bristol boy Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 New project- Contrail Blackburn Botha 1/72. Guaranteed to be long winded and difficult. Not sure why but I have developed a liking for unusual ugly aircraft and keep acquiring vacforms, this is actually my third following a Bombay and sparrow. I've been tinkering with this for a while so most of the bits are cut out and sanded, the first issue is the nacelles supplied are far too big so I am using a couple of old Airfix Halifax ones with new gills and added detail to the engines. The down side is that my Hali now has two nacelles missing, so if anyone has any spare I would gladly purchase them! Does anyone have definitive proof of the number and distribution of porthole windows along the fuselage? Despite looking at numerous photos and drawings I am still not certain, my current thoughts are 5 on the port side and 4 on the door side? The Aeroplane magazine article is an invaluable source of photos and details, it cost a few quid on ebay. Some pics.. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossofiron1971 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Cor, thats a rare one... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Vacform, lesser known aircraft, what's not to like? I'm in. Martian the Predictable 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Like that look of this plane. Never heard of it. So, I'm in here for that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 BB, Looks good, so far! A rare but handsome multi! Awaiting further progress- thanks for posting the drawings and cockpit diagram, BTW. What kit did you rob the cowlings from? Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Very Good start Bristol Boy.. Excellent.... I am quietly sat at the back watching you unravel this kit. Way to go. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 This should be fun, Sir. An odd duck indeed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 That is a challanging topic! Wish all the best J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 (edited) I'm looking forward to this. I'm fond of vacforms, plus I'm fond of Blackburns. I'm still trying to trace the factual origin of a story I once heard, about one of these crashing with a Polish crew on board at a coastal town in the North-West of England. I believe there may have been some kind of memorial plaque put there. I just don't know where it is! If you or anyone knows, I would be grateful. Good luck with the build, a nice unusual bird . Best regards TonyT Edited June 21, 2017 by TonyTiger66 Correct aircraft name 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Martin Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Not to steal direction, but the collision of a Botha and Defiant occurred over Blackpool. http://laituk.org/Botha-Defiant 10.htm Will be nice to see a finished Botha PM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Gruntfuttock Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Now this is an interesting build and as I have one in the stash I will be following with interest. You are correct in that there are few references around but you have found the good one. I will be interested in what you do with the interior - I suspect that I will just put in a floor and some bulkheads as there is not much visibility there. Thanks for the clue about the cowling size - I do have a stash of Halifax cowlings to use but suspect I am too far away to send you a couple, hope someone local can help you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I'm on board for the ride. During WW2, Bothas were flown RAF Morpeth, which is just about 7 miles from where I live. I'll be watching this with great interest. Good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 13 hours ago, 72modeler said: BB, Looks good, so far! A rare but handsome multi! Awaiting further progress- thanks for posting the drawings and cockpit diagram, BTW. What kit did you rob the cowlings from? Mike From an Airfix Halifax, will need a bit of work. 9 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said: I'm looking forward to this. I'm fond of vacforms, plus I'm fond of Blackburns. I'm still trying to trace the factual origin of a story I once heard, about one of these crashing with a Polish crew on board at a coastal town in the North-West of England. I believe there may have been some kind of memorial plaque put there. I just don't know where it is! If you or anyone knows, I would be grateful. Good luck with the build, a nice unusual bird . Best regards TonyT Sorry Tony never heard about this before, someone on the Aviation Forum-Historic would know. 8 hours ago, Horatio Gruntfuttock said: Now this is an interesting build and as I have one in the stash I will be following with interest. You are correct in that there are few references around but you have found the good one. I will be interested in what you do with the interior - I suspect that I will just put in a floor and some bulkheads as there is not much visibility there. Thanks for the clue about the cowling size - I do have a stash of Halifax cowlings to use but suspect I am too far away to send you a couple, hope someone local can help you. thanks for the offer of some Halifax nacelles, I have been offered some thanks. I will be interested in what I do with the interior too! Just trying to sort out the bizarre arrangement of glazing at the moment. 9 hours ago, Patrick Martin said: Not to steal direction, but the collision of a Botha and Defiant occurred over Blackpool. http://laituk.org/Botha-Defiant 10.htm Will be nice to see a finished Botha PM Thanks Patrick, will look at the link. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I'm keen to keep an eye on this too seeing as I have the same kit. Good tip about the Halifax cowls, I'll have spares when I use the Lancaster ones I have on mine. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Interesting project I'll sit quietly at the back and watch/learn if you don't mind? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 Photo bucket have finally caught up with me and my photos have been disabled. Heard some people are now using Flicker, is that the best option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Rats. I use Flickr, especially as I take most of my photos with an iPhone and the app makes it really easy to upload the pictures (turn off the auto upload!). It also has a 'BBCode' sharing option that lets you set the photo size when linking. Nervous about recommending any free server at the moment but it's working for me... You can download your photos from PB to your computer but, although this rescues the image, it doesn't help re-create your threads. Pain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Please, reconstruct this thread ... Recently I reconstructed my only 4 threads, including two the most recent. It is pain indeed. it takes some time but it works. It took me more than 2 hours - so not very fast indeed. I had all photos (2850) of my posted on BM models on my HD - it will be very labour, I think some 100 hours... So roughly a time devoted to one model. I am not sure when I will do this.... It would be nice if everybody do this work on his at least current threads. Cheers J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted July 10, 2017 Author Share Posted July 10, 2017 On 08/07/2017 at 10:22 AM, CedB said: Rats. I use Flickr, especially as I take most of my photos with an iPhone and the app makes it really easy to upload the pictures (turn off the auto upload!). It also has a 'BBCode' sharing option that lets you set the photo size when linking. Nervous about recommending any free server at the moment but it's working for me... You can download your photos from PB to your computer but, although this rescues the image, it doesn't help re-create your threads. Pain. Hi Ced, Humour me as a complete computer numpty! I have opened a Flickr account, but how do I get the photo from Flickr to BM? I've tried all the sharing codes in the usual insert Other media box as a URL but it doesn't work. Trouble is using these things is supposed to be intuitive but I prefer some instructions! Hope you can help, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Eureka! I seemed to have cracked the Flickr problem! So I have been cutting out windows and starting an interior...and trying to get my head around what happens at the nose. Anyway now I've sorted the image issue here's a few more! Looks suitably lopsided and gormless, just like the real Botha! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Nice work but am I the only one who thinks the Botha is a rather good looking aircraft? Martian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted July 20, 2017 Author Share Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) A little update. I've been struggling with how the front glazing and bomb aimers window works and decided that there is some internal framing that needs to be modelled before fitting the nose glazing, see what I mean...... Note the diagonal brace holding the bomb aimers window. The bomb aimers window is the only lower framed element in the glazed nose, so I thought the next logical step was to sort out the internal frame and glazing.. A quick trim, no problem... oh bugger I've cracked it.. Milliput to the rescue to crash mould a replacement.. One step forward...? Edited July 20, 2017 by bristol boy more haste less speed 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Test pilots comments on landing: 'Access to the cockpit is difficult. Recommend it be made impossible.' I knew a chap who flew one once. He didn't want to fly it again. Deadly if you lost an engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Hope the replacement moulding goes OK. Martian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol boy Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 New front end plunge moulded from some plastic wrapping and all other see through bits cut out to size, generally they seem to fit quite well. Personally I always find cutting the transparent bits from the sheet nerve racking, you only get one! One thing this does show is that I need to do more on the interior, some framing and bits and pieces... oh and also that I can't drill 4 portholes and get them in line! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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