Doccur

Another update! Spent about 2 hours this evening simply trying to get the cowling on properly (spoke too soon in my last post ). I feel like I could have got a better fit with more perseverance but I was about ready to throw the thing at the wall at this point. I did mention it was my first limited run kit right? At least it is starting to resemble a P-36 now! (The more keen eyed reader will notice a tube of revell filler lurking and standing ready for its imminent liberal use on those cowling gaps ) Until next time... Ash

@Hockeyboy76 What an excellent idea... this wonderful aircraft needs a more interesting colour scheme in it's life! Anything but those drab US greys.... Cheers Ash

This is my entry into the What-if section of this Group Build, you could say I was somewhat inspired by @Kallisti ‘s various builds of American aircraft in FAA colours. Apologies if this is treading on your toes! I also happened to make a little Monogram 1/72 version of this aircraft when I was younger and not brave enough to adorn it with the yellow and black stripes. (That might give a hint of what I am going for). In the mid 1940s Westland started development of a carrier strike aircraft, with an engine layout similar to that of the Bell P-39. This resulted in interest from the Air Ministry and official specification N.11/44. The prototype W.34 was powered by a Rolls Royce Eagle H-24 engine, which was later cancelled. The aircraft was then planned to be powered by either a Rolls-Royce Clyde or Armstrong Siddeley Python. The Clyde was later cancelled but the airframe was planned to be fitted with a Napier Nomad, which was also then cancelled. Hopes rested on the Python to power the aircraft. (This where we differ from reality) After protracted development of the costly Python turboprop, the Wyvern was coming in over budget. The first prototype of which flew in 1949 and needed many modifications. The then Labour government had major economic issues to contend with and was looking in to all ways and means of cost cutting. This resulted in a defence white paper of 1950, in which Minister of Defence Emanuel Shinwell advocated the cancellation of Westland W.34 in favour of a cheaper, more versatile aircraft. The logic being that a Strike fighter was unnecessary with superior jet aircraft coming into play, Sea Hawk etc. It was decided, to the chagrin of the FAA, that the more conventional multi seat Douglas Skyraider AD-5 aircraft would be purchased to fill the gap of the cancelled Wyvern. This would be able to fulfil the role of a Strike aircraft, as well as that of COD. It’s wide fuselage meant that the aircraft had potential for further role changes in the future. Therefore, an order was placed and all squadrons that the Wyvern was intended for were equipped with the Skyraider AD-5. In keeping with the naming of other strike aircraft being named after mythical beasts, the Skyraider was dubbed the 'Cockatrice' in FAA service. The only differences being that this aircraft had the capacity to carry a torpedo and unguided rockets. This aircraft served well into the 1960s and served with a degree of success during Operation Musketeer in Suez. Along these lines the Whif model I shall be exhibiting will be a FAA ‘Cockatrice’ of 827 Naval Air Squadron based aboard the HMS Eagle during the Suez crisis. This shall be modelled using the Revell/Matchbox 1/48 Skyraider and using decals for the 1/48 Wyvern from Berna Decals. This shall of course be in that classic EDSG over Sky, with Yellow and Black Invasion stripes. I shall start on this as soon as I finish my P-40 STGB commitment… I am very much looking forward to it Cheers, Ash

Good evening! More progress made. Joined the wings and fuselage. No dramas apart from had to sand the fuselage down a tad for the wings to fit. Oh and there’s this hideous gap between the trailing edge and lower part of the fuselage that I filled. All Stuff I was aware about after reading Peter’s Build. Another useful tip in there was to thin down the interior wall of the cowling. This was so necessary and helped out a great deal. There is a horrid seam on the cowling which is going to need filling! It’s a shame to do this as the exterior detail on this kit of exquisite. I was a bit miffed that the P and W engined variant gets a resin engine but the Cyclone provided in plastic is pretty nice. Painted it in Revell anthracite (I find this makes a lovely scale black), with a dark grey blue crankcase and then drybrushed aluminium. I have also dryfitted the cowling to the fuselage and can’t see as many major problems as Peter had. I can only think that the other cowling was a worse fit. Not that this one is perfect. Filling and sanding are still going to be the order of the day! Cheers, Ash

Hi @Corsairfoxfouruncle, i would like to join if there is room for another! I have a 1/48 Revell/Matchbox Skyraider that is perfect for some what-iffery. Cheers Ash

Don’t know if this helps. I always warm warm up my rattle cans before spraying. I’ve had a similar problem with my decals wrinkling. I find this only happens if I’ve applied setting solution and it hasn’t dried off completely! Also, I did check on the can last week and it explicitly says on one of the varnishes to ‘Do not apply over decals’. Cheers Ash

That looks gorgeous @Beazer! Excellent modelling! With regards the roundels we all have a brain fart sometimes Cheers, Ash

Thankyou Peter! I have browsed your thread a couple of times for inspiration and help. @DaveyGair Thanks for this it will be interesting to compare how the both build up! Build update: Made some progress on this. Built up the cockpit and joined the two fuselage halves. As advised chaps I testfitted lots and had to lots of scraping to get the cockpit to fit... shock. The vague or non existent build steps in the instructions don’t help Cockpit does build up beautifully for 1/72 though! Painted in a mixture of interior green, zinc chromate and aluminium. Cheers Ash

As I have now been warned as to the quality of the Decals supplied with my kit (1/72 AML Hawk 75 / Mohawk IV), does anybody know of any retailer that supplies any aftermarket decals for this aircraft please? I am looking to do an RAF machine. Cheers, Ash Edit: never mind I have found some on Hannants’ website!

It’s been my pleasure! Thankyou for your kind comments and encouragement. Thankyou also for hosting what has been a fantastic Group build Pat and Dave! Cheers Ash

If only it didn’t have to end! Now I have to start building (shudders) some of the more modern kits in my stash

Very kind of you sir! Not bad for a hairy stick painted 45 year old kit I humbly think

This is a Frogspawn made version of another kit that was never properly released by Frog and completed as part of the FROG Squad GB. WIP Here. This actual kit came moulded in light blue in a bag with no instructions, so who knows where it was made in the USSR! I saw another modeller produce a lovely faded RNZAF scheme so I had a go at that. The decals came from a DK decals set. They were a little thick but very durable! The kit itself was pretty awful... but I’ve built worse. As well as the fading I tried some exhaust staining simply with a smudged 4B pencil. Without further ado: Cheers Ash

FROG 1/72 PV-1 Ventura This is a Frogspawn made version of another kit that was never properly released by Frog. This actual kit came moulded in light blue in a bag with no instructions, so who knows where it was made in the USSR! I saw another modeller produce a lovely faded RNZAF scheme so I had a go at that. The decals came from a DK decals set. They were a little thick but very durable! The kit itself was pretty awful... but I’ve built worse. As well as the fading I tried some exhaust staining simply with a smudged 4B pencil. Without further ado: Cheers Ash

Cheers guys! She’s all done now... gallery post going up shortly. Cheers Ash