The Airfix Farewell GB from now until 1st Jan 2007

jboutin wrote:

Hey all, I know I said I'd do a 1:72 tornado but looking at my timing schedules for the next while, I highly doubt I'll get it started before January (I have three kits in the queue ahead of it).  So I'll have to bow out.  Sorry.

Pity, but hey, understandable!  Good luck with the builds

Hey all, I know I said I'd do a 1:72 tornado but looking at my timing schedules for the next while, I highly doubt I'll get it started before January (I have three kits in the queue ahead of it).  So I'll have to bow out.  Sorry.

osher wrote:

>>The 1/48 Tornado kit is a bit of a dog.  I've only ever seen one done really well, and that was by Airfx themselves!  I've tried the GR.1 kit, and, well, seriously, it needs loads of filler.<<

I am finding that! The kit is the GR.1 with an extra sprue including Paveway III bombs and the GR.4 laser designator chin pod. Otherwise it is horrible, but we are commemorating Airfix, warts and all. I have decided to build it exactly as the maker intended, so I am leaving the raised panel lines and minimal detail cockpit intact; all I'm gonna do is putty up the gaps and sand down the steps into something approaching respectability!

Best of luck to one and all with your builds!

Al.

Well, I glued the fuselage together on my Spitfire IX, and hte fit was pretty good. Almost no sanding and little filler will be needed. If I would've taken a bit more time to test fit and maybe sanded down the fuselage bits, I probably could've gotten away with no filler.

Then I test fitted the wings. The left wing top nestled down nicely on the lower wing. The right side's pins didn't even line up correctly with the lower wing piece. After sanding them down, i taped the wing panels in place and test fitted to the fuselage.

Ugh.

So tonight I'll be breaking out the sanding sticks and really working on mating the wings to the fuselage. I may try glueing the upper wing parts to the fuselage, then the lower wing on. It'll still need work, but the work will be on the wingtips- not the wing roots.

It's kind of interesting to compare with my Tamiya P-47D Razorback, which is at virtually the same stage in the building process. Their is a spar to slign the wings, and each wing just slid on and fit perfectly. I swear I could leave it in place without glue and it would just work.

Still- both present fun challenges. The Airfix kit makes you really think about how to make it fit together, and if you don't let it frustrate you, it can be a fun challenge. The satisfaction from the build finishing up good comes from knowing how much thought and work you put into it. The Tamiya kit goes together so easy, but it really challenges me on the final finish. It's like having a darn near perfect canvas to paint. So both provide fun, and different ways of utilizing your modeling brain.

Anyway- should have pics this weekend of the process with the Spitfire!

Pruz, welcome!  The 1/48 Tornado kit is a bit of a dog.  I've only ever seen one done really well, and that was by Airfx themselves!  I've tried the GR.1 kit, and, well, seriously, it needs loads of filler.  Mine is still part built, waiting for that day I can go back to the dragon's den!  Anyway, good luck, and I hope it works out.  Can't wait to see how you get on.

Wow!  That Fw-190 is simply stunning!  I just can't believe it's the Airfix kit.  Just shows what an excellent finish can do.

My MiG has not moved on a week.  Amazing how life just flies by sometimes.  I need to touch up where the masking wasn't so good (or where I was a klutz and dabbed the fuselage with black, but let's not talk about that!).  After that, apply canopy, paint it in. add in the guns and wheels, and, er, that's it.  Sounds so easy when ones says it like that.  I'm just wondering what the next, er, interesting challenge will be.

Looking excellent on that Spitfire jwb!  Funny, can't remember seeing that one sale here.  Nicely painted, and nice you're having fun.  That is the purpose of this GB after all!  It's a celebration of Airfix, not a challenge to build the best (if it was, my MiG would certainly not be anywhere near the top!).

Ouch, that's serious warpage jeff!  Many kits have it, but that's bad!  Good luck with sorting it out.  Let us know how you did it?

Hey traveller, if you need more time, sure!  No problem, this isn't a race.  Hope the holiday time is relaxing.  Mine disappeared rapidly...

