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Building and correcting the Airfix Valiant B1


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Thanks chaps..I'll get my nasal orifice firmly superglued to the grindstone!... :frantic:

Rich feel free to pinch what you like...there are a few more things I've noticed so hang on in there...

Tony, know what you mean but I've been given a bit more cart blanche to get stuck in to my builds before they appear in print, (cheers Spence!!), and so aren't constrained by time limits thanks God, otherwise nothing would get 'done!. Just finished some night shifts and don't feel 100% up to rescribing the tail today so I'll leave that until tomorrow when I hope to feel (relatively) fresh. I'm also waiting for some info about the RCM valiants from Tony Cunnane, (and a buddy of his who happens to have been an AEO on 199 squadrons 'C flight' jamming Valiants at Honington)..., if you haven't read his insights then you're missing a treat!! Tonys flown in all the V Bombers as AEO, pco pilot and captain, not to mention qfi and has a vast knowlegdge of the types, here's a link to his site,

Tony Cunnane site

He's a very affable chap only too willing to chat, which we do!,

Cheers all,

Melchett...

.

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Sten, the colour I chose is Humbrol enamel matt 101, after applying the centre of each panel was in filled with a mix of 101 and light panzer grey to add tone.

Yes you can finish a Blue Danube aircraft in HSS, the weapon was operational from 1954, (1321 flight at Wittering) up until 1962. In 1958 production was shifted to the more capable and much smaller Red Beard, in total 58 Danubes having been built up to that time.

Thanks a lot, very helpful! Following your build very closely. I mean, why should two people make the same misstakes. ;)

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the kit just arrived in Germany and I had to buy one.

I'm very happy to learn about the errors of the kit in both of your building reports. Thank you for this outstanding work.

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Thanks fellas, a little more done today, the rudder line has now finally been done..this was a lot more awkward than I first thought as getting the sanding sticks into the tight area without making the whole thing concave was quite a chore. Next time I'll do it from scratch before assembly!!,

Also thanks to a contact of a contact I now have all the info I need on the RCM Valiants, (thanks John, hopefully he'll be joining this happy throng soon!!), .One thing that I guessed after looking at photos was that the side windows of the bomb aimers position were indeed blanked over, (similar to the Victors in later life though that was more down to lack of suitable replacement glazing than anything else), as an aerial was fitted to this area as part of the RCM suite. There were 7 aerials in all which I'll fit as things progress.

So basically the detail in the window area was all for nothing...ah well I guess it can join the rear cabin in the depths of obscurity!!,

New lower rudder line,

P1110251.jpg

And windows to be plated over, filler needs to be added to the rim of the blister before the final coats of white go on,

P1110254.jpg

Now the only thing no one seems to know is whether the main optically flat window was plated or left clear!, A new position was provided for the sixth man over the bomb aimers blister as obviously this facility wouldn't be needed as this was really just a specialized jamming aircraft. (apparently the starboard bomb bay door was fixed shut due to the presence of one of the aerials and associated equipment in the bay anyway ...so I'm not sure if bombs were really an option.

Cheers now, :cheers:

Melchie...

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Thanks Tim...I have been repeatedly told that I am a veritable repository of useless information...............so you may have a point!,

Well hopefully this one will be finished in the near future...ie this year!!.

Got all the information that I need now thanks to Dennis, (Sloegin57) and John Godfrey.............thanks chaps!!

Melch..

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Another Tour De Force Mon General. I was tempted to buy this kit when it arrived in my LHS but held off. Had a few bad experiences with supposedly new Airfix kits. Reading this thread and learning from it. May buy one now and use this article has my build guide. Very nice work.

When will we see the F-111k in its warpaint?

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Thanks Christof, it is a good model well worth getting hold of and a pretty easy build to be fair...it's just the detail errors that bugs me as with a bit more research it could have been that much better.

The F-111K is progressing well with the painting of the wings, flaps, slats and tailplanes finished..just needs the canopy fitting now :banghead: , camo onto fuselage and then decalling.I'll update the post as it gets nearer to completion.

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The top coats of Gunze semi gloss white have now gone on and waiting Micro Meshing to get a glass like finish ready for decalling. Whilst masking the nose area I noticed another error by Airfix this time relating to the rear grey radome line. It just didn't look right on the few builds that I've seen of the kit so far. The grey area just looked too large! Two things are wrong with it, firstly as you can see by the photo of the real thing the line is way too far back, in line with the front of the windscreen and secondly its too shallow an angle as it runs back. The real things panel line starts a good 18 inches in FRONT of the screen not in line with it, (same goes for the underside where it is a lot further forward of the bomb aimers blister!). This I think is again caused by using the Caruanna drawings as hwe made that error on those....rather annoying. as this now means that there is an erroneous panel line just ahead of the cockpit that should have been filled and rescribed, which I'll do on the next build. For now I'll simply remask and respray the grey area directly on.

