modelling minion Posted July 21, 2015 Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Okay then I might as well join in (seems like everyone else is!). My intention is to build the new Airfix 1/48 Hurricane in the markings of the aircraft flown by Flight Sergeant Tony Pickering of 501 Sqn when he was shot down on September 11th 1940. The aircraft he was flying was P5200 and was coded "SD W". I have chosen to model Tony's aircraft for a couple of reasons. As the topic heading says he was born quite close to where I live and completed his initial flying training at Ansty at No.9 Elementary And Reserve Flying Training School, I have spent the past 28 years working at Ansty for Rolls-Royce so that's another connection. But the most important connection for me is the fact that I have met him and had a very good chat about his service life. I was introduced to Tony by a good friend of mine from work (thanks Roger) who is ex RAF and knows Tony throught the Rugby branch of the RAFA of which they are both members. Roger introduced me to Tony to help my son who was doing his A-Levels at the time and researching the Battle Of Britain for his history A-level and what better way to learn than by talking to an actual veteran. Tony was very generous with his time and gave my son all the time and help he needed to complete his project and we could not thank him enough. Throughout all of our conversation the humility of this man shone through, he always said that he was no different from anyone else and certainly no braver, on that point I beg to differ with him. Tony and his fellow pilots were very brave, to take to the skies day after day against seemingly impossible odds takes a special kind of bravery, I wonder how many of us with our comfortable lives could do what they did? I am very happy to say that Tony is one of the very few who are still with us, which in my mind makes modelling his aircraft even more important. As of yet I do not have the kit (it's in the post somewhere) so no photos as of yet, sorry. Airfix very kindly provide a 501 Sqn option in the kit markings so that takes care of the Sqn code letters, so all I will need to find is a suitable letter W and some codes for the serial number. Wish me luck, and thanks for looking. Craig. Edited October 19, 2015 by modelling minion 11
Hockeyboy76 Posted July 21, 2015 Posted July 21, 2015 Love the story attached to you build. Good luck. 2
rob85 Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 Great back story, and a fantastic reason for a build! Look forward to the arrival of the kit Rob 1
stevej60 Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 Great back story Craig,looking forward to your build. 2
Nick Belbin Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 Interesting coincidence - I too am intending to build a 501 Hurricane, mine being flown by P/O Johhny Gibson. I have three reasons for this choice: it fits this GB, fits my 501 Squadron theme, and fits the theme for IPMS Avon's display at Telford later in the year. Looking forward to seeing yours progress. (And nicking some tips!) Nick 1
Biggles87 Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 Like everyone else, I applaud you reasons for choosing this aircraft and am looking forward to seeing it develop. Good luck. John 1
modelling minion Posted August 18, 2015 Author Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Not really an update as such but I thought I would let you know that the pilot of this Hurricane (Tony Pickering) was just interviewed on BBC news for their covering of the events at Biggin Hill today to commemorate the "Hardest Day". I have also heard that my order for the kit is being processed now (finally) so hopefully I will be able to make a start on Tony's mount very soon. Thanks for your patience. Craig. Edited August 18, 2015 by modelling minion 1
modelling minion Posted September 13, 2015 Author Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) Time for a very overdue update! My Hurricane kit arrived a couple of weeks ago but I felt that I had to finish my Bf-109 first or I would end up not finishing either of them. Since then I have not had a great deal of modelling time, but I have made a start at last! Here is a picture of the kit and it's contents along with some of my reference material. And the signature of the pilot himself inside one of my books. After watching some other builds I decided to assemble the interior of the cockpit and wings and then spray them, so as to avoid any problems due to the tight tolerances of the kit. This presented no problems at all and when I build another (and I will) it is the method I will use for that one as well. Here are a couple of pictures of the interior/wing assembly. Whilst the airbrush was out I also applied some interior green to the insides of the fuselage halves and to the armour plate to go behind the pilots seat. I shall spend some time