Airfix classic. BAC 1-11-200 Converted to 111-500

[Viking]

BAC 1-1 200 Converted to 1-11 510ED

I've been rather busy with the day job taking me away from home for long stertches of time this year, which has affected my modelling time. I've not been able to use my workbench, compressor/airbrush much, so found myself looking for something to make with minimal tools paints etc.

I came up with this, the old Airfix 1-11 which has been around for forty odd years, and figured I could do some cutting and gluing to improve and convert it. It has a few problems, the main ones being that the nose is too blunt (correct for the very earliest 1-11's though) ourboard wing fences needing deleting and moving inboard, wing landing lights deleting, and flap track fairings need lengthening and altering to 'canoe' type. To make it more interesting I decided to stretch the fuselage to a 500 series aircraft, with extended wingtips. And then I realised I'd need to 'hushkit' the engines.

Interestingly, I have an original issue of the kit, and the most recent boxing hasn't half seen the box size grow!

Decals will be for the final 'Landor' scheme the BA 1-11's wore before retirement.

Not wanting to cut up 2 1-11 kits for the fuselage extensions, I rolled some 20 thou plasticard into half rounds, sawed the fuselage halves fore and aft of the wing, and on a flat surface glued the extesnsions to the insides of 1 fuselage half. Thats 18.1 mm forward and 10.5 mm aft. When that was set the next day, I did the other side, matching it to the one already done. and putting it on a flat surface to set.

This left a big recess to fill in and build out the fuselage side. More rolled plasticard (curved around my x-acto knife handle) filled in the recesses, with quarter sections. one on top and one on the bottom, then the side. White milliput was slathered on and left to set. A fair bit of sanding followed to flush the extensions in with the rest of the fuselage. I didn't take any photos unfortunately.

I cut a vertical slot in the nose and glued in a rough profile of the new more pointed nose shape, build up around it with milliput, and sanded it all to shape.

It;s a huge improvement over the blunt kit shape. The glazing fitted nicely so I will leave it clear. It was sanded to belend it in and polished back to clarity with micromessh.

The wings received attention next, with new tips cut roughlt to shape, glued on and then sanded down to shape. The flap track fairings wer cut off, and I sawed slots into the wings for new plasticard ones. Likewise the outer wing dences were removed, a stlot marked out with an olfa p-cutter where the new ones went, and new fences glued in. They were approximately shaped first and the sanded down to proper size one firlmy set.

The engines needed some thought. The 'Hushkits' are a long extension on the rear. I found some bombs that had the right cross section to do the job, and cut them to size. I didn't like the engine mounts as they have half on the fuselage and half on the engine cowling making for a pig of a job to eliminate the seam down the middle. So I made new ones from plasticard, and sliced the kit items off.

Engine pylons are on now. I'll have to figure out how to do the 'crinkled' exhausts on the hushkits now. Wings, tail and engines can then go on, and priming can commence.

Thanks for looking

John

[Yankymodeler]

Wonderful! The 111 has been one of my favorites since I was a boy. My dad worked for American Airlines and there were a few BACs in the fleet back then. Love the upgrades and conversion, very tidy and workman like. I'll get some popcorn and watch the show!

Eric aka The Yankymodeler

[jjlain]

Cool aircraft! Something fascinating about these older airliners, not sure what it is Really skillful extension of the fuselage, I'll take note how you did it for possible future use. All other modifications are very neat too!

-Jaakko

Edited August 1, 2015 by jjlain

[Max Headroom]

That is looking very good indeed.

The 1-111 is one of my favourites and so will follow this with interest.

Trevor

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice job John, not often you see this conversion.

I have a couple of 1/72 500s that I want to convert to 200s

[MikeW]

I've been rather busy with the day job taking me away from home for long stretches of time this year, which has affected my modelling time. I've not been able to use my workbench, compressor/airbrush much, so found myself looking for something to make with minimal tools paints etc.

I came up with this, the old Airfix 1-11 which has been around for forty odd years, and figured I could do some cutting and gluing to improve and convert it.

You do realize how unimportant this makes me feel? Your 'throw away' build is more detailed and planed than my imaginary concept of the moon landing. This is what I love about BM - the constant challenge, and a growing of one's skills.

Just today I hacked the blunt nose off of a Viscount to render it longer and sharper. First time I have ever been so brave, so while quite chuffed with myself, I am looking at a turboprop looks like it has endured a nasty bee sting up front.

So, for all of us plebs, go ahead and make this a stunner!

Cheers,

Mike

[stringbag]

You do realize how unimportant this makes me feel? Your 'throw away' build is more detailed and planed than my imaginary concept of the moon landing. This is what I love about BM - the constant challenge, and a growing of one's skills.

