Bristol Bloodhound Mk I - Airfix 1/72

[CedB]

Many, many years ago I built the Bloodhound so I was excited when a batch arrived as part of a re-import. Like others I snapped one up.

I was surprised to see that, according to Scalemates, this is a 2005 version of the kit until I realised that it was just a box change; the kit was tooled in 1960. Nearly as old as me then. Here's my box:

 

 

I hope it's OK to have this 'aircraft' and its accompanying equipment in this forum; I've never been elsewhere.

 

I've done some research. Some. Wikipedia says the Bloodhound was developed during the 1950s as the UK's main air defence weapon.

The kit represents the Mk I that was replaced by the Mk II starting in 1964. 

There are some threads on BM, notably a post by BigVerne on colours and some walk around photos by Julian of the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum's Mk I.

 

There's also a couple of videos on Youtube, like this one:

 

 

 

[CedB]

Some sprue shots.

 

Most of the missile and starter rockets, plus two attendees:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

The carrier:

 

 

Landrover:

 

 

and launcher:

 

 

Note that two of the figures have severe indigestion - they've had some Vallejo putty applied. @Martian Hale will be pleased to see that the possible problem he perceived with the dog has been prevented by its sprue mount (ahem)  

 

 

The moulding is in the 'old Airfix' soft plastic and has the expected amount of flash as well as the 'long joins' which require use of the craft saw to remove cleanly:

 

 

Warpage has been rectified by clamps but sanding will be required:

 

 

I'm pleased to see that my usual crewing will be possible:

 

 

AND a dog! 

[perdu]

Way to go Ced

 

Back in 19blob when this kit was released I bought it and built it

 

And never gave a thought to whether it was a 'plane or not

 

Let that attitude reign here too

 

Good to see it and of course I'm here, chi-icking where I deem it reasonable

 

Nice doggy, have a Jumbone

 

[philp]

Following also.

 

Clave has done some nice artwork on this thing, but probably the Mk 2.

 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36473-bristol-bloodhound-missile/&page=3

 

 

 

[Rob G]

/me refrains from making jokes about rocket polishing.

 

<fnarr fnarr> There Ced, I saved you the effort of making a double-E.

 

I've never built one of these, I'll look over yer shoulder while you do, eh.

[AlexN]

 munch munch munch

 

[Martian]

Great another favourite from my childhood! I was into rockety type things even then!

 

Martian 

[hairystick]

Wow! There's a trip down memory lane...

Built this as a kid and I was impressed last year, seeing the Hendon and Duxford examples.

I hadn't realised that the outer "rockets" are "ramjets" according to the blurb on the museum placard.

 

This must relate to the "missile defense mentality" which made manned aircraft unnecessary in Whitehall logic...

 

[Stew Dapple]

Ooh that poor dog, impaled on the sprue like that 

 

Off to a flying start Ced, I'm in... 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[neil5208]

I can member building one of these back In the last century!

[Beard]

6 hours ago, CedB said:

 

 

Are they dancing?

[Hamden]

 

Another blast from the past - room for one more?

 

  Roger

[John_W]

I remember my brother building this in the 70's. It used to come with the Hercules kit as well back in the day. 

Those Erks need a beret shaping lesson though. 

[giemme]

Well, this is unusual!

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Thanks Bill - do chip in, always welcome  

Thanks Phil  Lovely art work isn't it. Mk II though (like the Duxford one).

Thanks Rob - fnarr!  

Welcome Alex, Martian, Stew, Neil, Roger, John and Giorgio - great to have you along  

Thanks Hairystick - yep, ramjets with 'starter rockets' to get her up to speed before they drop away.  

 

1 hour ago, Beard said:

Are they dancing?

Are you askin'? Thanks Simon  

 

 

Last night I sanded the ?fuselage and applied some Mr Dissoved Putty to the smallish seams:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

I looked at all those wheels and, pondering some Fritagesque 'fine detail' painting, I thought 'What I need is an RP Toolz big punch set" so I've ordered one. In my defence I have had a tax rebate. Weak I know but hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

[Darby]

The dog looks a lot happier now. Leaving a bit of sprue attached to it would have solved the problem of a '72 dog egg bag.

[John_W]

It's a shame they lost the moulds for the "Guideline" missile set, that was another 70's classic.

[perdu]

Hey look lads, we've given him the excuse he was desperately trawling around for

 

Ced now becomes MY official RP Toolz punch set tester

 

Well done that man, carry on

 

Do take note of John's comment re: erk's berets dear chap

 

There are limits...

 

 

 

😂

Edited August 25, 2017 by perdu

[Rob G]

2 hours ago, Beard said:

 

Are they dancing?

 

Y.M.C.A. ?

[bbudde]

Never saw a build up of this one, nor I had one in my stash ever. So I like to see how this goes together and what it will look like. So I'm in here.

This may help:

http://cyberplasticmodeler.blogspot.de/2013/07/

[bristol boy]

Bristol again, I knew you'd be back! Sorry to say I don't have one and have never built one so know nothing about them! Consequently I will be offering constant advice.

Have fun.

 

[CedB]

Thanks Darbs - yes, 'problem' avoided!  

Thanks John - I didn't know the Guideline kit so I looked it up on Scalemates:

 

 

Nice.  

Thanks Bill  RP Toolz tester? Yes please, do I get free stuff?

Bill and John - Erk's berets? What's wrong with them then? 

Thanks Rob - YMCA indeed!

Thanks Benedikt, great link thanks. Mk II again though  

Hi BB - nice to have you along  Bristol rulz! 

 

 

More this morning. I think I'm going to use this as a test of my techniques and take it easy(ish). I have a week after all.

 

Mr Surfacer on the seam and Flex-i-Files at the ready. I want to make sure I don't flatten the profile:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

These are no good, are they?

 

 

Should be:

 

 

I won't get that but I'd like to get closer. Out with some tools...

Fritag recommended RB Productions angled scribers, requiring use of a new giemme single edge razor:

 

 

 

I realised I only have one handle with cross-slots so I've ordered some more from here. 4 x Swann Morton ACM No1 Handle for £7.37, cheap enough. 

 

With some giemme bottled patience (I wish this existed), scrape scrape, poke poke, I get this:

 

 

Left one done, right one not. See? There, look? Intakes on the... oh, suit yourself, took me ages to do both so hopefully some wash will bring them out. 

 

What's this then?

 

 

In the Dremel and on the sanding stick. First one was fine, second one snapped the rod. Go figure. Anyway, that provided this:

 

 

There, look, two new pointy things! Oh well, on to the rest while that dries a bit.

 

Flash? Easily removed with Vincent's Molding Flash Sanders in the Dremel Flexidrive:

 

 

Not. Soft Airfix grey plastic just laughs at them... so they go scraped with the Citadel scraper thingy. Here's a before and after:

 

 

So, what's wrong with the berets?

[giemme]

Blimey Ced, that's some serious detailing job you did there! Hat's off, sir

Molding flesh sanders ... you really are a man of many talents ... and as many tools!

 

Ciao

[perdu]

The berets?

 

Nice berets but they look as if they've just come straight off the QM's shelf and haven't been made a 'fit'

 

There's a wide world of different 'make it sit right' cures

 

Some work,some are mythology

 

I think I used very hot water on mine then as it cooled and shrank wore it as the whole blooming issue took shape

 

But it's been a long time so I could be wrong

 

The beret is basically a felted wool substance and needs living and loving in.

 

Airfix's berets are too big but they can be sanded

Edited August 26, 2017 by perdu

[John_W]