Ben C

feel I'm shortly to join you on that one! shame the triangular device is such a beautiful beast!

Beast of a model, great work!

What a beaut! Nice work sir.

Beautiful!

Not been on here in a week or so, this is the first thing I see. Awesome stuff. Inspirational. *can see where some of next paycheck is being spent*

Yes it is a bit tail high, I hadn't noticed it on the bench but did spot it in the photos. Appears the nose gear got knocked before the plastic weld set properly. Will have a fiddle with it this week.

WOW! That's stunning

Hi all, This is what's been on my workbench for the past few months, on the receiving end of some surgery and half a tube of filler as and when spare time (ha!) permits. I picked this one from the stash as after the two Lancasters and the Spit and Hurri, I was getting fed up of painting camoflage. The problems of this model are well known, and to me the major issue I would try to correct was the intakes - the rest I could live with. I could have got the Flightpath kit of parts, and for the amount of stuff you get it's good value for money, however an unexpected car bill meant money had priority elsewhere and I was scrabbling round in the shed and the oddsods bin for items that might be of use. I took a few pics as I went, so I'll include those here. I wanted to capture the depth of intakes and the tunnel in front of each engine, so with a selection of close up photos from XL213's website, I set to work in perhaps an unusual way, using offcuts of copper pipe from a recent sink replumbing effort, some plasticard and a vast amount of filler. The theory works... now to build up the rest of the intakes with card and filler! this did upset the centre of gravity somewhat so additional noseweight was required. It might not be the most accurate representation, but to me it's a lot better than an out of the box model would have looked. I did also end up making new tips for the tail fin bullet out of scrap on my lathe out in the shed, and the engine exhausts are some plastic tubing that also received a tickle in the lathe to thin them out. I have finished this model as XH673, the gate guardian at RAF Marham, a few miles up the road from me. XH673 is not much more than an empty shell these days, but it does display both 55 an 57 squadron crests on the tail as she stands there just inside the gate. Enough waffle, the finished model... This viewpoint shows the results of all that filling and sanding I'm happy with what I've achieved. If the model's "face" doesn't look right, then to me, it isn't right. Love that massive tail This was also my first attempt at panel line washes using acrylic... using enamel next time! Painted using both Vallejo and Humbrol acrylics - the hemp is Vallejo, with copious amounts of white added to fade it out. The underside is Humbrol light a/c grey. Brush painted, varnished with Windsor and Newton satin acrylic. Xtradecal for the number, the rest from the kit. The announcement from Airfix regarding their Victor kit came out while I was still applying lots of filler and I did wonder about ditching this model, but I figured I'd started so I'll finish...

That's great on using the plumbing olives to enhance the back end. It did make me chuckle, I've used copper pipe in my 1:72 Victor post that up once I've finished painting it.

Thanks Enzo and Kev

Regards the W&N Galeria Matt Varnish, is this ok to use over the top of Klear? Don't want to apply my decals, varnish over and there's some horrid reaction!

Stunner!! *adds one of these to shopping list*

Great job! I can imagine the amount of work you've put into this, I'm almost finished the K2 and its took me long enough, and that's with no conversion work! Hats off to you, sir!

Nice work! Am building XH673 in 1:72 and found the window masking was fiddly enough at that size! Hats off to you

Fantastic modelling, and great photography as well!