Just today I hacked the blunt nose off of a Viscount to render it longer and sharper. First time I have ever been so brave, so while quite chuffed with myself, I am looking at a turboprop looks like it has endured a nasty bee sting up front.

So, for all of us plebs, go ahead and make this a stunner!

Cheers,

Mike

It's bloody sickening if you ask me Mike. I think I'll get rid of all my airliners and just sit back and enjoy the work you guys are producing.

Saw this one earlier in the week and was very impressed with the way John has tackled the project.

Chris.

[Graeme H]

Wonderful work, and not a bit of resin in sight

[woody37]

John, that's a great tutorial, I've got a few in the stash here and quite fancy following your advice for a later hush kit 500 at some point. it now looks like a modern kit with what you've done so far

[mitchem]

Splendid viewing John.

Mark me down as subscribed !

mike

[Skodadriver]

I'm really looking forward to watching progress on this particularly with the BA livery. Brings back happy memories of flying GLA-BHX-MUC through the Eurohub in the late 1980s.

[Viking]

Some more progress, those engines have been giving me something to think about. Thats what you get for committing yourself to something you don't know how to solve. After a false start I settled on making the fluted exhausts from 2 sizes of plastic rod. 6 rods around a tube gave me something of the cross section I wanted.

Cut into slices I got the basic exhaust. The one on the right has had Milliput run into the spaces between the small rods, to be sanded later and blended in.

While they set, I test fitted the engine pods and found that my pylons were inadequate. The engines pointed in too much at the rear, do I had to shim the pylons out a bit.

By this stage I had made attempt no.1 at exhausts and then glued the engines on. My first exhausts wer rubbish so I cut them off, and put the new ones on.
These are not perfect, but are passable. Sorry the photo is a touch out of focus,

I was then able to shoot Halfords grey primer over it all and see how all this work is turning out.

The fuselage is fine, for once no remedial work seems to be needed. I'll blend the exhausts in with a touch more Milliput between the flutes and nacelles.

Whilst pondering all this work I went and started another 1-11 500 to go with it. This time I took photos of the fuselage stretch and will add them later.

Now I just need to work out the BA grey and blue mixes for painting the fuselage. I'll need the blue to match the decal sheet.

Thanks for looking,

John

[Viking]

Hot on the heels of the previous post is another one showing my second 1-11 and the fuselage stretch.
Having got started on the Landor one above, I though I really should do my other 1-11 in the BEA red square scheme to depict the 'first and the last' schemes BEA/BA 1-11's wore.
It had a remarkable service life with BEA/BA, I can't think of any other aircraft in the fleet BOAC/BEA/BA fleet that wore both these schemes. OK, there was a Trident that was painted in Landor, but was by then a ground trainer and never flew in it.

So out of the stash with this;

And this;

Then out with the razor saw. The extensions are made with 20 thou plasticard strips rolled to a half round and stuck inside the fuselage. It needs an 18 mm extension at the front and 10.8 (lets call it 11!) on the rear. I'll let the pictures explain, with small notes where needed. [edit] forgot to say I added 1mm to each extension to allow for the material removed by the razor saw[/edit]
Do the right side first as it does not have locating pegs, just the holes. This means you can lay it on a flat surface and ensure the tailplane remains square to the fuselage. Line the top & bottom agains a steel ruler to keep it all in line. Set the correct gaps and leave it overnight to set.

Not very pretty, but this is what you end up with;

Then locate the other centre section on and hold it with rubber bands. Glue the tail and nose to the left centre section and leave to set.

I'll be filling the cabin windows, so blanked the insides off with some strip.

You then have 2 fuselage halves of the correct length. and can glue them together.

Let them set for a day or so.

Then I rolled top and bottom shells to fill the gaps. Let the top one set before adding the bottom. Putting them across the previous shells adds strength.

Note that I sawed a slot in the nose and glued in a rough profile for the new more pointy nose. This is to give the Milliput something to grab onto when I slap it on and reshape it.

Ready for a slathering of Milliput. And Milliputted!

And the good bit, sanding and shaping it all up to give a 1-11 500 fuselage from a 200 fuselage!

It is not that difficult, but does require you to do 1 stage and leave it for a day or so, the the next stage, leave it again and so on.

My aim here was to make use of some kits I already have in the stash, and to modify them at little or no cost, having fun with them.

If you want an exquisite and beautiful 1-11 500, Authentic Airliners is the place to go, or Welsh models also do an ok one if you can tackle vac forms.

Failing that, have a crack at one of these!

Cheers

John

[mitchem]

Sublime work John.