Hi - Alan P (aka Pruz) with:

1/48 Tornado GR.4, 617 Sqn Dambusters - count me in, please!

I think Airfix will rise from the ashes again...!

 

Hi Karl,

Thanks for the link, that's a terrific site! The color profiles are excellent and will sure help. It looks like the upper surface camo is two shades of green (darker than Yellow 10's) over pale gray, with a schwartzgrun upper cowling panel -- any thoughts on the actual RLM codes?

I have an article on a Jv 44 build-up from many years ago but can't find the mag, it was in the early years of TMMI. I'll compare Airfix's instructions with the profile paintings but the Humbrol paint shades quoted will not be as close a match as the Testor RLM group.

I'm looking forward to this project -- a simple kit and a quick build, but the opportunity for a spectacular finish.

Can't wait to see Yellow 10 finished!

Cheers,

TB379

I went through the exercise earlier this year of comparing different 1:48 Spitfire cockpit sets etc. Basically, the True Details (NOT the ex-KMC) cockpit is best value-for-money, however I think the ex-KMC one has a better seat. Notwithstanding that, a very good seat can be had by doing a little bit of work on the Airfix seat, mainly:

• reducing its height by 2mm
• thinning down the sides, and filing/sanding the leather padding to suit the new contours of the lower seat height
• Adding other details to suit, including
• Eduard (or other) Sutton Harness.

As for the IP, I'd go for an Eduard 'color zoom' as suitable for either the Hase or Tam spitfire v.

By the way, the seat should probably be a redder shade of brown. If you have oils, you could try to emulate the swirly colours of the old bakelite (the Spitfire's seat was an early form of plastic, except where padded with leather etc, or where armour was applied, naturally).

OK, I haven't been just making things up- I really am working on a kit. Progress pics!

This is the 1/48 scale Spitfire Mk IXc/XVIe. I'm about ready to put the cockpit components in and close it up. Not the most detailed office I've seen, but not bad either. It's a fun, relaxing OOB build.

First- the box art:



Here's the IP. Not much molded in detail. If Airfix would've included an IP decal, it woulda been nice.



Here are the fuselage halves. Lots of detail that could've been added, either with resin or scratch build. I'll save that for the Airfix Mk. V!





Here it is all together, including the seat.



Having fun so far!

Karl, the Dora looks great, especially the mottle!!! (thumbs up)

Thunder, glad you like the Dora.

Considering its age it's not a bad little kit, even straight out of the box.

As for JV 44 references, try this link:

http://www.luftarchiv.de/

Switch to English navigation, unless your German is particularly good. Under 'Mission Briefing' there is a section on JV44, including a profile of Red 1.

Progress Update

The Dora has been matt coated, and is now being left to cure before I start the weathering.

Karl

Hi Karl,

The Dora looks superb!!! Firstly, it's hard to credit it's 1:72, and secondly it's hard to believe it's an Airfix kit! Just goes to show, finshing skill makes all the difference!

I was holding off on my own Dora to see which paint scheme you did, as I fancy Red 1/Jv 44 but didn't want to double-up if that was the one you chose. I guess I'm all clear to rip into it -- all I need now is a reliable reference. I've noticed each of the Jv 44 planes seems to have been different at a detail level, at least one was a D-11 IIRC. Can you recommend a good source for the camo pattern and RLM colours on Red 1? I've had no luck yet serching the web.

Been busy -- working on a Sabre conversion, a tank to test some techniques and an SF scratchbuild all at once, unfortunately none of them Airfix!

Cheers,

TB379

Osher, nice job on the Mig, post some pics.

Jeff, that is some serious warpage!

Progress Update

Decals went on Monday night, in record time. This had a lot to do with the limited number of decals supplied with the kit. As it was I only used the 10 and the JG 26 badge decs from the kit sheet, using an Eaglestrike set for the national insignia, with some Revell decals from the spares box for a few stencils.



I then applied another coat of Future, before applying a watercolour wash to the recessed detail, particularly the wheel bays.



