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Bristol Blenheim Twin Build - Frog & Airfix - Finished !


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Funny you should ask Tony, I've taken some pics today.

After having a good look at the Hendon one, done a few minor tweeks such as adding the thin bits between the gills. This was done using masking tape rather than Solar trim to give a more pronounced look (thicker !) The cowlings are as of yet untouched apart from a sanding. The Frog gills will be sanded off and new ones fitted in the same way as the AF ones. Bored with the wings, so next I'm moving on to the cockpits. I'm not going for mega detail, but just enough to give it character. I've run out of grey Tamiya primer and got some white instead as Hobbycraft has sold out of the grey, but this is bobbins. I might get some Halfords grey today.

wings-7_zps2a3d0a2a.jpg

wings-8_zpsc6110d27.jpg

Close up...
wings-10_zps804af96a.jpg

wings-9_zpsa5b13151.jpg

Not perfect, but the quest for perfection usually leads to patience running out and needing a break lol

Been cracking on with the AF cockpit today, should have some pictures for tomorrow. Ended up scratch building the whole thing bar an etch seat left over from the Whitley.

Cheers, Neil

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I've been at both with the riveting tool, but the expert look on the AF kit is one of accident rather than deliberate skill !!!!

Here's the Mk.IV cockpit so far. Still a few bits to add but nearly ready for painting. The general layout is there, but also some artistic license thrown in to simplify things. I'm not going to lose too much sleep with inaccuracies as despite the greenhouse above, it doesn't get seen much.

af-cockpit-3_zps9a1931a5.jpg

af-cockpit-2_zps28bae548.jpg

af-cockpit-4_zps531263e6.jpg

af-cockpit-1_zps4d737ba9.jpg

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Although I have to confess not being familiar with the cockpit layout on these machines this certainly looks convincing.

Exactly but with all that glazing a half decent cockpit is a must.

Looking good!

Trevor

Edit - that reads wrong!!! I'm not saying the cockpit is half decent as it's much better than that.

(Note to self. Read twice, post once............)

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Exactly but with all that glazing a half decent cockpit is a must.

Looking good!

Trevor

Edit - that reads wrong!!! I'm not saying the cockpit is half decent as it's much better than that.

(Note to self. Read twice, post once............)

We knew what you meant! :)

Cheers,

Bill

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lol.

Been experimenting with some alternative primers today after running out of Tamiya grey. Halfords is OK, fine but darker than Tamiya and quite 'chalky'. I got some Simonz acrylic primer from another car shop this afternoon and quite like it. For £5 @500ml, much cheaper than either Tamiya (~£8 for 180ml) or Halfords (£8 for 500ml) and looks very similar to the Tamiya in both colour and texture when applied so will carry on with this trial throughout the builds.

Back to the builds, been cracking on with the Frog cockpit today. Got a busy day tomorrow so will aim to get some pics on Sunday, both with primer on. Also cut the Falcon clear bits out for the AF kit and done some dry fitting, quite pleased with how it fits. I'm planning to use the kit clear parts to shape the window masks as the frames are much more pronounced to cut against. These will then be transferred to the Falcon bits in situ, hopefully the window shapes aren't too far out.

I've decided to not fit the bomb bay in either kit, life's to short and the stash too big for me to be getting bogged down with these little blighters !

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Cracking start Woody, I also was experimenting with other primers, but always came back to using Tamiya grey, as one of the primers I used although allot cheaper did not adhere to the plastic very well and came away with the Tamiya tape

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Got some more done on the Frog cockpit last night and apart from control column which I'm making using wire to form the 'figure 8' is complete. The columns will be added after cockpit painting for ease. What is interesting is the quite significant difference in layout between the two marks. The throttles in the Mk.I are on the left, whilst on the Mk.IV, The Airfix kit seems to have modelled a M.I cockpit in having only the half width front panel, when according to pictures, this does in fact span the full width of the cockpit. Here the progress so far...

cockpits-1_zps47ec73c4.jpg

cockpits-3_zpsa206a67f.jpg

cockpits-2_zps84d065b0.jpg

cockpits-4_zps0e1bb4de.jpg

Next step will be painting the cockpits then gluing the halves together.

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I think there are two layouts for the Mk IV. The earlier British one is like the Mk I but later Canadian versions went to the full width layout that you have. I think the restored examples are based on the Canadian "Bolingbroke" layout, which is why that comes up more in image searches.

Edit:

Post #19 in http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/11637#.UmzmcG0gGK0 has a picture of the Mk I layout in a Mk IV.

Regards,

Adrian

Edited by AdrianMF
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This is brilliant work!

Having recently built..and still not fully finished the MPM kit, I'm amazed at the results here.

I'll be looking forward to seeing how it progresses and the end result.

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Before you stitch the two halves of the mk.1 together are you going to add the two little elongated 'portholes' behind the main glazing?

Excellent work btw

Trevor

Thanks guys, still chipping away at them slowly !

Trevor, thanks for reminding me, now done. Got the cockpits painted today, although I don't know whether the navigators table in the Mk.IV was black or wooden, can anyone confirm ?

Cheers

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