this evening working on the instrument panel and picking out some of the details on the cockpit framework and fuselage sides. I will post a couple of pictures of this area before I close the fuselage halves together. Finally here is a picture of the real thing I took at last weeks Victory Show, a fantastic day out and a great opportunity to get some good close up pictures of a genuine Battle Of Britain veteran hurricane, not to mention the Blenheim and all the other great aircraft that were there (and the "targets" as well). This aircraft is in one of the colour schemes offered by Airfix in the kit, 605 County Of Warwick Sqdn, my local Auxiliary Reserve squadron! Thanks for looking and as usual all comments and criticisms are welcome. Craig. Edited September 14, 2015 by modelling minion 4
stevej60 Posted September 13, 2015 Posted September 13, 2015 Good start Craig,looking forward to progress on this one it is a superb kit. 1
Ozzy Posted September 13, 2015 Posted September 13, 2015 Nice start Craig, nice to get an autograph in one of the books. 1
modelling minion Posted September 14, 2015 Author Posted September 14, 2015 Thanks for the interest guys. I just realised that I hadn't actually posted the picture of the Hurricane at the Victory Show in my previous post, I have now edited it and included the picture, Doh! Craig. 1
modelling minion Posted September 20, 2015 Author Posted September 20, 2015 Update time! Sorry for the lack of in progress photo's on this but I am well aware of the approaching deadline and really want to get her finished, couple this with a lack of free time due to work and other commitments and I thought it more important to crack on where I could rather than take lots of pictures. I have taken some though, the one below is of the cockpit interior showing the instrument panel. I decided to use the kit panel and to do a little detail painting and to cut out the instrument decals and try to fir them individually. The end result does not look too bad although some appear to be slightly off centre (the camera can see things much better than I can!). The only addition I have made to the kit is some Eduard etched seat belts which I already had, nowhere near as good as the HGW fabric ones which lots of you have used to excellent effect, but they are what I had to hand. You can see them in this slightly out of focus shot of the closed up cockpit area. As you can see the main airframe components are now joined together and this is how she looks at the moment. I have to say that the fit of the main parts is a bit hit and miss, with some parts fitting beautifully and others in need of some filler. Don't get me wrong it's not horrendous and some of it may well be down to me but it's not a filler free kit (come to think of it none of my kits are!). And example of this in the tail planes to fuselage joint shown below. The actual gap is not as bad as all my plastering of filler would seem to show but it is a gap, or rather it was a gap and tomorrow it will hopefully be nice and smooth and have the rest of the tail feathers attached to it. That's it for now, hopefully the next update will not take as long. Thanks for looking and as usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received. Craig. 6
stevej60 Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 Good progress Craig,you should beat the deadline no problem. 1
PlaStix Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Hi Craig. Looks like you've made a great start on this project! I have only just seen the photo from the Victory Show. We must have been stood fairly near each other at the show as I was stood, for the most part during the afternoon, just behind the Seafire while it was parked up. And you're right - it was a great show. I'm lucky in that I only live about a mile away, as the crow flies, from the fields where the show is held. I took loads of close up photos of all the aircraft in that row, and I suppose you probably did too, but if there's anything you might need to look at just let me know. Kind regards, Stix 1
modelling minion Posted September 22, 2015 Author Posted September 22, 2015 Good progress Craig,you should beat the deadline no problem. Thanks Steve, Got some (well deserved!) days off this week so I have been able to make some more progress. I'll show you the picture of the progress later. Hi Craig. Looks like you've made a great start on this project! I have only just seen the photo from the Victory Show. We must have been stood fairly near each other at the show as I was stood, for the most part during the afternoon, just behind the Seafire while it was parked up. And you're right - it was a great show. I'm lucky in that I only live about a mile away, as the crow flies, from the fields where the show is held. I took loads of close up photos of all the aircraft in that row, and I suppose you probably did too, but if there's anything you might