Fleet Air Arm Group Build

simpilot34 wrote:

Brian, looking mighty good so far!!!! When I first glanced at the pic I thought it was an A-4, then I realized it was a Harrier!!!

Heh heh, you know Richie now that you say that it does look like a Skyhawk with the wings down low

Brian

bondoman wrote:

new1 wrote: when does this group build end? Note that USN builds are still welcome and in the landing pattern. Welcome aboard, grab a mug.

{in a pirate voice}

i weren't too sure cause the front page be sayin may 09, i be thinkin,  if the deadline be on the last day, i be runnin out of time. i actually starrrrrted in april 08...   

"Incoming Aircraft!!"

"Hey! The CAG is back!"

Hello Chaps! How the devil are you?  I say-one is very thirsty y'know! Drinks in the mess? Delightful!

Hello Everyone! Apologies for my long absence-I have been away to Normandy to pay my respects to thye fallen and visit some truly remarkable places with the men of my local Royal Air Force Association  (RAFA) Upon my return to the UK from France, I was straight back on duty at work and life pretty much has not stopped since. There is much to tell of my time in France and I am currently writing it all down as and when time allows in order to preserve my memory in later years. I do say though, with some authority that I will never forget standing at the graves of so many servicemen. It is quite an emotional experience to be sure. May God bless them all.

Here are a few random pics from my trip: 

It was an amazing trip,if you ever get the opportunity to go I highly recommend it. Also, this June sees the 65th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings on D-day. With this in mind, please spare a thought for all of those who gave so much for our freedom in WWII.

OK,  I've fired an update to Page 1 and I hope i've included all of this years crew.

If I have not-please advise.

Also, there has been a heck of a lot of work going on here! Well done! I have not read through all the pages of the last few weeks, but if any of you want your completed builds on our gallery on Page1 please PM your favourtite pic and I'll host & post it for you.

So..........what am I building? In line with the Fleets Air Arm 100 years, I will build this:

Then, a FAA Avenger that was based just down the road from where I live now:

This is the actual airframe that I will build, using the 1/48 AM kit as a base.

Now I just need to finish that Arnhem dio that I'm working on.......

Back Darren!!!!! What a wonderful trip!!!!! Just awe inspiring and emotional!!!!! My french teacher in high school made it a point to have the Normandy invasions as part of her classes in '84 because her uncle was one of the Rangers to scale Point Du Hoc!!!! It would have been the 40th anniversary then, my how time flies!!! Seeing the cemetary there......If you ever go to Holland let me know please!

Looking forward to your builds!!!! Very nice looking dio as well!!!

Many thanks Rich!

It was a very special journey and one worth making. I stood at point du hoc and heard the events of the first day, seeing the craters, bunkers and bullet holes when one is there sends a sense of reality to the minds eye. Those lads fought bloody hard, the evidence is there for all to see.

I would like to go to Holland one day, if it ever happens I'll let you know.

Welcome back aboard, Sir!

Excellent choice for your FAA build- I saw those decals recently on Hyperscale and seriously thought about getting myself a set.  The BAE Hawk is one of my favorite jets, and those are some of the coolest markings I have seen for one.

I am quite envious of your trip, hope I am able to make it across the pond someday.  Thanks for sharing the pics, incredible stuff!

Thanks X/O!

Good to be back.

Welcome back, CAG!  I have two other builds I'd like you to add when there is time in the secret workshop to do that.  Underway is a 1/72 Fortress II (1/72 Academy) and then a Tamiya 1/48 Beaufighter TF Mk X.  What a wonderful trip it must have been, thanks for the pictures.

But about this Admiral thing, I thought my main job here was to man the bilge party??

Ahoy CAG!  Great to see you back on board.  Captain Bondo has clamped the irons on us, but we fed him extra rum rations till he passed out and did what we wanted to anyways .  Lots of great pictures from your trip....looks like a once in a lifetime adventure!  Looking forward to more great work from me fellow scallywags!

Brian

jeaton01 wrote:

But about this Admiral thing, I thought my main job here was to man the bilge party??

CAG the thing is several of the men, to wit Aaron and John, jumped of'n the Dolphin Striker wittout their, um, kit. Piccies show they left the rest of us in their lee, ergo I had to clap Aaron in irons. John ye see fit a make a Officer, an I bow to that, although the little incident wit' the grave robbers in Trinidad may re-sway yer mind, but i'd recall john were barkin' commands from the Magister at that time.

Let the flogging begin.

Rum may soon find it's way up the shipping lane towards Reno, as your faithful correspondent has meetings in East Sacto next week an may'nt find time to wander up the Capital Freeway.

John. OT but I have a project I need to do. PM incoming.

bondoman wrote:

jeaton01 wrote: But about this Admiral thing, I thought my main job here was to man the bilge party?? Would yer nibs like a spot of toast wit' is Claret? Whitewash yer boots? I've got boys to assign, if'n yer Holiness be so obliged! CAG the thing is several of the men, to wit Aaron and John, jumped of'n the Dolphin Striker wittout their, um, kit. Piccies show they left the rest of us in their lee, ergo I had to clap Aaron in irons. John ye see fit a make a Officer, an I bow to that, although the little incident wit' the grave robbers in Trinidad may re-sway yer mind, but i'd recall john were barkin' commands from the Magister at that time. Let the flogging begin.

Jeaton01-We need an Admiral! You just got press-ganged, so put those stars on mister!

