Fairey Hendon

['V']

Hi All,

This is what I call commitment - putting a Contrail Vacform build on here !!

I've wanted to have both the Hendon and Harrow in my bomber collection for many years but been unable to secure either kit at a price I was prepared to pay. Well, a IPMS Bomber Command SIG member who lives near Dresden found one for me at 28 Euros and this was collected at the IPMS Deutschland show at Gatow, Berlin, last weekend.

The journey begins ...... and with almost zero information on details I've plunged in and started. Requests for help already posted in the WWII section, and boy will I need some help .... men with white jackets and that sort of thing. Oh and if you have a Harrow you'll never make and prepared to sell it cheaply enough .... who knows ????

In the beginning ..............

'V'

Edited June 24, 2010 by 'V'

[Mark M]

good luck i think you may need it!

cant wait to see how it turns out!

[Honeybee]

Geoff

ain't you finished that yet, you've had it for 6 days now,

Regards

Paul

['V']

Hi Honeybee,

Well the car passed it's MOT today ....... a relief to know the motor we shot across Germany in at 100+ was sound !! Just gotta go and pay the bill now, probably 'ouch'.

And you exagerate .... 6 days .... Can't model while driving, so knock 2 off ?

'V'

[Honeybee]

Geoff

Richard had my Mondeo up to 120, fortunately Gail was asleep. Good job he'd slowed down when we saw the Dutch police, mind they were parked in Germany at the time so I'm sure we could have got away with it if they'd stopped us

Paul

[Martian]

Looking forward to this one. Wish I had one of these kits. Is this one the later issue as their first attempt was poorly moulded and the plastic was too thin to do much with it?

Martin

['V']

Hi Martin,

Yep, this is one of the later issues because it has white metal props .... Plastic's OK, certainly somewhat thicker than my Formaplane? Nimrod was, that was almost unworkable.

Already have a few minor inaccuracies to fix. The rudder and tailplane control surface panel lines don't meet and the rudders are not cut away enough to allow an elevator to move up !! ..... and these are the only bits glued together at the moment !

'V' and it aint a Vickers or a big white Jet !!!!

['V']

Looking carefully at my one (at the moment) good photograph I've decide that the tail control surfaces need to be re-scribed and I have made non-final pencil lines where I think they will have to go.

This is the starboard side where the fin halves have been joined and the lower edge of the rudder trimmed. To match the hinge lines one can see that re-scribing is needed. The fins start back slightly from the leading edge of the tailplane roughly as held here by bluetak.

The port fin is just a half needing much thinning before joining. Note the small rudder cut-out on this original part.

If this is just the beginning on the easiest parts imaginable then what's in store later down the build ?????

'V'

[Martian]

So it might be a tad tricky. I'm still jealous of you having this one to do. Does that make me even more in need of help than you?

Martin

[Julien]

Geoff,

we have been telling you that you need help for years!

Looking forward to this one, I dont think I have ever seen one of these built.

Julien

['V']

Hi Martin,

Probably not - who knows, if one became available you just Might turn it down, but I've gone through with it. On second thoughts ......... !!!

O.K. Julien,

Help is at hand ...... a week by the sea, while this may be nothing new to you living where I do it'll be a welcome change. I may come back sane, there again maybe not.

I can only remember seeing one, made up years ago and still in top condition by Gary Wenko. I may ask him a few questions although the pain may have erased his memory.

'V'

[general melchett]

Come on Geoff, no slacking man.........................!!sincerely hope that's ready for Telford..

Should look nice in BR blue with yellow ends!!!

[keefr22]

Oh and if you have a Harrow you'll never make and prepared to sell it cheaply enough .... who knows ????

Hasn't Valom or one of the other limited run companies announced a Harrow??

Whatever, this looks like it should be an interesting build & worth watching!

Keef

['V']

Hello General,

How about 2 tone green with a splash of yellow and a decal with a dead rat over a wheel ?

No, methinks just green should do - you know I like simple paint schemes.

I am already suffering rivet counters eye ..... the tyres are far too large, although the overall diameter's not far out. Is it time for a search through John Adams range ?

'V'

[bigbadbadge]

Hello V

Very interesting subject, can't wait to see the finished article if you don't get sectioned before then. Good luck will watch this with interest.

