adey m Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) The original 1968 Roy Cross box art for the AIRFIX HS Dominie which so inspired me as a nine year old. 1970s revised box art where the Dominie is now wearing College of Air Warfare markings. I fondly remember admiring the artwork on this Airfix kit every time my mother took me shopping in Woodbridge but there always seemed to be something else with guns and bombs that attracted me more back then as a nine year old. But because of Airfix I knew a Dominie when I saw one on static display at the RAF Bentwaters air display and was able to go inside and wander about in the cabin unsupervised........I remember an oxygen mask dangling down from the ceiling which I tried on.............well you would wouldn't you ? My father photographed this Dominie on display at RAF Bentwaters in 1969. This is how the Dominie was illustrated and described in my 1971 Airfix catalogue. Fast forward about twenty years and now the Airfix Dominies are hard to find and they are expensive when you do find one. Then in 2005 Humbrol Airfix re-release it with up to date decal options at a sensible price which upsets all the used kit traders and I buy one. This is the Humbrol Airfix Dominie boxing that I built. But somehow I could not get excited about either the red and grey one or the black and white one..........the box art probably did not help..................come back Roy....... I remembered that as a child at Primary School I was looking through a Ladybird book on RAF aircraft when I saw a picture of a Dominie wearing silver and dayglo colours. So I went searching on the web and found photographs of the prototype RAF Dominie wearing these colours and that was my mind made up............I would build my Dominie in that colour scheme that the RAF ones may just have entered service in if the red, grey and white scheme had not been introduced in the mid 1960s. Here we have the multi-lingual Humbrol era instruction sheet showing the quite simple and straight forward build process if you build it straight from the box................except that this is never going to happen with an adey m kit............................ Note those fantastic Airfix 1960s pilot figures. And there you are, such a simple kit to build from the box..............................if only I decided I would have to do something with that empty fuselage so I found photos of the cabin interior and some cut away drawings. I have photos showing trainee RAF fast-jet navigators working at the rear work station and using the roof mounted sextant which inspired me to try and replicate this in 1/72 scale............. The kit was well moulded in the typical Airfix soft light grey plastic and moulded inside one of the wing halves was ' AIRFIX PRODUCTS 1968 ' . And so one day in 2013 construction commenced in my model room................ Get the wings, tailplane and engines built first and then I can focus on the interesting part....the fuselage. Scratch building of the cabin interior is underway with inspirational reference photographs to hand. It looks from here that I have been through my spares box and found some suitable seats....two of them are definately from the old Airfix Jetstream I used to have. TO BE CONTINUED Edited February 21, 2017 by adey m 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 In your dad's Bentwaters pic Adey, it looks like that big ugly C-124 is about to have the poor little Dominie for lunch....!! Keith 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) 3 minutes ago, keefr22 said: In your dad's Bentwaters pic Adey, it looks like that big ugly C-124 is about to have the Dominie for lunch....!! Keith It had me for lunch Keith ...................I went inside that big silver Moby Dick.................... Edited February 20, 2017 by adey m 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Is this a ready for inspection or work in progress? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Just now, snapper_city said: Is this a ready for inspection or work in progress? Hi snapper the model is built and ready for inspection but I have a handful of pictures of the build to share with you.................. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 2 minutes ago, adey m said: Hi snapper the model is built and ready for inspection but I have a handful of pictures of the build to share with you.................. Excellent stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 One to watch! The page from your catalouge reminds me of mine; all built and ticked apart from the Dominie. Christian, with an air of nostalgia in africa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Hmmm, I do wish you hadn't posted this thread Adey, I've just gone & bought one of these. I'll be looking forward to the next installment. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Looking forward to this. Just built my own one as it happens but I'm still (after a mere 5 years on Britmodeller) a but camera shy. I went for the classic red, white and grey. Have you seen the one that Acoteer posted? Very nice indeed. Btw, the one your dad photographed looks like it is about to be eaten by a Globemaster. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircraftkit Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Another treat for us to look forward to and enjoy ! Like everything about this - the old box art (hadn't realised the subtle differences in scheme until you pointed them out), the personal memories and photographs, extracts of Airfix catalogues, etc. The Dominie was always one of my favourite models. I have to say, that's a very tidy and clutter-free work bench ! More please ! Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 17 hours ago, stevehnz said: Hmmm, I do wish you hadn't posted this thread Adey, I've just gone & bought one of these. I'll be looking forward to the next installment. Steve Hi Steve There is something about modelling that fascinates me...........if you give 100 identical model kits to 100 modellers to build, no two would turn out the same. Every individual modeller is an individual with their own take on things when it comes to modelling. Your Dominie Steve may be one of thousands produced by Airfix/Humbrol but it will be unique to you when completed and I look forward to seeing it. all the best Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) A trainee navigator sits on the sextant stool while an instructor and trainee work at the rear navigation consoles. A navigator using the sextant. Edited February 22, 2017 by adey m 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 19 hours ago, adey m said: So I went searching on the web and found photographs of the prototype RAF Dominie wearing these colours and that was my mind made up............I would build my Dominie in that colour scheme that the RAF ones may just have entered service in if the red, grey and white scheme had not been introduced in the late 1960s. XS709, '710 and '711 at least did enter service in silver and Dayglo. All three also sported White flight deck roofs. I tried doing this scheme and made the very fatal mistake of using Humbrol 56 for the silver: much too dark and dull. