Airfix 1/48 Albion AM463 Refueller

[John]

It makes sense to build this model in conjunction with my ongoing trio of Bedford MWDs, not least because I made a start almost as soon as I got the box open! Anyway, in-box here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981324-airfix-albion-refueller-a-look-in-the-box/

I've decided to finish this as an RAF Blue Grey example, so first order of business is to prime the parts with a thin coat of Humbrol 112 enamel:

This is the older incarnation of 112, when it was called Tarmac. I don't know if the newer 112 Blue Grey is the same shade or not. 112 Tarmac is one of the colours suggested by Mike Starmer as a match for RAFBG.

In common withy many newer Airfix kits the alignment of parts is by way of interlocking slots and grooves, rather than the traditional pin and socket. By and large this has worked well on the Bedfords but I seem to have left myself a substantial join line on the Albion's tank:

The tank consists of 4 parts, top half, 2 bottom quarters and an end cap. This gives a horizontal join along the middle of each tank side, illustrated here, and another along the bottom centre line. The bottom join isn't bad but both sides look like this. I'm not sure if I didn't clean the parts up thoroughly enough, given that careful preparation is a must with these tightly toleranced kits, or if the light plastic is making it look worse than it is. We'll see what it looks like with some paint on it.

John

[bigbadbadge]

Wow I didn't realise that you can get one of these in 1/48 scale, will have to get one of these . Good luck with your build.

All the best
Chris

[John]

Engine (right) and gearbox (left). Detail is impressive on such small parts, the engine block has 3 parts so far and the transmission 5:

The engine and gearbox connected through the flywheel. The parts are just placed, not fixed as yet:

John

[phildagreek]

Looks pretty detailed, that tank's gonna need some filler though!

[John]

This is the section of the instructions that deal with the tank, so you can see where the joins fall. I suspect I wasn't quite careful enough preparing the mating faces:

The join isn't quite as bad in real life as it looks in the photo but I'll get a better idea when I have time to look at it over the weekend.

John

[Graham Boak]

The dark blue I see in these photos seems to be a reasonable match (as far as I know) for the prewar dark blue, except that it should be glossier. So that's fine for this model. However, as a matter of terminology, this is not the colour known as RAF Blue Grey which is lighter and greyer.

[John]

Mike Starmer's take on RAFBG, on which my assumptions are based:

"R.A.F. Blue-Grey No. 33
Mix: 77 + 67 in ratio 4:1 or 112 only but satin varnish overall.
In use: R.A.F. use only on ground vehicles 1935 till 1941 as semi-gloss finish. Then Post-war.
Description: A dark blue-grey, NOT Humbrol 96 which is uniform colour!"

Nick Millman has my much travelled copy of BS381(1930) at the moment so i can't do a visual comparison between 112 and the chip of 33, but I don't think I've heard of a variation in this colour?

John

[Graham Boak]

I have an electronic copy of BS318C(1931). Either this is a different source altogether, or one of us is victim to a typo. Looking at that, I'd say that colour No. 33 is considerably lighter than what I see above, which is closer to No. 7 Dark Blue. Given known problems with colour matching on monitors, I wouldn't say that "my" No.33 is an ideal match to postwar RAF Blue Grey but it looks ok - if a bit green. However, I have seen comments that the prewar colour was darker than the postwar one, and I've seen photos which would appear to confirm this. Mike does imply this when he states "only on ground vehicles 1935 to 1941".

I can't find a tin of 112 in my boxes - I should have looked when I was in Transport Models this morning - but a mix of 77 and 67 will certainly be a dark blue-grey, and much darker than No 33 on the chart I have access to. However, this only means that I find the name in doubt: I would use much the same colour had Airfix produced the Albion in a proper scale. It'll be interesting to see what you think when you get access to your own copy again.

I'll go looking for comments about prewar being darker.

[John]

The join on the tank isn't quite as bad as it looked in the original photo but it still needed some filler to make it good:

The next time I'll be more careful in preparing the parts beforehand.

John

[Graham Boak]

Hi John - back at last. It seems that my electronic copy of BS381C was taken from an example with a poor reproduction of 33 RAF Blue Grey. The postwar colour 633 RAF Blue Grey is the same at the prewar. It's possible that the darker appearance of the prewar examples is due to the glossier finish - and the parade-ground condition! Most post war examples were matt and faded - the dark blue greys do seem to be prone to that, with Extra Dark Sea Grey as a fine example.

However, if you want RAF Blue Grey straight from the tin it is available in the Paragon range. http://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/BS381C-633-RAF-Blue/Grey.html

Also interesting is a previous thread http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234943925-who-produces-the-best-raf-blue-grey-for-brushing-and-spraying/

[John]

Thanks for that. I think I'll stick with my venerable tin of 112 meantime. I bought a pot of the re-released colour from my LMS yesterday so I'll do a brush-out when I get a chance.

I think I might even have a tin of Airfix M22 RAF Blue/Grey somewhere...

John

[Mike Starmer]

I found a more accurate mix for RAF Blue Grey than that old effort. This was matched to the Swatch in BS. 381C 1964 which had previously been checked against a 1930 book and John's copy.

