Heather Kay

A good question, and one I can’t answer - in either case to be honest.

Looking forward to seeing this one progress. It must be almost as big as the HP42! According to various sources, the kit dates from 1967. It was designed to make rigging as easy as possible, hence the odd split in the wings. In fact, the instructions have a rigging diagram and the original text-based version explained what to use and how to rig as you built the model. Quite advanced for the day, I would suggest.

Let’s go the whole hog. Some seaweed and a dead fish should do it.

I think the Dullcote reference is a generic one for all Railtec transfers. Like you, I try to give a gloss coat for transfers to go on, and top coat with varnish appropriate to the model. Steve is quite amenable to questions in my experience. It may be worth emailing him with photos of what you’ve found to see if he has any ideas. All this Railtec talk has reminded me I might chat to him about some custom things for a plane project I have planned.

I wonder if it might be possible to engineer a slot for the axles so there’s some vertical movement. A simple wire bearing down on the axle will tend to push the thing down to overcome slight irregularities. Allow the axles sit at the top of the slot under perfect conditions with the weight of the model sitting in the wheels. We railway modellers encounter exactly the same problems with the metal kits, and getting the main frames to sit level and true can be a most trying thing. It’s one of the various reasons I no longer accept loco commissions. Too much engineering and too many moving parts - as the stuff I build has to work in some way or another.

Wow! Airbrushing a thin line? Crikey! In my world, that would have been done using a draughtman's bow pen or similar. Equally as heart-stopping, but less masking required! Mind you, I have heard a friend of a friend that volunteers on a heritage railway masked and airbrushed lining on the tender of a full-size loco, so, you know… I have used Railtec transfers, and as you’ve found they are superbly printed. I don’t know if Steve's changed anything since my last encounter, but there were strict instructions regarding protective varnishes. Some formulations, I seem to recall, could cause issues with the carrier film, and it was definitely recommended to airbrush the stuff rather than paint. I find the finishing aspects of builds the most likely to raise my blood pressure. Keep up the excellent work, though, as it seems there is an end in sight, and I can’t wait to see the finished article!

It is, funnily enough. Here's my Roc showing off its 1940 camo.

Sublime! Awesome! Spectacular! Flawless! (Enough flattery? I doubt it. )

I must admit that I want one for my 1940 obsession. It’s such an unlikely aircraft to carry military markings, but I know you dislike the military side of the aviation, understandably so. I like to think my obsession is a form of tribute to all those who served and sadly died during the 39-45 conflict.

It is easy to forget how this build began, but a visit to the earlier pages in this thread demonstrate how you have coaxed a somewhat indifferent vac form kit into a masterpiece. I hope this exquisite model will take pride of place in your display, and not be relegated to a storage box too quickly.

When you get around to installing the coupling and connecting rods for those superb wheels (yes, your colleague is a freakin' genius!) the nerdy loco spotters here (raises hand) (and that’s enough with the brackets already!) should explain the GWR traditionally built their locos so the right hand side driving wheels, when viewed from the cab, had the crankpin leading. In other words, the wheels on opposite sides of the loco were set with the crankpins at 90 degrees to each other, with the right side leading the left. If that doesn’t make sense, I’ll try to contrive a sketch diagram. Let me know, and I’ll try and remember how to use paper and pencil! Those wheels look superb. This is really shaping up to be a lovely model. Go BB!

Very much this. I sit, gazing, slack-jawed and filled with envy. Lovely work.

I expect, in order to keep the modelling universe in balance, someone, somewhere, has lost more than one part to their carpet monster.

I haven’t seen any existential crises at all today from Safari on my iPad. Looking good so far. 👍

You know what they say about reading books? Well, I should do it more often. R3600 VE•H is, of course, 110 Squadron. They specialised in having the aircraft letter code in white, slightly smaller than the medium sea grey squadron codes. 40 Squadron outlined the aircraft letter in white. Well, that's opened up some possibilities of alternative aircraft.

Thanks Steve. I have various sheets of squadron codes, but the problem I've set myself is No 40 Squadron liked the aircraft ID letter slightly smaller and in white - or was it outlined in white? National markings and the serial number won't be a problem, but getting the code letters might be. I might have to end up going for a more "standard" aircraft!

