Hello everyone,
This weekend I had some time to work on the B787-9 cargo holds in order to see the final result and have these already done for my future airliner project.
I am glad to say that they are now ready to start production, so the first units will be produced shortly.
I am currently preparing the upcoming units of the various GSE models, stairs truck is completed, the towbarless pushback AST-1 and the loader FMC15i are also nearly completed.
I am also taking the chance to produce units of other things; LD3 containers, Envirotainer containers, ground cones, chocks, baggage, towbars and will soon start with the production of the JST-25, belt loader (the new version), container transporter TF-10-FTC and also the catering truck.
As you can see, I am trying to make units of all the GSE vehicles (or at least, most of them) so that all can be available upon restocking.
I am still unsure when all will be ready as this does take quite some time, specially because I still sand down the base for the bodies of some models such as the AST-1, belt loader, JST-25 and the towbar pushbacks for which I hope to make more units.
I will most surely restock the B787 galleys at the same time for the release of the B787-9 cargo holds which will be after the GSE restock.
Now for the finished cargo holds:
The cargo hold ceilings are designed similar to the real aircraft, however, the light rails were made a bit wider so that you could have room to add some LED lights.
In the picture above, I have used one as a test, the LED used is the SMD 0805.
Before I install all the LED lights, I will be adding some LD3 containers at the far end of both walls in order to hide the length as due the original fuselage design, there is no more room for the few remaining container positions.
Despite the cargo holds for my own project being completed, I will take the chance to improve the decals. I need to increase the gap of each container markings so that the vertical black lines are visible. I will also take the chance to increase the size to some specific decals.
The process to assembly these cargo holds was as follows:
Glue the ceiling parts and the rear walls of each cargo hold:
For colour reference, I have used Model Air 71.270, it may not be the exact one, but it is the closest one I had in hand.
Then, I painted the rails in duraluminum colour from Vallejo Metal Color series. After that, I painted the walkways in a black grey color from Vallejo 70862 (RAL 7021) which gives a better effect than black to simulate the rubber type material.
Once all was painted, I applied a gloss coat in order to star the work with the oil paint.
I have used sepia oil color thinned down with turpentine to give the side walls a bit more interesting look, texture/depth. Later I highlighted the flat areas with the same paint used for the main colour used for the body.
After another gloss coat to seal the weathering work, I added the white decals prior adding the different markings. Because I laser print the decals, it is not possible for me to print certain colors simultaneously, however, this may change once I can finish my silk screening setup.
That is all for now, please note that other extra details for the cargo holds are not visible here yet, they are the doors themselves, the latches and hinges. I may use a spare fuselage to represent this, as it may still take me a while to make my own 787-9 project.
I hope to be able to share some more things next weekend and inform of more progress on the production.
Take good care everybody.
Best wishes,
Guillem