woody37 Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 I didn't know about your accident Tony. Was this military or a hobby ? Fantastic progress mate, that really is looking the part now. Cheers Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 I'm calling the mainwheels done. They're not perfectly round, but they look good enough for me. I may swap them for some resin ones at some point... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Both Lovechildren seem to be making great progress. Tony your halifax is looking great. It's gone from looking like one that's been sat outside for years to immaculate. That paint job has completely transformed it. Hope your back is on the mend. Neil, you've done a great job with the wheels. It might be worth having a go myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Some seriously great work here Neil and Tony! Tony: I gather that like me you're a brush painter, and looking at the gloss-coated Halifax wings gave me a thought. Can I ask what matt varnish you use to get a successful final finish? I've never found any brush-on varnish really works satisfactorily, and I just narrowly avoided a white-stained disaster on a Spit with black/white undersurfaces. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) I didn't know about your accident Tony. Was this military or a hobby ?Fantastic progress mate, that really is looking the part now. Cheers Neil Hiya Neil, Glad you like the Halibag. The jump was military mate, using a good old fashioned round PX-4 chute during a Brigade drop back in 1989. I took a back left landing into a barbed wire fence, but my feet didn`t touch the ground and so my back took the full force, then I was dragged over the top of the fence by my canopy which had re inflated as there was quite a breeze blowing! Anyway enough of that, those wheels are looking fab, although I`m going to see what they look like on the finished model before I decide about altering mine. I`m probably wrong, but I`m pretty sure that there was quite a bit of leeway in relation to the tyre sizes, although I`ll have to double check through photos of the real thing before deciding. All the best Tony O Edited February 9, 2012 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Some seriously great work here Neil and Tony! Tony: I gather that like me you're a brush painter, and looking at the gloss-coated Halifax wings gave me a thought. Can I ask what matt varnish you use to get a successful final finish? I've never found any brush-on varnish really works satisfactorily, and I just narrowly avoided a white-stained disaster on a Spit with black/white undersurfaces. Any advice? Yes I`m a brush painter! I generally use Polly Scale acrylic varnish if I can and two coats with a wide flat brush are usually enough to dull a model down. To remove the brush strokes that always show up when using acrylics I then lightly load another brush with the same varnish and `dry brush' it onto the model in a scrubbing motion. It takes a bit of practice but you`ll get the hang of it and I only discovered it by trial and error. Quite a few people have asked me the same question and received the same answer and nobody has come back to say it doesn`t work, so it should be quite easy to pick up? If you cannot find Polly Scale (I bought a job lot during a holiday to the States a few years ago!), then slightly thinned Humbrol acrylic or Xtracrylics should suffice as I`ve used those in the same manner too. Leave plenty of time in between coats as otherwise you can get white streaks like you said. Another source of white streaks in acrylic varnish is not shaking it enough in the pot/ bottle before use. Hope that helps, Tony O Edited February 9, 2012 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 The Revell undercarriage is now fitted to the Matchbox wings with the enlarged wheels. The Matchbox tailwheel has been used (put on after these pics were taken). I'm currently fighting the clear bits trying to use decal strip to make the frames on the cockpit and slowly masking the turrets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 You're making great progress Neil. Not too long and it will be done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks Mark. I'm really not enjoying doing the glass bits without precut masks. Trying to keep the nose bits clean throughout the build has only been a partial success and there will be a few compromises unfortunately. The matchbox prop cones look wrong to me, so if John Aero does some more 3 blade props with hubs I'll be snapping those up. There's not enough meat on the MB ones to file them flat in profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Those wheels on the Mk.II look far too big!! Only joking, they look great, as does the rest of the model and those Aeroclub Gallay radiator intakes really do make the matchbox engine nacelles look the part, I wish I had a set of those, plus the Block type too for my stashed Matchbox kits but I gather that they are unavailable now? Keep up the good work,.....nearly there now! Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Nearing the end now, so this is going to be the final WIP pic before RFI. I've enjoyed the build, but the details are beginning to to be a chore. Got the rear turret, aerials and various sticky out bits to do but should be done by tomorrow latest. I'm not very happy with the clear bits, but the more I mess, the more they deteriorate, so best to leave them. Tony, you're cockpit looks incredibly neat, how did you do the frames ? Thanks for following Those wheels on the Mk.II look far too big!!Only joking, they look great, as does the rest of the model and those Aeroclub Gallay radiator intakes really do make the matchbox engine nacelles look the part, I wish I had a set of those, plus the Block type too for my stashed Matchbox kits but I gather that they are unavailable now? Keep up the good work,.....nearly there now! Tony O Cheers Tony, John said he was making more radiators blocks and props, but not sure when they will be available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hiya Neil, You probably won`t like this mate but I hand paint the frame lines on my glazing using a fine brush and clear up any wobbly bits with a wooden cocktail stick! I hate masking! Your Halibag looks wonderful by the way and hopefully I`ll be decalling mine tonight, Cheers Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miduppergunner Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 That............ is a masterpiece! OK possibly still not entirely accurate (?) but infinitely more presentable than what would have been an OOB offering. Very well done and congratulations on your stamina and expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Cheers guys. There is a fundemental mistake though, the Mk II seems to have a clear bit on the left hand side above the instrument panel that I haven't included and I think Revell have got wrong in terms of how the frames come down and round the side. They seem to have a MkIII cockpit which appears to have been revised, although someone else maybe able to advise more correctly. I was thinkning of putting a triangular 'black' bit in to represent this. Tony, I started out by using decal strips on the cockpit, but resorted to the same method as you. I think it's time for a new brush as it kept spleying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Finally got her finished although I lost the landing light in the carpet monster so I'll have to make a new one ! Thread HERE Many thanks to everyone for all your help along the way, it's all been really appreciated and made the build all the more fun for the interaction. Cheers Neil 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 That's just stunning Neil, really does look fantastic & totally repays all the work & effort that you've put into it! Absolutely lovely model!! Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Hemsley Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I can only echo the praise of others, Neil. I'm defenitely going to revisit this build when I finally get my Revell Halifax and start my Mk.II! Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Thanks guys, Just need to find somewhere to put it now !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 (edited) Your finished Halibag is stunning Neil, that just leaves me to finish my lovechild off now. Ever since I bought the Midland Counties book `From Hull Hell And Halifax' by Chris Blanchett about 4 Group which has a beautiful painting of a 102 Sqn Halifax with late war Yellow edged Red code letters on the cover I`ve always fancied doing a model in this scheme so a recent Xtradecal sheet was used to depict PP206/ DY-P of 102 Sqn even though this option doesn`t actually appear on the kit instructions!! Using a process of elimination the decals were identified on the sheet and an e mail to Hannants brought a reply with some artwork for this version attached and this was printed off. A photo of the real aircraft was found in the Profile book for the Hercules engined Halibag versions to use as reference but as it features the machine after it had been retired to a Maintence Unit prior to scrapping in 1946 the fuselage serial has been painted out and there is no serial provided in the sheet either which is a shame. The relevant serial decals had to be sourced from a generic Aviaology sheet, and a generic Modeldecal sheet had to be used for the code letter `P' which was applied to the front of the undercarriage legs, although yellow edged codes would probably be more accurate, beggars cannot be choosers! It is a real pity that this machine appears not to have worn nose art as the large nose area of the glass nosed Halifax is just screaming out for this, but I did add a few `speculative' bombs under the navs window. Unfortunately when it came to applying the White underwing serials which were painted onto the real aircraft after VE Day the decals were found to be far too small and underscale, which is a shame, especially as the artwork that I`d been sent by Hannants showed them to be the correct size! Here the decal, instruction artwork and the real aircraft can be compared. I`m trying to find alternative decals but it looks as if I`ll have to leave them off, which is a real bummer as I`d wanted to include these! Another thing, don`t use the decal instructions as a reference for the exhaust locations as they were different on the Mk.VI to those shown. All of the various individual parts are now ready to add once the model has been matt varnished and weathered and bearing in mind what I`d read on this and other threads earlier I removed quite a bit of plastic from the bottom rim of the mid upper turret to reduce its profile once fitted and the inside of the ring was also reduced to allow the guns to be raised as otherwise they can only be mounted horizontally. For the exhaust locations, looking from the front with an `O' for the engine front and an `x' for the exhaust; -those on the B.III were xO xO xO Ox -those for the B.VI were Ox xO xO Ox I hope that this makes sense? All being well I should be finished in a couple of days so all the best for now, Tony O Edited February 13, 2012 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I'm just running in a new mould for P013 (B.111 props and a replacement for P115 now with spinners). John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Looking brilliant those John, please put me down for some of those!! Cheers Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
occa Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I'm just running in a new mould for P013 (B.111 props and a replacement for P115 now with spinners).John http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/Aer...b/PropsH003.jpg Are you still in business? Or lets just ask where I can purchase these? Cheers Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Unfortunately when it came to applying the White underwing serials which were painted onto the real aircraft after VE Day the decals were found to be far too small and underscale, which is a shame, especially as the artwork that I`d been sent by Hannants showed them to be the correct size! Here the decal, instruction artwork and the real aircraft can be compared. I`m trying to find alternative decals but it looks as if I`ll have to leave them off, which is a real bummer as I`d wanted to include these! Another thing, don`t use the decal instructions as a reference for the exhaust locations as they were different on the Mk.VI to those shown. They may be too small, but they do add to the character, I'd prefer to use them if I couldn't find an alternative. If you hadn't of told me they were undersize, I wouldn't of noticed John, I'll snap up a set of those props (well maybe a few sets ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miduppergunner Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Excellent work - all of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John1ak 2 Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Not made much progress, but some is better than nothing !Lined the unprofessionally cut hole in the top wing with some plasticard ready to lay some Miliput. This will be done in two stages, the first to level the wing off, the second to mould a new fairing. Doing it this way should give me better control over accuracy....famous last words !!! Also cut a suitable sized hole out in the wing where the new Revell u/c will sit and started to line it. A bit of scratch building will be necessary to recreate the frame work on which the u/c sits as the Revell part is too wide I've filed the thickness of the plasticard down since the pic was taken as it's a bit thick. The wing spar fouls the plasticard, so a couple of mm will need taking off the end of the spar to cure it. Hi I saw this article after I bought my Halifax and realised all was not well with the engines. Luckily I had a spare Matchbox example lying around and like you realised that the outer engines were too high. I adopted a slightly different approach in that I removed the rear hump from the wing in total, filed the wing upper joint under the hump down about 1.5 mm and then attached it to the engine cowling. Added the plastic card to the to drop the the entire nacelle as you did but when attaching I achieved the effect that the entire engine, including the rear of the hump, had "sunk" into the wing. I then filled the resulting gap with Pratley's putty (South African equivalent of milliput which I swear by). This gave me a lot less area on the top of the wing to get level and relieved me of having to mould a new hump. Accuracy? Cant say for certain but it does look a lot more like the picture now. One day i will figure out how to attach pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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