Terry1954 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 This is my recently completed Phoenix Models Vacform of the Kirby Cadet Mk 3 glider, circa 1971. This aircraft was one of three on hand at 615 Gliding School, RAF Kenley. I had many happy flights in this particular aircraft, XA301 and its sisters XA300 and WT875. Happy days they were! This is my second ever Vacform, built mostly from the kit but with scratch build cockpit and other small detailed parts. Struts are all brass aerofoil from STRUTZ (no longer available sadly) and some fuse wire. Dayglo is Revell enamel flourescent orange, and the silver dope finished was achieved using Alclad Dull Aluminium, All painting was with my Iwata airbrush. The decals are all home made except for the roundels which are good old Modeldecal. The last picture gives an impression of size. I can also say that given it is a Vacform, even with the brass struts it is VERY light! Comments/constructive criticism welcome! Thanks for looking Terry 57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastcat Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Lovely little model and great subject. Nice one! Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds. Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Smashing little kit, well done on the final result. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Nice. I remember these back in the day... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzby061 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Very nice indeed. It it certainly is a tiddler! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natter Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Constructive criticsm? Are you kidding? It's lovely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Blimey that is small . . . As I recall we had Segburgh (??) its been 40 odd years mind and I flew initially from Hemswell then got posted to Lindholme. Lovely little kit that is sure to bring back memories to others as well Thanks for sharing Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeronut Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Nice Mk 3 brick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Thanks all for your encouraging comments! Yes Ian, we had Sedburgh's also at Kenley. I attended a camp one year at Scampton when 617 flew Vulcans there, and we were treated to Sedurgh flights up at Hemswell. I have the Phoenix 1/72 Sedburgh also which I have just started, so maybe I will do some Work In Progress posts on that. Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Very nice indeed. Reminds me of 631GS at Sealand many years ago. Managed to get to 3,000ft above the site thanks to the thoughtful steelworks at Shotton. Even saw a Cambrian Airways Viscount trundle past on the way into Speke. Strewth!!!! Look forward to the T21 build as well. If you need any details let me know as I have a few of the original works drawings from my full size restoration. Chris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildeSau75 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Hi Tery, What a great build - definitely not often seen. Especially like the dayglo orange. Can you confirm that you used Revell orange RAL2005 (article no. 32125)? Thanks & regards, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 This is fantastic I love it! Would be great to see Airfix or similar produce some injection moulded RAF gliders (vac-form is too hard for my limited skills!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 15 minutes ago, WildeSau75 said: Hi Tery, What a great build - definitely not often seen. Especially like the dayglo orange. Can you confirm that you used Revell orange RAL2005 (article no. 32125)? Thanks & regards, Michael Hi Michael, Thank you. I can confirm the dayglo colour is Luminous Orange Revell 32125, but I recall now I did add a very small amount (maybe 10%) of Luminous Red Revell 32332 (RAL 3026). I thinned this further with Mr Levelling Thinner which is an amazing product. Cheers Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 1 hour ago, stringbag said: Very nice indeed. Reminds me of 631GS at Sealand many years ago. Managed to get to 3,000ft above the site thanks to the thoughtful steelworks at Shotton. Even saw a Cambrian Airways Viscount trundle past on the way into Speke. Strewth!!!! Look forward to the T21 build as well. If you need any details let me know as I have a few of the original works drawings from my full size restoration. Chris. Hi Chris, I don't think I ever got a Mk 3 higher than 1,200 feet above Kenley, but we did get higher in the Sedburgh's. Re the T21 build any drawings would be helpful, but especially cockpit detail. Thanks to everyone again for your comments. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 No problem Terry. I've loads of pics and drawings of the old barge. I'll scan what I have in terms of detail pictures and send them to your e-mail address. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Thats nice! I had one of those kits but don't recall what happened to it. But I did build the vacform T.21 Sedburgh as XN148 in which I made my very first glider flight at Tangmere Later soloed in T.31 XN 250. With the T.31, I have a Dujin resin kit of it built as '250. Pics of both these somehwere in BM archives. Incidentally I still have another T.31 to build as another I flew in during my gliding course with 623 GS at Tangmere 1970. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 That's very nice indeed !! Memories of Halton Camp and the instructor going up with newly licensed cadets to shoot hares from the back cockpit with a 303 !! Probably not very oh& s !! The wheat fields of the downwind leg always seemed to attract courting couples - don't know what they were up to but it seemed a bit of horizontal jogging was involved....... Must look out for this kit and the Sedburgh !! Rog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryanm Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Beautiful build of a neglected subject! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 47 minutes ago, roginoz said: That's very nice indeed !! Memories of Halton Camp and the instructor going up with newly licensed cadets to shoot hares from the back cockpit with a 303 !! Probably not very oh& s !! The wheat fields of the downwind leg always seemed to attract courting couples - don't know what they were up to but it seemed a bit of horizontal jogging was involved....... Must look out for this kit and the Sedburgh !! Rog I cant top the 303 hare shooting, but we did have one instructor that used to take a bag of rotten tomatoes up and drop them one by one on various targets of opportunity. His favourite was to guide us onto a higher approach right over the control caravan and see how many cadets/instructors he could hit!. Quite un-nerving when you are a green 16 year old trying your best to get the thing down in one piece and you realise he is hurling these out behind you! 9 hours ago, stringbag said: No problem Terry. I've loads of pics and drawings of the old barge. I'll scan what I have in terms of detail pictures and send them to your e-mail address. Chris. Thanks again Chris. I'll look out for your email. Cheers Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goggsy Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Amazing work. Frankly the thought of flying one of those things terrifies me for some reason. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Very nice, that open cockpit must of been cold up there, what type of aircraft would of towed it up, would make a good diorama 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 rare subject, lovely work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Most of the Air Cadet gliding schools used winch launching, but I've seen chipmunks used on occasion. In civilian use, most of the current tugs can cope but with a max aerotow speed of only 52 kts, it can be a fun. Been towed up by a Pawnee and Husky in the past and those flexible windscreens don't afford much protection to the face especially if one is tall. As far as the cold is concerned, you're not likely to be airborne long enough in a T31 for frostbite to set in. The T21 however was more of a handful on aerotow due to the position of the hook. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I remember getting a couple of flights in one of these as a Spacey. Fiew out of Debden I think. Also remember sticking my knee through the doped side of one of them near the Port Tailplane. Glider was winched up, something in the back of my brain says 3000ft of cable to get 1000ft altitude. Nice model by the way !!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeronut Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 that open cockpit must of been cold up there, I have memories of landing a Mk3 after a 5 minute solo circuit and wiping the ice off my eye brows I'm long in the back and I never could get in to the rear seat of a Mk3 so I only ever flew them from the front seat with my head well above the windscreen. Although the Brick was good trainer I preferred the Barge (Sedburgh) and managed to get to G2 and carry passengers in them before my VGS (612) was converted to Ventures. In total I have 24 hours on Mk 3 and Sedburghs; that doesn't sound a lot until you remember the number of flights that were logged as 1,2 or 3 minutes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now