1/48th Firefly T.1 trainer- Belcher Bits Conversion with Grand Phoenix Kit- RCN.- Decals On!

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

                 While still laid up I`ve begun to whittle about with some plastic again and have started my Canadian Firefly 2 seat trainer using the Belcher Bits conversion set which is designed for the Grand Phoenix kit and as I had one of these in the stash I was all set to start;

Here is the Belcher Bits conversion complete with decals, a second cockpit and vacuformed parts which appear to have come from Barracuda Models;

A close up of the main raised 2nd cockpit resin part;

The Grand Phoenix kit needs to be cut;

And as the Grand Phoenix kit has a rather long spinner (on the left) I`ve decided to try a spare one from an Airfix Mosquito kit (on the right);

 

Hopefully this is what it will look like in an overall yellow scheme, as you can see I`ll need to add strengthening strakes to the side of the fuselage!

The RCN had four unarmed T.1`s and a pair of T.2`s which had two 20mm cannons, one in each wing and here, below is a T.2;

.

The Dutch and British also flew these 2 cockpit Firefly`s as seen here, most of the British aircraft were silver with yellow trainer bands and the vast majority of British aircraft also had the original smaller windscreen and flat canopy fitted to the front cockpit, unlike the Dutch and Canadian aircraft;

 

I also have this book which will come in really handy for reference;

 

So wish me luck,

Cheers

           Tony

Edited March 5, 2017 by tonyot

[Martian]

This looks like a seriously cool project, count me it!

 

Martian

[moaning dolphin]

 Wot 'e said!

[gingerbob]

Oh, now you've done it, Tony- I didn't know (or didn't remember) that Belcher even HAD this conversion!  Let's see, where's my wallet?

 

bob

[Col.]

You've got my attention again with this one Tony.

Sorry to hear you're still laid up though. Hope things are going in the right direction for you.

[heloman1]

Great choice of subject Tony, I'll follow with interest.

 

Colin

[Silver Fox]

looks a very interesting project, I'll pull up a chair. If the Belcher conversion is as good a conversion as his armour ones I've used recently, it will be quality.

 

Hope you are going make it to Huddesfield on Sunday

[Martian]

I am already beginning to think I need this conversion set! You are a bad influence Mr O'Toole!

 

Martian the Easily Influenced

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

                 Ooops`s,..... sorry for being a bad influence again everybody! Well after a bit of fettling and filing I`ve managed to fit the resin cockpit part OK and here it is test fitted;

I`ve also painted the interior although I got a bit carried away with the silver dry brushing, so will apply some more black to tidy it up a bit;

 

Before joining the fuselage parts together I`ll assemble the wings first but that means removing the awful lump of resin attached to the top part of the resin wheel wells as otherwise the wings will not close together,..... so that is my task for the evening! Last time I built the Grand Phoenix kit I broke into the wheel well itself, so wish me luck,

 

All the best

                 Tony

[tonyot]

38 minutes ago, Silver Fox said:

looks a very interesting project, I'll pull up a chair. If the Belcher conversion is as good a conversion as his armour ones I've used recently, it will be quality.

 

Hope you are going make it to Huddesfield on Sunday

Cheers Andy,....... I don`t think I`ll be fit enough for the show on Sunday, but I`ll try my best to make it as I`ve missed the last two as well!

 

All the best

                  Tony 

[Silver Fox]

Take care mate. Plenty more model shows to go to once you are a bit more mobile.

[moaning dolphin]

28 minutes ago, tonyot said:

Last time I built the Grand Phoenix kit I broke into the wheel well itself, so wish me luck,

Yep been there done it, the plastic is hugely thick on the wings and it is a large lump of resin. There's a fine line between success and a hole in the wing or well! Best of luck!

 

Bob

[woody37]

Great start Tony, I would normally stock up on popcorn, but you'll be finished before I get the bag out of the cupboard 

[Nickthebrief]

Tony,

Always a pleasure to follow one of your builds, so I'm looking forward to this.

From the profile at the top of your thread, it looks like the top of the fuselage behind the front cockpit should be a straight line to the base of the windscreen of the second cockpit; it might just be camera angles etc. but on the kit itself there looks to be a slope up to the windscreen on the resin insert? Or is this just where the fuselage has to widen out to accommodate the second cockpit?

I've wanted to do a RN version for a while, so like others, might be tempted into a purchase...!

Nick.

