 👍
This kit looks like a real piece of work 👀

S M
@Robert Thanks for sharing your models. I think you scored very well with Bird of Prey and Payen. You sanded them well and made better panel lines.

Robert Podkoński
You are too kind to me S M... Thank you🙂

S M
Had to make some progress so I added the landing gear. Wheel might be from Sukhoi T-50 (from my million-box)) and other is from scratch.

Pierre Pierre
whe we see the pieces at the begining and how it came out now it is really impressive ! great job !

S M
Today it really progressed fast. After I wrestled with the exhaust pipes I painted the details. Then I thought it is ready for varnish and decals so I did that too.

S M
I decided to not use oil paints for weathering, that would have took few days to dry and there was not much details to weather. So I applied the the last satin varnish layer and glued the propeller in place. Also removed the mask from canopy so it is now ready! For comparison I glued old original parts together to see, what it could have been.

Robert Podkoński
Looks very good. Good work. Congrats!

S M
Thank you! This was quite an achievement

Robin (WhiteGlint)
A really interesting looking design. But I wonder how the pilot is supposed to see anything from that cockpit.
Your work really paid off, it looks great!

Robert Podkoński
Maybe some kind of periscope was envisaged - like in Lindberg "Spirit of St.Louis"...

S M
Or the designer was influenced by Caudron C.461...

Robert Podkoński
Most probably, yet in Caudrons (461 and 561) there were at least side windows.

Alex K
That was a real tour de force... Thank you for sharing your efforts - and congratulations! 👍 👍

S M
Thanks, Akex! 🙂

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Probably it would have been possible to just look over the airframe and engine cowling.
I know it was designed for racing so as less drag as possible but such (possibly) bad visibility seems really dangerous.

@Robert: Using a periscope for front visibility sounds nuts. 😄

Robert Podkoński
Or there was a positionable pilot's seat envisaged - like in Bisnovat SK-1 Soviet(!) racing plane...

Robin (WhiteGlint)
That sounds possible. There are two glass segments on the Payen's cockpit, similar to the SK-1.
Maybe one was supposed to move up with the seat.

Sadly, I can't find much information on the Pa.350 online.

S M
I couldn't find either much about Pa.350. Only some designs like Pa-22, Pa.101 and Pa.112 were built. There is no consensus about the motor either (4- or 6-cylinder or two engines in line). It doesn't have any radio either so guiding via radio wouldn't have been possible. I would lean to SK-1-style seat and cockpit.