woody37 Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 A few weeks ago I went to Elvington to drive an Ariel Atom which was a birthday present from my missus. Neddless to say, a great opportunity to take a trip around the museum. I didn't know the French operated a couple of squadrons (346 & 347) from there during the war until the visit, and thought that the markings, more specifically the roundels were quite a refreshing change, so I've been inspired to make one. So the plan: Build the Airfix Halifax kit I bought from RoyM (Thanks Roy). I've ordered some decals that contain a couple of Free French kites: http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72133 The White ensign exterior detail kit will be used to tart up the engines and wheel wells. Quite fancied the bomb bay set, but it aint cheap, so using references I've found on Google images, I'll be sctraching one out of plasticard. I've got a kit I made many years ago, but it's looking tatty now, however the Falcon vac clear bits from it are pretty good and certainly reusable, so they'll be getting recycled ! The bomb bay has been cut out, however the lower parts of the wing attatchment locations will have to be cut away to make room for it. Also sanded the rivets off and it'll be rescribed in due course. More to come as I progress, Cheers Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 This will be a refreshing change - to see one of these in anything other than RAF Roundels. I like the schemes on that decal sheet - very good. My office manager's husband is the product of an Elvington French pilot and a local Yorkshire woman (who was his wife for 60 years - in France with a cut-glass Yorkshire accent!) I look forward to seeing it finished. Much more interesting than a Lanc Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) That's pretty cool Andy, thanks for sharing that. The wing insert slots have been cut to make way for the bomb bay and plasticard fitted to line the inner walls so that the bay interior doesn't have gaps when fitted... Next job is cutting the flaps out as they'll be dropped and trimming a slice out of the lower wing chord so that it fits the modified slot on the fuselage. The wing is much weaker now so a blob of Milliput will go in between at the root to support the profile. 2mm plasticard was inserted into the gap which the removed flaps left to secure the trailing edge and the tab off the lower wing section that was removed has been glued to the upper tab to retain the thickness of the tab when inserted into the fuselage... Got some bits through the post today. The White Ensign stuff looks great. Got a vernier to help on the scratch building that's to come and a variety pack of plasticard that's going to tart up the fuselage.... Does anyone have any pics of how the rear inner nacelles connected to the flaps recess into the main nacelle when the flaps are dropped ? I think the Halibag at Yorkshire has them dropped, so hoping someone has took some pics. Also, looking for details on what I think are fuel bleed pipes that trail off the flaps. How far do they run accross the wing cord ? Close ups of the landing gear too while I'm asking !!! Thanks Neil Edited November 9, 2011 by woody37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 THis looks interesting Neil. You having a break from airliners then? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 THis looks interesting Neil.You having a break from airliners then? Chris Looking at the build pattern, it bounces between the two, depends where the inspiration comes from at the time ! I kept looking at my old one and thinking 'I could do a better job now', so it was time to put that thought into action !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I did put a comment on earlier mate, but it seems to have gone! So again, ill be watching this with interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 You might be suffering from modellers stress after all that detail work on the Tiffie Nobby Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Jellyfingers Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Another cracker just starting I see, and that glazing looks in good order! Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Been distracted this weekend with Telford and my sons last kart race of the year today, however made a bit of progress. The White ensign stuff is brilliant, just what the kit needs. I've put the wheel well in and added the engine detail as well as done some rescribing, finishing the flaps off and prepping the aileron for fitment. Still more to do then on with the other wing, and over all quite pleased with how it's looking, more importantly, enjoying the build tremendously !! Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Nice work Woody! The etch really looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) The wings are pretty much done now after a total rescribe: The etch wheel bays: Now to start on the fuselage, the basic bomb bay has been constructed ready for detailing and lugs glued to the inner fuselage for it to butt up against. A dry fit confirms that fitting the bomb bay restores the rigidity of the fuselage after everything was cut away: The bomb bay appears to angle upwards at the rear, so an angled spine was fitted to the top of the bay to hold the profile. The angle was traced on to masking tape from the bomb bay cut line that Airfix moulded in to the kit then this was used to make the spine: Got the decals yesterday Edited November 16, 2011 by woody37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Hiya Woody, This is looking really nice and inspiring me to do something similar as a work up (some work up!) to tackling the 1/48th FM Halifax/Halton that I bought at the weekend! The intention is to build the big kit as an A.Mk.IX Airborne Forces variant using the twin.5 Browning rear turret from the new Tamiya Lancaster which I hope is the right type,? With this in mind I may do the smaller Airfix kit as this variant too using markings from Freightdog? Watching this one with interest Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Hiya Woody, This is looking really nice and inspiring me to do something similar as a work up (some work up!) to tackling