Fleet Air Arm Group Build

An extra rum ration for the Master Chief to be sure!  Sounding the alert that this Gb had slipped to page 2.  Gents, THIS WILL NOT DO!!! 

It's been quite a while since the last roll call, so I think it proper to do a head count.  I understand that life and work schedules may prohibit most from attending roll call at the same time, but hopefully everyone here will be able to check in at some point in the next 24 hours.

XO, sounding off.

Summit wrote:

Bondo - You have been building some really nice models here lately and in a Very Quick Manner. You need to share your secrets....  Question - What type of thinner are you using with your Humbrol paints ?  I sprayed some humbrol a few weeks back thinned with MM Universal Enamel Thinner # 8824 . The paint sprayed very nice and smooth but took almost 2 1/2 days to dry enough for handling.. Also where do you find all those nice resin bits / guns you use ? LHS or Mail order

I have settled on Lacquer thinner for Humbrol. It dries fast, if flat. Mineral spirits stay gloss, but like you say take a while to dry. Humbrol doesn't need much thinner, either. I'm just a huge fan of their British greens- they have that look just right.

Gun barrels from Quickboost, per a tip from Aaron, canopies from Falcon and the Mk2 radar from Paragon. Thats a funny one- the Frog ones looked better because they're round, but they're also way too small.

One minor miracle is that the decals are really good still. That Shackleton looks more promising by the minute.

jeaton01 wrote:

bondoman wrote: Here comes the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, half baked on the half shell, and damn yer eyes. FROG in 1/72. Bill, you must have kissed that frog just right because it's starting to look like a, er, Princess!  And those pitot things on the tail are probably balance weights for the rudders to raise the flutter speed.

Bondo, that is looking awesome my friend!!!   Especially considering it's a Frog.

Frank, what can I say, your the King of the Corsair in all it's many colour coats!!! 

bondoman wrote:

Here comes the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, half baked on the half shell, and damn yer eyes. FROG in 1/72.

Bill, you must have kissed that frog just right because it's starting to look like a, er, Princess!  And those pitot things on the tail are probably balance weights for the rudders to raise the flutter speed.

Darren - I always look forward to seeing your completed projects.  I really am envious of your builds due to the passion you put in each one to make them show stoppers .

Frank - What a fantastic looking crosair. I really like the paintwork and the colors. Tamiya Acrylics ?  I think a spiral on the prop hub would really add to it.

Bondo - You have been building some really nice models here lately and in a Very Quick Manner. You need to share your secrets....  Question - What type of thinner are you using with your Humbrol paints ?  I sprayed some humbrol a few weeks back thinned with MM Universal Enamel Thinner # 8824 . The paint sprayed very nice and smooth but took almost 2 1/2 days to dry enough for handling.. Also where do you find all those nice resin bits / guns you use ? LHS or Mail order

 CPt Bondo! Where do I start at? The Doors turned out fantastic! The Resin guns in 1/72 are very sharp looking and the paint job top notch!  Makes me wanna get a Fresca!

 Nam in place I wondered whee he'd ran off too again!

Here comes the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, half baked on the half shell, and damn yer eyes. FROG in 1/72.

Pics followed by explannies because yer nibs the Cap'n needs a pic to "speak to"

Extra Dark Sea Grey over Dark Slate Grey, over white. All Humbrol.

Interior RAF green exceppie the turrets which'll be black.Had to drill out all those little windows, plus the radiator intakes. Added the pitots on the tails, plus the landing lite recess and eventual lens.

Nammie is in place, drop that charge!

Bits and parts mostly gray. 

ASV Mark II radar PE from Paragon. The FROG cast bits looked good, but they're about 1/120!!

Scratched up the two turrets. Fraser Nash in the rear and I made another one (not shown) for a future build.

The old ale can doors, with interior bracing. Nice.

Time to go pet "Dragon":

Daywalker wrote:

Finally!  A bit of progress to show on the FAA Corsair.  During the last couple of days, I gave her a coat of Future and added the decals.  The roundels and fin flash are from Techmod, while the code letter/number and serials are from Sky Models.  The Techmod decals performed very well, laying down smoothly and pulling themselves down into the panel lines with a bit of solvent.  The Sky Models decals were not so nice, with horrible silvering under the serials.  Many episodes of swearing, pricking with a sharp blade, and solvaset got most of silvering to go away.  There is still a couple of tiny sposts, but I can live with it.  Here's how she looks:

Oh yes..............very nice, mmmmmmmmm............................................

You have done well young Daywalker!

Richie, Aaron- Many thanks fellas!  Glad you are enjoying it.  An FAA Corsair has eluded me for a couple of years now... In fact- it was the first build I was doing here 2 and a hlaf years ago in the opening days of the FAAGB!

So Sean likes those Corsairs now, eh?  I shall be certain to bombard him with Corsair photos from this day forth!

Finally!  A bit of progress to show on the FAA Corsair.  During the last couple of days, I gave her a coat of Future and added the decals.  The roundels and fin flash are from Techmod, while the code letter/number and serials are from Sky Models.  The Techmod decals performed very well, laying down smoothly and pulling themselves down into the panel lines with a bit of solvent.  The Sky Models decals were not so nice, with horrible silvering under the serials.  Many episodes of swearing, pricking with a sharp blade, and solvaset got most of silvering to go away.  There is still a couple of tiny sposts, but I can live with it.  Here's how she looks:

Supergroovy, Dude! Very tight little build!

Did you see the article about the Scimitar? There was a short discussion abt a FAA specification for gearless a/c that landed on a flexible carrier deck(!?!?) Like to see that.

Thanks Dave!

I'm really glad you fella's like this one-Cheers!

simpilot34 wrote:

sfcmac wrote:  Darren ! You always come up with the most appropriate and remarkable builds for this GB!  Just wonderful and one would never realize the pains it gave you!  You make it look so easy when I know it isn't!   Again a frantastikcalaculous build! WOW That looks great Darren!!!!!!!!!! Lose the base as well!!!! EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!

  frantastikcaliclous!!!  (I like that word Aaron )  Beautiful build Darren!  Me likes it a lot. 

Many thanks lads!

And for my next build........................................................

sfcmac wrote:

Darren ! You always come up with the most appropriate and remarkable builds for this GB!  Just wonderful and one would never realize the pains it gave you!  You make it look so easy when I know it isn't!   Again a frantastikcalaculous build!

WOW That looks great Darren!!!!!!!!!! Love the base as well!!!! EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!

John- Sorry to hear about your nephew, I will keep him in my prayers.

Darren- WOOHOO!   Excellent work on that Hawk, and the paint scheme is the coolest I have ever seen on one of those.  Very, very well done mate!

OK gents, its taken a long time but here it is. This is my first completed build for this years GB. Its the 1/48 Airfix Hawk T.1A in the markings of XX159 which was painted in special livery to celebrate 100 years of the Fleet Air Arm.

Hope you like her.

Picture taken by me of XX159 at the Royal International Air Tattoo this summer.

My build.

John,

so sorry to hear of your nephew's accident, I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers. 

simpilot34 wrote:

Aaron, I like what goes into some of the costumes better than the costumes!!!

Johnny my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours as well!!!! I know all about deer and cars, they don't mix!!!!!!! Hope for a speedy recovery!!!

Aaron, I like what goes into some of the costumes better than the costumes!!!