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Redoing old Airfix Demon


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Thank you, Phil! Paul, I think I will do the seat in leather as it adds to the interest. I was thinking of just painting the leather colour onto the seat, but I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to make a couple of rectangles from sheet plastic, painting them the leather colour, then gluing them to the seat. It would look better than just painting directly onto the seat. I think that's what I'll do. I may also steal some PE seat belts from an AZ Hart kit that I have, to tart it up a little more (and I don't want anybody to tell me that they're not the proper Sutton harnesses that a SAAF Hartwhatever would have used in 1941!).

Regards,

Jason

Edited by Learstang
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Looking promising so far J. Milliput for those cushions my man, Milliput!

Thank you, Nobs! Praise from Caesar indeed! I'd thought about the Milliput, but I may just go with some sheet plastic cut and sanded to the correct shape. I'm afraid making tiny cushions out of Milliput may be a little too much for these shaky hands. To be honest, though, I'm not entirely certain that the seat would have sported cushions. I know the RAAF Museum's Demon has them, but that may just be a modern reconstruction. I wonder how worried the South Africans would have been about comfort in the middle of a war in East Africa. Even if the HB in the South African museum has them (which this model is going to represent), that's not exactly proof as this particular aeroplane was restored in the 1960's. Either way I need to make a decision soon, as I want to get the fuselage buttoned up. Whilst I'm working on this build, I'm also working on some other Hart variants, mainly an Audax and Hector (I might even slip in a few piccies of them in this thread), so I can at least partly blame my slowness on this build on my multi-tasking. That and my afore mentioned bone-idleness.

Regards,

Jason

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As promised, here are some piccies of my Audax and Hector builds. Nothing too exciting - pretty much like what I've done on my Airfix redux. The kits themselves are quite nice, and apparently from the same moulds (originally Avis?), although the Hector kit is available through Amodel, and the Audax through Avis. From the breakdown of the parts it's obvious that they intended on doing more, and indeed the Amodel Osprey is from the same set of moulds (they all have the same fiddly bits, like guns, landing gear, bombs, etc.). If you like the Hart family I can recommend them (I hope I don't have to eat my words when it comes time to put on the upper wings!). Along with the AZ Models Swedish Hart B.4's, you can do just about any Hart variant your heart desires (pun intended). Not only do I have my SAAF HB, Audax, and Hector builds ongoing, I've also got an Iraqi Nisr (Audax), Swedish Hart B.4 (in Finnish markings with ski landing gear), Persian Audax with P&W Hornet (it looks like the unholy offspring of the Hart and the biplane Vought Corsair), Egyptian Audax, Rhodesian Hardy, Osprey, Hart, and Irish Hind all in the works, with some others I'm gathering the parts for. Goodness knows if I'll ever get to them all, but it'll certainly keep me busy for awhile.

Regards,

Jason

AudaxInteriorandCockpitParts.jpg

HectorInteriorandCockpitParts.jpg

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Hi Learstang,

Your model is looking great so far!

Just for interest sake. The correct name for the SAAF version is Hawker Hartbees. Its an Afrikaans word for one hell of an ugly antelope! Hartbeeste is the plural.

This is what they look like! http://www.justafricasafaris.co.za/images/...0small_1266.jpg

:speak_cool:

Thank you, SAAF Modeller! I'll use the name Hartbees (for now, at least!). As I recall, the Hartbeeste are related to the Wildebeest (Gnu), hence the long, ungainly faces. Hopefully my built-up model will be a little more attractive.

Regards,

Jason

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Just a little more work. I've brushed some red on the interior to show where the red dope of the fabic is showing through the weathered Interior Green, and I've painted a radio I "borrowed" from my Amodel Osprey to help fill out the interior. I may tone down the red a little by dry-brushing some Interior Green over it. Hopefully in a few days I'll finish the interior and get it all closed up.

Regards,

Jason

InteriorwithRedDope.jpg

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That's a great effect you're creating there Jason. Been watching your progress and meaning to comment a few times - seems that 72nd scale work can be quite often overlooked here.

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That's a great effect you're creating there Jason. Been watching your progress and meaning to comment a few times - seems that 72nd scale work can be quite often overlooked here.