the 1/48th FM Halifax/Halton that I bought at the weekend! The intention is to build the big kit as an A.Mk.IX Airborne Forces variant using the twin.5 Browning rear turret from the new Tamiya Lancaster which I hope is the right type,? With this in mind I may do the smaller Airfix kit as this variant too using markings from Freightdog? Watching this one with interest Tony O That sounds like a cool project Tony, hopefully you'll post lots of pictures Space and fear of the FM kit have 'so far' prevented me from doing one, so welcome the inspiration. There's some good pictures if you do a search on Google, in fact I remember someone on here doing a tow plane with invasion stripes on...and a lovely build it was Cheers Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elger Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 looking great! adding the WEM detail set to the Airfix kit seems so much easier than adding it to the Matchbox kit like I once did. Although it says so on the packaging, the WEM detail set (it really is exquisite) does not fit on the Matchbox Halifax at all. Looking forward to your progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Moon Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Very impressive work Woody, your etched brass looks very neat. Well done on the re-scribe too, that's one job I really hate. H Hiya Woody, This is looking really nice and inspiring me to do something similar as a work up (some work up!) to tackling the 1/48th FM Halifax/Halton that I bought at the weekend! The intention is to build the big kit as an A.Mk.IX Airborne Forces variant using the twin.5 Browning rear turret from the new Tamiya Lancaster which I hope is the right type,? With this in mind I may do the smaller Airfix kit as this variant too using markings from Freightdog? Watching this one with interest Tony O Tony, the Halifax used a Bolton Paul 'D' type whereas the Lancaster used the Rose turret or Fraser Nash 82. Not sure on the visual differences between the FN and BP though as they look fairly similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Yes, the rear turrets do look very similar, FN82 vs BP Type D, but the Rose is much more bulbous. I don't know what comes with the Tamiya kit. Hopefully you haven't got too far, but one drawback of the Airfix Hali is that the cowling opening for the engines is too large. It is fairly easy to fix with a piece of microstrip rolled around the inside, then filed to smooth, but I wish I'd seen this before you put the WEM engine detail in place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) Graham, I'd say that is the least of the problems with the Airfix engine lol. I hadn't noticed that before, but now I can see it. I'm going to have a dabble with some strip card to see if I can get it sorted, thanks for pointing it out Update.... One wing done, liking the improvement... Edited November 16, 2011 by woody37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 With the wings and engines done (until Graham points something else out that I've missed ) I've made a start on the fuselage. It's not going to be super detailed, but just enough to make the visible parts interesting and busy (the lean manufacturing engineer coming out in me !!) I've scratched the bulk head behind the pilots seat and cut the one behind the engineer down to fit above the new bomb bay. This is the part I really enjoy, where it changes from just being another Airfix kit to something more personal. The fuselage has also been cut to accomodate the vac canopy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybee Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hi Yes, the rear turrets do look very similar, FN82 vs BP Type D, but the Rose is much more bulbous. I don't know what comes with the Tamiya kit. The newer boxing of the Tamiya kit has an FN20 and an FN82 in it. FN82 BP Type D Rose Rice Not sure these picciers will help but these are the three you've been discussing. The FN82 and BP Type D do look a close match but I'll bet if I had a clearer piccie they'd be obviously different. Using the usual laws of modelling that piccie won't arrive till after you've made you kit. Woody, that's a nice clean build you've got, very impressed so far Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) The only thing I can think of is to check the decals you have in case the subject is a) with round wingtips, pretty common on Mk.IIIs, really a Mk.VI with round wingtips, different exhaust positions and cowl gill positions (fixed central position outboard - and I didn't know that before I was reading Merrick's masterpiece this morning!) OK, I can check. Xtradecal have NP763, H7.N, which they show as a Mk.III with round wing tips, and PN167 L8.C, which I have as a Mk.III with round wingtips (from Aero Journal Hors-serie 1: Les Groups "Lourds" Au Combat.) Colorado (ex-Carpena) have NP767 L8.P which they claim is a Mk.VI. ("Lourds" says it is a B Mk.VII.) According to Merrick, PN167 is a Mk.III but the other two are both Mk.VIIs. The Mk.VII had the internal revisions and exhaust positions of the Mk.VI but the engines (and cooling gills) of the Mk.III. To use Merrick's notation: Mk.III oO+oO+oO+Oo Mk.VI & Mk.VII Oo+oO+oO+Oo Or, the starboard outer exhaust moves from 7-o'clock to 5 o'clock It does look as though you will need to add the wingtips, at least. PS that is meant to be a "" not a smiley, but won't edit away. Edited November 18, 2011 by Graham Boak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Looking great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 I'll never get those bloody wings finished Thanks Graham, really informative. Does anyone know if the 'pathfinder' set rounded wing tips fit this model ? Alternatively, I have some revell Lanc wings in the spares box, they might do the trick. One will have to check My plan is to do it in the PN167 scheme which would benefit from the existing exhaust layout. Cheers Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Wingtips ordered from A2Zee models Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hmm, This picture of PN 167 looks like it has the square wing tips... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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