cropredy Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 After four years of construction ups and downs in fits and starts, I recently completed the Valom 1/72 Albemarle Mk I. Originally, I was only going to do one for my wife's uncle, who actually worked in the factory where the plane was assembled. However, as mistakes were made and then corrected (usually), I decided I could learn from the experience and quickly build a second Albemarle for my own shelf. 'Quickly' it was not and the second build had its own set of issues. The whole experience was blogged (after-the-fact, from notes and work-in-progress photos). If you don't want to read the full build history (albeit entertaining, in retrospect), you can skip to the completed photos of Albemarle Number One (for the uncle) and Albemarle Number Two (for me). This was a challenging kit for me (only my second model as an adult) and I have no doubt many of you reading this could do better or at least have avoided the mistakes I made that had to be corrected. Here are some of the final product photos. Albemarle Number One Albemarle No 1 Finished.8 (very good)Edited by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle No 1 Finished.7 (good)Edited2 by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle No 1 Finished.5 (very good)Edited by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Number Two Albemarle Mk I 003Edited by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 021 Starboard view by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 008 Front Detail by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 031 Fuel Hose by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 025 Accumulator Detail II by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 016 MG and officers by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 015 Bomb Trolley and Tractor by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr Albemarle Mk I 009 Port Wing Detail by cropredy-sfdc, on Flickr 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Strewth!!! Those are ruddy awesome! The English Mitchell I guess! They were pretty big aircraft weren't they! Superb modelling of what must have been challenging kits. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelglue Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Nice work! I am sort of in love with my valom kits (though I haven't built them) so it will be nice to come back and read it ALL when I have the time. Yes, they do look big! Would it be blasphemous of me to do one up in a Coastal Command scheme? modelglue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Very good modeling in all areas there, both look great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VG 33 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Fantsatic job on these not so easy kits. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForestFan Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Lovely job on a difficult kit, well done and thanks for showing. FF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Very Nice work there, Great Duo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Don't see many of these built, but to see two in one thread! Great modelling on what I understand is a 'hard work' kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Great to see some different aircraft being built, especially when made this well. Gorgeous finish on each and love the little diorama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Those are some beautifully built and displayed models, very good work indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 very nice pair ,they look great love the little dio looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryker Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Very nicely done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Great results from a difficult kit. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Stunning builds, from what can be seen in the 'thumbnails'.. My only criticism concerns the pics – much too small! Kind regards, Joachim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Two finished Albermarles! You deserve a medal Sir! Very nice models, both of them. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cropredy Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Nice work! I am sort of in love with my valom kits (though I haven't built them) so it will be nice to come back and read it ALL when I have the time. Yes, they do look big! Would it be blasphemous of me to do one up in a Coastal Command scheme? modelglue Modelglue - I looked up in Bowyer's 'Aircraft for the Royal Air Force' and here is what he had to say about Coastal Command: "Details of the fleet as on 13 September 1942 are as follows: ... With Coastal Command: P1409 (279 Squadron), P1431 (Coastal Command Development Unit, Tain) ... " This was during the trials phase when the Air Ministry was trying to figure out what to do with the Albemarle Mk I. Bowyers goes on "Apart from an acceptable layout, Coastal Command had no time for the aircraft, and were particularly against it for its poor single-engined performance." Torpedo handling trials were unsuccessful. So, whether the two planes were actually painted in Coastal Command scheme I do not know - there is a caption in Bowyers where he shows a picture (p.. 82) of an Albemarle in "day bomber camouflage which also suited them for possible service with Coastal Command" Edited September 15, 2013 by cropredy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cropredy Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Stunning builds, from what can be seen in the 'thumbnails'.. My only criticism concerns the pics – much too small! Kind regards, Joachim Joachim - just click on the picture and you'll go straight to Flickr where the full size photos reside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Superb builds, and the dio is particularly epic, Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cropredy Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Thank you everyone for the nice comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Very impressive indeed! Top class work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Kelley Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Stunning work. Both look great but love the little dip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Wow! Amazing work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Terrific builds and diorama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I like a lot of people reading this have one of these in the to do list and it is a really special treat to see two of them completed especially to this standard. You must have a lot of fishing weights hidden in the nose as she looks very tail heavy ? Not sure if it was intentional but it's a great idea having the MG in the diorama with the second aircraft as both were made at the MG works in Abingdon ( apologies I'm an MG fan ) strangely the non flying MG has lost its spare wheel carrier which would have covered the rear fuel tank. Didn't these also get used as glider tugs for Arnhem and D Day ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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