Ed Russell Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 One hundred years ago today, on 20 March 1917, Lt McNamara, flying a Martinsyde Elephant, was one of four 1 Sqn AFC (67 Sqn RFC) pilots attacking a Turkish railway junction near Gaza. What followed earned him the only VC won by an Australian airman in WW1. Most would be unaware of this but there are good descriptions herehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McNamara_(VC) and herehttps://www.awm.gov.au/people/P10676512/ The issues and questions raised earlier on AMI have been sorted out and I am going to do the Martinsyde and BE.2c using the Pegasus and Airfix kits.http://forum.aussiemodeller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11533 The Pegasus Martinsyde is quite accurate according to the few plans available but is quite a basic kit. It's far superior to the Tamiya one (:>) It looks as though it cleans up okay though. The Airfix BE.2c has been well received and should be a lot easier. There are a few nice builds here to give me inspiration. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 That is quite a story Ed, I'll watch this with interest. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 By coincidence, a bronze bust of AVM Frank McNamara VC was today unveiled at his birthplace, Rushworth, in Central Victoria, along with one  of AM Sir George Jones DFC, also Rushworth-born and decorated for his combat skills during campaigns on the Western Front.  AM Jones was appt Chief of Air Staff in 1942 and led the RAAF for 10 years.  Full military honours were observed and an overflight by a P-8A Poseidon and a performance by the Roulettes took place.  Going to enjoy this w.i.p, Ed !  Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Quite the chap! Amazing story, this should be a great tribute  Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madhatter Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 that is a LOT of flash on that kit! The build won't take nearly as long as the clean up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffajake Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Lovely back story. This should definitely be a fitting tribute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Thanks for the history. Looks like we are in for a kitbashing treat! Â Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 This is one that I really have to follow. What an incredibly narrow escape they had !  INot long to ANZAC day now, I wonder  will these be complete by then ?  The elephant is an amazing looking aircraft, really looking forward to seeing one made.  Best regards TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I'm looking forward to this one. Those Pegasus kits usually come out pretty good with a little effort! Â Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I'll be following this with interest Ed, I've been collecting kits to do all the WWI VC's, I've even started a couple..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 Here's a little bit more progress..... there's a fair bit of work done and to come squaring off the corners where the fuselage sides join. Similarly the various cut-outs for the radiator inlets (abaft the engine), lower vent holes, exhaust locations etc need trueing up by adding plasticard and re-shaping. The lower wings have a gap between the inboard end and the inner face. The kit would have you butt join it but that's not going to work. The two holes at the bottom are for spars. The white metal seat is quite okay and the cockpit detail is largely hidden Filling that top seam is going to be essential. Â Some good references on the Elephant are the Profile Publication and the Windsock Datafile on the type, both by JM Bruce. Â Â a bronze bust of AVM Frank McNamara VC was today unveiled at his birthplace, Rushworth, in Central Victoria, Â I would have gone had i known........... Â http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/4541760/family-pride-at-airmens-honours/ Â Â 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Looking good so far! Pegasus kits seem to be a strange mix of fine engraved detail and melted plastic blobby bits, but that's short run for you I suppose. Did they give you a whole engine just to hide it all under the cowling?  Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 23 hours ago, AdrianMF said: Did they give you a whole engine just to hide it all under the cowling? Yes indeed - it could be superdetailed into a creditable Beardmore 6 cylinder engine if you wished. However it's not all concealed - the radiator is to the rear of the engine so you can see the front and a bit through the ventral opening. Â Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted March 25, 2017 Author Share Posted March 25, 2017 Hmm... seem to have a problem. Where the biro is pointing is, I think, the attachment point for the upper wing centre section. Unfortunately not in the kit. I have contacted Freightdog, from where I bought it, and they have promised a replacement. It hasn't arrived yet. Â 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 If it doesn't arrive let me know  I have this one in my stash, I may be able to make a resin copy of the part....or not, but I could at least try if needed!  Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 Thanks for the offer but hopefully it will arrive. It's a relatively simple aerofoil section so scratchbuilding is not out of the question. I hope you build yours rather than wait for the Tamiya one (:>). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 The kit includes white metal representations of the plywood endplates of the lower wings    These are small spigots which are maybe meant to butt join to the fuselage. I extended them with brass wire to make spars and drilled corresponding holes in the fuselage. The wings are then firmly fixed.    Although at first sight the kit doesn't promise much (apart from hard work) it is quite accurate, reasonably well detailed and goes together easily enough. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 You're making good progress there, Ed; it's turning into a very nice model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Coming on very nicely, and quickly too! Â Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Now for the tricky bits - putting the struts in. I have built a reasonable number of biplanes but this one is going to be, for me, in a unique configuration. Â Â Â Â Where would I be without Lego? Don't worry that they look a little wobbly - they have a little bit of flex in them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 That's an interesting wing root design. If they'd stuck the endplates at the other end they could have claimed to have invented winglets! It's coming along very nicely. Â Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Only just found this - another of the interesting types. Despite the apparent crudity of the kit you are making a super job of it. Will be following in future to see how this one finishes. Very well indeed by the looks of things. Â P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted April 8, 2017 Author Share Posted April 8, 2017 The upper wing part turned up and I have assembled and painted it. It look normal enough here   and here.........   but wait for the next pictures.  As I said, it's not a bad kit for its age but definitely not recommended for beginners. The 'make-it-yourself' strut lengths on the instructions don't quite correlate with the drawing, which I followed. The bomb racks on the plans number 4 but accounts are quite definite about 6 45 lb bombs being carried. I have added a couple of extemporized racks between the pairs but the artillery shells were not large and maybe 1 or 2 per rack is correct? The linen finish is Humbrol 71 but other colours may suit. Airfix recommend Humbrol 103 which would be okay, as would the kit recommendation Xtracolour 107. The 'Battleship Grey' is Revell 47 and the struts Humbrol 20. The decals are thin and well printed but have poor adhesion, even over Future. The rudder was painted white then masked for the red and blue paint. The serial is Alps printed to the same style as photos. The few pictures show a very plain, almost 'modern' font.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 Â In the next pictures, you can see that it is a bit bent........ Â Â Â This extract from McNamara VC - A Hero's Dilemma tells what happened......... Â With his passenger thus precariously positioned, McNamara opened up the engine to full power and turned upwind in preparation for take-off. The Martinsyde began gathering speed, bumping and bouncing across the uneven ground which was also sodden from recent rain. The additional weight of Rutherford made the aircraft lop-sided and his presence in the airstream added extra drag, with the result that as flying speed of about thirty-five miles an hour was reached McNamara found the machine veering to the left. Without full feeling in his wounded right leg, he was unable to counter this swing using the rudder controls to straighten up. Continuing its sideways lurch, the Martinsyde nosed into a gully, shearing off the undercarriage and breaking the lower left wing and the airscrew. Â Â Â 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 That looks very realistic. Are you going to put this into a mini-display? Â P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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