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 34 minutes ago, stever219 said: XS709, '710 and '711 at least did enter service in silver and Dayglo. All three also sported White flight deck roofs. I tried doing this scheme and made the very fatal mistake of using Humbrol 56 for the silver: much too dark and dull. Hi Steve Thanks for that, I did not realise there was three in those colours. I don't know what is going on with Airfix Humbrol nowadays, even Silver G11 is too dark now. ......I thought things would improve when they brought paint production back to the UK but they haven't for me. For RAF silver aircraft I now use Hannants Xtra Color X38 RAF Silver. I brush paint it on, it has excellent coverage, looks right and does not come off on your fingers when you handle the model. cheers, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) So here we have the interior taking shape with the use of plastic card and bits from my spares box. The brown painted seats came from my old Airfix Jetstream. The pilots' seats came from an old Airfix Islander. I have added an instrument panel ,centre console and seat rests to the cockpit. In the main cabin are the avionics racks, sextant, dinghy stowage and rear navigators training consoles. Edited February 21, 2017 by adey m 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 Here I have slotted the cockpit in place so that I can start working out how much nose weight will be required. The yellow plastic pilot's seats and dinghy stowage are parts from an old Airfix Islander. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 10 minutes ago, adey m said: Hi Steve Thanks for that, I did not realise there was three in those colours. I don't know what is going on with Airfix Humbrol nowadays, even Silver G11 is too dark now. ......I thought things would improve when they brought paint production back to the UK but they haven't for me. For RAF silver aircraft I now use Hannants Xtra Color X38 RAF Silver. I brush paint it on, it has excellent coverage, looks right and does not come off on your fingers when you handle the model. cheers, Adrian Hi Adey, The type was just entering service when the colour scheme change came in. My 1968 edition of Qwen Thetford's "Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918" has a photo of XS712 in the red/white/grey scheme. I agree that Humbrol paints have "gone off" of late. I've been using old tins of Humbrol Metalcote polished aluminium for High Speed Silver and bare aluminium finishes but it's getting very low now. I know some others have had trouble with his paint but it's served me well. I've never managed to get on with Xtracolor or Revell enamels so I'm hoping that Humbrol's new production in the UK is heading back in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Oh nice idea, nice Aircraft and what a clean and nett workbench. Very inspiring Hum Hum, mine is not that way.... Sincerely. Corsaircorp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 Here you can see that I have removed the moulded on wing fences and applied Humbrol filler to their positions. Airfix moulded the wing fences too far inboard so I removed them and made new ones from plastic card and installed them farther outboard. The reason that I built the wings, tailplane and engines before building the fuselage is so that I can work out how much nose weight will be required. I tape the fuselage together and clip or tape the wings, tailplane and engines on and then stick quantities of weights on the nose until it is enough to hold the nose down.........then I add a little bit more................... I have stuck bits of foam packing around the nose weights to stop them from rattling once the model is together. You can see that the fuselage entrance door has been made from plastic card and stuck in its open position up inside the fuselage. The door on a Dominie slid upwards and over inside the cabin. This will allow me to pose the model with the door open or closed. The ' wardroom ' area in the cabin entrance has also been fabricated. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 3 minutes ago, adey m said: You can see that the fuselage entrance door has been made from plastic card and stuck in its open position up inside the fuselage. The door on a Dominie slid upwards and over inside the cabin. This will allow me to pose the model with the door open or closed. It also usefully hides the top seam inside the vestibule; nice one dH. If only all aircraft manufacturers were so considerate to modellers. (I've recently been asked to build a very old Airfix Hercules and you can see right up the fin with the ramp down.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) And so to painting of the interior. Original Airfix 1960s pilots in the cockpit..............please bring these guys back Airfix.........a Harrier pilot in 1969 DID NOT wear the type of helmet Airfix have moulded in their new Harrier Mk 1. Another Airfix crew member has been added to the cabin operating the sextant. .............the stars move a lot bloody quicker than they did from a Varsity................ Edited February 24, 2017 by adey m 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 great looking build, never had one of these. i wish my modelling desk/room was as tidy as yours!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 Some nice sort of turqoisey curtains and it looks like the fuselage is finally ready to be closed up. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adey m Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 9 minutes ago, stever219 said: It also usefully hides the top seam inside the vestibule; nice one dH. If only all aircraft manufacturers were so considerate to modellers. (I've recently been asked to build a very old Airfix Hercules and you can see right up the fin with the ramp down.) Yes I remember that big tailplane void well Steve........I built the Airfix Hercules back in 1970 when my dad bought me it for my birthday. It will be a tricky problem to solve with all those moulded ribs inside the fuselage................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 How splendid is this? (Very) Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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