[snapper_city]

You have my interest. Chair pulled up.

[Navy Bird]

I like the looks of this one, count me in. I had a similar experience with the resin wheel wells for the 1:72 Special Hobby kits, and I used a razor saw to cut off the huge lump of resin on top of each. Sanding it all off would have taken a decade. Once it was removed, and all that was left was the wheel well with no excess resin, it fit like a charm.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Martian]

Nice start Tony, its good to see that the fuselage insert if a good fit, thus weakening my already flabby resolve still further!

 

Martian

[wyverns4]

Hi Tony,

 

Looking good! And yet again you are tempting me towards the dark side!

 

On-On!

 

Christian, exiled to africa

[tonyot]

23 hours ago, Nickthebrief said:

Tony,

Always a pleasure to follow one of your builds, so I'm looking forward to this.

From the profile at the top of your thread, it looks like the top of the fuselage behind the front cockpit should be a straight line to the base of the windscreen of the second cockpit; it might just be camera angles etc. but on the kit itself there looks to be a slope up to the windscreen on the resin insert? Or is this just where the fuselage has to widen out to accommodate the second cockpit?

I've wanted to do a RN version for a while, so like others, might be tempted into a purchase...!

Nick.

I know what you mean Nick, the resin part bulges out on either side as per the real aircraft but as it is only loosely fitted at the moment the profile of the top section does seem rather steep,.......when it is fixed down this is not as exaggerated but there is a tiny bit of a slope which I intend to sand to match the upper fuselage contours.

If this conversion goes OK I might be tempted to buy another conversion to do a British aircraft, using a flat canopy and windscreen from the Special Hobby kit for the forward cockpit.

 

Thanks for the kind remarks everybody,....... hopefully I`ll have some more progress shots soon as I`ve been removing the excess resin using a coping saw and a flat file.I might assemble the wings tonight, 

 

Cheers

           Tony 

Edited February 9, 2017 by tonyot

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

                 Here is another update;

The wings have been assembled with the wheel wells pre painted using Humbrol Trainer Yellow;

As you can see there was quite a bit of surplus resin to remove from the resin wheel wells, but at least I didn`t end up cutting through the thin roof, there is a small hole here but it was there before I started and cannot be seen from below;

The cannon stubs will be cut off and sanded smooth later, but the cannon blisters appear to have been retained on the real aircraft'

 

Onto the fuselage, the resin exhaust stubs, radiator and forward cockpit have been fitted to the left hand fuselage half,...I`ve just noticed that the right side cockpit wall needs to be taken off and re fitted,...... that`s what happens when you model in bad light without using your glasses! ;

And here is the Belcher Bits rear cockpit section with its own interior fitted;

Sorry about the resin dust on everything,........the kit box is full of the stuff despite cleaning it umpteen times! I`m going to add the seat harnesses and some weathering to the leather after I`ve managed to get out and buy some relevant paint.

 

If I get the chance this evening I might just join the fuselage halves and fit the rear cockpit,

 

Cheers for now,

                         Tony 

Edited February 10, 2017 by tonyot

[Col.]

Tidy work Tony. The cockpits in particular look great; dark enough to convey the 'inside of a coal bunker at night' effect but with the details still visible.

[heloman1]

Hi Tony, it's coming along very nicely.

 

Colin

[Martian]

Nice work Tony. Did the wheel wells give you much aggravation?

 

Martian

[tonyot]

20 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Nice work Tony. Did the wheel wells give you much aggravation?

 

Martian

Haha,..... you could say that Martin! The big lump of resin moulded on top of the parts needs to be removed back down to a wafer thin upper crust. which is very easily broken through! The bottom of the cockpit floor also has a section of extra resin which needs to be removed too, otherwise the wings will not fit into place,....... and the resin is more like reinforced concrete to cut or file down!

I`ve got an update to follow shortly,

Cheers

           Tony 

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

                  Here is another update,..........after lots of whittling and sanding of resin I`ve joined the fuselage halves and attached the fuselage to the wings, also adding the tail. Now for lots of filler!

I`ve fitted the Airfix Mossie spinner to the Grand Phoenix backplate,.... some sanding needs to be done but it should look OK, Also, I`ve  liberated the canopy from another kit which was partially started and replaced it with the vacuformed set from the conversion kit, so that both canopies match.

 

Cheers

           Tony

Edited February 13, 2017 by tonyot