canberraman Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Well we've made it with days to spare! Following on from the previous instalment, once I was happy with the overall paint finish, the model was treated to a couple of coats of Johnsons Kleer to seal the paint and provide a smooth surface ahead of decaling. The Oldsmodels kit decals were a bit of a faff as they each needed to be carefully cut from the sheet, leaving as little background film as possible. The aircraft I had chosen to depict was C.1 XS639 in the colours of 46 Sqn, RAF Air Support Command, when based at RAF Abingdon from 1967-1970. I chose '639' as she survives to this day at the RAF Museum Cosford, and I also had a nice slide of her from her days on 46 Sqn when photographed at an RAF Wattisham Open Day. The yellow walkways were added from a Modeldecal Canberra set. With all the decals satisfactorily in place, I added one final coat of Kleer to ensure the rather thick kit transfers settled properly. Now it was time to attend to the undercarriage, props and other finer details. From my first dry run of assembling the main gear, it was apparent that the model was designed to be constructed in kneeling configuration. This was not really what I had in mind so the hydraulic arms at the rear of the main oleo was extended with some scrap white metal to enable a more upright stance to be modelled. The undercart was securely fastened with CA as I was concerned about the weight of all that resin. The wheel bays had first been brush painted in the rather unusual light blue/green that seems to have been unique to the Andover. The various aerials and other fiddly bits were fashioned from plastic card or from the spares box. The trailing HF aerial was made from heat stretched sprue. There's a few bits left to do when I have more time such as the windscreen wipers and pitot tubes. So there we have it, my take on the S&M HS Andover. For the most part this has been an enjoyable build, despite the nose weight issue and twisted fuselage. I do find resin something of a challenge to work with being that it is so much softer than polystyrene and easier to damage or scratch. The finished model is also very heavy and I do hope that it does not warp with the heat, that I'm told can be a problem with resin products. What looked a simple build back in May has taken much of the 4 months available for the group build so it's easy to be fooled! Still it's done now and to my mind looks every inch an Andover, and I am extremely grateful to S&M Models for producing niche kits like these that the majors are never likely to consider. The real thing, taken at Wattisham in the late 60s. To finish off, here's some of XS639's history as featured at the RAF Museum Cosford website. INDIVIDUAL HISTORY HAWKER SIDDELEY ANDOVER E.3A XS639/9241M 1967 Built by Hawker Siddeley Ltd to contract KU/11/013 as one of 31 Andover C.1 tactical transport aircraft. Serials batch XS637 - 647. 28 Apr 67 Awaiting Collection. 1 May 67 No. 46 Squadron, RAF Transport (later Air Support) Command, RAF Abingdon, Oxon. Delivered in tactical transport camouflage of light stone/dk earth/black/ white cockpit surround. Unit badge of three red arrowheads carried on the fin. Provided battlefield support for the Army in tactical exercises, NATO Duties and regular Germany - UK casualty evacuation flights. 1 Nov 68 No. 60 Maintenance Unit, RAF Leconfield, Yorks. 6 Feb 69 Rejoined No. 46 Squadron. Jul 69 No. 46 Squadron involved in ACE mobile force during unrest on the Island of Anguila. 9 Sep 70 No. 46 Squadron moved to RAF Thorney Island, Hants. 29 Aug 75 No. 46 Squadron disbanded due to reductions in the RAF transport force due to defence cuts. 11 Nov 75 No. 32 Squadron, RAF Northolt for communications duties. 17 Dec 75 No. 5 MU, RAF Kemble, Glos for storage. 1976 One of eight redundant Andover C.1 aircraft converted to E.3/E.3A standard for landing aid and radar check and calibration work at British military airfields in the UK and Germany, Cyprus, Belize and Gibraltar replacing the A.W Argosy in the same role between November 1976 and January 1978. 27 Sep 76 To No. 115 Squadron, RAF Brize Norton, Oxon operating all the E.3/E3A aircraft as part of No. 90 Group. Painted in a high visibility scheme of white and light aircraft grey with signal red cheatline, engines, wingtips and tail unit. Operated transport tasks in addition to calibration duties. XS639 was one of three E3A 'hack' aircraft used by the Squadron in a variety of roles, primarily transport of passengers and freight. Though not fitted with specialist radar equipment, the E3A could be used as a passive radar target. They were identical to the C.1 though with the addition of an extra crew position alongside the navigator. No.115 Squadron was also the Operational Conversion Unit for other RAF Andover units. Selected squadron crews retained the original Andover tactical take-off and landing capability; aeromedical evacuations were also flown, plus 'on demand' communications flights and logistics support for the 'Elder Forest 92' Air Defence Exercise, and occasional VIP flights. In the summer season transport was provided for the RAF Falcons Parachute Team from RAF Brize Norton, using the rear ramp for the mass exit. 29 Jun 79 To RAF Kemble, Glos; returned to No. 115 Squadron 15 Aug 79. 18 Apr 80 Electronic Warfare Avionics Unit, RAF Wyton, Cambs. 24 Oct 80 Returned to No. 115 Squadron. 4 Jan 83 No. 115 Squadron moved to RAF Benson, Oxon. 1992 The third of the three E.3A's transferred from No. 115 Squadron to No. 32 Squadron, RAF Northolt from Jan 1992; latterly in use for runway aid calibration duties. Initially on loan, formally transferred to No. 32 Squadron 1 April 1992.This meant that the Andover Conversion Unit and Falcons Transport tasks also passed to No. 32 Squadron. 