need to look at just let me know. Kind regards, Stix Thanks Stix, And thanks for the offer of the pictures but I took quite a few myself. We must have been stood right next to each other as I was right behind the Seafire too, which was great fun when it started up! We can't live too far from each other either as it only takes me about 20 minutes to get there, from the right side of the A5 in Warwickshire! On to the progress then! All of the airframe parts are now assembled and filler has been applied and smoothed off, I have also sprayed a coat of aluminium to act as both an undercoat and so that I can weather the paint work to show the aluminium underneath. This is how she looks now.... I might try some pre-shading this evening and hopefully I will be able to get some Sky painted on the undersides. That's it for now, as usual all comments and criticisms are always welcome. Thanks for looking. Craig. 2
PlaStix Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Hi Craig. Yes I thought you would have taken lots of photos too. And yes it was awesome being that close to those aircraft when they started up - definitely a bit draughty! Good looking progress again. I will be interested to see your chipping effects. Due to being a brush painter this is not something I can do but I'm always interested when modellers use this technique. Kind regards, Stix 1
Ozzy Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Nice idea with the aluminium undercoat, I'm will give that a go on my next aircraft I do. Cheers 1
modelling minion Posted September 22, 2015 Author Posted September 22, 2015 Hi Craig. Yes I thought you would have taken lots of photos too. And yes it was awesome being that close to those aircraft when they started up - definitely a bit draughty! Good looking progress again. I will be interested to see your chipping effects. Due to being a brush painter this is not something I can do but I'm always interested when modellers use this technique. Kind regards, Stix Thanks Stix, If you use a brush why not try using a rattle can for the aluminium undercoat? It should give a nice even finish. Nice idea with the aluminium undercoat, I'm will give that a go on my next aircraft I do. Cheers Thanks Ozzy, I look forward to seeing your next build, I have really liked your Hurricane/Henschel combo. Craig. 2
Ozzy Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Thanks Ozzy, I look forward to seeing your next build, I have really liked your Hurricane/Henschel combo. Craig. Thanks Craig, I think the next aircraft will be in the JU 88 GB. 1
PlaStix Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 Thanks Stix, If you use a brush why not try using a rattle can for the aluminium undercoat? It should give a nice even finish. Craig. Hi Craig. Now that's something I had never thought of!! Brilliant idea! I don't have any rattle can aluminium but I'll get some and give it a go on some scrap. Thank you for the suggestion. Kind regards, Stix 1
modelling minion Posted September 23, 2015 Author Posted September 23, 2015 Hi Craig. Now that's something I had never thought of!! Brilliant idea! I don't have any rattle can aluminium but I'll get some and give it a go on some scrap. Thank you for the suggestion. Kind regards, Stix No problem mate, That's what we're here for, to help and encourage wherever possible. Glad I could be of help. Craig. 1
modelling minion Posted September 24, 2015 Author Posted September 24, 2015 Time for another quick update. As I said earlier I applied an Aluminium undercoat over all of the metal areas of the Hurricane to aid with the weathering as well as acting as an undercoat. I also thought I would try pre-shading as I have not done it before and I have seen some very good results obtained on this site by other modellers, Bordfunker's Blenheim IV in this GB is a prime example, but instead of using my airbrush I used a marker pen (I know just how lazy I am and I do not need any of you to point this out to me, I have a wife for that!). this is a picture of the upper-surfaces to give you an idea of how she looked.... For the under-surfaces I have used Gunze Sky and I must say i am very pleased with how it sprays and covers. After the initial coat was allowed to dry I have gone back and sprayed a slightly lighter batch of it to the centre of the panels, you can hardly see it in the pictures but it is there honest. For some reason the pictures also make it look more grey than green but it looks pretty good in real life, here are a couple of pic's so that you can make your own minds up.... Anyway that is how she looks now. This evening will be spent masking the areas of the under-surfaces that come into contact with the upper-surfaces and also masking the canopy, and hopefully fitting the forward section of it. As always thanks for looking and all comments and criticisms are welcome. Craig. 4
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