Hph 1/48 Concorde.

[egalliers]

I'm hooked. I go to Yeovilton fairly regularly, so if you find you need specific pictures of the real thing then just shout. Mind you, Concorde is pretty well documented on the web.

Thanks for that. What I am really chasing is a picture that shows how much the elevons were deflecting at the point of rotation.

You are right, the aircraft has lots of good detailed pics on the net.

Eric.

[Breaker]

Been following this on LSP, didn't know it had made it over here. Excellent work, really impressive looking model. And your little man approves of it too, bonus!

[egalliers]

Moving on with the flight crew. I needed to start making copies of the parts that I have modified to make my job of filling the cockpit with crew figures a bit easier.

I made a small plinth from Modelers clay.

Boxed it in with the Gunze Sangyo casting block set.

Filled it with de-gassed moulding silicone

Here is the resulting part cast with pressurised resin.

Here are 2 identical copies.

Here is where I am at with the flight crew. The captain and copilot are pretty well complete and now work has started on the flight engineer. The mixmatch of parts may change in the future depending on how they all integrate with each other. I still need to add some details and tidy up each figure, plus I am having a go at adding some weight to the flight engineer

Here is a test fit of the three flight crew in a mock up of the cockpit. Details to note: the captain is pilot flying, the First Officer is pilot monitoring. I have studying various cockpit footage of Concorde taking off and think that this might be an appropriate set up. Considering that the aircraft has just rotated, the Captain is looking outside. The first officer is looking at the instruments and has his mouth open calling V2. The Flight Engineer has his chair swung towards the front and is monitoring the instruments and is prepared to activate the throttles etc. I know most of this wont be seen, but I feel that I may as well do this sort of stuff considering that it is a learning process for me and will also slow me down on the project somewhat. I am still considering who to put in the jump seat. Maybe a check captain?

Eric.

[Gimme Shelter]

I hope those 3 are some of our BA Pilots !

Like others have noted, I too don't know how I managed to miss this massive wonder of a build - I am so pleased to see such a comprehensive WIP on this new 1/48 kit which went on my radar when it was first announced at the same time I was making 4 Speedbirds in 1/144.

It is very evident that you are in control of all the challenges that this kit presents you. I am a great fan of Concorde and have always believed that modelling her with her nose in take-of / rotation or a landing drooped position really adds to the end result. I had to do quite a lot of work to get my Revell 1/144 kits to look right using the Braz Conversions - that front end of Concorde is a mine field of shapes and contours once you choose to droop or lower the visor.

Good luck - the build so far looks amazing

Edited September 29, 2015 by Gimme Shelter

[xffw45343tg]

I have a recollection of being told that the flight engineer would be holding the throttle and reheat controls at this point in a take off. Not 100% sure...

Fab modelling. I used not to be a fan of crew in models but then realised that this means they need to be depicted stationary to be realistic so I'm a convert; your work is making me even more so! Incidentally, the model seats look a bit chunky as compared with the real thing - particularly in the seat pedestals. The engineer seat is a little different to the pilot seats in that it's base rails take it "round the corner" to the position you've shown and I think they're a little different in design accordingly. Off to look for references.

As to who should be in the jump seat - how about Frank Whittle?

[TobHol]

Good work on the crew, it will look fantastic inside the model.

/Tobias

[tangerine_sedge]

You have the aircrew, but what about the passengers

[woody37]

It's not often we see an airliner getting this level of detail treatment. Fantastic work, this is going to be special

[Engineer66]

Fantastic work Eric, this really sounds like one of those real modelling jobs to build, most definitely not a shake the box and out it pops. Real model making.

Sedge;

You have the aircrew, but what about the passengers

If you put a Training Captain in the jump seat you don't need passengers

I remember spending a lunch break watching one of BAs machines doing touch and go's at Prestwick back in the early 90's I think it was the only time I didn't get the slightest bit bored watching endless circuits. Once I was back in SCATC after lunch with a headset on I could still hear her climbing out!

Keep up the cracking work.