Thank you, Col.! I've been spending more time on the interior than I intended, but you really can see quite a bit through the two cockpit openings and the original basically had no interior at all. I'm not crazy about doing interior work, it's more drudge work to me than anything else, but if done correctly it certainly adds to the overall impression of a model being "finished".

Regards,

Jason

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Well I'm still grinding along on the interior. I've decided to leave the seat cushions off and just weather the seat where some intrepid South African aviator's bum would have worn off the paint. I've opened up the rudder pedals, and I will add seat belts and then this bit of the interior will be finished. In one photograph you can see a piece of white plastic rod which will serve as the interior of the gun trough (this will be on both sides, as the SAAF Hartbees carried two fuselage guns as the Demon did), and will butt up against the gun breech on the interior. I've also tarted up the interior a bit with some Lewis ammo drums, and a leather pouch thingy (for secret despatches and the like). The interior's looking a bit tatty now, but I suppose that's the effect I want. This model is representing a true warbird, not some shiny parade ground peacetime aircraft.

Regards,

Jason

WeatheredInterior.jpg

WeatheredInterior2.jpg

FuselageInteriorwithGunTrough.jpg

FuselageInteriorwithAmmoDrums.jpg

Edited by Learstang
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Thank you, Nobs! Here's a few more of the interior with the gun breeches and troughs in place and painted. I really hope to have the interior finished soon and the fuselage all buttoned-up so I can start adding the lower wing, tail surfaces and landing gear. I mentioned this in a previous post, but I've gotten sidetracked by some other Hart variants I'm working on simultaneously. With any luck, I'll get them all to the painting stage at about the same time. That's the idea, anyway.

Regards,

Jason

FuselageInteriorwithGunTroughPainted-StarboardSide.jpg

FuselageInteriorwithGunTroughPainted-PortSide.jpg

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I just found your thread here. I do not know how I have missed it. This is a picture of my Airfix DEMON. It has a full scratchbuilt interior from firewall to tailplane leading edge. GOOD LUCK with your project. Carl T :thumbsup::speak_cool:

IMAG00035.jpg

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Thank you gentlemen for the comments! P-26luvr, I plan on doing one of my Demons in that scheme (I've seen photographs of the flyable example in that scheme); I even have two sets of decals to do it. I'll have to see which are more accurate. I'll be glad to make mine look nearly as nice as yours - lovely work! By the way, where did you get your decals?

Regards,

Jason

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Well, I'm getting ever closer to finishing the interior. Here I've added the seatbelts, and finished up the instrument panel. I noticed (after I'd applied them) that the instrument decals seem out of register, but I don't think it'll be that noticeable on the finished product so I'm not going to worry about it. The semicircular object is the front of the fuel tank, which was installed just forward of the instrument panel (that must have made the pilot feel all nice and safe). It doesn't represent the entire fuel tank, just that portion that is visible under the instrument panel. Now all I have to do is glue these parts to the fuselage halves, add the ammunition feed boxes, and I'm done with the interior.

Regards,

Jason

FinishedInterior.jpg

FinishedInterior2.jpg

InstrumentPanel.jpg

FuelTank.jpg

FinishedInstrumentPanel.jpg

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This is working nicely for me Learstang

I suppose most fighter pilots had fuel close by, 'spect they got used to the idea ;)

Me, I am glad my MG has its tank under the whole car at the back

all of two feet behind me :o

Love the cockpit details and I think you had a good grip on the red doped inner canvas, I'm sure there would be many that were interior painted too for extra protection. I think that the side tubing could maybe be picked out for extra "showability" inside the airframe or there's a chance we'd miss seeing it

nice work

bill

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This is working nicely for me Learstang

I suppose most fighter pilots had fuel close by, 'spect they got used to the idea ;)

Me, I am glad my MG has its tank under the whole car at the back

all of two feet behind me :o

Love the cockpit details and I think you had a good grip on the red doped inner canvas, I'm sure there would be many that were interior painted too for extra protection. I think that the side tubing could maybe be picked out for extra "showability" inside the airframe or there's a chance we'd miss seeing it

nice work

bill

Thank you, Bill! You're probably correct about the fuel tank; I suppose they didn't give it a second thought. You have to put the fuel somewhere and if you're brave enough to be flying that steel and fabric contraption into combat, that's probably the least of your concerns. You may be right about the tubing - I did do a light wash to try and bring it out, but since it's painted the same as the rest of the interior, I might try highlighting it a little more. I'm glad you like the red dope effect on the interior. In these photographs it may look a bit overdone, but in real life it looks about right to me for a well-used warplane.