Try 4 x H14 + 3 x H21 + 2 x H5. You will need to tone it done with a fraction of H64 then satin varnish over when dry.

[John]

Thanks for the update Mike. That's a very glossy mix, I think I'll stick with my older 112 for this build but I'll keep your updated formula in mind for the future.

John

[John]

The join in the tank cleaned up nicely:

Might need just a further touch from a sanding stick.

Following discussions on the thread referenced above, I decided to change the colour of the interior of the cab and the valve control cabinet to Eau de Nil. I have the WEM incarnation of this colour:

It needed a couple of thin brushed coats to cover the already applied Humbrol 112:

and it looks like another will have to follow. It's brighter in real life than it looks in the photo.

For some reason I'm really happy at finally using EdN for *something!*.

John

[Merlin]

Hi,

As you havent got as far as the booms yet, you may wish to correct the big mistake Airfix have made with the trumpet ends, i.e. they have no trumpet ends as such with hose coming straight out from within. As this is a distinctive feature I dont know why they have a T junction there, let alone a solid mass. placing these as separate ends head on in the mould would have managed this. Even side on, what the heck is that strange T junction thing ?

look at any pics to see this. also the actual box art !!!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Albion_AM463_refueller

also other gubbins along the booms differ from reality. The casting and operating arm at rear is also different, not sure the actuating arm is there, I need to look further.

side ladder would benefit from brass wire, its far too thick.

Interior walls of compartment at rear appears to be white. It was certainly so on the RAF brockhouse trailer bowser.

Phoenix Precision Paints do an RAF vehicle blue grey, they havr an oroginal BS paintchip set it was matched to.

dont forget the fine support wire atop each boom, after the wires mid arm has been corrected.

Hose colour, appears not a dark grey rubber in ww2 pics, those at the bottom of the Med on the Thistlegorm have totally perished, maybe a canvas coating ?

Merlin

Edited June 13, 2015 by Merlin

[John]

Useful info, thanks.

I did wonder about the if the valve cabinet inside might be white or silver. I haven't had chance to do much building over the last couple of weeks but I did repaint these parts white. I'll try to get some photos later.

J

[John]

It feels like months since I've had any kitbashing time, but I've finally been able to get back to my 1/48th scale trucks.

The cab interior of the Ablion is finished in WEM Eau-de-Nil with the seats in Humbrol acrylic 186 Brown and black details Humbrol RC401 Dirty Black:

It just needs the instrument panel decal put on and I'll call it done.

The tank has had a further coat of RAFBG - the old Humbrol 112 dries extremely matt!

Still needs a bit of tidying up.

Finally, I made a Boo-boo with the inside of the valve compartment. I put the feed pipes in the roof (part D13) in the wrong way round and by the time I realised, I had the other parts in and couldn't fix it. Hence, the doors are closed! For the record, D13 goes in with the pipe nearest to vertical on the *left* as you look into the compartment. The next one will be better:

John

[John]

The well detailed chassis coming together:

The light yellow background is making the paint look more blue than it actually is to the camera.

John

[John]

As Merlin points out further up the thread, there is a discrepancy in the way Airfix represent the ends of the boom arms. They have been moulded with a socket of some sort on the end of the bell, to which the hoses attach. WWII photos show the hose simply emerging from the bell without any sort of fitting. I don't know what Airfix have based their interpretation on, but I'mm going with the early war photographic evidence that we have to hand and modifying the booms accordingly:

Original on the right, modified on the left.

All 3 booms modified.

I'll have a think about representing the hoses later.

John

[Bob Henry]

I'm liking this one a lot. Thanks for posting. Bob H.

[Roy vd M.]

Nice little truck, enjoying your work!

[stevej60]

Good progress John,a future build for me.

[Merlin]

John,

so glad to see the correct trumpet ends, one of two modellers I have seen to fix that back to the classic look of the 3 boom Albion, and not some carbunkle there !.

any more progress on this ?

RAF Blue Grey early WW2 by the way, a superb example exists at the Lytham St Annes spitfire ground display team museum on their Bedford OX, oddly enough a post war vehicle but definite WW2 1939/40 RAF blue grey and not the darker tad more purple version brought out late war/post war. Tried to find a photo of it on the web and failed, seems camera shy ! In fact a photo of anything they have is scarce like their Bellamy Bowser, v important ground equipment preservation.

The nearest I can find to matching their VERY IMPORTANT ORIGINAL RAF BLUE GREY PAINT vehicle, which is a rare thing to see in the flesh, is this:-

http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/36083-bedford-ox-or-oy/

 

I wish they would take it to shows.

 

Hoses were canvas covered, so no black hoses or even dk grey.

see a video here showing such, hoses at rear hanging down side for example, best see the image at top as well.

http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/34738-raf-albion-am463-350-gallon-refueller-project-for-sale/

 

rear interior almost certainly white, certainly not silver, as image here  http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/34742-anyone-know-of-location-of-this-zwicky-pump-or-parts/

 

front view, http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/40130-bowser-pump/

scroll down somewhat !

 

Merlin