Stew Dapple Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Finished this last night, the Special Hobby Blackburn Roc: I enjoyed building this very much, though it was not without its problems - mostly caused by me, I had a disaster with the turret which was at least 50% my fault and resulted in my having to replace it with the turret from the MPM Defiant, which fortunately fitted perfectly (as it should do, of course). I replaced the gun barrels with Master brass ones, they are very beautiful and I think they were worth the expense. The aerial wire is lycra thread, apart from that it is OOB and went together surprisingly easily and well - I was expecting more grief from a short-run kit but I suppose there is a lot less difference between a mainstream kit and a short-run kit than there once was. There are several very interesting and varied colour schemes with this kit, any one of which I would have been happy with but I chose one from 806 RNAS based at HMS Sparrowhawk at Hatston in the Orkneys in early 1940. I used Precision Paints Sky Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Extra Dark Sea Grey for the camouflage, the black underwing was a mix of Humbrol 67 and Revell 8 and the white underwing was a mix of the sky grey and Humbrol 130 Satin White. Varnish was a mix of Xtracolor Flat and Satin varnishes at about 3:1. Sorry about the quality of the pictures, that's my fault. I'd like to give 'Navy Bird' a thank-you for his well-written and illustrated Skua build here which was a mine of valuable information as well as a good read and provided some useful pointers and warnings - thank you Bill Cheers, Stew 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 That's really nice, I like the colour scheme. How did you do the cowl ring? What paints did you use? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 very nice work , great job on the paint and finish. looks great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Looks great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Really great job of a rare aircraft. I love the ungainly look of the Roc. Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 It's an odd looking bird, but you've done a cracking job of it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Superb build and finish. My favourite FAA WW2 scheme. Funny how an aircraft that was pretty much useless can be so appealing. I say 'pretty much' instead of 'completely' as I believe one of them did manage to damage on He59 if I recall correctly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POMPEO Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Very nice, I remember of a old book that present this plane, I'm just a boy on that time and I'm impressed with tower of machine guns... nice to see it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Beautiful rendition of a singularly awkward-looking aircraft (and therefore all the more attractive as a modelling subject!). Impressive work! Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilks Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 That came out a treat... Very nicely done... Cheers, AGW.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Super build Stew, nice scheme and nice to see something slightly offbeat as well, Sean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 That's a Rocking good model my man! Selwyn (Sorry couldn't resist a good pun!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 That's really nice, I like the colour scheme. How did you do the cowl ring? What paints did you use? Hi mate, thank you very much - the cowling ring was just painted with Citadel Boltgun Metal (which I think has been re-named Leadbelcher since I got that pot) over a black basecoat and a wash of their Nuln Oil black wash over the top very nice work , great job on the paint and finish. looks great Cheers batcode, I was pleased with how it came out, the Precision Paints are very nice to use Looks great! Thanks Mitch! Really great job of a rare aircraft. I love the ungainly look of the Roc. Cheers Pat Thanks Pat, if nothing else it does have character, doesn't it? It's an odd looking bird, but you've done a cracking job of it Woody, that's very kind, thank you Superb build and finish. My favourite FAA WW2 scheme. Funny how an aircraft that was pretty much useless can be so appealing. I say 'pretty much' instead of 'completely' as I believe one of them did manage to damage on He59 if I recall correctly. Thank you Meatbox - the Roc and the He59; that would be like the Dogfight Double-Uglies wouldn't it Cheers, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 Very nice, I remember of a old book that present this plane, I'm just a boy on that time and I'm impressed with tower of machine guns... nice to see it... Thank you Pompeo I had much the same memory of it, the turret certainly looks purposeful but it was clearly not all that useful! Beautiful rendition of a singularly awkward-looking aircraft (and therefore all the more attractive as a modelling subject!). Impressive work! Kind regards, Joachim Hi Joachim, thank you very much and congratulations on your restraint in only describing it as 'awkward-looking' That came out a treat... Very nicely done... Cheers, AGW.. Thank you very much AGW Super build Stew, nice scheme and nice to see something slightly offbeat as well, Sean Cheers Sean, it was a nice kit to make too, I am strongly tempted by the Skua now That's a Rocking good model my man! Selwyn (Sorry couldn't resist a good pun!) ...or a bad pun either Thanks very much Selwyn Thank you all for your interest gents Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 It's no doubt an oxymoron, but that is a beautiful Roc! Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Excellent model,Sir! The Roc is a quite a critter: ugly as sin and just as fascinating. Nice to see one built up so nicely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Hi Stew: Even tough with all the trouble you found with this one, you did another masterpiece for your nicely done collection!!!! Without a doubt, you are a woncderful honest person who shares all the successes and fails, to our benefit. I hope one day to pay a visit there to enjoy watching each of your models and share a nice drink or coffee there talking about modeling and maybe build a model, it would be a nice experience rigth there in the other side of the pond. While, I am enjoying all your nicely done job. Thank you very much for sharing!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Nice, very nice! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomore Shelfspace Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Part of the British tradition of warplanes that verge on the comical... but a very nicely done model. Yes, MPM have improved a lot in recent years, I built their X-15 and was very impressed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 It's no doubt an oxymoron, but that is a beautiful Roc! Thank you very much Jason The Roc is a quite a critter: ugly as sin and just as fascinating. Thanks Old Man, it is indeed a strange-looking beast, isn't it? Thank you very much for sharing!!! Luis, my friend, thank you for your very kind words Nice, very nice! Martin Thank you very much Martin Part of the British tradition of warplanes that verge on the comical... but a very nicely done model. Yes, MPM have improved a lot in recent years, I built their X-15 and was very impressed. Thanks NMSS, thanks to its reduced range and occasional turret malfunctions the Roc was very likely regarded as a bit of a liability by the Skua crews they flew alongside... let me repeat that, the Skua crews probably regarded it as a liability - that is not a good sign for an aircraft. Interesting looking aeroplane, all the same, and as I said I did enjoy making the model. Thank you all gents, Cheers, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 That is very good indeed, I do like your very restrained panel line washes. An ugly aeroplane made to look very nice indeed. Thanks for sharing your pics. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Excellent build of an odd looking plane! Well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Lovely job there Stew. The paint job does look very maritime. Hard to believe it's the same company that made the Buccaneer! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Yeah, baby! I love it - you've done a great job, Stew! I don't think the Roc is ugly - I put it in my category of "styled by function." Unfortunately, both it and the Skua ended up fighting battles they weren't designed to fight. But the two of them make great models, don't you think? I have the Roc near the top of my stash, and if it goes together as nice as my Skua did, I'll be happy. I think MPM/Special Hobby have come a long way from the first kits back in the - when was it? - late 80s, early 90s? And you can't beat the subjects they choose. Great stuff! Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Another superb and rarely seen aircraft Stew,great finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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