ThreeGreens

Hi Charlie, Count me in! Still shortlisting my favourite variants and yet to decide on scale. Good luck! Phil

My fascination with 1930’s/40’s floatplanes continues with this build of the Swordfish floatplane. This is the SMER 1:48 (1:50) version - it’s very basic and on reflection I wish I’d invested in the Tamiya model which is streets ahead on detail. But we are we’re we are... The areas needing most work are the cockpit and engine both of which are oversimplified. So here are a few shots of my scratch build work. The pilots instrument panel is non-existent so I’ve been experimenting with producing my own transfers - not perfect yet but getting there. Of course I could just order one from Eduard but that wouldn’t be so much of a challenge! Equally this kit has no detail for the mount for the Vickers K machine gun - this seems critical so I’ve scratch built that.

Great stuff. I’m watching your progress with interest Mark as I’m at the early stages of building the 1:48 SMER swordfish floatplane. It’s an old very basic kit so I’m having to decide how much I want to embellish it. Certainly I’ll improve the cockpit which has no real detailing to speak of. I haven’t got round to putting up a WIP on my progress to date. Must get that sorted in the next few days. Cheers. Phil

Thanks Toryu, I'll share with you my setup. REgards, Phil

I'm fairly new to dioramas, but had a go at creating a simple scene around my recently completed Hawk. The Arrows are of course based at Scampton so here are a couple of views of the aircraft taking off and also attempting to land. Approach is too high with no flaps down so looks to me like he's going around for a second attempt! Scampton airfield detail was taken from oblique shots on Google Earth and the sky was created with watercolours! Getting perspective and scale right was tricky and hiding the thick wire that I used to suspend the Hawk in its flying position. Phil

Well, here goes my second RFI since rediscovering the joys of building kits after many years away! This one is very much an out of the box project for me, destined for my grandsons bedroom shelf. Enjoyable nevertheless! So here's a few photos of the final stages leading up to my declaring it complete. 1. First lesson learnt - The large white arrow on the underside. I foolishly attached the vortilons before applying the transfers. This caused major problems, although I recovered the situation - a mistake I won't make again. 2. The red is complete and decals added (after much deliberating I settled on airbrushing Humbrol 238 which gave a good even finish). Canopy is being taped over to allow a final coat of W&N gloss varnish. 3. Having thought I'd made a good job of the varnishing, I discovered that some had leached under the tape - another disaster! Again lots of searching on BM for a solution - I settled on Novus 1 and 2 which did the trick and brought out the MDC lines! 4. FInal part to add - the nose landing light, very fiddly! Looks a bit like a Spaceshuttle being prepared for launch but I found it gave me a steady position to make the join. 5. Complete! But... another lesson learned - its tail heavy! I hadn't thought about that in the earlier stages - might be able to squeeze a small weight into the front wheel bay. Think I'll try a small block of silver, which is heavier than brass or copper. Lead would be best but not from a child safety perspective. 6. Presentation. I decided to create a sort of 'diorama', based on the aircraft taking off/landing at its home base. So I got out the watercolours to create a skyscape and some oblique angle Google Earth screen shots of the main runway at Scampton. Heavy gauge wire suitably clamped would be used to put the hawk in a flying position. Easier said than done... perspective and scale are tricky to get right plus making sure that the wire didn't show so a lot of experimenting took place. Here's my set up before the final shots were taken. 7. End result - Take off on a misty Lincolnshire morning. 8. Aborted landing, late afternoon. Far too high on the approach - going round again... All in all, a great kit - perfect for a beginner/someone who's a bit rusty. I'm moving on to the SMER Swordfish Floatplane next. Fresh challenges! Phil

Thanks Serkan, Certainly today there’s masses of information online. I found the FAA museum, RAF museum and Seawings websites really useful. It was obviously a popular aircraft to photograph when in service, probably because it was such a unique and successful design. Phil

Well spotted Dave, It got knocked off just before I took these photos, its back in place now. Thanks. Phil

Thanks Charlie, Yes, good point - the 'glossiness' really stands out from that angle, which is clearly wrong, I'll get some matt varnish! Phil

