Hi there

I couldn't resist doing a quick build of Zvezda's F.VIIb/3m "Southern Cross" that arrived for review yesterday. It's basically the old Frog kit, first released in 1965, so that means little by way of interior detail, and overall it's quite a simple kit. The fit of the basic parts is good, though - in fact, the wings are excellent!



The fabric effect on the fuselage is very heavy and the stringers don't match the drawings I've found online:



A classic "retro" feature is the moulded "Southern Cross" constellation on the sides!:



I few minutes' work with a sanding stick smooths everything down ready for a new stringer effect. :



I'm not going to go mad detailing this build, because it is intended to be a "quickie". However, if anyone has any shots of the preserved Southern Cross, interior or exterior, please post them here, because they'd be really useful!

Aall the best

Rowan

I love those old kits!

Hi Stephen

While I didn't actually build the Southern Cross as a child, I well remember seeing the original Frog kit in the local model shops. Yes, shops, plural - we had four in the town I grew up in, with just as many in every nearby town in Greater London. Those were the days - now you'd probably be hard pressed to find four real model shops in the whole of London!

All the best

Rowan

Joyous reliving of an otherwise wasted childhood?
Looks like an interesting build. I don’t think I’ve ever intentionally built a Frog kit.