Bristol Brigand B Mk 1 Valom 1/72 (Pic heavy)

[CedB]

As an ageing Newbie I approach my next WIP with some trepidation but also with a group of BMers that I know will help me through. I've learned a lot since my first WIP on the Horsa and my second on the Frog Spitfire XIV and Flying Bomb 1:72 was very educational - certainly taught me a lesson (or four). So with my newly found skills (??), tips and techniques, tools and group of supporters I felt ready to tackle a Valom.

I live in Bath and so Bristols have a special attraction (do NOT use THAT emoticon please boys). Chosen at random from the list of available models this Brigand will accompany my Beaufighter and Blenheim(s). Only now that I've done some research do I realise that this didn't really fly in WWII. Oops. Stretch the window then.

Research shows that this "brute" was a challenge and the Boys of 84 Sqdn certainly had some experiences in Malaya, where the climate had detrimental effects on the aircraft including, but not limited to:

- main undercarriage failing to lower

- propellor blades 'departing', usually resulting in the engine going with it

- air brakes not operating in the dive.

More information here.

Possibly the worse problem was that the Brigand tended to shoot itself down:

"The losses of several aircraft during strafing runs and several more being damage led to the discovery of a deadly problem. The long cannon blast tubes that ran beneath the cockpit seemed to have the tendency of trapping propellant gases when the four cannons were fired. This gas would occasionally ignite when the aircraft used high explosive rounds, the resulting explosion would damage hydraulic lines and fire would severly damage the aircraft or cause it to crash."

In a great example of British grit "At one point, the commanders of the units that operated the type began to have doubts over the wisdom of continuing operations." Obviously they escalated operational status to 'slightly miffed'.

(New post for sprue shots)

[CedB]

Valom have a reputation for good quality, if expensive, kits and this one doesn't disappoint when opening the box. Comprehensive instructions in an A5 folded pamphlet:

Including some useful reference photos:

Before you say anything I'll be building this OOB (as usual) so the detail of the cockpit will NOT mirror that photo, but there's some great detail on the kit and some PE / film so I might get a nice pit (with some back reference to my friend's techniques). I also won't be scratch building the fans.

Two schemes available and, of course, I'll be doing the RAF one:

VS836 d/d 22/04/1949, sold as scrap on 27/08/1953 at No.19 MU St. Athan. That's all I could find. (What's "d/d"?)

[06/24]

[CedB]

And now the parts. Three grey plastic sprues (note that the props are already sprayed as I had some spare paint in the airbrush):

Some really nice detail in the cockpit mouldings:

And the scary bit for me, PE and resin:

So, time to gird my loins and start. I have time this weekend so hopefully will make some progress to post later.

Any advice / warnings at this stage appreciated!

[GREG DESTEC]

Wow, talk about liking a challenge! Good luck with this one Ced. I like the subject matter.

[BerndM]

These kits from Valom has caught my eye as well, lots of interesting types. Good luck with this one

[modelglue]

Two schemes available and, of course, I'll be doing the RAF one:

VS836 d/d 22/04/1949, sold as scrap on 27/08/1953 at No.19 MU St. Athan. That's all I could find. (What's "d/d"?)

Good, I didn't want to speak out of turn here, but I didn't like the PK scheme. I didn't know the box came with two!

I believe D/D means Decommission/Destroy but I could be wrong on that seeing as it is a different nationality than was I am used to seeing. (maybe demilitarization/disposal, after looking it up)

[Procopius]

The Brigand was sort of weird-looking, wasn't it?

[MikeW]

I know there has been an increasing trend toward automation in everything, but a warbird that could shoot itself down, that really was ahead of its' time.

I'm with you on PE - that's the devils work!

Cheers,

Mike

[Martian]

This will be fun to follow!

Martin

[CedB]

I know there has been an increasing trend toward automation in everything, but a warbird that could shoot itself down, that really was ahead of its' time.

[modelglue]

I know there has been an increasing trend toward automation in everything, but a warbird that could shoot itself down, that really was ahead of its' time.

I'm with you on PE - that's the devils work!

Cheers,

Mike

That was extreme.

[Cookenbacher]

Excellent, another Ced thread to follow.

[CedB]

Excellent, another Ced thread to follow.

Awww, thanks Cookey! I'll try to keep you all satisfied, or at least amused!

[CedB]

OK, here we go.

First job is the IP which has film and PE parts. I read somewhere here that you should paint the back of the film white so I offered up the film to the PE to see which was 'the back' and then dropped it. Tried again. Fine. Er, I think, make sure - can't correct this one (did I leave the gas on?)

You can see the effect of this - really brightens up the dials:

Now, it will be obvious to you experienced modellers that that IP should be black. CA scares the bejabers out of me so I thought I'd avoid a visit to A&E (What? Oh it's the instrument panel from a Brigand. Yes, I know superglue sticks to skin better than anything else) and use PVA (Copydex). Luckily for me this didn't stick as I'm not an experienced modeller and realised that I should have painted the IP first Managed to separate this easily, paint the panel and then... it needs to go on this plastic part:

Actually that's lovely detail on there isn't it. No idea how I could paint it. Jon's magic pens? Dither dither. Check the reference photo:

That's not Brigand detail is it. Off it comes then. Now, stop shaking Ced, CA is OK if you're careful. I bought one of those applicator sets and have been using the flat one for applying filler, but here's a chance to use the pointy one:

Basically I lined up the film, PE and plastic with great care, pegged it and then poked CA around the sides and anywhere else that was sticking up. We'll see what it's like when I'm sure that it's dry. What a wuss.

