heloman1 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) To add to the growing interest in the excellent Airfix Vampire T11 kit, here is my build. I've followed much the same path as Martin but I didn't add the strengthening plates. I had a few fit issues around the rear of the intakes on the upper wing part B4 in that the moulded edge has a slant on it prevent to me a clean snug fit. From the pic below you can see I also had some fit issues with the lower wing panels B5+6, so I glued the edge that butts up against the fuselage first and let it set up. I then glues the remainder as you can see a few pegs were needed to hold it all in place and add some pressure whilst it all set. The inboard flap s still need to be glued and the trailing edge of the rear fuselage either side of the jet pipe exit. I also took Martins advice and cut the web in the wheel bay to allow me to add the main u/c legs after painting. I've used and new to me Vallejo acrylic Plastic Putty, it's a 'water based high density acrylic solution with add marble dust and titanium white' filler. Well that's what it says on the bottle. Which can be applied directly from the bottle but after my initial try, I think I'm going to add a small super glue spout then I can run it directly into the gaps. The excess can be wiped away with the aid of a damp tissue, cotton bud or finger. If the MOD'S wish, I'll happily supply a review. Well after a break of a couple of days, I managed to cock up the white undersides. After a coat of grey primer I decided to shoot some Gloss White Tamiya from and aerosol, not normally a problem for me but maybe a coat of matt white first would have been a good idea! After leaving it d\to dry for a couple of days, I sanded it down and gave it three coats of Humbrol Satin White along with all the other parts. It's had a couple of days to dry so now it need the undersides masking ready fro the Green upper surfaces. Edited March 24, 2013 by heloman1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I shall be interested to see what you make of the kit. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Will be watching with interest, I am thinking of getting one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I shall be interested to see what you make of the kit. Martin Hopefully a Vampire 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Shall also be following with interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) Look forward to following this Colin, but as for the Vallejo plastic putty, I hope you have more luck with it than I did! It never "keyed" to the plastic so for any gaps in areas that flexed or had any stress put on them it just split and came away. Might be OK for filling surface pits or lines maybe. Pat p.s. the missus is going to be hopping mad when she sees what you have done with her clothes pegs! Edited March 16, 2013 by Pat C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I hope my missus never finds out what happens to her clothes pegs, I might not live to finish the thingmy I'm on Love the vampire Colin, I've been a fan of the T11 since I was an air cadet back in the sixties when they were liningthem all up for scrapping at the Yorkshire air base we went for Air Experience flying, Driffold or Dishforth. Cannot remember now, long time ago. Funny though I do remember the pairs of antennae on the outer wings on them all lined up alongside the dispersal I will enjoy this even if it does come with webbed feet b seat bases for Wessex drivers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Silly person! Though I did rather let myself in for that one! Hopefully a Vampire 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share Posted March 17, 2013 Look forward to following this Colin, but as for the Vallejo plastic putty, I hope you have more luck with it than I did! It never "keyed" to the plastic so for any gaps in areas that flexed or had any stress put on them it just split and came away. Might be OK for filling surface pits or lines maybe. Pat p.s. the missus is going to be hopping mad when she sees what you have done with her clothes pegs! All OK on the peg front Pat, my misses bought new plastic one from China they break after two weeks in the harsh African sun. I will soon have to find another supply of the wooden ones as I've whittleing them much the same as Pedru. She's not normally allowed over the threshold of the pit. Excepting that is to look over my shoulder when I'm typing something on the computer to tell me it's man-vegetables. You know one of those really helpful moments? May get a little more done today, thanks for the heads up Pat on the filler, we'll see how it goes. Has everyone seen the good news re the three new releases from Airfix with FAA, SAAF, Rhodesian etc, decals. There's a link to Hannant's site for details. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Can't find the link or details on Hannant's web site. Any chance of a pointer? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8274&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=956&keyword_search=Vampire&setPerPage=25¤cy_id= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks for that. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 I've just updated the thread with some more pics. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelvk Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Will be watching with interest, I am thinking of getting one of these. Jooooooin us... Joooooooooiiiiinnn uuuuuusssss.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I'm just working through the same fit problems. I found that getting the lower wing to fit comfortably to the upper required some filing of the wheel well rim. I wish I'd discovered that fairly simple touch before trying a few other areas - still, a bit of filing never hurt. This was done dry before the upper wing was attached to the fuselage. I found the problem you had with the fit behind the intake. I also found the upper wing difficult to sit down without steps fore and aft on the fuselage top, and getting both wings to fit behind the intakes meant at least one flap was sitting higher at the rear. I removed half the location ledge and chamfered/scraped the inner part of the wing centre-section, as well as reworking the join at the leading edge/intake that you describe. I think there may have been a slight warp on the upper wing, otherwise I suspect more people would have commented - it's rather more effort than what I'd expect from current Airfix and has made this build considerably less fun than the Spitfire Mk22 I did in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Copy you on that Graham, it is fiddly and a little disconserting re the fit, I've got he same if not worse on the Merlin. Too many parts to butt up at odd angles see my pics of the 'dog house' MRH/engine housing in my Merlin thread eleswhere. I also feel the 'new' Airfix light blue plastic slightly soapy, easy to carve but not so good for sanding, where I tried to thin the trailing edges around the jet pipe. I may just get some masking done on it today! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I also feel the 'new' Airfix light blue plastic slightly soapy, easy to carve but not so good for sanding, where I tried to thin the trailing edges around the jet pipe. Sadly I have to agree with you. Came across the same problem when trimming flash out of the wheel wells of one of the new Bf 109s. Plastic seems a bit crumbly. It cuts okay but doesn't seem to like sanding or scraping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Mine's together now, and not at all bad but not quite right either. Ther's a large gap between the starboard wing and fuselage. The starboard outer wing did not align with the boom at the trailing edge (force of fingers applied to the flap brought it in line) and the panel between the wheel well and the flap on the port wing is providing quite a large step down to the flap. Press on it and it bounces back and forth. This can be (I'm holding it in place whilst I type) reglued as the fit is close enough to cope .Plus, despite Airfix's clever design work, my booms have not ended up quite in line - the tails are 1mm nearer at the top than the bottom which sounds tiny (over 4cm) but looks worse. I think that backs my personal rule of thumb: anything less than "% is ok but anything more than that looks off. I can't find any obvious bodge elsewhere, so suspect I did have a slightly warped example. Something for others to check at an early stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelvk Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I'm not had too much trouble with mine, really, but I'm not being too fussy about it, to be fair.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 When I get around to building my second one I'll be a little more careful with my assembly. Part of it was fit of parts, inaccurate moulding and parts either oversize or just ill fitting. Just shot the green on the upper surfaces will let that harden overnight and unmask it am tomorrow. I'm not please at he way it has turned out, the white threw my somewhat, it will just have to be a shelf filler. Another type ticked off in my FAA collection. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 Ok, I'm almost there, decals, the undercarriage and the canopy. I tried to use the underwing serials from the kit but a nine upside down is still a nine. So I used the kit decals as a template for the cutting of my spares box decals, not 100% but I'm reasonably happy with the results. The only kit decals I used were the roundels and had to use the boom roundels from the second option to cover the green under the white.The kit decals were a dream to use, well printed, thin and with just enough gloss. So that's it, take a look in ready fro inspection she's all done. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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