CedB Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I was looking for an 'easy build' to follow my Memphis Belle and recent Valoms and my thoughtful daughters have provided a solution by way of an early birthday present, a 1/12 Airfix (Nr. 51101) 1999 classic: I shall be building this almost OOB but, at Procopius' suggestion (thanks PC) and as a sort of 'tongue in cheek' BoB tribute she'll be in RAF WWII camouflage. I can't find any reference videos on the 'net, probably due to copyright issues - sorry. The kit comes in a nice box with a carry handle. This eBay one was still closed up and bags still intact: A (cheap) brush is included, there's a tube of historic poly cement and a number of Humbrol paints, including a pot of H41 'Super acrylic': Wow! Four sprues of (heavy) plastic parts, no clear to worry about: And some instructions: The instructions say 'All parts are numbered' and they are... just not sequentially (29, 32, 62 etc). And paint colour '253' is incorrectly labelled - I don't think Gromit was 'RLM 83 Dunkel-Grun' so I'll be using the pot that's provided but isn't mentioned in the instructions, H41 Ivory 'Super Acrylic'. Right, off to wash my parts and then I'll de-grease the sprues*. * Dbl-E, score 1, fnaar fnaar 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Chocks away Grommit. Tally ho old chap, what! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Like it Ced! I built the Kit with Wallace on his motorbike with Gromitt in the sidecar, great fun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin56 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 That is gorgeous catch. Should be a fun build. I managed to find this on evil bay a few years ago: 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Looks like fun, I will be keeping tabs on this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feldr Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Watch out for the plastic, it doesn't like normal poly cement much.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Cool! Something even madder than my Haunebu! Martin PS: We ought to have a bonkers GB. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It is going to be a "cracking" build Ced. Simon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Wensleydale!! Great stuff looking forward to this Ced!! You might have to look at some figure painting tutorials.... Or post gromit to stew! Rob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks Jon, Greg, Gremlin (nice plane!), Nigel, Martin (or is it Martian now?) and Rob - let the fun (and puns) commence (in a while) Watch out for the plastic, it doesn't like normal poly cement much.... Thanks feldr - great warning. It is weird, thick and heavy plastic but there's not many parts to glue... WWND*? Out with the epoxy methinks! It is going to be a "cracking" build Ced. Simon. There's the first one! I'll have to brush up on my W&G quotes Wensleydale!!Great stuff looking forward to this Ced!!You might have to look at some figure painting tutorials.... Or post gromit to stew!Rob And the second! Thanks Rob. I have a cunning plan for Gromit which will emerge later (you know how I like to introduce some jeopardy in my threads to keep people watching!). 'According to plan' he's ivory and, gulp, naked!! I think he needs some suitable WWII pilot attire More later and, as always, thanks for looking. * 'What Would Nigel (Heath) Do', one of my modelling gurus! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Hope you are checking this kit against a reliable set of scale plans! Selwyn (Runs away giggling and ducks for cover under the duvet!) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feldr Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 the plastic is more like the stuff they make kitchen bowls out of.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Airfix made a dreadful mistake with this, they've done it as a Mk1a... the one in the film is a MkIIb. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It is weird, thick and heavy plastic but there's not many parts to glue... WWND*? Out with the epoxy methinks! Could it be ABS like the Terminator Hunter Killer I built? Some glues would not work on it but EMA liquid poly was OK. the plastic is more like the stuff they make kitchen bowls out of.. I certainly hope not, that would be polyethylene - virtually immune to glue and solvents. Paint won't stick to it either (without special preparation) so I doubt Airfix would use that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks Selwyn and Beard... it's just like the real thing, honest! feldr and Nigel it is really weird plastic - see below. Some progress. Most large bits (so that's most of them) off the sprues. A test fit of Gromit (couldn't resist) shows an OK fit. Despite appearances the arms don't click in (all parts held with BluTak here) and the head has no locating guides so you can pose it at a jaunty angle, although of course he should be looking through the gunsight and holding the dumpling cannon.: You can see here the shiny plastic. It is sort of like the stuff feldr was describing, similar to Tupperware but slightly tougher. I did some tests with my various poly