Contrail Halifax B1 etc !/48

[JohnT]

Hi Guys

An old "new boy" here. Stopped building due to work twenty plus years ago but still couldn't kick the buy now for later habit. Joined up here after a major life change, selling the business ( hey there is life outside the office front door -scary) and finding 20 years of bought and unmade kits in the garage (so thats why the car can't get in)

Anyway thought to make a start by refurbing and finishing the 1/48 lanc that never quite made it off the shut down production line and then making a start on the FM Halifax B111 having noted the fun (?) you can seemingly have with it. Guess I'll soon find out how rusty I am.

I also found a Contrail vac form for the Halifax early merlin engined marks and wondered if anyone could offer any advice as to whether I should avoid it or think about an FM/Contrail marriage - or is that a seriously bad idea, trying to put a limited run injection and a vac form together?

Also I have a Sanger 1/48 Stirling which I eyed with enthusiasm but now with suspicion after reading some posts and reviews. Anyone any thoughts on this one?

regards to all

John

[Graham T]

Hi John & welcome to BM. 20 years off & you're restarting the hobby with the FM Halifax? Mmmmmmmmmmmm Good luck, I think there are some here who have built it!

Edited July 30, 2008 by Graham T

[JohnT]

Hi John & welcome to BM. 20 years off & you're restarting the hobby with the FM Halifax? Mmmmmmmmmmmm Good luck, I think there are some here who have built it!

Thanks. yes I was beginning to wonder. Maybe I'll stick with something a little simpler and just ease myself in first !! I've now had a look around and seen a few posts on the Sanger Stirling and thats waaayyyy beyond me.

I always liked bigger scales so maybe I will just tidy that old Lanc up and finish it off while looking at something more straightforward.

Back to the drawing board - its not like I don't have a lot of choice. The garage looks like an outhouse at Hannants. I always fancied doing the Hunter in 1/32 and I have two of them so I can afford to really screw up at least once. Better start looking for posts telling me what to watch out for

regards

[Artie]

You are a very corageous guy, I'm afraid.....

You've been away from the hobby for the last 20 years, and plan to come back with FM's Halifax......

Do you want to really hate models for another 20 years...??????

I'd chooe an easiest way, there are lots of better kits to reboot yourself..!!!!! And your packed garage must keep very good examples inside..!!!

Cheers...

[Mike]

Yep - I'd definitely ease yourself in with something a little easier to begin with. I didn't when I returned to the fold, and I basically flapped around doing really complicated builds like the Stirling, MB-5 and Dynavector Wyvern (with resin!) for a year or so. It wasn't until I backed off & decided to do something simple. A month later and I had one completed model to my credit It really does your confidence good to complete one every now & again

[Mike]

to the forums too

[JohnT]

You are a very corageous guy, I'm afraid.....

You've been away from the hobby for the last 20 years, and plan to come back with FM's Halifax......

Do you want to really hate models for another 20 years...??????

I'd chooe an easiest way, there are lots of better kits to reboot yourself..!!!!! And your packed garage must keep very good examples inside..!!!

Cheers...

Hi

Not so sure about the courageous. The brain has now kicked in and had a reality check. 20 years ago the end product was "fair" but hardly "masterclass" stuff so maybe I should just know my limitations as I think Clint once said

Tonight its back into the bowels of the garage to see what little goodies I can find. Hopefully something straight from the box with maybe a wee resin detail set and some nice after market decals? Perhaps stay away from vac forms to start with

I'll let you know what I torture myself with

Cheers

[JohnT]

Yep - I'd definitely ease yourself in with something a little easier to begin with. I didn't when I returned to the fold, and I basically flapped around doing really complicated builds like the Stirling, MB-5 and Dynavector Wyvern (with resin!) for a year or so. It wasn't until I backed off & decided to do something simple. A month later and I had one completed model to my credit It really does your confidence good to complete one every now & again

Hi Mike

thanks for the welcome

Yeah - I think I was perhaps being a tad over ambitious.

Very impressed with the work you were doing on the Stirling. It looks like its a real handful.

