Oldgitian

Rob, Thanks so much for this. I didn't find any of this on my initial search but the photos by "71chally" are ideal for my requirements. Good luck with your 1/72 build and thanks again for your help. Ian

CRY FOR HELP. I'm just starting to build the new Airfix Gannet but want to convert to COD4 version. Externally I'm having no problems (removal of the sonar "dustbin" etc) but can't find any reference photos of the interior of the two aft cockpits. I assuming that all the anti submarine and ordnance instrumentation was removed with space left in the rear cockpit for stowage or a passenger? Can anyone help?

I've finally managed to complete the A-26 with a bare metal finish that I'm happy with. I'd got as far as spraying Mr Metal Color 218 Aluminium over Mr Color UENO Black and was then having the problem of marking the surface when applying masking tape. With your suggestions and guidance I used very "second hand" masking tape having firstly stuck it to the workbench several times and then across the palm of my hand. It was then very gently applied to the model. I then sprayed Mr Color Super Metallic SM201 Super Fine Silver. The result was a metal finish which does not require buffing and is tough and resilient but is slightly less shinny. Any marks left by the tape were minor enough to be buffed out. I would definitely use the Super Metallic 2 paint again particularly where decals are to be applied. The Mr Metal Color can then be used to pick out individual panels that can be buffed and left untouched. Overall I was pleased with outcome and I've attached a couple of photos of the finished article. Thanks again for your help.

Many thanks for responding to my cry for help. I've taken everything on board and will be experimenting on test pieces the suggestions you've made. Thanks again and I'll let you know how things have turned out soon.

I'm currently at the painting stage of a bare metal A-26 fire bomber. I've base coated with Mr Color UENO BLACK. Then applied and buffed Mr Color ALUMINIUM to some panels. The result is great but even after several days, the surface still comes off when touched. Also when I come to mask up these panels for a different shade on other areas I hit a problem. The masking tape (Tamiya) marks the surface when removed and takes some of the surface finish with it. Should I be sealing each coat with a clear varnish or am I missing something obvious? Any help greatly appreciated.

Ready for inspection is my completed model of a Douglas Skyraider AEW1 of the Royal Navy. It started out as a straight forward aircraft build but soon morphed into my first diorama. Royal Navy SKYRAIDER WV106 has been languishing outside the Cobham Hall at the Fleet Air Arm Museum Yeovilton for many years. It was originally built for the US Navy in 1950 but was transferred to the Royal Navy in 1953 where is was operated by 849 Squadron D Flight until its retirement in 1964. In 1976 it moved from storage to Cornwall Aero Park (Flambards). Finally in 2000 it was delivered to FAAM where it has been open to the elements and its condition is slowly deteriorating. I took some photographs of the aircraft a number of years ago and used them as the basis of my build. Basic kit AD-4W FLEET EYE (AMT/ERTL/ESCI in 1/48 scale) Replacement engine RESIN CURTIS WRIGHT R-3350 DUPLEX CYCLONE (ENGINES and THINGS) Wing fold details PHOTO ETCH (AIRWAVES) Pallets RESIN (HAULER) Oil Drum RESIN (ANYSCALE) Wooden boxes RESIN (MINIMALI) Although the build has taken a rather long time to complete with many interruptions and distractions along the way, I really enjoyed my first dip into the diorama water. I'm particularly pleased with the scratch built trolley and loved forming the engine mounting from the plastic cap of a deodorant can. Below are photos of the finished article.

Only recently been able to get back on the build. Other commitments got in the way. I decided that the scratch built engine mounting didn't look quite right so began the search for another source of raw material. This turned out to be the plastic top of a deodorant spray can. Just the right diameter. The last piece of the puzzle. The grey item on the left was made from the hull of an old submarine kit but was too steep a cone and not symmetrical. The replacement is a better shape and the diameter fits nicely within the rear of the engine. So the project is now finished. It's taken a long time to complete with many interruptions along the way. I think it's been worth the effort and with thanks to help from a number other models makers, I've learnt some new techniques in the process. Thanks to all of you who have followed the progress and I'll be adding more photos etc to RFI.

David, thanks for your kind comments. All the paint work on the airframe was airbrushed using Tamiya acrylics. The blue shades were applied over a white primer in very thin coats. The decals were then applied before gently removing the paint surface locally using a dampened nylon pan-scourer. The "crusty" cylinder heads were all done by dry brushing various Humbrol enamels over a Flat Black Tamiya base. I started with dark gunmetal and then slowly getting brighter with aluminium and silver before a final flick over with white. As the white went on it slightly dissolved the coats underneath and suddenly went "crusty" of it's own accord. I'd like to claim that I intended that to happen but the truth is that it was a surprise to me. The result however is very much like the oxidised appearance of the actual engine.

Time to concentrate on the display base. Found some 7mm profiled steel cladding that came a close match to the outer wall of the hangar. Square section strip styrene made a good drain downpipe with some folded brass sheet as attachment brackets. Primed and ready for pre-shading before attachment to support structure. Reverse face of support structure made from gash plastic sheet. Hangar wall attached to wooden base. The gravel hardstanding is thanks to model railway ballast and the concrete surface is cut from a sheet of glass paper.

Wings now attached to the trailer. The lashing on the real thing is blue nylon rope. I found some white cotton embroidery thread in my wife's sewing basket. It scaled about right for 1/48. Coloured it with a bright blue marker pen.

Managed to get the trailer done today. Had to cut up an old plastic coat hanger for the timbers. The joint plate was cut from the undercarriage doors of a Sea Fury in the spares box.

I've been distracted for a while as my model club decided to run a blind challenge. The idea was to draw a ticket from a lucky dip list of numbered models and build, before the following meeting, whatever came out of the hat. Oh great! I pulled a 1:144 scale Dragon kit of an F-15E and Mig-29 in the Lock On series. I won't waste any more time telling you about the build as I found the experience a little painful. The kits are not particularly good, US and Russian jets are not something in which I have any real interest and my current project had to take a back seat. Anyway, here's a photo of the result. Now back to the Skyraider. The scratch build trailer carrying the wings is now complete and in the paint shop. Photos to follow.

I've been away for a while and so building and weathering of the engine has taken a back seat for a few weeks but now I'm back on the case. The engine itself was quite straightforward but I've had to add some of the mounting structure and then tried to make the exposed metal parts look corroded and weather beaten. This photo of the real thing shows the engine on it's pallet and the main mounting structure can be seen extending beyond the cooling gills. It's actually a dome shaped fabrication with four legs that hang the engine from the forward face of the fire bulkhead. I've tried to scratch build the mounting using the forward hull of a submarine from the spares box. I'm not 100% happy with the shape but it's the best I've come up with so far. I'll keep looking for a better option and in the meantime I've made a start on the trolley to carry the removed outer wing sections. The main chassis is built from box section and the outriggers are H section. The wheels came from the spares box and the towing bar was salvaged from a long ago dismantled Bofors gun. This just needs to be assembled and painted.

Great Job. Looks excellent. Especially like just the right amount of carefully restrained weathering. Ian

Thanks to all for your kind comments. I'm currently working on the replacement engine. It's quite a challenge and requires a considerable amount of scratch building to put in place all the bits and pieces that are normally obscured when it's installed in the airframe. Photos will follow when I'm happy with progress.