So that's the IP done. And I still have clean fingers.

[bristol boy]

Great topic, I've got one of these in the stash so will be super glued to your WIP. Having grown up near Filtpn I have a bit of a Bristols thing too, my stash is currently

Valom Brigand, Buckingham, Buckmaster, Frog Beau 21, Encore Beaufort, Choroszy Type 188, novo 138, old and new Airfix Blenheims, Pegasus M1C, MAC Scout, Classic Planes Bristol Racer and so on.

Built so far frog Blenheim 1, Sanger Bombay, Magna type 148, oh and a Gladiator!

Look forward to next update.

[CedB]

While the paint was drying I looked at this:

There's a comment in another Brigand RFI that the detail on the cockpit walls are "on separate parts". See here? S4 goes on fuselage S1 and round number 6 (not rectangular No 6) goes on that, in some way.

Sorry about the focus but you can see the grooves in the fuselage, which is slightly curved internally, so on with the poly cement (wiggle room) and a Berner.

That'll need some attention later.

S5 goes on the other side and the floor goes, um ,er, underneath?

This is starting to look like that Swedish flat pack furniture... (Swedish Chef impressions alert). Hurdy panelly gluedy fusely floordy... well, you get the idea.

And you may notice that the assembly marked '6' has an exclamation mark. Step 6 is over the page:

Do I just cut out the black bits? And step 7 shows (probably) another part that needs to be stuck in after this has been all put together, leaving just the right amount of room for it, of course.

I don't think my nerves can take much more today. Sophs (my younger daughter Sophie) is home too and has just landed a new job, so I think it's time to:

- see my daughter

- open the bubbly

- grow another pair of hands, hopefully small ones, ready for one of those dry fitting fiascos tomorrow. Or should that be 'fracas'? More topical?

Tomorrow I hope I'll have time to, let me see, joindy flurry to di wally wid di seaties... and don't forget I need to paint it too (must write that down).

Thanks for watching (and hope you're enjoying it).

[stever219]

D/d here means the delivery date from the manufacturers to the receiving Maintenance Unit for service acceptance, incorporation of relevant modifications and installation of government-funded equipment, e.g. guns, radios, navaids.

I'll be watching this as I have two in the stash, one of which is intended as a T, Mk. 4 or T. Mk. 5.

[CedB]

Great topic, I've got one of these in the stash so will be super glued to your WIP. Having grown up near Filtpn I have a bit of a Bristols thing too, my stash is currently

Valom Brigand, Buckingham, Buckmaster, Frog Beau 21, Encore Beaufort, Choroszy Type 188, novo 138, old and new Airfix Blenheims, Pegasus M1C, MAC Scout, Classic Planes Bristol Racer and so on.

Built so far frog Blenheim 1, Sanger Bombay, Magna type 148, oh and a Gladiator!

Look forward to next update.

Thanks Bristol Boy! I must add some of those to my wish list and hunt down your builds... did you WIP / RFI any?

You probably know that Filton airfield has, sadly, closed now. Airbus is still there, and Rolls Royce (I think) and hopefully there'll be a new home for the Bristol Airplane Company collection there, including a home for the currently 'out in the weather' Concorde 216. More details here, opening 2017?

[rob85]

Great stuff cedb, you always build my confidence seeing your wip's as you answer so many questions I want to by doing them! So tyanks.

I would find this kit intimidating, but then I have low confidence in my ability so most kits start that way!

Great choice and I know you can sort the challenge out.

I'm very much on board.

Rob

P.s. well done and good luck to your daughter in her new job!

[stever219]

Ced,

IIRC RAF Brigands never had the barbettes (S12) fitted.

As far as I can establish only the black bits come off in S6.

The late father of one of our local model club members flew Brigands with 226(?) OCU and I seem to remember our member telling me that the cockpit interiors were Night, not grey-green as Valom would have it. Details of cockpit layout aft of the pilot's seat presently seem to be almost non-existent.

S10 & S11 appear to represent the mod to the blast troughs to prevent self-immolation and should be installed open side out, probably with cannon ports drilled out in the rear face.

HTH.

P.S. hope your daughter's new job goes well..

[logical]

Looking good so far. :-)

[Cookenbacher]

That's some nice work on a complicated kit, Ced.

[AdrianMF]

Looking good so far! It looks like a nice kit.

Regards,

Adrian

[Sten Ekedahl]

A tip for gluing the photo film to the back of a PE instrument panel: Don't use super glue. After having painted the back of the film white, and the PE IP in the apropriate colour (black for the Brigand) and done some dry brushing and detail painting to taste, brush a liberal coat of gloss varninsh on the front of the photo film. Place the PE IP on top of the film and carefully line it up. Put it aside and let it dry for a couple of hours. This is a lot easier and much more forgiving than using super glue. Besides, the varnish will also create the impression of glass when dry.