There will be something with "build me now" on it so I will get past the gardening tools and burrow right into the back of the garage and see what pops out. I've read enough now to see what I should avoid until I am confident enough to start correcting errors etc

This is a great site by the way. The comments are really helpful to an old newbie like me. I can remember spending 1/3d each Friday on Airfix Series 1 if I saved 3d each day by walking home from school rather than getting the bus.

I'll post what I am starting and let you all know my disasters along the way

all the best

John

[Rodrigo]

Ummmmmmmmmmmm.....Is it so bad the FM´s Halifax?

I saw one in the Scalemodelworld two years ago and she looked pretty good..............of course I couldn t see the modelers work behind the kit. Then he/she did a really good job.

Mike...where can I see your Sanger Stirling please? I could be very interested in this model.

Thanks

[Honeybee]

Hi

Having never given up modelling at any point in my life and having built the FM Halibag 2 or 3 years ago I can confirm your original plan as very bad. It took me months to finish and it nearly went in the bin several times, only the cost preventing me from this. Mind you, when it was finished I didn't half feel proud of myself. On the other hand, I wouldn't start with a Tamiya kit either as you'll not gain much experience wacking one of those together, Good luck and welcome back to the hobby,

Regards

Paul

[miduppergunner]

I think the problems Mike had with the Stirling is the only time he came near to getting any sympathy on this (otherwise very good) site. I have the Sanger Halifax - which some say is the Contrail one - I do not know. It is not that bad. I think however it is a kit that you dip into now and again, having other projects that are a little more feasible from the point of view of a foreseeable completion date. Unless of course you have the stamina and ability (plus a degree of masochism) like Ian (lanc) who did a masterly job on the FM Halifax. He has also built the Lincoln(1:48 by Sanger) just to prove it was not a fluke.

I suspect you will slide back into this pastime with little effort. However take nothing seriously - and simply do your own thing.

For my part I have never taken up modelling - I just give up being normal at odd intervals.

[Ian Lanc]

Hi Guys

An old "new boy" here.

Anyway thought to make a start by refurbing and finishing the 1/48 lanc that never quite made it off the shut down production line and then making a start on the FM Halifax B111 having noted the fun

regards to all

John

hi john so you really REALLY want to do the FM halifax if you do ! take a look here at that kit ......

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=halifax

welcome

ian

[Mike]

Ummmmmmmmmmmm.....Is it so bad the FM´s Halifax?

I saw one in the Scalemodelworld two years ago and she looked pretty good..............of course I couldn t see the modelers work behind the kit. Then he/she did a really good job.

Mike...where can I see your Sanger Stirling please? I could be very interested in this model.

Thanks

You can find it here - all the work I did on it before giving up (probably temporarily).

[JohnT]

Hi

Having never given up modelling at any point in my life and having built the FM Halibag 2 or 3 years ago I can confirm your original plan as very bad. It took me months to finish and it nearly went in the bin several times, only the cost preventing me from this. Mind you, when it was finished I didn't half feel proud of myself. On the other hand, I wouldn't start with a Tamiya kit either as you'll not gain much experience wacking one of those together, Good luck and welcome back to the hobby,

Regards

Paul

Thanks Paul

All the comments have been helpful and have made me revise my plans as a result. Now I don't know where to begin but I suspect that the important thing is to get started and I am sure all the old rude words will come flooding back as I go along !

I am going to see what I've got. I know that I bought a huge number of boxes while working my tail off in business and maybe some will even have kits inside. Several have had decals and resin parts purchased as add ons so maybe something along those lines to start with. A challenge but not a sickener.

Now all I have to do is tell my wife that I am going into the garage to clean up the gardening tools and I might be a while ... !!

talk again soon

cheers

John

[Ian Lanc]

You can find it here - all the work I did on it before giving up (probably temporarily).

look mike are you a man or a mouse if we can stick with the same woman for years and putting up with everything women dish out i'm sure you can get her out and finish the sterling

ian

[marty_hopkirk]

finish the sterling ian

Counterfeiting eh...

Marty...

[keefr22]

Hi John,

Welcome aboard!!