Blimey! I must have got a bit more agitated during the final stages of the test match than I thought! Actually, you’re right. It’s an optical illusion, probably influenced by the various angles of the straight edges.

Finally managed to complete the camo, after all the cricket shenanigans. My problem now is I don’t think I can make up all the markings I want for No 40 Squadron. Trust me to choose a slightly non-standard marking scheme! I’ll have to do some digging round and see if there’s a suitable decal set somewhere. I’m due an order of some bits and pieces from Hannants, so I’ll start there.

The photos show about four coats all told. The density gets about right by the third coat. I was mid-way through the green bit when Headingley went ballistic. 🤯 I had to stop and put the brush down, and then go and do something else while Stokes and Leach saved the third test and kept England's hopes of winning the Ashes alive. Amazing cricket. Amazing. I don’t enjoy locos. It’s the mechanics and making the beggars go that I find most stressful. Making the things look pretty is fine, it’s all the waggly and whirly bits that do my nut. Coaches are much more satisfying.

I am going with the hairy stick. I am no expert, and I’m using probably the worst acrylics for brushing, but I find the process quite therapeutic. For this model, I’m using Xtracrylix, and I work with Hannants' own thinners to allow a quick and thin brush coat with a soft wide brush. I don’t attempt to get a good coat the first time, aiming instead for several thin coats. The thinned paint minimises the brush marks, and it dries quickly enough that a second and third coat can be done in a single session. Anyway, sky underneath, dark earth on top, and I’ll try and do the green camo splodges a bit later.

A bit more fiddling about. The schnozz went on without much pain. I pushed it into place, and ran some liquid cement along the join, then applied finger pressure to keep the gaps as small as possible. The pitot was glued on, but I expect it to ping off again before I’m done. The chin gun mounting was glued on. I remembered to fit the infinitesimal pilot's gun sight, and I pinned the radio antenna mast with some fine brass wire. I don’t like butt joints, and it surprised me Airfix doesn’t provide a positive location point for the mast. I have decided to install the bomb load and have the doors open, so the ordnance has been made up. The turret has been masked with Maskol, and is being brush painted. A single gun is in place. I will fit the bay doors, and sort out some masking for the bay itself. A squirt of primer tomorrow, and then I’ll decide whether to go through the faff of airbrushing the airframe camo colours.

Pedant away! I guess I ought to refer to it as the early "emergency" version. My references call the later metal twin-gun affair as the FN54A, and the earlier one as just FN54. References can be wrong, of course. I ought to note I’ve also ignored the teardrop window for the pilot. I know there is a conversion kit available, but I am content to go with the flat version in the box.

How time flies when we're having fun. Whilst attempting, and failing, to keep Muttley (my untameable "black dog") at bay, this blighter finally got completed and photographed. With the bank holiday weekend, I decided to do some basic maintenance work round the house first thing, then settled in at the bench for a spell with the Blenheim. I also managed a couple of spells over the week. The Perspex FN54 "annoyer" was put together, and has since been masked up prior to being glued under the nose. I also assembled the engines and cowling covers. I did say I wasn’t going to do a blow-by-blow thread, so nothing to see here! The undercarriage was installed. I’m yet to figure out how to mask it sensibly. I’ve been toying with brush painting this model, but I’ve ended up masking the transparencies anyway. Control surfaces and tail bits fitted. While England desperately tried to retain any credibility in the third Ashes test, I spent a happy hour or two masking this. I had looked at the possibility of buying in a masking set. The only one I could find was a vinyl affair, and I’m not convinced by them. My one experience with a vinyl set proved curved surfaces defeated them, and curves are a signature of the Blenheim MkIV nose, so I’d rather have a slightly iffy hand-cut mask. Still to do the turret glazing. Next up, I will fix the nose to the fuselage and make good any slight gaps. A shot of primer will happen soon.

That's a pity. I was hoping to see your take on the MkII come to life. It would have been far superior to my rather hacked about effort, pleased with it though I am.

The registration may refer to the model builder. Bekonscot is famed for little in-jokes like that. It's the first time I’ve had the chance to visit, and I find I thoroughly recommend it as a day out, especially if you have little ones. They all seemed to really enjoy peeping into the buildings.