Melchie..

P1110259.jpg

P1110257-1.jpg

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The top coats of Gunze semi gloss white have now gone on and waiting Micro Meshing to get a glass like finish ready for decalling. Whilst masking the nose area I noticed another error by Airfix this time relating to the rear grey radome line. It just didn't look right on the few builds that I've seen of the kit so far. The grey area just looked too large! Two things are wrong with it, firstly as you can see by the photo of the real thing the line is way too far back, in line with the front of the windscreen and secondly its too shallow an angle as it runs back. The real things panel line starts a good 18 inches in FRONT of the screen not in line with it, (same goes for the underside where it is a lot further forward of the bomb aimers blister!). This I think is again caused by using the Caruanna drawings as hwe made that error on those....rather annoying. as this now means that there is an erroneous panel line just ahead of the cockpit that should have been filled and rescribed, which I'll do on the next build. For now I'll simply remask and respray the grey area directly on.

Melchie..

P1110259.jpg

P1110257-1.jpg

First things first, a classic build and article.

Concerning the above pictures, and others of Valiants. Shouldn't the radome rear panel line be vertical and not slanted as depicted by the marking tape?

From looking at the wealth of pictures of Valiants, and having seen XD818 on a daily basis whilst stationed at RAF Marham I'm sure that the vertical line is the correct version.

Please correct me if I'm wrong

Regards

XVTonker :pilot:

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First things first, a classic build and article.

Concerning the above pictures, and others of Valiants. Shouldn't the radome rear panel line be vertical and not slanted as depicted by the marking tape?

From looking at the wealth of pictures of Valiants, and having seen XD818 on a daily basis whilst stationed at RAF Marham I'm sure that the vertical line is the correct version.

Please correct me if I'm wrong

Regards

XVTonker :pilot:

The rear of the Valiant radome was attached to the front pressure bulkhead which sloped forward. I've often fallen into the same trap XVtonker. From some angles the line does look vertical.

Front end station diagram attached. Dimensions are in inches:-

VALIANTNOSEFuselageStations.jpg

Dennis W Robinson

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Thanks XV tonka, hope it all helps folks with their builds. I'll be doing the same with the Victor and Vulcan in the near future ) as Dennis points out the radome line followed the forward pressure bulkhead and therefore angled back along that line, this photo shows it well,

1274029M-1.jpg

The big piccy above, with the crew is a bit deceptive as I had to angle the page to get the shot without damaging the page, (scanners packed up)!, so the radome line looks vertical, but isn't if you see what I mean!,

Melch...

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OK a bit more done on the Valiant today. A lot of data has kindly been given to me by various people which has proved extremely useful and I'm very grateful to them all, particularly Dennis (sloegin), John and Pete...

The black areas have now been applied, the wing roots being particularly awkward!. The wingtip s of the RCM aircraft were fiitted with dark ECM aerials as well as ILS antenna....next will be the application of the decals then the various aerials.

P1110263.jpg

P1110264-1.jpg

P1110265.jpg

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Thanks fellas, as usual I really appreciate your kind comments. Well the end is in sight, (famous last words :bristow: ) tonight I've managed to finish most of the decalling and so the old beast has been set aside to dry thoroughly before I start fitting all the RCM aerials that adorned this version of the Valiant.. I'm working away for the next three days but have all next week off...hopefully it'll be finished then along with something else that I've been working on at the same time, (clue...................a big, Soviet Cold War warrior with a complex NMF) I'll post a few more piccies near the end..

Cheers, :cheers:

Melchie...

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Here are some extra details that several folks have asked me about,

Some screen shots I've taken illustrating the type of helmets worn,

ScreenShot002-1.jpg

Good seat detail (MB Mk 3A) and also the lattice work on the upper quarter light which I've added using sprue.......notice also the different style of head rest ejection handles on the seats above and the one below,

ScreenShot001-1.jpg

ScreenShot007-1.jpg

Also here's the cockpit coaming which Airfix got wrong, (notice also the position of the anti glare panel and the wing root cooling intakes which are more outboard than on the kit)

ScreenShot003-2.jpg

Whilst I'm at it here are a couple of shots showing the complex shape of the inner flap 'cowls'..not as straightforward as you would think!!..notice the inner section shape too which slides back up into the lower wing and also the inner exhaust shroud...

ScreenShot006-1.jpg

ScreenShot008-1.jpg

Cheers, :cheers:

Melchie..

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Some great shots there. The ejection seat ones will be particularly useful, as it doesn't seem that I can order aftermarket ones and will need to detail my own! Which aspect of the cockpit coaming did Airfix get wrong?

Mine's just about to get its first coat of paint...

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