Thanos Mentzelopoulos Posted May 11, 2009 Posted May 11, 2009 1/32 Revell Bristol Beaufighter Mk.If Dear friends, this is the old Revell kit of the Beaufighter in 1/32 scale. I have just started working on it as you can see in the photos. The kit features some really severe fit problems especially round the wings-to-fuselage joints and the wing parts themselves. Anyway, ALL the interior detail will be SCRATCHBUILT - as always - while the model will be rescribed and riveted. A lot of work for sure! The striped areas in the photos below show the panels to be removed, while the outlined ones show the panels to be repositioned. This is the color Profile I'm going to work on And so the journey begins... Next stage: all the raised panel lines have vanished and rivets have been added, just as the pictures below can tell!!! And then certain fuselage panels and control panels were removed... ...and the surgery goes on!!!!!!!!!! And here are some dry-fitting photos... Here is the upper part of the fuselage...As you can see, a lot of panels have been removed, so that all the detail which will be added will reach the eye of the beholder!!! Everything will be scratchbuilt!!! The lower part of the fuselage... This is another minor update of my extreme makeover project...I started from the tail, building the internal detail and making some of the bulkheads. I used hard aluminum foil and lead wire of two different sizes. I also worked on the back leg of the u/c system. Unfortunately, only a small amount of the added detail will be visible at the end...This is what I'm talking about: ...here are two of the bulkheads in position... ...and this is the improved u/c leg in position. It's a pity almost none of this will be seen at the end... ...and the final dry-fit...
Thanos Mentzelopoulos Posted May 11, 2009 Author Posted May 11, 2009 As for the cockpit, the kit detail is disappointing, so I decided to build everything from scratch! Then I dealt with the wooden floor which is actually made of real balsa wood and the hatches. Very careful planning is required in order to align all of them properly, since any mistake will make you rebuild either the wooden floor or the hatches! And now the new cockpit with everything in place!!! And now this is the wooden floor of the Beaufighter!!! It was actually made from real balsa wood strips on a plastic card template. The hatches of the boarding ladders are already cut off. You can also see the tool boxes, the oxygen bottles and the flares launchers behind the observer's hatch. I also added all the necessary detail at the bottom of the floor and the gun bays. Dry-fitting the model proved that my calculations were right, at least up this point!!! And this is the first of the four Hispano guns...It took me about 1 hour to build and consists of about 35 pieces. The model is also presented at www.helmo.gr homepage. Gentlemen thank you for your time and attention!!!
John Laidlaw Posted May 12, 2009 Posted May 12, 2009 Wow... wow again. This is going to bear watching - beautiful work so far
Derek Bradshaw Posted May 12, 2009 Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) Thanos, Well, that is a very refreshing approach to a Beaufighter build! This is one aircraft that I have studied fairly closely, and I must admit that you have caught the whole charecter of this aircraft very well indeed (you also work very quickly, unlike me ). I look forward to seeing more of this very fascinating build. Regards Derek Edited May 12, 2009 by Derek Bradshaw
Obi-Jiff Kenobi Posted May 12, 2009 Posted May 12, 2009 so far, some fantastic work there. This is going to be fascinating to watch.
Thanos Mentzelopoulos Posted May 12, 2009 Author Posted May 12, 2009 Thank you all for your kind words!!! Next update coming soon...before the end of May!!!
Spad57 Posted May 13, 2009 Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) Absulutely Amazing craftsmanship. I love seeing these old Revell kits taken to highest level of detail. I do have one question you Thanos, what referances are you using for your interior details.I have to admit after seeing your project posted,I've got to dig out my Beaufighter kit for a second look. Regards, Gregory Jouette Edited May 13, 2009 by Spad57
bentwaters81tfw Posted May 13, 2009 Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) I have posted these before, but if they help...... Edited May 13, 2009 by bentwaters81tfw
Thanos Mentzelopoulos Posted May 13, 2009 Author Posted May 13, 2009 Spad57: I'm currently using the following titles... as well as these ones in .pdf form... "The Bristol Beaufighter" (SAM Publications) - "Bristol Beaufighter cz.1 No 74 (AJ Press) - "Official Bristol Beaufighter Technical Manual (Air Publication vol.1) along with hundreds of photos found in the internet. bentwaters81tfw: Thanx a lot for the photos!!! Mike: Thanx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bigbadbadge Posted May 14, 2009 Posted May 14, 2009 Wowee, I'm awestruck, I have one of these in my stash and it just became a hole lot more interesting. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing. Cracking build All the best Chris
Iain Ogilvie Posted May 16, 2009 Posted May 16, 2009 Wow - brilliant work... And those photos of the real a/c - have saved those! The Revell Beau is one of their better 1:32 kits - nice to see it getting some attention! Iain
Obi-Jiff Kenobi Posted May 16, 2009 Posted May 16, 2009 There was a Revell Beaufighter in my local toyshop this morning - I was seriously tempted.
Thanos Mentzelopoulos Posted May 19, 2009 Author Posted May 19, 2009 "There was a Revell Beaufighter in my local toyshop this morning - I was seriously tempted." Just do it my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And once again, thanx again to all of you for the kind words!!!!
brooksy Posted May 19, 2009 Posted May 19, 2009 Beautiful work on your Beaufighter!! Thankyou for posting the pictures. I shall look forward to seeing the end product - it will be stunning Cheers Andy
Obi-Jiff Kenobi Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 "There was a Revell Beaufighter in my local toyshop this morning - I was seriously tempted."Just do it my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And once again, thanx again to all of you for the kind words!!!! I really am being tempted by the Dark Side now!
Derek Bradshaw Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 I really am being tempted by the Dark Side now! You know as well as I do Jeff that resistance is utterly futile! Derek
Obi-Jiff Kenobi Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 You know as well as I do Jeff that resistance is utterly futile! Derek The only thing stopping me is a lack of cash!
Nick Belbin Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 The only thing stopping me is a lack of cash! SPEND Nick's specific word of the day for Obi!!
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