Regards,

Jason

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Another thought about that petrol (gas) tank Jason

Isnt the tank just above the driver's head in a Tiger Moth

Extra mega oooer! for that

(I'm sure that bulgey thing in centre of the upper mainplane of a Moth is the tank)

A point I would make about the tubing contrast, last year I finshed a 1/72 scale Hawker Typhoon which basically has the same method of assembly for the front end of the fuselage

I bunged in all the relevant tubing painted silver as per references, then closed the fuselage

How visible do you think it all was?

Yup, hardly at all

such is life for a scale modeller :(

bill

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Another thought about that petrol (gas) tank Jason

Isnt the tank just above the driver's head in a Tiger Moth

Extra mega oooer! for that

(I'm sure that bulgey thing in centre of the upper mainplane of a Moth is the tank)

A point I would make about the tubing contrast, last year I finshed a 1/72 scale Hawker Typhoon which basically has the same method of assembly for the front end of the fuselage

I bunged in all the relevant tubing painted silver as per references, then closed the fuselage

How visible do you think it all was?

Yup, hardly at all

such is life for a scale modeller :(

bill

First off, yes Bill the bulgey thing in the centre of the Moth mainplane is the fuel tank, similar to other biplanes.

Jason, had a good laugh at your expense ref the initial attempt at the Demon, agree those wings do look a trifle out of alignment!! Howabout taking some pics of your Lancaster to Lincoln conversion, you said that was not going too well when you put it to one side? I see that you are keeping an eye on my conversion progress, it might be complete by Easter, but I am not saying which year! No, I owe it to the the Weller family to complete it soon, seeing as they have an unusual interest in it.

Happy modelling all,

John

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Bill, that is indeed the life of the scale modeller! We put a lot of things in our 'planes that no one else will see just because we know it's there. However, with my Demon I don't think it's all wasted effort - you really can see quite a bit of the interior with the two open cockpits. Besides, it's nice to get in a little cockpit scratchbuilding practice; not every kit has an Eduard or Pavla aftermarket cockpit set. John, in terms of my initial attempt at this kit, remember that I was just a wee lad. However, I still don't see how I got the wings that wrong. I even glued one of the "N" struts upsides down! I'm afraid if I posted photographs of my Lincoln it would just give you more amusement and unfortunately I didn't do that as a callow youth but as a hale and hearty adult so I have nothing to blame it on (although I suspect I glued the wingtips on upsides down - what is it with me and doing things the wrong way around? - helped by a little whiskey). Keep up the excellent work on your Lincoln; I may still get the courage to either redo my old one or restart one (and since I don't drink now I may actually get the wingtips done correctly this time). It's hard to tell which would be easier - redoing or starting anew. Next time I'm rooting around in my storeroom I may see if I can't find the b****y thing so I'll see how much work needs to be done to fix it.

Regards,

Jason

Edited by Learstang
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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, boys and girls, I have not forgotten my Demon. I've been busy on finishing up the interior, and I have the photographic evidence to prove it! The first set of photographs show the instrument panel now in place, then photographs of getting the cockpit "floor", with the attached seat, rudder pedals, and control column into place. I found that I had drilled the attachment points a little too high, so I had to redo them. I'll let the photographs do the talking.

Regards,

Jason

FullInteriorwithGunTroughPainted.jpg

InstrumentPanelInstalled.jpg

StarboardFuselagewithNewCockpitFloorHolesMarked.jpg

StarboardFuselagewithNewCockpitFloorHolesDrilled.jpg

PortFuselagewithCockpitFloorHolesDrilled.jpg

CloseupofCockpitFloorGluedinPlace.jpg

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