Jump to content

Matchbox Boeing P-12E / Airfix Bulldog


Recommended Posts

Hi -  Here are two contemporary fighters from the early thirties with similar performances if references are to be believed.

 

I'm not sure how they would have faired if they faced off against each other but I guess that the Bulldog may have had a tighter turning circle with its bigger wing area.

Personally I would be sitting in the P-12E- only because the thought of those two upper wing fuel tanks of the Bulldog being right by the pilot's head does not really appeal :)

 

Both kits are brush painted and essentially out of the box with rigging added. I had to replace the Airfix roundels (thank you to those who gave me advice on them on the Interwar forum part of this site).

 

BD2_zpsyd9gjmoi.jpg

 

 

 

BD%203_zpsqwx5attg.jpg

 

BD%205_zpsrudtk4eh.jpg

 

BD%204_zps20tx7yxc.jpg

 

 

 

BD%206_zpsjpsongti.jpg

 

BD%201_zpsucv7oaqm.jpg

 

BD%209_zpsrcq4h9hj.jpg

 

BD%208_zps4mc8lsan.jpg

 

BD%2011_zps2lfgz0jv.jpg

 

BD%207_zpscz8oaswj.jpg

 

 

Edited by Pinback
typo
  • Like 37
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're fantastic. Two lovely colourful and nicely modelled aircraft. 

The Matchbox P-12E really stands out, but the Airfix Bulldog has always been one of my favourite kits.

Great stuff indeed.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matchbox bipes rule! Last time I did a P12 it cost me 35p from Bobby Edwards hardware store in Horden. It shot down many a 109 and other adversaries in my bedroom. May even have sunk HMS Exeter once or twice as well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice, both of them :thumbsup: 

 

Youve done a grand job on brush painting gloss yellow on the P-12; Not an easy colour to get to behave.

 

Very nice rigging. 

:goodjob: 

Best regards 

TonyT

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely duo you have there!  I especially like them as they seem to be OOB...I have built both and like them both equally.  I made the Boeing once as a 'what-if' in Spanish Republican colours with a mottled camouflage.  I like yours with the traditional olive/yellow.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely - I had forgotten Matchbox did the P-12 - I have the Monogram F4B-4 from many moons ago, as well as the Bulldog, long before I experimented with rigging.  They look great rigged!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for your kind comments

 

On 01/06/2017 at 0:50 PM, TonyTiger66 said:

Youve done a grand job on brush painting gloss yellow on the P-12; Not an easy colour to get to behave.

 

Very nice rigging. 

 

Agreed!- At times I was thinking that yellow must be the spawn of satan :wall:

 

For the rigging I now use "invisible thread" - every good sewing box should have a reel:) Its strong, easy to thread, cut and superglue.

 

On 01/06/2017 at 4:59 AM, Darby said:

Matchbox bipes rule! Last time I did a P12 it cost me 35p from Bobby Edwards hardware store in Horden. It shot down many a 109 and other adversaries in my bedroom. May even have sunk HMS Exeter once or twice as well.

 

Well,Darby-  I must admit there was the odd "daka daka daka daka!" heard by my good lady when I was setting up the shots.   :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely builds, fantastic rigging and brush painting too, my congratulations to you.

I use invisible thread too, but, struggle getting the cut to lengths to stay taught, any advice please - Much appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Colin1967 said:

I use invisible thread too, but, struggle getting the cut to lengths to stay taught, any advice please

 

Hi Colin- I hope the following is of use- I have seen numerous ways of rigging, this is just the way I do it. I expect you may already do some of these steps

  • Right at the start I drill right through the wings, rudder and fuselage where needed. I drill the holes at the angle that the rigging is going (or as near as), not at right angles to the surface.
  • I use the super glue gel not liquid.
  • I don't worry about measuring the thread- just make sure I have ample.

An example may be a better way of explaining:

Bulldog: the rigging from the front upper port wing to the fuselage and then back up to the upper starboard wing. 

This is just one length of thread. It is basically glued and secured to the port upper wing. Once it had dried it was threaded through the fuselage and then threaded up through the starboard upper. I turned the aircraft on its back, pulled the thread taught, applied the glue, and attached clothes pegs (as weight) to the thread to keep the tension and allowed to dry.

Once dried you are then just left with two bits of thread sticking up through the upper wing that just need trimming with a scalpel. A tiny bit of filler to fill the holes. In this case the roundels  covered these areas nicely.

I thought that the threading through the fuselage (including the P26) would be the deal breaker but it wasn't. I just kept prodding away and eventually it came through. ( I am sure it won't always work)

With the upper central to lower outer wing it was a case of just threading through and securing to the top. Once set and dried, thread through the lower, pull taught and glue. Either hold on (!) until set or keep the tension up with clothes pegs dangling. Then trim the sticky outy bits of thread with a scalpel and tidy up.

No measuring needed!

I hope that helps:)

 

Edited by Pinback
typo
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes...that's what I do too Pinback.  I use a wing jig to suspend the craft a few cm above the workbench and I have several forceps I use instead of clothes pegs for the tension.  

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you guys for the information regarding the rigging much appreciated - I will give it ago.  I also like using mending thread because it is available in a multitude of colors.  To keep my rigging taught I have also used a soldering iron on the cut lengths to get them taught, this does work to an extent but, their is a risk of setting fire to your finished model !!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...