These then received a gentle dry brush, I use RLM 76 to highlight over RLM 02.



The Dora is now in the paintshop again, where these pics were taken, receiving a coat of matt.

Karl

jeff wrote:

And how's this for warpage!  I'm thinking of soaking them in my bathtub in hot water to see if I can straighten them out some.  Once forced together, though, they actually fit quite well, and the recessed panel lines line up perfectly.

I'd be interested to know how that works out- sounds like a good idea. How will you do it?

I think that a lot of kits moulded at Trun had considerable warpage. Coincidence?

Try using CA instead of poly cement, and you might have less grief. I have a B-29 wing that is really badly warped, but using CA won't help that, it needs some sort of reinforcement as well. On the other hand, the 1:48 Buccaneer fuselages just need to be gradually glued with CA, from nose to tail.

Well here it is.  My box top pic for my group build project:

 

And how's this for warpage!  I'm thinking of soaking them in my bathtub in hot water to see if I can straighten them out some.  Once forced together, though, they actually fit quite well, and the recessed panel lines line up perfectly. 

Looking forward to getting started.  More to come.

Finally sprayed some color on the Spitfire IX tonight. I always a/b the interior and interior parts black before the actual interior color, to act as a sort of preshade. So I've officially begun! Woohoo!

It looks like a MiG to me.

osher wrote:

OK, here's the latest on the MiG.  I applied the black (nose and walkways), but botched the masking.

When you say you botched the masking, do you mean that you should have masked the leading edge root (according to the colour scheme)?

Woohoo!  My E-3D arrived in the mail yesterday.  This sucker is big, even in 1/72nd scale.  I'll try to post some box pics asap.  Unfortunately, my inlaws are in town and one is sleeping in my workroom, which doubles as our spare bedroom, but I hope to sneak in now and then and at least start on a few of the little things.  Also, the decal sheet is in rough shape (I bought the kit preowned) but I think I can salvage most of it.  Maybe I can find a replacement, if anyone made one.

I have been trying to work on my Vulcan, first I botch up the painting on the air intakes, which means I have to start again!!!!!!! Also, the family keeps on interrupting me with all their requests to look after nephews, lawns etc!! I have no time to sit down and relax with a build. Even though I am single, and a shiftworker, I have never been so busy as I am now!!! I will be on annual leave in 2 weeks and 4 days time, so I hope Ican do a few kits then. I will be off to Melbourne for a show in late November, and I want to finish a Jaguar by then! I hope you guys are doing OK with your projects, as mine have stalled again.

OK, here's the latest on the MiG.  I applied the black (nose and walkways), but botched the masking.  How?  I don't know!  Anyway, I've done some touching up, and looking better, but more touching up is needed.  The masking tape also lifted some of the decals, in this case, bits of the numbers.  A few dabs of lightened black, and they look OK from 2' away!.  Remember my damaged canopy?  Well sanding, and dunking in Klear (Future), and it looks fantastic!  Really pleased with that.

rudy_102 wrote:

I'm still doing the Chipmunk, FYI.   DO NOT IGNORE!!!!!!

eh... what was that you said?

I'm still doing the Chipmunk, FYI.

 

DO NOT IGNORE!!!!!!

OK, all updated, including DURR's 3 Chipmunks

KJ200 wrote:

Osher, update the front page before Rudy blows a gasket!Karl

Yikes!  Ooops, sorry Rudy!

Rudy, trying to part the mists of time here, but I believe I built the 111 years ago.  The only thing I remember is that it wasn't easy!  Good luck, and keep us updated on how it goes.

Hey Karl, the Dora is looking pretty nice.

Osher, update the front page before Rudy blows a gasket!

Jon, you're right. The main thing is to take your time, that and mask every other surface of the airframe, so that if you do have to re-do the base coat, you don't end up base coating everything else. I learnt that the hard way!

Karl

Hey, thanks everyone for ingnoring me. For the 3rd time, my second entry will be their 1/72 F-111E.