woody37 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Not done a group build for ages, but it's quite timely with my intention to start these. I planned this last year, but only just getting round to starting them. Whilst the Frog kit is obsolete, the Airfix kit isn't, but it should be !! The plan - Make a Mk.I - probably in desert scheme, a Mk.IV in night scheme Modifications planned: Falcon canopies Barracuda wheels Various airframe corrections - copy best bits from each kit ! eg. Correct rear nacelles and tail on Airfix kit by copying Frog Possibly stick a bomb bay in the Mk.IV Some scratch building of the cockpits A ton of filler ! A ton of sanding ! Some blood sweat and tears ! A healthy feed for the carpet monster ! What I've got so far: Note, I don't have the box for the Frog kit as it came in a bag, so box images courtesy of the net Aftermarket bits (I need to dig out the decals, but will be using aftermarket Extradecal): Some comparison shots of the two kits - Frog in white The Airfix has some noticeable errors, the tail looks so wrong and the rear nacelles in the wing are too long. The intention is to use the Frog kit as a template to correct the Airfix tail and too literally cut out the offending nacelles, fill the holes in the wings and remake the nacelles out of Miliput. I did this with a Halifax last year and it worked OK. As normal I'm sure loads of other things will crop up as I start and learn so it's open to influence where I can. Cheers, Neil 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Yikes! Are those really models of the same aircraft? Welcome to the 'fun' Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitbasher2009 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 IPMS UK magazine ran a 'cut and shut' article some years ago on how to get a decent IV by cross-kitting the Airfix and FROG kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Great choice of subject! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Fun! You'll find that there isn't much in the way of cross kitting that can be practically done. Take the wings for example. In plan view they are completely different. By using Arthur Bentley's drawings of the mk. IV I discovered that the Airfix ones are correct and that the Frog ones are way out (in my opinion - others have disagreed). Here the 'extra' has been drawn out on my Revell reboxing of the mk. I I'm not convinced that the Airfix canopy is correct either, it being far too squashed. Good luck and I'll look forward to progress. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I'll be taking notes for when I start my MK.I. I notice you have the same vac canopies and wheel set that I have bought. Basic essentials for this kit, ehhh?. Don't know if your interested, but Airwaves did a PE set for this kit. Hannants re-released it recently, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 (edited) Pulling up my comfy chair and settling in..... Doesn't really need a label for you to know which one is the Airfix does it? Edited October 8, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueliner Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I remember when I first saw the airfix kit. I was 12 years old and I had to have it! but at the time they also got the Pe-2, TBD, Battle, and Hampden. Only had 3 bucks...oh the agony. The Frog Blenheim would be years later. But was worth waiting for. CA came out with them in 48th... couldn't resist. Now for a 48th Hampden... a good one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 This will be an interesting one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 If you're correcting shape issues on the Airfix, my understanding is that the upper engine nacelle should have more of a humped shape behind the engine cowling. regards, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Fun! You'll find that there isn't much in the way of cross kitting that can be practically done. Take the wings for example. In plan view they are completely different. By using Arthur Bentley's drawings of the mk. IV I discovered that the Airfix ones are correct and that the Frog ones are way out (in my opinion - others have disagreed). Here the 'extra' has been drawn out on my Revell reboxing of the mk. I I'm not convinced that the Airfix canopy is correct either, it being far too squashed. Good luck and I'll look forward to progress. Trevor The good thing is, there is enough material to correct the wing without major surgery. Agree on the cockpit, but will live within the limitations of the Falcon canopy for sanities sake ! Pulling up my comfy chair and settling in..... Doesn't really need a label for you to know which one is the Airfix does it? lol, Airfix and Rivets where a close relationship in days gone by ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 OK, made a start on the airframe corrections tonight. I'm not aiming for perfection, just to get them looking right and similar to each other. I've taken some easy steps - Airfix tail correction: Mate one fuse half of the Airfix kit to the opposing side of the Frog kit and use the Frog tail as a template to sand the Airfix to shape Once done, mate the two Airfix halves back up and fettle to match corrected half Frog wing correction (looking at drawings, agree with Trevor's findings here): Same process as above to sand Frog wing to same profile as Airfix parts The rear end of the Frog kit looks a little thin in profile too compared to drawings, may apply some thin plasticard over it to correct and fair in with Miliput, but not decided on that yet. I'll get some pictures up tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Isn't there an issue with the canopy/wing-root on the FROG kit.....I seem to remember seeing it corrected here somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Isn't there an issue with the canopy/wing-root on the FROG kit.....I seem to remember seeing it corrected here somewhere? Quite right. Herewith courtesy of Old Man http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234934914-blenheim-mk-i-frog-172/?fromsearch=1 Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I know I have somewhere the Blenheim drawings by Bentley. May be not a complete set, perhaps some drawings accompanying an article in Scale Models. Can anybody help? I looked in the Aeroflight indices with no result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I'd forgotten how bad some kits were from years gone by. Aren't we thoroughly spoilt by the quality of kits these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 CarLos The drawings appeared in the Scale Models Battle of Britain series which were consolidated into a special supplement. As an aside I found these two photos from my archives of the RAFM Bolingbroke. The first photo shows the port wing Browning 0.303 installation and the underwing access and spent cartridge chute, not something that I have seen many pictures of. and this is the port side Bristol Mercury. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Thanks Trevor. with BoB series I could locate them in the Mar 1980 issue. Are those in the supplement more complete? Edit: Good pics, by the way. I'll save them for the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I think there were some updates and/or corrections in the Scale Modelling supplement but don't know what though. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Quite right. Herewith courtesy of Old Man http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234934914-blenheim-mk-i-frog-172/?fromsearch=1 Trevor Nooooooooooo !!! I knew ignorance was bliss, need to do this now ! Forgot all about this thread, thanks for reminding me Trevor. Great inspiration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 I was deliberating whether to correct the wing to allow the corrected window, but decided to 'go for it' ! As I'm using the Falcon canopy, the wrongly shaped window will need cutting out and a new one fabricating. Although I've taken the learnings on board from Old Man, I've taken a slightly different approach to reduce the work. Rather than cutting out the whole recess for the wing, I've just cut away the front part to free the cockpit up and sanded a suitable amount of the front edge of the wing as not to foul the cockpit interior when inserted. I got some good drawings off Chris - Stringbag (cheers matey) and these have really helped. The wing is slightly oversize to those drawings resulting in the conflict of leading edge and canopy, so simply sanding the leading edge back and chopping a couple of millimetres off the trailing edge wing root allows the wing to be shifted back and lowered enough. Some minor filing of the root profile was required to enable this. Pictures explain it better... And the corrected tail on the AF kit. Obviously, the surfaces have yet to get some detail, but that will happen after the agricultural parts of the builds !! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Looking forward to this one Neil. The biggest problem you will encounter is attaining the standard you have achieved with the Whitley. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I always thought the Airfix kit looked like a Blenheim until you started this thread Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisrope Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I built the Airfix kit in my yoof. I remember now I stuck both British and French gunpacks on it. More like a Blenheim fortress with the turret as well These are going to look superb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 You can't beat the sight of an old Airfix/Frog/Matchbox offering being bought up to date & whipped into shape - following with interest.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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