13 Jul 94 Last flight, to Aerospace Museum, RAF Cosford, Salop for display. Crew for the last flight were Sqn Ldr Steve McBain and Flt Lts. Jim Rooney and Julian Spencer. Allotted instructional serial 9241M. 3 Aug 98 One of a number of aircraft donated to the RAF Museum by the MoD. Thanks for looking, comments good or bad always welcome. Cheers Mark 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Very cool! Maybe I should buy one as it looks great finished! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Thanks Radleigh! I think she looks every inch an Andover so I would recommend the S&M kit to anyone interested. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Cracking model there and very nice repair work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Very nicely done Mark!!!! She looks amazing and the colour scheme is just perfect for her. Hope you have an enjoyable build, again well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Gents Thank you all for the kind comments and good luck to everyone else in the GB as we approach the finish line. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Great looking model Mark, you done a cracking job, love the camo scheme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Good model Canberraman! great paintwork too. Really like that. The realigning the nose was brill! I went on this and the others of 115 in the late 70's at Brize in the Raspberry Ripple colours! I worked ,doing MODs, on The Queens Andover CC and a couple of these and the Mk 1 (PR) at Benson in 89. Thanks for showing, its ace! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Kev, BZN20, thanks for the supportive comments. I always like to hear from those who actually worked on, or with, some of the aircraft I'm so fond of. Terrific stuff! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 I'm Guessing ,you didn't get to see the Andover fleet lined up at Abingdon in 68 for the RAF 50th Anniversary show. The best Air Show I've been to,although the 68 RNAS Yeovilton show pushes it hard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 It was great to follow this build Mark and to see it finished in time Great result! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 I'm Guessing ,you didn't get to see the Andover fleet lined up at Abingdon in 68 for the RAF 50th Anniversary show. The best Air Show I've been to,although the 68 RNAS Yeovilton show pushes it hard. BZN20 No, I'm fairly sure I missed the Abingdon RAF 50th anniversary show but I would only have been 6! That said I do have the programmes from RAF Abingdon At Home in 1969 and 70 so reckon they must have been the first air displays I attended with my parents. Would have loved to have been at the 1968 event, the photos I've seen from then suggested a fantastic event. TrojanThinder - thanks for the comments and support. Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Wow this looks stunning. Fantastic work. All the bestChris​ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Wow this looks stunning. Fantastic work. All the best Chris​ Many thanks Chris! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noeyedears Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 just came across this in the gallery, what a lovely plane, great job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Martin Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Would like to see this photographed next to an RAF MEAF Hercules. Well done PM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Nice one Mark. Must get back to mine at some stage 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafdec Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 (edited) Nice build, maybe a bit too glossy for my liking, perhaps a satin finish would be better. Nonetheless nice. Only one in town at the moment. Flew in some of these from Abingdon and Thorney Island when in the Air Cadets. Edited August 30, 2015 by Rafdec 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Chaps, Thanks again for the comments and feedback. PM - yes I agree, it would look good parked next to an early MEAF schemed Herc. I have the Italeri C-130 in the stash and the appropriate AirDecal transfers, so that idea has gone right up the 'to do' pile! Calum - thanks for your support and encouragement throughout this build. I look forward to seeing its Kiwi cousin when completed. RAFDEC, yeah, you're probably right that she's a bit too shiny, but getting her finished before the closing date was a bit of a challenge. I may give her a coat of satin varnish as time permits to make it look a bit less pristine. Thank all Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 They were shiney when they entered service but later the paint spec changed. http://photovalet.com/MYFV13P04_14B.0359.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Siddeley_Andover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie C Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 That's a lovely build Mark, you can't beat the old MEAF scheme and for a paint brushed finish that's exceptional. All the best AC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Absolutely cracking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan214sqn Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 That looks lovely 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Archie, 825 and Dan Many thanks indeed for the supportive comments - cheers! Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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