SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

G/B suggestion. Matchbox Mayhem G/b anyone?

30086 views
175 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Prince George B.C., Canada
Posted by Bullet21 on Friday, May 29, 2009 7:47 AM

Lookin' good there, LeopardMan. I like the finish on her, she looks like she's heading out for an evening of hunting. What kind of paint do you use and how did you apply it?

 Keep SmilinLiberation of Western Europe'--it makes this world a nicer place.

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Nevada, IA
Posted by LeopardMan on Friday, May 29, 2009 11:37 AM

Thanks guys, I have to admit that wingy things are a little different from tracky thingies.

Bondo: As i said above I just built her straight out of the box with no bells or whistles. And reading the link it seemed to me that no Torp was carried on that particular mission to Kiel.

Bullet: I airbrushed with Tamiya acrylics. I used XF-63 German Gray on top and XF-21 Sky on the bottom.

Never believe a statistic you haven't done yourself - Winston Churchill Member IMPS Pastic-Surgeons, West Des Moines, IA
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 11:47 PM

Supermarine Stranraer in 1/72. This model is a real gem, and if the quality is any indication, I'm really looking forward to building the Privateer for the War in the Pacific GB. I dunno, the decals probably won't work but I plan to paint the markings anyhow. Always looks better, just a little bit of a chore. So I spent a little time tarting up the accomodations, and looking at that rear compartment, it seemed a real thirties thing to put in a few long range petrol tanks.

My Humbrol paints arrived, and I'm going whole cow on the "shadow effect"- the top of the lower wing will be Dark Sea Grey/ Slate Grey. All other uppers Extra Dark Sea Gray and Dark slate Grey. The lowers of all wings, floats is Aluminium, dope of course. I ordered some expensy and cute little brass Lewis guns from a chap in the Ukraine, no sign of them yet but no cash out either, actually Matchboxes aren't bad.

Tally Ho chaps, it's summer in the Highlands and the Jeans are looking for the Geordies.

Bill

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Inland Northwest
Posted by Summit on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 12:15 AM

Capt Bondo - I ordered a kit back in May from the Ukraine mainly to see how long the shipping would take. I recieved it 34 days after the purchase. Slow but reliable Laugh [(-D]

The Stranraer petro tanks are Top Notch Thumbs Up [tup]

Sean "I've reached nearly fifty years of age with my system." Weekend GB 2008
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 12:25 AM
 Summit wrote:

Capt Bondo - I ordered a kit back in May from the Ukraine mainly to see how long the shipping would take. I recieved it 34 days after the purchase. Slow but reliable Laugh [(-D]

The Stranraer petro tanks are Top Notch Thumbs Up [tup]

Thanks, Sean. It's the model railroader in me. I sat down this am with a pot of coffee, a bunch of evergreen strips, solder and a razor blade and had FUN!!! And damn, if anyone can ever show me a piccy of a Stranraer cockpit, I'll do it all over. Or not....
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Vernon, BC, Canada
Posted by razordws on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 1:33 AM

Bondo, that Stranraer looks like a beaut!  I'm looking forward to your progress shots.

As for me, finally got started on the Snowberry.  After many days and many cuss words later I finally got the hull to look presentable.  I don't have the same opinion on matchbox quality with this kit Bill.  Anyway, here's a couple of shots...

Putting on the anti-roll bars.  It's fun glueing straight objects on a curved surface. Dunce [D)]

The pile of dust on my desk after much sanding. Grumpy [|(]  (and that's only the dust from the final coat of putty)

The white is out of a rattle can.  Didn't put it on too thick so that it still looks a little off white with the grey underneath.

I've got the WEM paints for the Western approaches camoflauge but I don't think I'll get to it before we leave on holidays on Friday.  

Dave

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 1:48 AM

Did you read The Cruel Sea by Monsarrat? That made a huge impression on me as a young man. Do so.

I am very interested to see you build this. I'm also happy this GB goes forward. There's a Heyford in the lobby, if that Ukrainian order for the Lewis factory ever shows up. Painted the interior RAF green tonight, kind of wish I'd painted those tanks aluminium before they were installed. The pilots harness is a big leather belt across the lap with holes and a buckle!

Thanks, buds.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Vernon, BC, Canada
Posted by razordws on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 2:24 AM
I have not read the book Bill but I have seen the movie.  Great stuff.  I shall see if the local library has the book next time I'm down that way.  Now, time for some Zzz [zzz]

Dave

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Inland Northwest
Posted by Summit on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 10:09 AM

Dave- Your work on the Snowberry looks fantastic. Looks like to me you are whipping those small challenges right in order. Whip

Just what is the length of the hull anyway ?  How can you be sleeping when there are models to be built ?

Sean "I've reached nearly fifty years of age with my system." Weekend GB 2008
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Vernon, BC, Canada
Posted by razordws on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 1:35 PM
Thanks Sean, the hull is just over 34" long.   It'll still fit inside my display cabinet but I may have to add another shelf. 

Dave

  • Member since
    June 2008
Posted by lewbud on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 10:44 PM

Group Captain,

That's a nice piece of kit you've got going on there.  Look forward to more.

Dave,

They have that model in the National Corvette Museum under a photocopy of the memo that named the Corvette.  The builder did a very nice job on it.  In fact it was one of the nicest museum builds I've seen in quite a while.  Look forward to seeing yours.

Buddy- Those who say there are no stupid questions have never worked in customer service.

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 12:50 AM

It has taken some time to sit down and build, but I finally sat down and started the Walrus.

I have the Revell re-box of the MB kit

 

Not a lot done so far, but at least I've got some parts off the sprues.

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:15 PM

Well it is starting to look like an airplane, I've got the lower wings on and the motor built.

