Jump to content

In the pink with Halcyon Breeze - Court Line Tristar in 1/144


Recommended Posts

Here is my representation of Court Line’s second Tristar, G-BAAB. I used the Welsh Models kit with 26 Decals supplemented with bits and pieces from the Nazca detail sheet. The light pink is Tamiya TS-25 and the salmon pink for the lower surfaces was custom mixed to RAL 3017. White is Halfords Appliance White apart from the belly stripe which is a double layer of white decal. Natural metal is various Revell and Tamiya acrylics.

Building the kit was easy and straightforward although for some reason I got a bit bored half way through and the partly-built Tristar spent about a year looking sad and forlorn while I got on with other things. Eventually I took pity on it and finished it in parallel with an overall orange Easyjet A320 which made for an interesting clash of colours.

The decals were also “interesting” although in a different sense. Applying the pink stripes, particularly around the tail, is an experience I’m in no hurry to repeat. 26 provide a generous amount of spare decal which perhaps should have been a warning. It was one of these jobs which looked simple on paper but in reality was anything but. I had a few “why don’t I take up a sensible hobby like stamp collecting?” moments. Weirdly, the left side which I did first went much better than the right which is the opposite of what I’d normally expect - must have been some kind of beginner’s luck! In addition the decals were rather brittle with a horrible tendency to break into flakes when I tried to trim them despite using a fresh scalpel blade. In a few areas, particularly around the stabilisers, I found myself sticking bits back in place with varnish. Eventually a hair dryer, copious quantities of Daco strong setting solution and a hefty dose of sheer bloody-mindedness got everything more or less in place although at the cost of extensive patching and touching up (Humbrol 200 with a tiny speck of red). Quite honestly it’s a bit of a mess and although the model looks OK from a distance close inspection isn’t encouraged. It’s definitely better viewed from a distance of six feet or more!

The 26 windscreen decal was replaced by an old ATP item which I still had in my decal stash. It’s a bit black and monochromatic but it fits the kit far better than the 26 one. I’m sorry that Kurt Lehmann only does window decals for the kits which he produces since the Tristar’s big cockpit windows are crying out for the photo-real treatment.

Anyhow, Halcyon Breeze is finally done. For all its flaws the result is definitely eye-catching. Who says airliners are all white and boring?

Thanks for looking and constructive criticism is welcome.

Dave

SAM_0221_zpszqfbr7zm.jpg

SAM_0210_zpskbxlawf8.jpg

SAM_0215_zps1jnfx8it.jpg

SAM_0216_zpseh1jwnwd.jpg

  • Like 24
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a coinkidink, I went for one of my Wiki binge readings and learned about this airline and their outlandish liveries just yesterday!...

Very, very well done. From here one wouldn't believe you had problems with the decals; the finish looks flawless.

The marketing fa livery makes the plane looks like a three-engined bologna, but I guess that's the Tristar for you :coat:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautifully rendered Dave - Even looking as close as I could, no evidence of any difficulty seen. ( I like those Modelcraft kits Jessica mentioned - vacforms in my hands come out sort of OK at best, or just plain horrid. )

You should give us a shot of the pink and orange planes together - interesting as you say.

Cheers,

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now that takes me back! When I was 10 I went on a family holiday and we flew from Luton on a Court Line BAC 111. It was the first time I'd ever flown and I remember that on the return journey we taxied past the first 2 Court Line Tristars that our Captain told us had only just been delivered.

Very nice to see that bright colour scheme once again, lovely.

Duncan B

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well if there is extensive patching and touching up you did a very good job, it's invisible! I'm very impressed, just love the TriStar and that Welsh kit is none too shabby. Must dig out my Saudia one from the stash!



Cheers,



Ian



PS hope to see the easyjet A320 soon.


Edited by Turbofan
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't look out of place in the missus top drawer :lol:

Behave yourself Neil.

Just wait till she hears about this. :tease:

Looks great in the pictures Dave. The Welsh kit is certainly the best currently available and you have made a lovely job of it.

Chris

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely love it too. I'm currently going through a "charter airlines of the late 60's early 70's" fad at the moment ( I blame Carry On Abroad - I love that film!). I've got the Modelcraft Tristar kit in my stash too. I was hoping the Eastern Express kit was going to be the standard L1011 so that I could have used those decals and my Airfix Cathay Pacific ones, but that's doesn't seem likely now.

Jeff

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brings back memories...I spannered at Courtline (and Autair before them) including on these beasts.

I guess its artistic licence, but they were painted in polyurethane which was disgustingly shiney even in the UK's polluted atmosphere. The 'Court' logo was very bright metal..it was in fact a perforated metal foil with an adhesive backing and a great attractor for lightning strikes.

Have you got a 500 series 1-11 to go with it?

Dave

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, this looks wonderful ! What a great-looking Tri-Star in this unusual but very attractive color scheme.

I have an L-1011 kit that also has been partly built for some years now ....... maybe this beauty should be inspiration to finally finish it !

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow what a beauty,the finish sure looks good to me, lovely job, spent many happy hours at luton watching AB and her sister ship coming and going, does anyone remember the little alleyway beside what was then Brittannia's hanger that finished at a low wire fence right beside the apron, wonderful days. cheers michael.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your kind and encouraging comments everybody. Much appreciated :)

Now you need to track down the Modelcraft Canada kit to do the yellow one...

I may be wrong but isn't Modelcraft Canada the same plastic as the Revell kit? You can get the Welsh kit with decals for Halcyon Days (the yellow one) although my kit was originally the TWA twin globe scheme. It would be great to see the two together but I don't think my nerves and blood pressure would stand a re-run in the foreseeable future!

.....

PS hope to see the easyjet A320 soon.

I discovered an accuracy issue with the Easyjet A320 after I had applied the decals. If I manage to sort it without ruining the entire model I'll post some pics.

......

Have you got a 500 series 1-11 to go with it?

I have an Authentic Airliners kit in the stash. 26 used to do Court line 1-11 decals although they're not currently in the catalogue. If I can track down a sheet I might give it a shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I may be wrong but isn't Modelcraft Canada the same plastic as the Revell kit? You can get the Welsh kit with decals for Halcyon Days (the yellow one) although my kit was originally the TWA twin globe scheme. It would be great to see the two together but I don't think my nerves and blood pressure would stand a re-run in the foreseeable future!

You're not wrong. If you do the (ex) Revell kit, you'll have a different set of nerves and blood pressure to trouble you. Hey, at least it's a difference!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dave

I'm a big fan of the L1011 and I thank you now for producing this very nice model which I have enjoyed looking at and also your notes which are quite comprehensive and cover similar challenges I have come across when producing commissions of the L1011 in other liveries.

Somewhere on the forum is an RAF -500 I built a few years back which I chopped up and fiddled around with, so if you ever try on another L1011- PM me as I have got loads of spare decals for them.

Now if anyone can help me with a set of BWIA 1/144 steelpan decals for a -500 series TriStar...I'll be your best friend.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't see any evidence of a struggle Dave, it looks very neat & tidy and one to be proud of.

I'm increasingly drawn to airline schemes of the 70's, and at that time there was still a wide variety of different airliner types around. The good old days brought to life by your post!

Cheers

John

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...