Bondoman- By thunder! I did not know of kitless jumping o'the Dolphin Striker!

Put them to the gunners daughter.!

bondoman wrote:

Thank God there are free terminals to use, at least here. In the Courtroom no. I can just see it now- me on the laptop. "Juror 97, have you everyknown anyone in Law Enforcement?" "Oh yes, your Honor, AgentG, Wirraway, Tango1, Stickpusher, and then there's all the other riffraff Ma'am".

"You don't know who I am and I was never here......................."

Hey-anyone seen Roy, 'Nam and Desertrat?

Are they with us on this years cruise?

TANGO 1 wrote:

Hey-anyone seen Roy, 'Nam and Desertrat? Are they with us on this years cruise?

No Sir, have not heard anything from any of them.

TANGO 1 wrote:

Hey-anyone seen Roy, 'Nam and Desertrat?

Ar, I wish not to be a rat to me fellow mateys, but I last seen said fine shipmates drunk on rum.  They commandeered the port side dinghy and were talkin 'bout a little privateering on the high seas fer a lil bit o fun before reportin' back fer duty

Brian

Johnny glad to hear you don't need surgery, really good news!!!!!!!!

Have the 'Cat warmed up and taking volunteers for a search party!!!!!! Plenty of fuel in the tanks so won't be back till morning light!!!!

 What did I do to get shackeled in the stocks this time?

I think Bondo was attempting to keep me under wraps so not to make the CAG aware of my suspicions to his involvement with our missing crew!

 Been working way WAY to much! Time off has been most precious and I apologise for my absence.

Darren thanks so much for the Normandy Pics!  Always a very sombering reflection for me when I see such memorials.  Glad you had a great and memorable trip!

Johnny glad to hear the good news and hope your recovery goes well and quickly!

 No word from our missing fellows I am sad to say.

 Hmmmm apparently the CAG has been unstirred by my builds so I must double my efforts!

Ahoy and behold the Albacore is coming in for a landing!

The 1/48 Special Hobby Fairey Albacore Mark I.

 The  incredible inside details were not matched externally. Many highly visable items were omitted such as foot holds, Ordinace, ( I scratched the torpedo.. how'd I do?) and a very complex and complicated rigging with hardware on the Bi-plane wing. All added to try to give a good representation of this gooney bird!

 Trying to work on my photo skills as well as my modeling skill. My thanks to Sean and Frank for their help in getting me started to create better pics.

Thanks for looking and comments critics and rum is all most welcome! 

Gotta fly but I'll be back building real soon!  Gotta impress the CAG eventually.

That's great news John!

Aaron- You have been quite busy from the looks of it!  Love that Albacore, and your "fish" looks spot on to me.  Nicely done, and the combo of rigging + canopy masking must have made it a bit more of a chore.  Usually, you have one or the other- not often both!  Well done my friend.

Thanks Frank and John!  Actually doing a limited run kit that has the normal issues regarding fit and clean up made it very challenging. The Biplane config and zero part placement aids made getting the 4 wings at the proper dyhedral a real task. The rigging took a lot of effort to get right. No ref to it at all in the instructions but clearly shown on the box art extc.

 I again used pictures of the actual aircraft to find details that would make it look like it was given some proper attention.  Capt Bondo would not stand fer less I say!

 That being said let me show a few and give a brief history. This is my rapid tempory photo set up.

The Fairey Albacore was designed in 1938 as a replacement for the more famous Fairey Swordfish.  Other than having a closed canopy it really couldn't do anything any better than the ol Sring bag so the Swordfish it was to replace actually exceeded it in service life.

 That being said the Albacore had it's moments. Entering service in 1940 just prior to the Battle of Britain, it was used with sucess against the German E-boats that were lurking after dark in the Channel. One confirmed sinking is credited.

My model represents A Mark I  L7114 , Moana II piloted by Lt.Cdr Tuke which was damaged by a BF 109 during one of these patrols over the channel in 1940.

  The Albacore saw most action in the Mediterranean, most notably during the battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941 and in defense of Malta reaching their peak in 1942.  800 Albacores were produced from 1938 until 1943 service in combat actions from the Artic Circle to the Indian Ocean.

 So though not a replacement for the Swordfish it was by no means a flop as I had first thought. The deployment of the Barracuda was the true swansong for the type.

It was a lot of work with tiny parts and a finicky fit but I am happy with how it turned out.

Now whats next?

Well done sir. Well done.

Life has utterly floored me just now, and have put in 15 more hours on the PBY that must not be Nam'D.

Gentlemen, on the watch pipe aboard the LtCmdr for the Tuna, the Fairey Albacore.

Tomorrow I'll probably finish the firebomber from Nam and get further into Mamma, Aiuto. Then the Stranraer, then the F-82, then the Whitley. Good thing I don't have to buy another model in this lifetime.

Captain Bondo, RN and the more of them at once the merrier.

Aaron,

Nice build. Considering your choice of kits for the last couple of builds, I think you've earned the right to a Tamiya kit, or at the very least an old Monogram kit.

Darren,

Welcome back.  Looks like you had one heck of a trip.  Thanks for the pics, I hope to make it across the pond one day to see those sights myself.  You wouldn't happen to know where I could get those decals would you?  Perhaps you or someone else can tell me what color greys are on the bird I'm building.  Here's a link to a pic www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Navy/EHI-EH-101-Merlin/1171227/L/

Aaron, the Albacore is spot on!  Your scratch built torp looks plenty good to me!  Well done all around.....

Brian