The Airfix Welcome Back GB from Jan 07 to Dec 07

That would be great, I don't have that particular issue.

Do you have a scanner?

Paul 

Paul,  FSM had an article not to long ago on vacuforming and on making your own box.  I will dig it up when I get home and if you don't have it maybe I can send you the information some how.

This Belvedere canopy is not getting better anytime soon. I can get the outer surface nice and smooth and clear but there is just no space to do anything about the inside surface. No matter what I do there will always be a big seam visible where the 2 halves join together, and not all of it will be painted over. There's a huge gap between the bottom of the canopy and the airframe as well.

I am thinking of just tacking it on for now and completing the model. Then making a vacuform replacement. Never done that before. I've seen it is possible to buy vacform boxes for $100, but there doesn't seem to be much to them so I thought I might try and make one - once the temperature in the shed gets above freezing! What do you all think of that plan?

Paul 

razordws wrote:

Looking good as always Duke.

Well, here in 'balmy' Southern California, at the blistering temperature of 34 degrees, I finally pulled my head out, rocked back and threw.

Here are the pics I promised yeasterday. These are my two projects for this Group Build that are getting close. The first one is my Tigercat, and it is now sporting it's basecoat:

All I have to do is add the pilot, canopy and a few detail parts; paint the details, and then clearcoat anmd she'll be decaled and done!

This next one is my DHC Beaver, sporting a very rough basecoat of brown, over which a green pattern will be painted:

All the parts are on this one, I just have to camo it along with several Humvees and then it'll be ready for clearcoat and decals.

Okay, that's my progress so far. I'll get more done later when I get back from my Nationals planning meeting... 

Paul that canopy is pretty ugly, whew, I do not envy you one bit, good luck!

Toni, Paul and Dave stay posted as I'll probably anounce one in the next little while.

Dave, whats this deep freeze thing you're talking about? Calgary is basking in the warmpth of a nice chinook right now. 

Also Osher, I might also do two Airfix kits as I might be able to get my hands on an Arado Ar196 float plane.  I'll let you know the second I get it.

Gald to see you're back on line Osher, many of us here in Canada and the States will be really jealous right now as we are caught in a bit of a deep freeze.

Duke, looking forward to seeing some pics!

My opinion: yes! Especially since you put so much more into it than a Tamigawa. Still, I do love to build the Dragon 'shake n bake' kits too, because they go together so well and I can finish them quick! But I do derive a great amount of satisfaction from making an old Airfix kit look great. I love when people say what a great model I made, and then get blown away when I tell them it's an old Airfix kit!

This Tigercat was giving me some problems but now it is close to being finished. I'll try to get pics up later.

Hello from the Caribbean!  OK, the list is updated!  Yes, building some Airfix kits does teach you a lot about modelling.  Sanding, filling, re-scribing, scratchbuilding.  The thing is, is a completed Airfix kit more satisfying than a Tamigawa?

jboutin wrote:

taxtp(Tony) and Razerdws(Dave) and for that matter anyone else whom is interested, I would love to host another Canadian GB, I didn't do one this last year because of obvious reasons but I'll keep you all posted.  Tony, was this baby your first? when/what did you have? My little boy (Matthew) was born May 23 and very soon will be 8 months!  He is looking so big, boy time sure flies!

Cheers

Tony 

jboutin wrote:

taxtp(Tony) and Razerdws(Dave) and for that matter anyone else whom is interested, I would love to host another Canadian GB, I didn't do one this last year because of obvious reasons but I'll keep you all posted.

I'll definately sign up for that one! I was in the 2005 Canadian GB, but, missed the 2006 because, well, I was moving to Canada. I have a few Canadian kits in my stash. Got a CF-100 coming close to completion actually.

taxtp(Tony) and Razerdws(Dave) and for that matter anyone else whom is interested, I would love to host another Canadian GB, I didn't do one this last year because of obvious reasons but I'll keep you all posted. 

Tony, was this baby your first? when/what did you have? My little boy (Matthew) was born May 23 and very soon will be 8 months!  He is looking so big, boy time sure flies!

Hi all,

Have had my head down for a while, nose to the grindstone as it were, finishing my deadlined SF scratchbuild, but with the article in the mail tomorrow (yeah, yeah, I know -- the pigs are on the runway, ready for takeoff...) I'll get a shot at a few other projects. My Dora is ready for primer, so I might as well switch her to the Welcome Back GB, then go on to other subjects from there. I've got a hankering for a Seaking in gloss yellow British search-and-rescue markings...

Paul, the Belvedere is a build I'll be following with interest, having picked up several from Model Expo years ago, mostly for SF conversions (good donor shapes). There's a Belvedere in the RAF Museum, Hendon, quite a piece of machinery up close, and I got photos -- I'll see about posting a pic for reference.

Cheers,

TB379

Paul, I like your philosophy.  You'll never learn as much about model building from a new Hasegawa kit as you will an old Airfix.  Learned that in the Farewell group build.  Good luck on the canopy.  Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.  Sounds like you've got a good plan for working on it.