Well, I've finally completed my Walrus! It’s taken far longer than I’d anticipated, but I guess that’s par for the course... In my case it’s largely due to being a novice (with an eye for detail), so I’ve tended to spend a lot of time researching the aircraft, squadron history, paint schemes, thickness of rigging wires, etc, etc. I’ve been impressed by the quality of this kit, the only minor niggle was the omission of the short aerial mast atop the tail fin. Within the cockpit I was surprised that Airfix didn’t include the second pilots control column in its stowed position nor the stowage cradle for the F24 camera. I did consider building these from scratch but in the end decided to save enhancements for future models. Apart from that a very clean build, perfect for a modeller coming out of retirement! Major lessons learned - plan the build better and apply all transfers before rigging (which I didn't do...). The Walrus also gave me a chance to have a go at airbrushing (thanks to the loan of equipment from a good friend and ace BM modeller - 'Johnson'. I primed the whole thing with Halfords grey primer and then airbrushed the final aluminium finish. It all went surprisingly well for a first timer... I then hit problems with a damaged roundel - which meant printing a replacement using transparent and white decal paper. It worked a treat with a close colour match to the original. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of reference material available online, plenty of images, and an original Walrus service manual on the Seawings website. I used this to study the interior detail and work out the gauge of wires needed for the rigging. The rigging is far from perfect and I'm sure I'll add more detail to my next projects - a Tiger Moth and Swordfish seaplane. I decided to create the bracing wires from fishing line (0.14mm), and tension them using the techniques that have been well explained in various BM posts. Very satisfying process although tricky at times! Once we get our freedom back I must re-visit Yeovilton FAA museum to check out the real thing! Merry Christmas!

hi billn53, you asked about my photos - most were taken using a simple (& cheap) macro lens clipped onto my iPhone! Slightly ‘amateurish’ approach I guess, but the results are fairly sharp in the centre of each image. I’ve been experimenting with various camera systems to see which best suits close-up work. I’ll be experimenting further as the Walrus takes shape. Cheers, Phil

This is my first WIP, as a newcomer to BM and many years since building anything! The kit was a much appreciated birthday present although it’s taken me a month or more to roll my sleeves up and get started! It’s a great kit of a fascinating aircraft with plenty of detail to get my teeth into. Here are a few photos from the early stages which I hope you’ll find interesting. I’ve also been testing out my macro photography skills as you can see. Phil

Hi, I'm a new BM member and came across the V Force GB thread so thought some of you might be interested in this b/w shot of a Valiant. I found it recently during a lockdown loft clear-out! Not sure this is the appropriate thread to post this on so hopefully someone can advise if I've got it wrong! I was curious to discover more about this specific aircraft so with some zoomed-in scanning I managed to identify the squadron, crew and possible serial number. I believe its a Valiant B(PR)K1, under the command of Wing Commander Ronald "Ras" Berry DSO OBE DFC, who was O/C 543 Squadron at RAF Wyton. Picture probably taken in 1957/8 period when he held that role? This aircraft carries the 543 squadron badge and a wing commander's pennant. Berry's crew are listed as: Co-pilot. Flying Officer FD Cretney Navigator. Flying Officer MA Barratt Navigator/Radar. Flight Lt. WA Black AEO. Flying Officer SVB Downer ASC. Chief Tech. RW Downe Serial number is difficult to decipher from this photograph, angle is too oblique, however after a lot of online searching and close up scanning of the rear fuselage, I'd put money on it being WZ394. I could be wrong... The colour photo was found online and looks to me as if its the very same aircraft judging by markings and distinctive signs of paint wear on the nose (identical in both photos). Hope thats of interest to Valiant fans - now back to building my Supermarine Walrus - a very different beast! Phil

Hope I’ve copied the url correctly. This was taken at Cold WarbJets Day at Bruntingthorpe in 2018. Sitting in a Lightning was a unique experience although a very tight fit! Think a Hercules would have been more my cup of tea - far more legroom!

Hello, my modelling days have really been ‘on hold’ since I was a teenager (many, many years ago!). I have always been interested in all things related to aviation, with a schoolboy ambition to become a pilot in the RAF. Sadly they didn’t want me... In those days I was heavily into making balsa aircraft/gliders, the pinnacle of my achievements being a Keli Kraft Chieftain glider - a big beast that actually made many successful flights before its final headlong plunge into a baked-hard corn field! I also built a few plastic kits (mainly RAF WW2 / 50’s/60’s) before I discovered the Air Cadets and moved on to flying full size gliders! So now in retirement (and lockdown) I’m rekindling my modelling interest starting with 2 projects - the Airfix 1:48 Walrus Silver Wings kit - possibly a bit advanced for a beginner like me but it’s going ok so far, and a resin 1:72 Slingsby Kirby Cadet Mk 1 a full size version of which I flew as an Air Cadet in the 60’s. Mug shot will follow shortly when I’ve read how to do it.