Thanks for sharing

Chris

[general melchett]

Well it is a Contrail!!! .you know what will happen ...you'll struggle through with it , do an excellent job then some obliging far eastern company will go an bring one out in gloriously accurate super detail just to annoy you!!!

Actually maroon with small yellow ends would look rather good!

Keef, not aware of a Harrow in the offing but if there is I'll be first in line!!

[Honeybee]

Hi

you'll struggle through with it , do an excellent job then some obliging far eastern company will go an bring one out in gloriously accurate super detail just to annoy you!!!

Oh good, come on Geoff, get a move on then we can all have one

Regards

Paul

['V']

Well it's off tomorrow morning for that week by the sea - recovery y'know !!

Mind you almost had a major accident ..... well the wife did. Stumbled outside the back door, tried to regain her balance, but fell full length into the end of the greenhouse. Lucky for her the two upper panes didn't come down like a giloutine, but she cut her ear, forehead, and behind her ear and has two very raw knees. couple of other minor nicks as well - sods law she must have dropped a sliver of glass from her clothes in the kitchen when she came in, then stood on it and cut her foot !! Oh and she bent the greenhouse frame with her shoulder - says it proves she's not got brittle bones, some consolation ?

'V'

[general melchett]

Blimey I really hope Pauline's alright Geoff...tell her to take more water with it in future.......

Oh and she bent the greenhouse frame with her shoulder

Trust you to mention that....

Hope she's OK, sounds like you'll need your hols!............. bring us back some rock old chap!!

[ollieholmes]

I hope she gets better soon to. Glad to hear its not more serious.

['V']

I did return from Cornwall in one piece .........

Thanks guys for your concerns regarding her indoors. All seems OK except the badly scored knee which is still weeping after 3 weeks, but the wound size reduces without infection so I think she'll repair OK.

Well progress has been slow due to playing trains again, but tonight I've removed the engine halves and found them a surprisingly good fit (Yea it is Contrail !!) I'm still looking for internal drawings, but these seem to be nonexistant. Still have to finish off the main wing components with loads more scraping before I can make a matching location in the fuselage. Certainly it's started again ........

'V'

[justplanecrazy]

I did return from Cornwall in one piece .........

Thanks guys for your concerns regarding her indoors. All seems OK except the badly scored knee which is still weeping after 3 weeks, but the wound size reduces without infection so I think she'll repair OK.

Well progress has been slow due to playing trains again, but tonight I've removed the engine halves and found them a surprisingly good fit (Yea it is Contrail !!) I'm still looking for internal drawings, but these seem to be nonexistant. Still have to finish off the main wing components with loads more scraping before I can make a matching location in the fuselage. Certainly it's started again ........

'V'

Very impressive, I would like this in my BC collection as well but I fear that will not happen for the same reasons you've quoted, and with a stash of 350+ do I really need a vac form kit which will take me quite sometime to finish? Come to think of it the last one I strarted needs finishing ( a Valient)!

Nick

['V']

Well Nick,

You did pick the real heart breaker of a vacform with that Valiant ...... I know it well having made 2 .......

So far the Hendon parts seem to fit ..... matching top and bottom wing halves and I've been impressed the way the engine nacelles have gone together. My main problem is the lack of interior information as to what's behind those large side windows .... I'll just have to put something in there. Currently this means I'm searching for information rather than building, but I have filled in all the tail hinge lines and will soon attach the fins which need to be lifted at the rear to sit at the correct angle.

'V'

[popeye]

.... not really a heartbreaker

but taxing and tyring nevertheless - still labouring with mine

we shall overcome !

Rolf

Hope to yee you at SMW.

Edited October 19, 2009 by popeye

['V']

After having given up on aircraft modelling I wondered if I'd ever get back into it !

Well out of the blue I wanted to stick some plastic, so here after 9 months delay I again venture into the garden with the Hendon.

I needed to work outdoors due to the mess of scraping pieces to shape. As usual with Contrail kits some parts matched, others didn't.

Although I've not added anything inside I joined the fuselage halves. I hope that everything can be fed in through the wing void.

One reason for joining is that I'm having real trouble finding any interior details and wanted to get on. The Contrail instructions and plans are sooo detailed !

I trimmed away to make room for the oversize tyred wheels that regretably I will use, simply because I can't be bothered to search for ready made alternatives, or make my own

More to come as I try to fix the engines to wing centre section.

'V'