 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Thursday, July 23, 2009 1:18 AM

I've been working quite a bit on the Stranraer. All four wings assembled and the undersides doped silver. Buttoned up the fuse and painted the bottom this evening.

Aaron, thank you for the better decals.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Friday, July 31, 2009 3:33 AM

The Stranraer is out of the paint shop, and it was all Humbrol enamels. A bit of a challenge but the colors seem spot on. There's a grey/blue that reminds me of living in Bristol. Although me Scot wants to be in Stranraer, on the coast...

Hats off to Chris Hall. He rules, all of the paints you see are a prop by him. 

Dark Sea Grey and Slate Grey on the lower wings, to create the "shadow effect".

Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Gray everywhere else. 

The interplane struts ars the color of the surface from which they, um, go up.

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
Posted by lewbud on Friday, July 31, 2009 11:21 AM

Bondo,

Looking really good with the paint on her.

Made a little progress on the Lancaster.  My aztek decided it would work so I made up a batch of BIG and shot the interiors of just about every British subject I've got (missed the Fulmar and the Whirlwind thoughSigh [sigh]).  Still haven't decided if I'm going to do a resin pit on her though.

Buddy- Those who say there are no stupid questions have never worked in customer service.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:12 AM

Got the decals on. Thanks to Aaron for giving me his as mine were shattered; they are 40 years old.

I soaked each one for a half hour, brushed off the muselage and let them sit for ten minutes. Then I peeled each one off the paper with tweezers, doing the old lift-flush in solvaset- lift bit until it came up on the tweezer like a contact lans. Layed down in a lake of Solvaset, brushed off the bubbles and flooded with Microsol. They are sleeping in Microsol right now and look like alligator skin, but in the morning I will respect them. I love old kits.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 1:57 AM

The Stranraer has one big problem to solve. I've spent three days working on it in bits, and while not complete, here's a synopsis.

Several weeks ago, absent a front view drawing, the lower wings were attached at a suitable angle based on the box art, and several built kit photos on the www. Well and good.

From right to left- the upper wing installed on the interplane struts, all the rest of the struts installed, and the center and left sections upside down in order to show the mounting points.

There are 12 interplane struts, plus a pair of aileron coordinators. These all are in either slate grey or dark sea grey depending on the surface from whence they spring. All were painted accordingly and detached, then taped to a diagram. I had to make one that was short shot in the kit. Mind, they're not paired, slotted or in any way other than sticks of plastic.

So equipped; the challenge.

There's a set of four on each wing, but they cant outward dramatically and at a pair of angles. And the four in the center that engage the nacelles, from the root of the lower wing, are each at an angle.

Now the hooter- the four in the center, upon which the center section rests, and which must be installed first, are adjustable- the struts go up into a slot without a length defined. But the end sections set the height above the lower wing. Oh but wait, due to the extreme cant of the struts on the outer wings, it wont fit up/down, in/out never the darn mention of fore/aft until the outer is fitted, the center is positioned, the outer is fixed and the center is adjusted. All and so on, seems like the Choir of Saint Martin -in-the-Fields. Therefore I devised a left/ right strategy. In the photo, one outer section is fixed, the center has been the bridesmaid-come and gone, and the other outer has done the same but not until the struts were positioned.

Hardest a/c I've ever built. Bring on the Privateer!

 

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Sunday, October 4, 2009 10:03 PM

The Stranraer is coming along well. I picked one of those up last month, I was surprised at how big it was.

 

Well not a lot but at least the Walrus is getting some paint on it, hopefully by the end of the week it will start to come together.

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Prince George B.C., Canada
Posted by Bullet21 on Monday, October 5, 2009 3:34 PM
Glad to see this thread's still active. Winter is fast aproaching here so I will be able to get some bench time soon, blow some dust off that project and finish it.

 Keep SmilinLiberation of Western Europe'--it makes this world a nicer place.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 10:25 PM

Finished- the Matchbox 1/72 Supermarine Stranraer. All OOB except for a set of exquisite Lewis guns from Ivan at ukmodels. Humbrol paints, including "shadow effect" of the lower wing.

Photographed at San Francisco, October 7 2009. Comments and critques welcome.

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Prince George B.C., Canada
Posted by Bullet21 on Thursday, October 8, 2009 5:04 AM
Man, that looks sweet! Very nice job, Bondoman. I can only assume the dude with the least seniority got the tailgunner position? Again, nice job. Bow [bow]

 Keep SmilinLiberation of Western Europe'--it makes this world a nicer place.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: The Great State of Wyoming
Posted by wyoroy on Thursday, October 8, 2009 7:25 AM
Now thats a great looking aircraft, well done sir.

Roy (Capt. Wyoroy FAAGB/USNFAWGB)

John 3:16

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Thursday, October 8, 2009 12:52 PM

Hey thanks guys! I may totally lose it and breakout the Heyford...

Ivan was kind enough to add as many Lewis guns as I needed with no additional shipping, after all they are about 1/2" long, so I have rather a stash of them.

  • Member since
    June 2008
Posted by lewbud on Thursday, October 8, 2009 11:10 PM

Nice job Capn Bondo sir!  The hangar is clear for the Heyford.  You gotta use up them spares sometime.

Buddy- Those who say there are no stupid questions have never worked in customer service.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Vernon, BC, Canada
Posted by razordws on Friday, October 9, 2009 12:03 AM
Bill, that a very fine looking build!  Thumbs Up [tup]tup]Thumbs Up [tup]  I can't wait to see what you do with the Heyford.  I need to talk to you about where to order those lewis guns from.  I'll be needing a few myself for a project I am working on.

Dave

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.