abat Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Admiring TheBaron's excellent Sea Venom RFI the other night prompted me to rummage through the stash and re-discover my own re-box of that old Frog kit from Eastern Express. I want to build a Sea Venom at some stage to plug a gap in my own RAN fleet air arm collection, and Tony's masterpiece, following on the heels of Navy Bird's equally extraordinary CMR rendition has got me thinking that the time is right. But can the forum handle yet another 1/72 Sea Venom build? The Eastern Express boxing doesn't have the copious amounts of flash seen in TheBaron's boxing, but it does suffer from a significant amount of sink holes over the wings and fuselage, in fact most parts even down to the rocket projectiles. The prescription for this is of course a major re-sanding , filling and re-scribing and until now I've never felt up to the task. So maybe, I reasoned, I could just do a little bit at a time. So here's the major bits cut off and stuck together with some tape alongside the other pieces from the kit. There's a couple of Pavla Mk 4 Martin Bakers as well but no Airwaves etch - I'm not that brave you see. The canopy is quite clear but exceedingly thick so I'll probably budget in a vacform replacement at some stage. For some reason I appear to be missing a pilot - I wonder if he got wind of TheBaron's body part re-purposing efforts. Side-tracking slightly into the included markings, I'm puzzled by the choice of the Australian decals provided in the kit. It's badged as wz906, with side number 209 with a "M" tail code. The excellent ADF-Serials web site only lists this airframe with side numbers 803, 804 and 880. No mention of 209 on any airframe. I've also noticed in all the reference photos and videos I can find of Australian Venoms that 200 series side numbers appear to be associated with the "Y" tail code. This was used by the carrier Melbourne for the first few years of service, before switching to "M". Maybe Steve, if he comes across this thread, can comment on this as other venom kits also use the 209 M markings. Regardless, I would like to model a "Y" code Venom and I reckon with some careful manipulation of the supplied decals I can patch together WZ896 or WZ897 with 206 Y side codes. Here's a link to a great pic of WZ896 as 206Y. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Sea-Venom-WZ896/Sea_Venom_WZ896_RAN_photo_via_Bev_Stringer Back to the plastic, it certainly looks like a Sea Venom. Tempting just to stick it all together, dress her up in some shade of Sea grey and Sky paint, slap on some stickers, mount it on the stand and call it done. But that would be much too easy, wouldn't it. So here's the first step on the descent into modelling madness. Wings nicely sanded down and one set puttied up and awaiting a second pass of the sanding sticks. The wing fences will probably come off before too long as it's hard to sand around them. I've been unable to locate a supply of Perfect Plastic Putty in the colonies so I'm making do with Tamiya putty. More to come, Andrew 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Of course we can handle another Sea venom build! Well, I can at least! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 WZ.906 209/M 808 Squadron RAN 1962. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 15 minutes ago, NAVY870 said: WZ.906 209/M 808 Squadron RAN 1962. Thanks Steve, I just came across this in another post you made back in 2014, and being in a "real" book I can see why so many decal sheets are based on it. Out of interest, when did they move on from the 200 series codes? 5 hours ago, Martian Hale said: Of course we can handle another Sea venom build! Well, I can at least! Martian Thanks Martian, I'll try and keep it interesting. Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 Taking a break from sanding and filling I started to work on the cockpit. Here's a rough attempt at emulating the forward control panel based on some pictures and diagrams I found here posted by Navy870 (of course) in a thread on RN versus RAN Sea Venoms elsewhere on Britmodeller. No doubt missing a few bits and pieces but at this scale in a dark cockpit it may just do. Side consoles will be simple plastic strip. And here it is test fitted in the cockpit along with the MB's. I must admit to being a little confused about the proper positioning of the various elements but I'm thinking the front console sits about 4mm back from the front where there is a nick in the edge of the cockpit opening and the rear cockpit firewall (and rear of the observers seat) is around 14mm forward of the rear where there is another nick in the edge. The observers seat is displaced a little back and is currently 1.5mm (4 scale inches) lower than the pilot. I'd be interested if anyone has actual measurements for both displacements. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 Some progress on the cockpit. Painted with Tamiya rubber black spray and then detailed with Vallejo model colour. I really like hand painting with the Vallejo's. The rear shelf was scratch build roughly based on photos. The seats seem somewhat under-sized and although marked as Sea Venom Mk4 MB's they may differ a little from those used in the RAN models which I think were 4A's. At this scale it should suffice. Next I cut the canopy for the open position. You can see from the photo that the plastic thickness is 1-1.5mm which scales to 10cm or 4" in the old money. No doubt bullet proof but too thick even for this quick build. I therefore have a Falcon canopy on order. You can also see the winding jig I use to manufacture the braided ejection cords. You feed yellow thread in one hole, black in the opposite, and then whirl it about (with whatever sound effects are appropriate) to wind the threads. Once done you clamp it with tweezers and apply white glue to set it in position. I prefer it to painting the fine yellow lines. I paint the threads before spinning as this gives more solid colours. And I've finished the sanding and filling of the wings and fuselage. Here they are with an undercoat of Tamiya's fine grey primer. I'll scribing a few of the more prominent panel lines in tonight - my first attempt at major re-scribing. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Slow to latch onto this Andrew but pulls up a chair now. Don't be silly, as Martin says we can always do with another Sea Venom. Gosh! I didn't know they came in flash-free plastic! Those seat displacements sound about right at this scale, the slightly-higher pilot's seat is accommodated by the corresponding raised bulge in the canopy on that side. I'm not sure if it's the angle this photo is taken Andrew: ..but the IP and cockpit floor look like they need to move forward a few mm.? Good call on the Falcon canopy, it's a vast improvement. Nice to see you deciding NOT to add any Airwaves etch , you'll speed-up your build no end. Anything you need you can scratch much better... Good luck with this! Tony 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Nice work, and great tip on the seat firing handles! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 1 minute ago, TheBaron said: Slow to latch onto this Andrew but pulls up a chair now. Don't be silly, as Martin says we can always do with another Sea Venom. Gosh! I didn't know they came in flash-free plastic! Those seat displacements sound about right at this scale, the slightly-higher pilot's seat is accommodated by the corresponding raised bulge in the canopy on that side. I'm not sure if it's the angle this photo is taken Andrew: ..but the IP and cockpit floor look like they need to move forward a few mm.? Good call on the Falcon canopy, it's a vast improvement. Nice to see you deciding NOT to add any Airwaves etch , you'll speed-up your build no end. Anything you need you can scratch much better... Good luck with this! Tony Thanks Tony, I appreciate your feedback very much and will be unashamedly following in your footsteps. I'll look at adjusting the IP position. It's strange building a kit where you don't just stick bits in predetermined positions. I have never got on well with etch and much prefer sticking plastic together. Cherrs, Andrew 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 4 minutes ago, 71chally said: Nice work, and great tip on the seat firing handles! Thanks, I picked it up online when building my vampire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 No scribing yet, but I did manage to measure and mark out some of the major panel lines in preparation. Oh, and the first glue has been spilled putting the booms together. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Nice work on that marking out Andrew. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Between you, you, The Baron and Navy870 are responsible for me becoming the owner of a 1/32 Revell Sea Venom and a set of Berna decals to go with the same. I trust you are all suitably pleased with yourselves? Martian the Penniless 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 50 minutes ago, Martian Hale said: Between you, you, The Baron and Navy879 are responsible for me becoming the owner of a 1/32 Revell Sea Venom and a set of Berna decals to go with the same. I trust you are all suitably pleased with yourselves? Martian the Penniless Huzzah! That's great news Martin! Delighted for you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 18 minutes ago, TheBaron said: Huzzah! That's great news Martin! Delighted for you. No shame there then! Martian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 2 hours ago, Martian Hale said: Between you, you, The Baron and Navy879 are responsible for me becoming the owner of a 1/32 Revell Sea Venom and a set of Berna decals to go with the same. I trust you are all suitably pleased with yourselves? Martian the Penniless Ha Ha! Our plan is working. Catching little airplane isn't it! We may be penniless, but I reckon we get good value for our money. Andrew 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 10 hours ago, abat said: No scribing yet, but I did manage to measure and mark out some of the major panel lines in preparation. Oh, and the first glue has been spilled putting the booms together. Forgot to say that although the plans shown underneath are for a Venom, I made the outrageous assumption that the panel lines on the wings would be similar or the same as the Sea Venom. The fuselage measures up a little different though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 46 minutes ago, abat said: Ha Ha! Our plan is working. Catching little airplane isn't it! We may be penniless, but I reckon we get good value for our money. Andrew And I had hoped to appeal to your collective consciences but I am beginning to see that you haven't got one! Martian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAVY870 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 3 hours ago, Martian Hale said: Between you, you, The Baron and Navy879 are responsible for me becoming the owner of a 1/32 Revell Sea Venom and a set of Berna decals to go with the same. I trust you are all suitably pleased with yourselves? Martian the Penniless Navy870 Dearie And yes I am very pleased (and have an FAW.22 manual) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 5 minutes ago, NAVY870 said: Navy870 Dearie And yes I am very pleased (and have an FAW.22 manual) Sorry, finger trouble there. Its a good job that my modelling skills are better than my typing; they would have to be to be honest! I thought you would be pleased! I have most of a FAW21 manual but will doubtless be referring to you when I get my build underway. Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 I look forward to seeing both these 1/32 Sea Venoms. Very high build standards, interesting diversions and a good sense of humour ensured. I too have finger trouble typing up posts, especially since the new Apple IOS update. It re-creates even properly spelt words. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 45 minutes ago, abat said: I look forward to seeing both these 1/32 Sea Venoms. Very high build standards, interesting diversions and a good sense of humour ensured. So no pressure on either of us then! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 2 hours ago, Martian Hale said: So no pressure on either of us then! Martian No pressure, no pressure at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 So not all that much happening here the last few weeks. I've now re-scribed the wings and joined the wings, booms and fuselage components. Much of my time involves sanding, filling and re-sanding the fuselage and tidying up the control surfaces. The fuel tanks were a real issue with poor fit and lots of creative sanding required. Here's the state of play below. I've resorted to sawing into the wing to tidy up the line of the aileron and will pop a thin bit of plastic in there so it doesn't appear too stark. I've decided not to super-detail this build, rather just get it looking basically "right" within the age and limitations of the kit. As I fill and sand, I dream of one day building a new tool 1/72 Airfix Sea Venom created along the lines of their beautiful little Vampire kit. Back in the real world, the postie has delivered a twin-pack of Tasman canopies for me to butcher in shape. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 OOOH! another Sea Venom (no that wasn't sarcasm, that was joy!). Nice to see another attempt at this and no you cant have too many. Glad to see you have ditched the airwaves set, it really doesn't bring anything to it. Nice start so far! 1 hour ago, abat said: I dream of one day building a new tool 1/72 Airfix Sea Venom created along the lines of their beautiful little Vampire kit Would that be the one they release following their successful 1:48 Scimitar? Cheers now Bob 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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