Eric Mc Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 (edited) This is the current boxing of this venerable kit (almost as old as me) and I have to say the moulds have not been too kind. I had to spend a lot of time cleaning up and tidying the joins. This resulted in losing all of the raised panel line detail, which, to be honest, in 1/144 I don't think are that appropriate anyway. I spent a lot of time blending and filling the gaps around the flight deck transparencies using gap filing super glue. I will be using decals instead of glazing so damaging the clear cockpit windows during the sanding process was of no matter. It was more important that the nose was nice and smooth - especially on this aeroplane as the Comet was famous for its "non-stepped" and smooth nose. The wing is a very simple affair consisting of just one upper half and one lower half. They went together fairly well but there was a bit of damage to one of the trailing edges which I fixed, again, using gap filling super glue. Initially, when I test fitted the assembled wing to the underside of the fuselage, I found an enormous gap. However, careful tidying up of the join in the recess area in the lower fuselage where the wing is placed improved the fit no end. There was still a noticeable gap (although nothing like as bad as it could have been) to which I applied some Humbrol filler. Next stage was the sanding of the filler, blending the wing to fuselage join and applying some primer which I have now done.. I still haven't decided what scheme to do it in. The BEA Airtours scheme supplied in the kit is nice and I may try that. On the other hand, I also have a set of Liveries Unlimited BEA Red Square markings which I would also like to do - especially the earlier version with the polished metal lower fuselage. I also have a set of 1950s BEA markings for the one and only Comet 3. The Comet 3 was shorter than the Comet 4B by 36 inches, which equates to only 6 mm in 1/144, so I wouldn't bother trying try to shorten the fuselage. I'll see how the construction goes on before I make a final decision on what version to do. Edited May 30, 2017 by Eric Mc 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I did the other Comet a while ago and that one is older than me. I guess it's nice to actually have the option of being able to do such an elderly kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halcyonjet Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 This kit brings back happy memories for me -it was my first ever airliner build! Must have been about 45 years ago (heck!) after flying on a Dan-Air Comet. Yours is looking good already. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Comet 3 idea in the pre Red Square scheme sounds good. Got a picture of that somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 How quickly do you thing you'll progress through this one, reckon you'll have it by 24th June? If so do you fancy joining the De Havilland Grouo Build with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 I could - if I get a move on. I'm not the fastest builder in the world. I first built the Airfix Comet back in 1971/72 so its 45 years since I first had a go at it. One change they have made to the moulds is that they have removed the passenger cabin window apertures. The windows are now represented by decals - which is what I prefer anyway. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 After basic priming, I sprayed Tamiya Gloss Black on all the areas that will be polished metal. Gloss Black is a good base coat for metallics. Originally BEA Comets had their lower fuselages in polished bare metal but later they started painting them light grey. When they switched from the "Red Square"! era to the "Speedjack" era they retained those grey undersides. I then masked of those black areas as I want to keep them black for the moment. This was so I can paint the centre sections of the wings in the classic BEA red wings. The next step will be to spray a white base coat onto the areas that will be red. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBOT Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Another great build to watch & learn from, Thanks for sharing, Olli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 In the race between the DC-4 and the Comet, it looks like it will be the DC-4 that wins. The problem with the Comet is the red wings (and blue tail). Although I am an almost 100% convert to acrylics these days, when it comes to authentic airline colours there is only one source available, and that is Xtracolours Authentic Airliner range which are very slow drying gloss enamels. . The red and the blue used by BEA between 1968 and 1974 was notoriously different to standard bright reds and dark blues. The red was more "orangey" in nature and the blue had an almost pearlescent quality to it that caused light reflecting from it to adopt odd reddish/mauve and even green tinges. It was most noticeable if a BEA airliner was taxying and turning at the same time. As the sun angle changed, you could see these odd colour effects along the blue cheatline and tail;. I used to find it fascinating as a teenage plane spotter. Because of the uniqueness of these hues, there aren't really any acrylic alternatives available. It would be nice if, one day, Hannants chose to manufacture some acrylic versions of their airliner paints. Once these enamel paints are applied, you need to leave the model alone for at least a few days to ensure the paint has hardened off. Another thing I noticed relates to the black radar nose which was normally seen on most Comets, including the BEA Airtours fleet.. The kit markings depict G-ARGM and both the box art and painting instructions do show G-ARGM with the typical black radar nose. However, all the pictures I have found on the internet of G-ARGM in BEA Airtours markings show it without the black radar nose. So I will not include this feature in my build. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I love that you are doing this one Eric, one of my first 1:144 scale models too Bought the Vanguard and this a week apart with pocket money I was hoping we'd be getting the 4B with red squares, the Speed thing never looked as classy to me Even back then I had hmm... Interesting times closing the wing to fuselage joint I can remember to this day I know this is going to be great, watching from now on Eric ta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 I hope your optimism is justified. I have a few "BEA Red Square" projects lined up for the future. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I am liking the way this project is coming along big time! Martian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 Latest update. I have sprayed the red areas of the wings and removed the masking from the previously sprayed black areas. The next step will be to mask the red areas and spray aliminium over the black areas of the wing. I will leave the red paint another 24 hours to dry before applying any masking to it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 This is looking great! Sorry I never got back to you about the DeHavilland Group Build, are you wanting this to be moved over to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 I think I'll leave it here if that's ok. It probably has a better chance of being viewed if it's in a more general area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Looking good Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Progress has been made. The painting is more or less completed although some touching and tidying up will be required. Red wings are bit of a faff. They must have been a right pain on the real things. Once the painting is completed to my satisfaction, I'll post up another set of pictures before I start applying the decals. One area I'm a bit concerned about are the flight deck window frames. Airfix has incorporated the framing as part of the window cheatline. The problem is that they have left the window panel sections clear, the assumption being that you will have used the kit transparencies for the windows. However, as you can see from the pictures shown, I elected to sand and blend them into the fuselage as - a) the windows didn't fit that well b )they aren't very accurate from a shape point of view c) I prefer decals for depicting airliner windows anyway My plan was to paint a black area over the cockpit window area, which I have done which, in theory, should lie directly under the cockpit window framing decal. However, I'm not altogether convinced that this painted cockpit glazing area is going to match the decal shape precisely, which it needs to do. The problem is that I won't know until the decal is applied - and at that point it would be too late. So, I'm thinking about ways in which I can test the matching of the painted window with the decal without wrecking the decal. If only Airfix had just given us a cockpit window decal option. Edited June 13, 2017 by Eric Mc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 Where I'm at now. Next up will be the decalling - 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 8 hours ago, Eric Mc said: So, I'm thinking about ways in which I can test the matching of the painted window with the decal without wrecking the decal. Do you have access to a photocopier? If you have, you could copy the decal, cut out the copy, then test fit. Just a thought. The model's coming along beautifully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 Great minds think alike. That's what I did. Hopefully, the pre-painted black area will align with the decal. Fingers crossed I found some photos on the internet of G-ARGM in BEA Airtours colours and none of the pictures show it in exactly pristine conditions. So I will try a bit of mild weathering to the wings and fuselage to make her look a little tired. She also boasted a wire HP aerial for some of her time with BEA AIrtours so that would be a nice touch too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted July 10, 2017 Author Share Posted July 10, 2017 Progress is being made. Hope to have this finished by next weekend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 The anti dazzle decal.. Can you trace the decal or scan the decal ,print and cut out the tracing/scan to get an idea of fit position ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Too late now/ The model is almost finished and it looks reasonably OK to me. G-ARGM had no anti-dazzle panel nor did it have a black painted nose radome - despite what the instructions and box art say. The problem was making sure that the area under the flight deck window decals was black. Airfix would have made life a whole lot easier if they had provided a complete set of flight deck window decals, instead of leaving a transparent section for the window panes. The clear plastic and window aperture for the flight deck windows are not dimensionally accurate anyway so I would guess that most modellers would want to do what I did - which is cement the flight deck windows in place, blend them into the nose using filler and sanding and then paint over the whole thing.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 Now finished and pictures of the end product are now in the Ready for Inspection - Aircraft forum. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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