You mentioned possibly re-starting with the Revell 32nd Hunter, & I think that would be a pretty good choice. I built the FGA 9 when it first came out & can't remember any real pitfalls with it, & a mate of mine built the revised F6 tooling last year, again with no major moans. I also can't actually remember a bad review of the kit anywhere on the internet either - which makes a change!! And you don't half get a cracking looking Hunter when she's finished....!!

This is a great site by the way. The comments are really helpful to an old newbie like me. I can remember spending 1/3d each Friday on Airfix Series 1 if I saved 3d each day by walking home from school rather than getting the bus.

hee hee - I used to do exactly the same thing - & used to save my lunch money too if there was a new 'bigger' kit like the Lanc just released. Can't see me going without food for models these days !! I always had to wait until the weekly visit to Woolies on Saturday to get my new Airfix kit though!!

Keef

[JohnT]

hi john so you really REALLY want to do the FM halifax if you do ! take a look here at that kit ......

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=halifax

welcome

ian

Hi Ian

a huge thank you for saving my sanity. Maybe I will tackle it once I get a few score models finished and my hand and eye back in but not now.

Brilliant work by the way - outstanding

and a thank you for trail blazing the way for the rest of us and showing where not to tread on the land mines - you still got all your feet and toes after that one????

I think I will just look for a nice straight forward build to kick start the old guy back into life rather than go for the kamikaze option !

What are you inflicting on yourself at the moment?

John

[JohnT]

Hi John,

Welcome aboard!!

You mentioned possibly re-starting with the Revell 32nd Hunter, & I think that would be a pretty good choice. I built the FGA 9 when it first came out & can't remember any real pitfalls with it, & a mate of mine built the revised F6 tooling last year, again with no major moans. I also can't actually remember a bad review of the kit anywhere on the internet either - which makes a change!! And you don't half get a cracking looking Hunter when she's finished....!!

hee hee - I used to do exactly the same thing - & used to save my lunch money too if there was a new 'bigger' kit like the Lanc just released. Can't see me going without food for models these days !! I always had to wait until the weekly visit to Woolies on Saturday to get my new Airfix kit though!!

Keef

Hi Keef

thanks for the hello

Think I will go for the Hunter. It was one of the first aircraft I recall seeing as a wean as we say up here - the RAF leaving Turnhouse if I recall. I think that there are some simple after market extras that tidy it up too so guess I'll be back on the net looking to see what to spend my "bus money" on now.

Talk again

John

[Ian Lanc]

Hi Ian

What are you inflicting on yourself at the moment?

John

HI John,

AT this present time i'm building the old lindberg 1/96th prototype avro vulcan nearly done and the Sanger 1/48th vac' form Armstrong Whitley bomber and i've also just started a 1/800th tiny Titanic .... few !

ian.

[plastic]

Hey John, welcome to the National Institution for the Terminally Insane!!

Sorry, I meant the forum

1/3d for an Airfix kit eh, God I remember those days. Goin' down to Harburn Hobbies when it was at the bottom of Leith Walk every Saturday and just goggling at all the boxes, (and bags in those days off course), handin' over me coppers and coming home in a state of near bliss!. Wonderful!!

Cheers mate and welcome again!!

[JohnT]

Hey John, welcome to the National Institution for the Terminally Insane!!

Sorry, I meant the forum

1/3d for an Airfix kit eh, God I remember those days. Goin' down to Harburn Hobbies when it was at the bottom of Leith Walk every Saturday and just goggling at all the boxes, (and bags in those days off course), handin' over me coppers and coming home in a state of near bliss!. Wonderful!!

Cheers mate and welcome again!!

Hi there

sorry to dissappear but had to go as using the office pc at the moment thanks to an wonderful upgrade patch from Microsoft that works but preventing the home PC from accessing the internet after taking the upgrade Grrr.......

Nice to see another Edinburgh boy. Harburn Hobbies eh? Crikey - You'll remember Donray's at Morningside too then ??

What you doing at the minute?

Have decided doing the Hunter in 1/32 and thought to do the F6. Have bought the Black Arrows decals and Flightpaths upgrade so I'll see how I get on with that

Anyone know of any reviews or builds for this one or the later mark?

Again apologies if I disappear till Monday - its either because I have had too much to drink over the weekend or I havee thrown the home PC out the window after being unable to fix it.

take care all

JohnT