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247 Squadron Gloster Gladiator II


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Just marking my spot.

I'm not sure what I'll start with.

Something small and easy? A 1/72 Hurricane?

Or big and awful? A Revell 1/72 He111 or 1/72 Do17z?

Something nice? A Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire 1? or Airfix 1/48 Hurricane [old tooling kit]

I'll save two special ones till near the end date. Or maybe not.

I used to be indecisive -- now I'm not sure

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Decided to start with a bipe.

The Remus packing of the Frog Gloster Gladiator II

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The construction instructions are printed on the inside of the card. The painting instructions are on the reverse of the outside.

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I think the decals are past their best. The glue has dried up, but fortunately I have some in a drawer somewhere. The canopy is not great. I have at least one spare from other kits which will be used.

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Pleased to see an RAF Gladiator, but really? The last time I saw one of those, David Dickinson was building it! Still, I'm sure you'll turn it into a right bobby dazzler ;)

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An odd break-down of parts. Each wing has an insert, which has the location spaces for the interplane struts. The inserts needed sanding down in thickness, but they were a tad small on the edges so Vallejo acrylic putty filler was squeezed into the gap, to be cleaned off later;

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I need to build up around the cockpit; Far more material here than needed, to be fillered, shaved and sanded back;

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I can get into the cockpit area from underneath for putting in a seat, control column and i/p .

The chosen subject is a MkII so it needs the metal three-blade prop, which I have spare from an Airfix kit, as well as a spare canopy.

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Holes have been drilled for the rigging.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A bit of silly detailing; the step added, a reflector gun sight added into the cockpit, the doors scribed, that tall stem behind the seat cut down to the proper height;

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The first coat of 'sky' is on;

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When this is dry I'll do a second coat on the fuselage, then start the camo on it. The under of the top wing will get a second coat at the same time.

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A couple of evenings and this morning brings the Glad to this stage;

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The engine cowling is such a tight fit I didn't bother gluing it. The nose of the engine is long, its meant to fit up inside the kit's two-blader so I had to cut about 4mm off so the Fairey 3-blade will sit closer. The prop got a brass tube into it which will fit the hole drilled in the engine.

Next step, top wing on, then the rigging commences.Thats for this evening,

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Rigging completed. 1st coat of Dark Earth on the top of the top wing;

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I added the aerial post to the top wing. The wire will be done after the decals are on. Which might be tomorrow.

Might just get this finished tomorrow.

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On the lower wing I've used Humbrol 119 Light Earth and 102 Army Green, both enamels.The fuselage got, as will the top wing, 29 Dark Earth enamel undercoat, 29 acrylic top coat and 116 dark green. My 29 acrylic is an ancient pot and comes out darker than the current version.

It usually comes out like this;

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Nice, really really nice. Makes me want to rush out & find a Frog Gladiator, probably stick with my Airfix, Heller & Revell/MB ones though. :) I'd like to try & do one of them in a scheme like this though, it looks great.

Steve.

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Glad to see this finished and sooooo beautiful she is! Frog kits . Regards, V-P

P.S. Seeing the Finnish one really made my day

Thank you.

I'm building a number of Finnish Air Force types as an on-going project. :D

Nice, really really nice. Makes me want to rush out & find a Frog Gladiator, probably stick with my Airfix, Heller & Revell/MB ones though. :) I'd like to try & do one of them in a scheme like this though, it looks great.

Steve.

The Frog kit is ok. Its miles better than the 1st generation Airfix one, but it came out nearly 20 yrs later. The Matchbox [now Revell] is better again. I haven't done a Heller one yet. The new Airfix one I think is over done, eg; three parts for the cowl, which aren't the easiest to keep aligned. Don't forget the HobbyBoss one. The Finnish one above is the H/B kit. Its a fine kit, if though its simplified.

Thanks for the nice words chaps.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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