Al

[Radleigh]

It's not often we see an airliner getting this level of detail treatment. Fantastic work, this is going to be special

Agree Neil, I do like Airliners myself but of the older type... not these modern Airbuses etc... Quite enjoying seeing Concorde getting some good treatment!

[mitchem]

I'm enjoying this !

[JohnT]

You have the aircrew, but what about the passengers

Remember the Queen gets to sit in row 1 !

Seriously though great work and given the price I am somewhat surprised so much is necessary

[egalliers]

Thanks guys.

As far as how much is necessary vs how much the kit cost, I am going into a fair bit more detail than what i think HPh had in mind for the kit so some of the stuff that I am doing is additional to maybe what is required.

As far as passengers, definitely won't be doing any.

Glad you guys are enjoying my build.

Eric.

[Gimme Shelter]

On the subject of Concorde crew...Anyone ever heard of the "Walpole" ? - A term used by BA crew after a rather tight spot that the airline and fleet could have done without the publicity of at the time.

Looking forward to your next instalment - enjoying this at a maximum level

Edited September 30, 2015 by Gimme Shelter

[AdrianMF]

This is a lovely build to follow, especially as I know I will never do anything like it! The crew look very nice. I have some sympathy with the DIY nature of some of the components because of the sheer cost of producing a limited run kit of that size and complexity. Anyone who is going to finish the kit will have to be a pretty fine modeller, and will be capable of doing those extra little jobs. If they had told you to scratch build the engine nacelles, then that would be a different story! So I guess you have to have a mindset of "more fun for (slightly) less expense".

This all makes me realise how much I still miss Concorde flying overhead (I live in South London). We all used to rush outside to take a look when it came over. Now it's just flying buses.

I know, or at least I assume (!) it was a joke about the passengers, but it strikes me that in 1/48 you could possibly paint dark grey shapes in the passenger windows instead of just plain black to give the impression of inside detail. I'm not suggesting you cut out pictures of faces and stick them on the windows, mind...

Great stuff

Regards,

Adrian

[swimmer25k]

Thanks guys.

As far as how much is necessary vs how much the kit cost, I am going into a fair bit more detail than what i think HPh had in mind for the kit so some of the stuff that I am doing is additional to maybe what is required.

As far as passengers, definitely won't be doing any.

Glad you guys are enjoying my build.

Eric.

Eric,

I have this kit as well and hope to be starting it in a few months. With regards to the cockpit, I've settled on cutting the forward fuselage behind the entry door at the circumferential panel-line. The next step would be to split it in half to install the cockpit. Did you consider this option and why did you choose against it if you had?

I'm looking ot keep the nose up on mine. With that said, would you keep the fiberglass nose attached to the model and skip using the resin part?

I'm enjoying your build and have been learning a lot from the decisions you've made.

Thanks,

Chris

[egalliers]

On the subject of Concorde crew...Anyone ever heard of the "Walpole" ? - A term used by BA crew after a rather tight spot that the airline and fleet could have done without the publicity of at the time.

Looking forward to your next instalment - enjoying this at a maximum level

I just looked up the `Walpole'.... Yikes! would have been interesting to have been a fly on the cockpit wall that day and to have seen why things worked out the way they did.

Eric.

[egalliers]

Eric,

I have this kit as well and hope to be starting it in a few months. With regards to the cockpit, I've settled on cutting the forward fuselage behind the entry door at the circumferential panel-line. The next step would be to split it in half to install the cockpit. Did you consider this option and why did you choose against it if you had?

I'm looking ot keep the nose up on mine. With that said, would you keep the fiberglass nose attached to the model and skip using the resin part?

I'm enjoying your build and have been learning a lot from the decisions you've made.

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris.

I looked at many options to get the cockpit in and the way that I ended up doing it worked out the best in my opinion. By cutting open the fiberglass in the way in which you describe will introduce a weak area into the fuselage that will be hard to reposition once you glue it back together. Did you see how I made some cuts to the cockpit bulkhead, allowing it to be easily placed into position in my previous post?. I would be very reluctant to split open the fuselage.