:thumbsup2:

[stringbag]

My first exhausts wer rubbish

Now I just need to work out the BA grey

Thanks for looking,

John

So is your spelling.

I have a couple of tins of the Xtracolour BA Pearl grey here John if you want to give one a try. Sorry I can't help with the blue unless you want the Revell colour mixes from their BA Tristar and DC-10 kits which may be a solution.

Nice progress on the models Matey

Chris.

[Viking]

So is your spelling.

Chris.

Nuffin rong wiv my spellin.

You want to see the spelling on Welsh road signs! Oh wait a minute....

[stringbag]

Nuffin rong wiv my spellin.

You want to see the spelling on Welsh road signs! Oh wait a minute....

Smartarse

Guess you don't need the paint then.

[woody37]

Might as well get some use from your paint collection Chris

sorry mate, couldn't resist!!!!!

Love the solution on your exhausts John, great idea that I'll steal with pride

[Skodadriver]

Now I just need to work out the BA grey and blue mixes for painting the fuselage. I'll need the blue to match the decal sheet.

Thanks for looking,

John

On the one and only BA Landor model I've done (a 734) I used a paint recipe given to me by a fellow modeller who used to work as a BA dispatcher - 50% Xtracolor X23 Oxford Blue + 50% X357 US Airways Dark Blue. I've no idea how that would match the 1-11 decals but it looked pretty reasonable on my model. I also lightened the Xtracolor Pearl Grey which was far too dark out of the tin.

HTH

[stringbag]

Might as well get some use from your paint collection Chris

sorry mate, couldn't resist!!!!!

Love the solution on your exhausts John, great idea that I'll steal with pride

You lot can be bloody hurtful at times. :crying:

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Hot on the heels of the previous post is another one showing my second 1-11 and the fuselage stretch....

Then out with the razor saw. The extensions are made with 20 thou plasticard strips rolled to a half round and stuck inside the fuselage. It needs an 18 mm extension at the front and 10.8 (lets call it 11!) on the rear. I'll let the pictures explain, with small notes where needed. [edit] forgot to say I added 1mm to each extension to allow for the material removed by the razor saw[/edit]

...

Cheers

John

Thanks for the numbers John, will be handy for my opposite surgery..... just need to double the figures for 1/72

[Graeme H]

Not just one, but two for the price of one

[halcyonjet]

I expect you already know that the early BEA machines were delivered with the old style flap track fairings, as used on the 200/300/400 series and found on the Airfix kit. The 'canoe fairings' were retro fitted later.

Here's G-AVMK in the red square scheme;

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/2/0/4/1819402.jpg

and 'MI clearly showing the old style fairings that split along with the flaps;

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/5/9/1248957.jpg

and even one with the blue cheatline scheme with the older type fairings;

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/6/8/1218867.jpg

Hope this is of interest

Dave

[stringbag]

I also lightened the Xtracolor Pearl Grey which was far too dark out of the tin.

Agreed. I've heard this mentioned before but can't comment as I've yet to use the paint myself.

A little X141 should lighten it up slightly if necessary.

Thanks for the reminder.

Chris.

[Viking]

Progress has slowed, as the TCA Constellation that has been hanging around my workbench suddenly grabbed my attention and is nearly done!

I mixed up some BA grey to match photographs, from Tamiya white and a few drops of 'Royal light grey' to get a shade I think looks right, then yesterday masked it for the blue.

Getting straight lines with the tape takes forever, but then the rest can be masked off.

And then the blue done. Tamiya dark blue mixed with black until it matched the decals. Masking comes off!

Still need to add the APU exhaust at the base of the rudder, and then mask up the leading edges for silvering.

3 photos, but hours of masking and 5 minutes of spraying!

The other 'Red Square' 1-11 is coming along, thanks Dave Halcyonjet for pointing out it had the earlier flap tracks, just in time you saved me from a blunder. Well nearly because I had cut them out & slotted the wing for the later ones. I made some early ones instead and fitted them. Talk about making work for yourself!

The nose is shaped now, complete with dust inside the windscreen. That stuff gets everywhere!

And one last photo of the reason for the delay. 2 and 1/2 years on the workbench, this thing stared at me needing, filling, sanding, masking, on and on. I rarely felt like picking it up. 1/144 Minicraft Connie, Can Mil Air decals. For some reason it grabbed my interest about 10 days ago and I finished the painting and started decalling it. Almost there, just need to tidy the red stripes on the noses of the tip tanks and couple of other little areas. Maybe some exhaust stains too. Not much because TCA kept them very tidy.

Back to the 1-11's soon!

Thanks for looking,

John