cements (won't bore you with the photos) and nothing, just made it a bit oilier and produced some half-hearted strings. Hmmm. I think the epoxy will sort it out though. The first couple of steps involve cutting out gaps for the empennage and the wings. Clippers won't touch this stuff so out with a couple of new blades. Test fit the wings against the marked gaps: and they're fine. Gosh that stuff is shiny! So, out with the drill and in with the scalpels: One good thing about the plastic is that it trims really well with a sharp blade. Just as well because I don't think it's going to sand!! Did I mention how shiny this stuff is? It's also very smooth so I brushed on some test paint to see if I could duck out of the priming: Just rubbed it and it doesn't come off, not even the VMA! Scratches off, of course, but I'll protect the paint with Klear and varnish so I've decided no primer is needed, thus saving at least 24 hours of waiting around. Hooray! More later! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Dumpling gun? I do believe it porridge! Colin W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Gromit was a cereal killer? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks Colin, I stand corrected (and must watch the DVD again!) Pete, "cereal killer", love it Porridge cannon assembled (not a good fit, the other side's perfect, ahem) with five minute epoxy. The epoxy's good stuff but it lives up to its name - it goes very sticky very quickly so, as Nigel says, small mixes. I also tried to glue the prop shaft but air in the hole kept pushing it back out so I've cut a slot in it and I'll try again when the glue's gone off. Sprayed the prop blades (and Belle's - they look tiny) and porridge tubes VMA NATO black and the interior with Xtracrylix Interior Green (my first time. I like this stuff): The Ivory Super Acrylic turned out to be not so super and needed sorting out with thinners and flow improver. Then I brushed thin coats on Gromit's bits: Not very good coverage but I will be patient! Those parts are HEAVY - my usual sticks and Blutak didn't really cope; arms and heads all over the place. Well that's probably it for tonight as things are drying. Thanks for looking! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Humbrol 41 looks like a good match for Ambrosia custard. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Or Humous 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks Beard and Pete! The H41 was indeed "paint Jim, but not as we know it" I have also found a YouTube video clip from 'A Close Shave'. This goes a long way to explaining the kit 'oddities' as the plane 'transforms' from the sidecar of Wallace's motorbike (from about 50 seconds into the clip). At 1:16 Gromit presses six coloured buttons (oh no, not in the kit) on the instrument panel (grrrrr) and grabs hold of the control yoke (guess what?). There's also some detail on the porridge cannon I need to replicate. I may have to buy the video. I shall have to study this and decide what to do. Repeat after me - easy build, out of the box, out of the box... I could spend weeks on this if I'm not careful! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Ahh? but is it salt or sugar? Also is it milk or water? or both? Shot a serving temperature or high heat? Organic milk, these and other questions to be answered. Simon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Nice work, although I am not convinced you have the correct interior colour there, I think it should be a tad nearer to BSC23476894562100 actually. Martin 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Now this looks like fun!! I remember seeing these kits back in Modelzone before they closed.......wish I'd picked one up now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Morning all! Thanks Simon - I've bought 'A Close Shave' from the 'Net and investigation shows that it's "Thick Porridge Mix - You can stand your spoon up in it". That's all we know Thanks Martin and PlaStix - Some progress last night. AK True Metal applied to the porridge cannon (gunmetal, of course) and its mounting (aluminium): That seam needs attention. I also tried masking the test paint and the news is not good - Tamiya tape left on overnight rips off the paint... I think I'll prime it as this won't be on the ceiling and will get some handling. I also have some Vallejo primer to use up. Right, that'll be a delay but there is some work to do on Belle today. I'll now reveal the planned Gromit's clothing (you'd been on the edge of your seats, admit it ). I've blobbed some Humbrol filler on his torso and shaped it into what I hope looks like a sheepskin flying jacket. I still need to complete the painting using my WWII US flying helmet as a guide: The leather's started as you can see and a first coat of his bare chest. I now need to match the sheepskin. Hmmm. Also put a first coat on the other 'leather' bits: Today I need to prime the external bits and then we'll have to wait until the primer goes off. Tomorrow then. Or maybe the day after... you know Vallejo primer! Thanks for looking. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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