AngstROM Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Welcome to my corner of the Bastille for the Britmodeller French Fancy Group Build! This is basically the old Heller/Airfix SuE, with quite a few bits of resin (of which more later), non-coloured etched brass, and decals for a single aircraft (#17, 17 Flotille) at two points in its career: one from BAN Landivisiau in August 2010 in the customary two-greys scheme, and one from Kandahar during its tour in June-July 2008 in a single-grey colour. Unfortunately, this makes for a very expensive package for an older kit –even the desperate throat-cutters on eBay won’t drop one for much under UK£55, but I really, really love the wee beast, so I hope a breath of sea air (from Afghanistan, yes...) will be well received in our little sewing circle! Having a Neomega cockpit to hand already, I picked up an ExtraTech brass package to fizz the thing up a bit more, foolishly thinking it would be a straight scale-up of their 1/72 outfit. It isn’t –the funky intake covers are missing for a start. Never mind, onwards and downwards... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Nearly finished one of these in Argie markings. Quite nice little kit, if not showing it's age now and a little soft on detail in parts. I'll be interested and follow your build. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Cheers heloman1! Blimey, a response already...! The ‘mash bill’ in more detail: The kit resin is, to say the least, variable. The actual stores (a brace of GBU-49s, DAMOCLES and ALKAN units) are acceptable, but the horizontal tail (not shown) arrived bent, and looks just like the plastic one...which didn’t. Why the resin duplicate...?! The resin pylons are quite simply terrible. They appear to be sawn out of old orange boxes. The other resin bits are a couple of external updates and a cockpit tub and sidewalls, plus a rear top section for the plastic ejection seat. For this money, I’d have liked a full resin seat (if not a 3-seat sofa). Now, I particularly wanted a load-out like the one on this beautiful 1/72 model (also a Heller kit): http://aviapassionmaquette.free.fr/Aviapassion%20Maquette%20montage%20SUPER%20ETENDARD.html I plan to achieve this with a resin pylon/VER set from L’Arsenal, which looks decent enough and will allow disposal of many of the awful kit parts: Apologies for the ropey photos; I'm working with limited equipment (as Mrs ROM will attest...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Photos on the internet from ‘la zone operationelle’ have been studied -I love this one: http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/9081/astansemgbu4902.jpg “Sacre merde, Patrice! Vous avez oubliez l’échelle encore...ah, la bas: il ya un laveur de vitre! MONSIEUR! UN MOMENT...?” Agonising over the correct shade of grey and its likely equivalent in the Mr Hobby range has begun, and ulcers are throbbing... Six Days To Noon! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Apologies, I've just reread your thread title I was thinking the 72nd kit but that could have been another make!!! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Apologies, I've just reread your thread title I was thinking the 72nd kit but that could have been another make!!! Colin Maybe the Academy one? I'll certainly look forward to seeing your ARMADA example; I have an Airfix one lurking somewhere awaiting a similar fate -a Puerto Belgrano bird with an Exocet tucked underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 AngstROM, I've always loved the Etendard family so I'm looking forward to this one too. You're damn right about those pylons - I've got a resin weapons set from FM for the Mirage F-1CT, they look as though they could've been cast in the same "foundry" Good luck with your build. Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Merci, Chef! I'll give it my best shot; this is my first BM GB so I'd like to make it decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rom1 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Nice project!!! Bonne chance ;^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 This is going to be interesting. I've never seen that overall dark grey scheme before. Looking forward to this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Two days in and nothing much to show. Managed to iron out the taco-ed ALKAN pylon (see 3rd photo above), but upon close inspection one of the bombs is irredeemable. The wonderfully thin rear edges of the aft fins have broken off and the body is badly bent out of line. L'Arsenal make some but are out of stock en France; their US arm appears to have them so fingers X-ed -fortunately they are at the other end of the build anyway! Otherwise, much careful washing, brushing and fettling of polyurethane bits that are now drying out by the fire... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LT Motta Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 (edited) Nice! Your project comes in good time! I have the same kit, same thought about weps but I'm going for the two grey tone camo. You can use the steam from a kettle to correct the resin bits... But go easy. Edited April 5, 2015 by LT Motta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 G'day Angstrom, I've always had a soft spot for the Etendard, Watching with interest, hoping to pick up a few pointers for when I tackle mine, cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 (edited) G'day yerself, Pappy! Great to have you on board (and no pressure, then...! ). At last I have some bench time. The Easter weekend is nearly over, but I have a few days to play with this week; maybe something will happen! Also, I have a new brace of (straight!) GBUs from L'Arsenal USA. Massive thanks to the excellent Tony Bunch of that outlet, who secured his last pair of these for me, and sent a couple of very useful etched brass freebies as, apparently, he doesn't get a lot of orders from this side of the water. His prices are keen, delivery is swift and reasonable, so give him a go if what you want isn't anywhere in Europe. Some head-scratching occurred over the assembly of the NeOmega cockpit. The tub of this, too, was out of whack but I managed to true it up with a bath in some hot water. The 'assembly instructions' for this item are not too great, so I cast around the 'net and found this: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal7/6701-6800/gal6770-SuperEtendard-Williams/00.shtm There are some helpful photos here showing how it all fits in. Right -no excuses, then! Edited April 6, 2015 by AngstROM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich25 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Reading this with interest as have one in the stash asking to be built, any idea as to shade of grey used on the single colour one your building? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 Reading this with interest as have one in the stash asking to be built, any idea as to shade of grey used on the single colour one your building? Not a clue! TBH, I'm thinking of trying GS IJN Grey or similar to start with, but it will all be trial and error. Mostly error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary West Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Reading this with interest as have one in the stash asking to be built, any idea as to shade of grey used on the single colour one your building? Clearly hasnt read the reply to his question............... http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980670-super-etendard/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 Clearly hasnt read the reply to his question............... http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980670-super-etendard/ No indeed, but thanks for bringing it to my attention -I'll give XF-83 a go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich25 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I have now..work is an issue at times! Xf 83 then.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 I have now..work is an issue at times! Xf 83 then.. Ugh! Uegh! The 'W' word...I feel quite ill...(faints). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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