Search the Community

Hello all. Having already chipped in with the Fairey Rotodyne (to be started soon), I looked through my stash and the Airfix 'year of issue' list in the back of a couple of books, I have decided to build this: This was issued in 1957 (my birth year) and so makes three reasons why that was a vintage year (along with the Rotodyne's first flight). The moulding looks pretty good for the time, and, considering it was only re-issued a few years ago, it has held up quite well. As you can see, it is not all that big (about 12cm long excluding bowsprit), and does not have many bits. Oh, and for those who complain about large attachment points, here is a picture for you! That point is almost 1cm big! The instructions are quite short: However, how much of this I am going to use is a moot point at the moment. The reason is that I intend to build something inspired by this: This book is called 'The Ice Schooner' and was written by Michael Moorcock. By an amazing coincidence, it was first published in 1969, which is exactly 12 years after 1957. Even more amazing was that I was born in 1957 and had this book later in life. It was just as though the stars were aligning for this Group Build... My plan (probably to be adjusted) is to modify the ship to a nearer description of the ship from the book) which (may) mean adding raised fore- and poop-decks, making the hulls appear to be made from fibre glass and crushed whalebone, and finding any other details in the description (the masts were so tall they seemed to vanish in the sky). I have downloaded a silhouette of a three-masted schooner to try and get something that looks more like a schooner, but it will not look like the illustration on the book cover. I also need to figure out how to do the skis, among other things. I will see if I can summon up the soldering gods and build the masts out of brass rod, and I have also got the Fine Scale Modeler 'Build Better Ship Models' special that was out this year which gives a couple of articles on making/improving sails. I have some etched ratlines which, with a little luck, may fit. Oh yes, I will try and put it on a suitable 'icy' base - that will be a test for me! I know this is a fantasy build, but I hope you (and I), enjoy the process. Any guidance will be appreciated. All the best everyone with your own builds, it looks like this is going to be a great collection for this GB. Ray