Duke, looking good so far.  Keep the pics coming.

I haven't forgotten about this GB, but I got started on another GB right after the new year and that has taken up most of my modeling time so far.  I plan on starting by the end of the month, though.  Still love to see everyones progress.  Now . . . when is the new Airfix going to rerelease the TSR2?

Hi Dave,

I agree with you - any alternative would be better than this. It actually looks like a big lump or rock in the photo. I hadn't thought of using a dremel polishing pad, thanks for the idea, I will definately do that as a final step before the future.

I like to try and improve or learn at least one skill/technique with each kit. I think there will be a lot or learning and improving going on with this one. I didn't think it would be quite this bad. Guess I should have known better for an old. old kit. 

Paul 

Here's a bit of an update of what I have done so far.

As you can see the fuselage is together, with the first line of filler in place and waiting to be sanded down later tonight. Lots of filler yet to come!

This canopy came in 2 parts and so has a seam up the middle. The 2 parts didn't fit together well, hence the sanding taking place. I've never had to sand a clear part before so I am thinking that using progressively finer sanding sticks and a final dip in future is the way to solve this? Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated. Most of the canopy join will be painted over, so as long as the join is smooth it shouldn't be too bad. Quite why this was molded in 2 parts beats me!

Paul 

Thanks Tony! And to show that I haven't been lax, here is my progress so far on this model:

This first one is a kit that I won in one of my IPMS club's Distressed Kit Auction for two dollars. It had already been started, as someone sanded all the rivet detail off, and was probably going to re-scribe the panel lines. Instead, they donated it to the club for the auction and I'm finishing it now.

There are other Airfix models in my stash that I may also start for this Group Build. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more progress on this beaver. 

Duke - A beaver, nice.

Jay - any chance of another Canadian GB ? I couldn't get mine done for the last one due to a baby in the family too, but I'm still keen to do a T-33.

Cheers

Tony 

It is the old Revell USA 1:570 kit.  Very rough on detail but I think a careful hand can make it into a respectable looking ship.   

I dunno about the Bf-110c/d.  I want to rescibe it like I did for the Bolingbroke I did for the Canadian GB (I found it was kind of fun...and satisfying ).  I am also going to try my hand at vacuforming the canopy as the kit supplied is so freaking thick I doubt I could snap it with my hands!  In an FSM article last year there was an article about vacuforming your own canopy and it had plans for your own vacuforming box so I made one. I haven't tried it out yet but we'll see soon.  I want to do it this year and if Darson hosts another BoB GB I will be in it for sure. 

Babies are loads of fun but they really cut into your personal time...  no really, I have loved every minute with Matthew and would never trade it for anything.  So it takes me longer to do any builds now, I don't care, this hobby is supposed to be relaxing and stress relieving.

Jay, A floater eh?  What scale is that thing... 1/400?  All I can say is great minds think alike.  Check out what I am building for the "In your stash" GB.  Hee hee!  It was a Christmas present.  I am almost finished my Spanish Civil War build and the Battle of Britain build is stalled at about half done.  I committed to building a Do 217 for this build as that was all that was in my stash (except for the Lancaster kit but with the Hasegawa kit waiting in the wings I'm not likely going to build the airfix Lanc) and I am on a spending freeze for awhile.  I won't likely get to the Do 217 until the summer or later.

So when are you going to build that airfix Me 110?

Thanks for the encouragement Dave (as if I need any more).  I've been lurking and posting the odd comment here and there.  It seems there are a lot of new faces/avatars.  Also when I'm not doing much there doesn't seem much need to say anything.  I also joined the Revell-Monogram GB as I just started their Titanic Kit - whoa now there is a rough kit.  I'll try my best though but hey, for 1$ who can complain!

What say you, a ship... It was a garage sale special , I like the story of the Titanic and it is a beautiful ship so why not try my hand with a floater, although it didn't stay afloat very long did it?

I did finish my Dragon 1:72 T-34 a week before Christmas but I just haven't found the time to upload the pics to the Armor forum yet. Keep looking as I plan on doing it this week (fingers crossed!).  I'll say this, I will be building more targets er.. I mean Tanks!  It took me about  a month to do the T-34 and I loved it, for the amont of time I've been taking lately, that was a fast build!

Oh yeah and remember the Spitfire I was doing for the Allied Aces GB, well, I just have to finish the stripes (probably tonight) and then future, decals and some fidly bits then voila!  I would say another two months....

Ahh.. the good old boys are back.  I wanted to aprticipate in the other Airfix Farewell GB but time skipped away on me.  Given that this is a whole year, I can definately do this.  I have two to choose from, the BF-110c/d and the Tornado GR.mk.4, both in 1:72 (Dave I am slowly being converted....). 

So count me in!!!

<<EDIT - I guess I'll do the Tornado as I double checked the rules and since I have a vacuform canopy and photoetch set for the bf-110 I won't doing it for this GB>>