Bluebird K7

[Head in the clouds.]

Hi folks.

Well, I still have not figured out this digital world of computers and forums so please accept my apologies for my tardy entry into this group build.

Onto the subject matter, I have chosen the Alley Cat resin model of the final iteration of the Bluebird...the K7.

Donald Campbell, like his father was a record holder and going for the World Speed Record for water craft was his next task, achieving a maximum one way speed of 315mph before the fatal crash. The K7 looks every bit a record holder like all the Bluebirds before and to this day his legacy continues with Thrust2, Thrust SSC and the yet to run Bloodhound flying the flag for the UK.

 

Now, because of my misunderstanding of how group builds work, and the clue is in  the title,I had already started the model but because of the few number of components the following pictures involved only 2 items being assembled; the sponsons so from apart count point of view there are not many.

 

After looking at my research material, of which there does not seem to be a great deal a few inaccuracies cropped up, as follows;

1/ the nose profile is too sharp, needs to be more blunt in appearance

2/ the main body is too flat, it is more humped

3/ the tail bullet is flat, it is in fact sitting at an angle on the real thing

4/ the aqua plane to the rear is to square and thick, it needed thining

5/ minor vents need installing.

That is all I can find at the moment but it should keep me gainfully employed for a while.

 

Thus far I have removed the tail and added some Evergreen strip of varying thickness to try and give the K7 the hump which is visible in most photographs, this will be infilled with Squadron Putty and sanded to shape, hopefully achieving that ' hump'.

Below is the ribs before filling and now for the fun part, I am off to do a lot of sanding. Hope you like what I am trying to achieve.

I will update when I have gone mad or achieved my goal.

 

 

 

[Dave Swindell]

Hi there, nice to see another one of these being built, my attempt is here.

Corrections

1) definately, I think the hull should taper less / be a little wider at the forward sponson as well. Didn't attempt correcting this on mine.

2) didn't really notice this one, you may be right, but it's quite subtle if it is there.

3 & 5 corrected on my build, plus a couple of other minor changes as well.

[Head in the clouds.]

 

 

On 24/04/2017 at 9:11 PM, Dave Swindell said:

Hi there, nice to see another one of these being built

 

Thanks Dave, I do like the British record breakers and this is my first water-born subject so it is most certainly virgin territory for me.

 

Banks holidays give me more time at the bench and I have been able to spend some time on the K7, all the filler, 3 different types, have been sanded down and I now have the more pronounced drop at the rear and a little more at the front. Any panel lines that were sanded to oblivion have now been re-scribed too so it will just need the obligatory primer coat to see if any imperfections exist.

 

 

This what I am trying to achieve;

 

I also took the opportunity to take some of the sharpness out of the nose profile, it is now more blunt in appearance

 

On the kit as it came, the bullet on the tail sat horizontal to the top of the main body without any drop to the rear so the tail was removed, a new bullet made from Evergreen stock, shaped and glued into place with a new fillet sitting below this to better conform to the new rear shape as can be seen below. A little filling and blending is required then the tail unit can be glued back onto the main hull.

.

 

The next job, as mentioned it to fit the tail and prime, then it is the fabrication of the small intakes and aerial attachment point, I have not given the cockpit much thought yet as it is just a solid lump of resin, no pit is present. I do not fancy drilling this out, also, I have been unable to find any cockpit photos to be able to glean info on how it was fitted out. I may just use different shades of Grey and Black and leave it at that.....not sure as yet.

 

Hope you like it thus far, keep looking and the next instalment in a few days.

 

Thank you.

 

Gary.

[Gorby]

Very interesting - I've not seen a model of this built before.

[Mjwomack]

,,,and I couldn't find a model full stop. I fancied a Cambell tribute but couldn't track anything down, fascinated to see how this goes.

[shatters]

There is a full sized replica of K7  at the Lakeland motor museum in Cumbria if it helps.

 

Phil

[Head in the clouds.]

You are correct Phil and I need to visit the museum, should have done it last time I was in the Lakes then I would have much more material to work with.

[Head in the clouds.]

Hi everyone.

A small update; I have added more filler to the nose as it had a small lip to eradicate so more Mr surfacer 500 did the job a treat 

 

The tail however needed a little more work. When looking at photographs you can see a pronounced fall to the rear, I was hoping to achieve this by removing the existing tail and inserting a new section of fin and a new scratch built bullet fairing but I just could not balance the scale and angle using the recently removed fin. The only option was to scratch build a new fin which turned out to be a simple affair in the end although time consuming. This is where we are at ;

 

Other items fitted were the rear mechanical workings; water brake,stabilizing fin and rudder. Next up is a coat of primer to reinforce the fact that my eyesight is on the wane, it will show some irregularities which will of coarse have to be dealt with.

More later and thanks for looking.

Gary

[frankie]

Any progress?

[Head in the clouds.]

Yes Frankie, slow but sure.

 

All the small detail was then attended to, the two tie points on the sponsons, the two air vents behind the cockpit made from brass tube and the two rounded bumps, one infront of air vents and one on top of th canopy which were made with Little Cars 1.5 mm lens. Talking of the cockpit all I did was to leave that area grey primer and fix the canopy in place, not ideal but passable as it is a solid lump of resin, both canopy and cockpit.

Everything was primed in Airfix Gray rattle can primer  and further filling and sanding over a prolonged period until I felt it was as good as it was going to get.

I then had to come up with what I thought to be the right colour which turned out to be Tamiya XF14 and XF8 to about a 70/30 ratio. It all sprayed on lovely and looks to my eye to be about right.

The planes were sprayed with Model Master Steel with a dab of light brown to give the planes a slightly used look.

Next was the obligatory varnish coat which was Alclad Gloss ready for the decal application.

 

This is where we are now.

 

 

Next up are the decals, windshields and supports and to finish the pitot on the tail which I am hoping will be tonight.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Gary

[Head in the clouds.]

Hi everyone.

 

Well, she is completed after placing the decals in position and fitting the last few items.

Hope you like her and I will put up more pics in the Maritime section RFI.

I have enjoyed this first foray into WIP and my well do a more complex build in the future, even though it will take me twice as long.

Thanks to everyone who looked and commented.

 

Gary

[greggles.w]

Congratulations, looks great!