As far as the nose. I feel that this part of the model lets it down by a fair bit, both the resin nose and the fiberglass nose are quite a bit off in shape and spoil the look of the model somewhat. If you have a look at your kit then you will see what I mean. It looks very flat and squashed in. I am substantially modifying the resin nose which will drastically improve the looks of the model and intend on making a copy of it in resin.

Eric.

[CedB]

Having spent far too long searching the 'net I think 'Walpole' refers to this?

She is still beautiful isn't she?

[egalliers]

Having spent far too long searching the 'net I think 'Walpole' refers to this?

She is still beautiful isn't she?

I could be wrong, but I think it refers to this:

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1988/British-Airways-Grounds-Top-Concorde-Pilot-For-Rest-of-Career/id-f2a4c104dab8724c662aac999fd3b111

Eric.

[Gimme Shelter]

Try this link - as this is a public forum it is not my place to say much more than the web provides, but my Dad was a BA Captain at the time and there was a lot of Crew Room flack chat after the event - for many years, the "BA Chums" as they called themselves referred to any fuel re- calculations of a certain weight as a "Walpole"

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19880729&id=kw01AAAAIBAJ&sjid=nqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=4769,6989791&hl=en

Back to the kit though - what a superb build to check in on here - its going to be a first of its kind here I think, and what a great and beautiful plane she remains.

[CedB]

Thanks guys, got it. Still like the barrel roll story though. And, of course, the great job you're making of the kit Eric

[xffw45343tg]

Did a quick reference check and found that the Haynes book is surprisingly good. The engineer does indeed have responsibility for the reheat on take off.

Looking at a few pics confirmed that the seat backs are thinner than modelled and the seat pedestals are indeed less chunky. The other thing I noticed is that the model's centre pedestal seems very wide, placing the pilots much further apart than in real life. Attempting to address this may well be a modification too far though as I assume there is a knock on effect on the forward panel.

Will your crew be belted in Eric?

[tangerine_sedge]

I know, or at least I assume (!) it was a joke about the passengers, but it strikes me that in 1/48 you could possibly paint dark grey shapes in the passenger windows instead of just plain black to give the impression of inside detail. I'm not suggesting you cut out pictures of faces and stick them on the windows, mind...

Great stuff

Regards,

Adrian

It was intended as a joke, but with a build of this quality, you never know...

[egalliers]

I received the lighting system in the mail today and immediately set about testing if the idea that I had with it works. I think it has been successful but I still have a fair way to go before I am happy with it.

Here is the system that I got. It is a Turnigy Simulated LED system from Hobby King. It is designed for RC aircraft and as such is being modified to fit the Concorde. I am keen to avoid making the model `toy like' so I am devising this system without any external switches or any other indication that I have just thrown a few LEDs around the model. I am also aiming to have the model look totally stock when the lights are turned off. The lighting system has provision for flashing lights, nav lights, strobes etc depending on how each LED is hooked up to the controller. I will be just hooking up four LEDs to act as `reheat' (one for each exhaust) and possibly two white LED for each side of the fuselage under the cockpit as most photos of the aircraft in the takeoff pose show those lit.

I have already removed the battery connector in this photo hence the bare wires.

Here is an LED drilled into one of the exhausts compared to a stock exhaust on the right. Notice how apart from the clear LED, there is pretty well no change to the shape of the part.

It fits into the limited space inside the nacelle quite nicely. My plan will be to be able to pull out an exhaust pipe to allow access to a switch and to allow the batteries to be pulled out and changed. I have used 3 x 1.5 Volt AAA batteries at this stage, with the system allowing a maximum of 6 Volts. The challenge will be to see how long the batteries will power the system for vs how bright they are. Lots of tinkering left!

Here is the idea. Bear in mind that I will be changing the Red LED to an Amber one (the kit only comes with White, Red and green) But at this stage at least my concept is well on the way to working I have packed the exhaust with clear plastic to diffuse the light.