Stew Dapple Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Hello gents, Here are my two Airfix Beaufighters from the recently-released new-tool kit; the first uses one of the kit-supplied markings schemes and the second uses markings from one of the Cutting Edge transfer sets which are, I think, long out of print. The kits went together extremely well; I used the Eduard masking set purely because I am lazy and will almost always take the path of least resistance even if it means shelling out several pounds for some pre-cut pieces of masking tape. The aircraft were painted in Phoenix Precision Paints Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky, the invasion stripes were painted in various acrylic shades of light and dark grey to give a worn appearance. As the schemes were monocolour on the upper and lower surfaces I tried pre-shading the model and I'm quite pleased with how that came out (though it isn't really noticeable unless you know it is there) and I think it was probably worth the effort and the time it took. Anyway here are the models; first NE829 PLoJ of 144 Squadron RAF, which served in the famous Banff Strike Wing based in Aberdeenshire: ... and the second, NE548, UBoE of 455 Squadron RAAF which flew as part of the ANZAC Strike Wing based at RAF Langham in Norfolk from April 1944 before moving to RAF Dallachy in Aberdeenshire in October 1944: The first kit was built OOB and the second almost so, apart from the markings and the replacement of the 60lb rocket heads with the solid-shot semi-armour-piercing 25lb heads from a Tamiya Mosquito - I have read that the 60lb R/Ps were used for flak suppression so the kit-supplied ones are not necessarily incorrect but the 25lb version were more commonly used for anti-shipping raids. I also filled the cannon-ports on both aircraft and painted them with WEM Dull Roundel Red to represent the doped-fabric covers often seen on Beaus - mine representing the 'tidy' end of the scale, not all were so neatly applied... ... and finally, if you will permit me the indulgence, this is how I intended them to be displayed: 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 A very fine looking pair you have there, the pre shading works really well and I like the subtle weathering around the gun ports. Duncan B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 great pair, fantastic build of super kit, wish mine had turned out 1/50th as good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizzy Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Absolutely lovely! I was going to do mine wheels down but looking at yours, may opt for a stand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimHead23 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Really nice Stew. I particularly like the way your invasion stripes have come out. They look really effective. Regards Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Wonderful stuff! Love the Anzac scheme, and in both cases your weathering and finishing looks spot on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Beautiful work, Stew! To add "as always" would be superfluous. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Both great builds and didn't miss the "The kits went together extremely well" comment either. Likely to get the Eduard masks as started to become lazy too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I can't believe you've finished these already Stew! They look very impressive, and I love the paint work. Wheels up to boot! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 A very fine looking pair you have there, the pre shading works really well and I like the subtle weathering around the gun ports. Duncan B Thanks very much Duncan, I more or less managed to restrain myself with the weathering, sometimes you only know you've gone too far once you've gone too far great pair, fantastic build of super kit, wish mine had turned out 1/50th as good Thanks very much Stu Absolutely lovely! I was going to do mine wheels down but looking at yours, may opt for a stand Thanks Fizzy, funnily enough when I was getting toward the end of the build I found myself wishing I had built them wheels-down Really nice Stew. I particularly like the way your invasion stripes have come out. They look really effective. Regards Jim Thank you very much Jim Wonderful stuff! Love the Anzac scheme, and in both cases your weathering and finishing looks spot on Thanks mate - I'm pleased with how they turned out. Beautiful work, Stew! To add "as always" would be superfluous. Thanks very much PC, to add "as always" would also be inaccurate, but I appreciate the compliment Both great builds and didn't miss the "The kits went together extremely well" comment either. Likely to get the Eduard masks as started to become lazy too. Thanks KF, in all honesty the kits did pretty much fall together, the only points I would warn potential builders on is to make sure once the instrument panel is fitted that the fuselage forward of the cockpit closes up okay, if it doesn't you will have problems later... and the addition of the props right at the end of the build - the hubs behind the propellers are 'keyed' to fit over the cowling stays and are not symmetrical. If you position them right they will click into place and won't even need gluing, if you don't then they simply won't fit. The mask set was a bit of a luxury item given that the Beau's glazing isn't really extensive, but it fitted well and saved me some time, so it was worth it. I can't believe you've finished these already Stew! They look very impressive, and I love the paint work. Wheels up to boot! Thanks Cookie, they were a pretty easy build and the fairly simple paint schemes meant it all went quite quickly - well apart from the invasion stripes which seemed to take approximately 23 years to do - I built them wheels up as this was just going to be a quick couple of builds for my own amusement but as I said above I do sort of wish I'd built them wheels-down... however I am running out of shelf space to the Dogfight Double stand at least permits a 'multi-storey' approach to my display shelves Thanks for your attention and kind words gents Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 nice work, they both look great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Me likey! Mike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Brilliant work on the Beaus, Stew! Always one of my favourite aeroplanes and you did them justice! Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Lovely job Stew,....they both look fantastic and I like the way you are displaying them too,........great stuff!! Cheers Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Two stunners Stew,beautifully painted as allway's .I love to see the Beaufighter in stripes too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Very nice! I'll be doing one of my Hasegawa Beaufighters like your stripy one and my Airfix one will be the SEAC option. I've now got all the aftermarket bits I wanted for the Airfix kit, so might have to get cracking soon! thanks Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 nice work, they both look great Thanks very much BC Me likey! Mike. Thanks Mike Brilliant work on the Beaus, Stew! Always one of my favourite aeroplanes and you did them justice! Regards, Jason Thanks Jason - I've always had a soft spot for the Beau too, and I'm not really sure why - it's quite a good-loooking aircraft but not exceptionally so, it must be something about all those slightly-plump curves Lovely job Stew,....they both look fantastic and I like the way you are displaying them too,........great stuff!! Cheers Tony Thank you very much Tony Two stunners Stew,beautifully painted as allway's .I love to see the Beaufighter in stripes too! Thanks Steve, yes the stripes did pretty much dictate the second scheme; the Banff one I wanted to do since I passed up that way last year (on our way to the splendidly-named Macduff; if you know your Macbeth the name might be familiar to you) - a pair of very lovely little towns on the north Aberdeenshire coast, though the Banff airfield is actually a few miles to the west at Boyndie - it is still (mostly) there today Very nice! I'll be doing one of my Hasegawa Beaufighters like your stripy one and my Airfix one will be the SEAC option. I've now got all the aftermarket bits I wanted for the Airfix kit, so might have to get cracking soon! thanks Mike Thanks Mike, the Hasegawa kit looks good - I've got the Mk.I and a Mk.VI with the AML tailplane set to convert it to a Mk.Ic - but from discussions on the forum it seems the Hase Beau might be a bit short in length and span. The finished kits I have seen still look like Beaufighters but might look a bit odd displayed next to the Airfix one. Thanks again all for your attention and input Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Greggs Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Wow stew. that some cool models!!! Keep up you AWESOME output 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Nice work - in fact better than nice, superb. I'm a fan of the earlier marks, but I think I'll have to get me one of these anyway!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_Ukraine Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Gorgeous Beaus! Lovely birds! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgang Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Both are realy nice. First I thought UB-E is my favorite, but looking longer at them I must admit, they both are equal. Like them very much. Great paintjob also! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 A lovely brace of Beaus, you've done great work. They should look mighty impressive together on the stand! cheers, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Excellent modelling ! Great looking pair 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Nice pair indeed - rarly seen in flight configuration of wheels J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Absolutely lovely work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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