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Airfix 1/72 Avro Shackleton WIP - Finished !


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Hi everyone

It has arrived and goes straight onto the workbench, the Airfix Avro Shackleton.

Had a good look at the kit, main issue I have is the starboard fuselage is a little warped with some rather annoying external sink marks, and on the port side the nose has a small part broken off. My plan is to give Airfix a verbal mouthful over the phone on Monday (my last airfix kits had missing or defective parts) but if I do not succeed I guess I'll be building and carrying out some repairs as well.

Apart from the above issue, the rest of the kit is amazing, and I hope I builds as good as it looks. I'm yet to decide which markings I'm going to go with, will all depend on how quick Xtradecal get their decals out.

Anyway, here are some pictures

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DSC_2737_zpswqehcdhg.jpg

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I'll be following this build with interest. My port fuselage is fine, and neither are warped, but the starboard side does have some horrible external sink marks, one of which is around a window...

Cheers,

WV908

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So, I now have a plan in hand.

I got the love of the Shack from my grandfather who served in the RAF for 25 years, he was a signaler and spend the best part of 8 years on shacks during the 50s and early 60s. I was always going to aim to build aircraft I knew he flew on, during his time with 228 Sqdn he spend a good amount of flying hours on WR966 which i've found using his log books.

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So it really made sense for my to build WR966 which is provided in the box by Airfix

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The aircraft may well have been in different markings at the time, but I know for a fact he flew on that aircraft.

Being that I live in Cornwall, where a good amount of Shacks were based, I paid a visit to Flambards theme park where they have the nose of WG511 (which my grandfather also flew in) on display for customers to walk around in their museum. I took a few snap shots around the aircraft for some references, it is a MR1 aircraft, but from my understand, the cockpit was not changed too much on MR2's, please correct me if i'm wrong. My youngest daughter also took it upon herself to follow in her great grandfathers footsteps and took a seat in his seat on the aircraft.

DSC_2484_zpscifik0ht.jpg

So anyway, I decided to start the build even though I have the issues with both fuselage parts, I've sent Airfix a snotty email and plan to phone them Monday to get and get hold of replacements which I'm sure they will not have in stock, but on the other hand I'm planning to build 3 of these kits and I've got 2 coming from my local model shop within the next 2 weeks, so i'll take the fuselage halves out of one of those boxes while airfix get their act together to replace the rubbish one's I have.

I've usually been very quick with my builds recently, but with this, i'm going to take my time, get it right first time, and may even do a small build of something else in-between this one.

Interior started

DSC_2741_zps3xjcp8dj.jpg

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I'm looking forward to watching the build unravel and how exciting it must be that your Grandfather actually flew in an aircraft modelled by Airfix? I can only speculate how that information would have effected me as a youngster!

I hope you have a swift response from Airfix. I recently had a P-51D fuselage half replaced within three days of the complaint being made but previously had to wait two months for a replacement Blenheim canopy!

Regards

Jim

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Hello,The Pureness - A nostalgic build for you with this one but great to see the family's youngest generation keeping the memories alive as well.Wishing you every success with it.One query though - I wonder if that is an original Shackleton's High Seat as I don't remember the ones on the advert looking like that!? All the best,Paul.

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Interestingly your photo suggests that the interior at least as far back as the signaller's station is in Night and that his (no female aircrew when the Mk. 2 was in service) faces forwards, and not as Airfix have represented it. In all fairness to Airfix they've only had former AEW. 2s to work from and I believe that these aeroplanes benefitted from work done on the MR. 3 and were substantially reworked during their conversion from the MR role.

Edited by stever219
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I'm looking forward to watching the build unravel and how exciting it must be that your Grandfather actually flew in an aircraft modelled by Airfix? I can only speculate how that information would have effected me as a youngster!

I hope you have a swift response from Airfix. I recently had a P-51D fuselage half replaced within three days of the complaint being made but previously had to wait two months for a replacement Blenheim canopy!

Regards

Jim

Thanks Jim

I've been waiting years for some manufacturer to release a new tooled Shack for this reason, the aircraft means so much to me in regards to family history and with this and future aftermarket decal released i'm going to be able to build at least 4 aircraft my grandfather flew in, this is going to be one of 4 shacks I plan to build, I may even increase that amount, as I can fit 8 shacks in my display cabinet

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Guys -

The MR1 (or T4 as they later became) has no relation to the MR2 in terms of interior fit. Its closer to a Lancaster/Lincoln in layout.

This drawing is an early one for an MR2, and is dated 1950. It is one of the many drawings that were supplied to Airfix as it was realised early on that an AEW2 can only get you so far. As a result the configuration of our aircraft had little bearing on things, as they were able to adjust things by using the drawings the Shackleton was built from.

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With the exception of the pilots and co-pilots seat, all other seats in the aircraft are on bases that are able to swivel and adjust in height.

In terms of colour, we sent the original paint and stencil drawings away to be used as reference material, so the colours suggested are accurate.


Kind regards,

Rich

Edited by richw_82
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Little update here, did some painting of the interior areas. cockpit etc, which is rather bland in black, I really should have waited for the Eduard set, but I've been so eager to get this on the bench, might try some masking tape belts to add a splash of colour, on the other hand, the cabin area with all the work stations is going to be bursting of colour which no one will see much of.

Few snaps below including 8 leather painted seats

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I hope richw_82 doesn't mind - but I took a few piccies of WR963 during a visit in 2011.

For those of you building the new Airfix kit, they might prove useful......

Shack_04.jpg

The rest can be found on my website here :- scroll down to the bottom of the page for the walkround pics.

I haven't captioned them - but it should be obvious.....

Have fun !!

Ken

PS - I also took some external pics - I'll add them if wanted?

Edited by Flankerman
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Thanks Jim

I've been waiting years for some manufacturer to release a new tooled Shack for this reason, the aircraft means so much to me in regards to family history and with this and future aftermarket decal released i'm going to be able to build at least 4 aircraft my grandfather flew in, this is going to be one of 4 shacks I plan to build, I may even increase that amount, as I can fit 8 shacks in my display cabinet

Hello,Thepureness -.You have a big modelling project ahead of you with such a number being envisaged and I just wanted to say how fantastic it is to have such a strong family connection to this legendary aircraft.Wishing you every success with it.All the best,Paul.
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So, an update from me, unlike me to not do any work for a few days.

The replacement fuselage halves both turned up thursday, so I could start painting the interior of those along with all the internal parts, not too far from sealing all these inside.

DSC_2749_zps7jpxqnzp.jpg

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Nice work,

Glad to hear that you've got your replacement fuselage halves. I've just got the black to spray on my interior and the panels to do, then it's ready for buttoning up.

I'm looking forward to more updates

Cheers,

WV908

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So, again on with the shack.

I have managed to get all that interior inside the fuselage halves and sealed, I did sand down the areas suggested the review in the most recent issue of airfix model magazine, but still found a little force closed things up, the force was strong in this one. I did use a little filler, but this was more of a precaution and also to cover the annoying sink marks.

I've also gone ahead and assembled the tail area with the rear stabilizers and also dry fitting the wings to the fuselage.

Here is a few pictures

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dry fitted wings

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She is a big girl.

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