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Kader 1/96 Canberra


Trencher

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I've bought this little jet on e(vil)bay. A cold warrior from Hong Kong. Scalewise, it should make a nice companion for a contemporary 1/96 Vulcan or Victor and a competitor for my 1/97 Martin XB-51.

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The model kit seems to be a typical product of its era: raised fool markings (for a prototype version?) and only a few details.

 

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A rather unusual fuselage layout. Perhaps a scratch-built cockpit would improve the look dramatically, since the transparency of the canopy isn't that bad - after some polishing. Those rings are for the engines.

 

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Yep, the gear's up. Display time! And again: a rather unusual part layout.

 

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The instruction sheet. The canopy looks a bit odd ...like a tarpaulin perhaps?

 

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"Super Quality ARMOUR-SKIN Decal"? :blink:

 

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Well, not after 50+ years... :spider:

 

Apparently, it seems to be a B. 2, but I may be wrong there. A good reference would be helpful to check the dimensions. I've got a feeling about this one...

 

Now, can someone point me to a good book with detailed line drawings, especially for early Canberras?

 

 

 

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Yours is the baby version, probably from the early 70s. The kit was originally made by Lincoln and released around 1957 or thereabouts, also boxed by Plasty in Germany up to the early 60s. My father or possibly my uncle built it as a boy, complete with watercolour finish. Some 20 years later, when I was a boy, I washed off the remainder of the paint and decals in order to renovate it, and my father looked up the relevant Profile, and IIRC there was a painting of it in PRU overall. PR 3 proto, perhaps? 

Re drawings, probably The Two Johns would be your first port of call. Bookwise, try to get The Bible, otherwise The Aeroguide and ancient Profile should be of help. Can't comment on the Crowood book which I have but haven't spent time with. Drawings could otherwise be a problem, the old Aeromodeller ones of the 8 do not convince me, and I  haven't seen the full set  as contained in AvNews, probably by Ian Huntley. Returning to the kit, I seem to recall reading that it's surprisingly accurate - but no guarantees. ..

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An intetesting choise of Canberra. VX181 was the PR.3 prototype, so it should have the fuselage extension for the cameras. You can take a look around my site for referance, IPMS UK Canberra SIG. I'm on the bus home from work so I will take a better look at your photos when I get time.

John

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Hi Trencher

 

I've had a chance to have a good look at your photos now, first impressions are it's not too bad for over all shape. The nose looks good as does the tail, but the tail planes look a bit suspect in cord? The engines look ok too apart from the starter fairing which looks like the long triple cartilage type, where as it should be the short single type for the Avon 1, an easier job to fix than the other way around. There is no indication of the fuselage extension for the camera's. I think the best course of action would just to build her as is for the novelty value. The colour scheme will over all "Carillion" blue not PRU blue. I hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

John   

 

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Hi Trencher

 

I've had a chance to have a good look at your photos now, first impressions are it's not too bad for over all shape. The nose looks good as does the tail, but the tail planes look a bit suspect in cord? The engines look ok too apart from the starter fairing which looks like the long triple cartilage type, where as it should be the short single type for the Avon 1, an easier job to fix than the other way around. There is no indication of the fuselage extension for the camera's. I think the best course of action would just to build her as is for the novelty value. The colour scheme will over all "Carillion" blue not PRU blue. I hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

John

 

I forgot to say I have a few photos of VX181 in the PR.3 album and a nice colour photo of her (photo13) PR.3 photo album  

 

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11 minutes ago, Trencher said:

I was wondering if I could convert the PR.3 into a B.5 since I like the black/grey Bomber Command livery. I think of the record-breaking VX 185...

That wouldn't be a problem, if the kit is the right length for a PR. 3 then you would need to shorten it you would also need to decide at what stage in VX185's carrier you want to depict. She was more like a B.2 to start with she was later modified for the record flights. I also have an album on the B.5 on the site.

John

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According to my eyeball Mk. 1 and the comparison with the many pictures of the PR.3 in various perspectives, I am quite sure that the fuselage length of the little Canberra is closer to the B.2. The tailplane has almost the same angle as a Beechcraft Bonanza, so it has to be changed, too.

Now, on to WIP...

 

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I had one of these once. It was from the Lincoln boxing of it. Several years after building it I refurbed it in the 50's Bomber Command colours of MSG top and black unders with just roundels. Couldn't find serial digits the right size. Sold it a few years ago now for £20.00 built!

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Hi Trencher, I think it might be 1/100 scale. The Kader issues of Lincoln kits seemed to be around in bulk throughout the 1970s, (just recently in fact - well to me it is!). Richard Bail did an appraisal of then available Canberra kits in PAM News #31 and included a build/review on this kit. Reading it again tonight, he seemed to think it a bit pointless trying to rework it into an accurate replica but thought that it looked very nice alongside it's contemporaries at the time (Airfix & Frog).

 

I think the over zealous breakdown of the parts owed it's origins to the need for Lincoln/Kader kits to fit the teeny weeny boxes. Their decals were unusable even then, I remember building the Viscount V700 in the then around 1979  current BA colours and it took months of filling and filing to achieve anything like an acceptable result.

 

Nige B

Edited by viscount806x
removal of an erroneous letter insertion.
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