airfix 1/72 handley page hampden

[Martian]

Your build continues to inspire, I got the Hereford wings glued together today and applied Miliput to the lower engine to nacelle joints.

Martin

[JOCKNEY]

I'm soldiering on with it Martin, after all, I paid good money for it.

Don't know how accurate it all is, but it makes it look busy and cramped, just like the real thing.

By all accounts, it was a rather cold, tight space to fly in.

When I first read this I thought it said soldering on.

I think it's a shame those rivets couldn't have been put to better use. For example they could have been used to sand down a vacform kit. Thereby slowly disappearing along with the surplus from the other part.

Like many reading this I too have a stalled one of these, although it's an older one which appears to have a lot less flash and a harder plastic. What I can be certain of is feeling very guilty when this one is finished and looks the business, that mine remains on the shelf of doom !

Cheers Pat

[Martian]

When I first read this I thought it said soldering on.

I think it's a shame those rivets couldn't have been put to better use. For example they could have been used to sand down a vacform kit. Thereby slowly disappearing along with the surplus from the other part.

Like many reading this I too have a stalled one of these, although it's an older one which appears to have a lot less flash and a harder plastic. What I can be certain of is feeling very guilty when this one is finished and looks the business, that mine remains on the shelf of doom !

Cheers Pat

Come on Pat, even I have got my build going again thanks to this thread, lets see another kit getting finished; you know you want to.

Martin

[S5 modeller]

I'm glad my cack handed modelling is inspiring people to rescue their stalled builds.

Get 'em finished, and put my ham fisted attempt to shame.

[Spookytooth]

Matt , you are very well mate. Better than I can do so far.

I dug my Hampden out the stash and compared what you have done over standard kit.

And it looks much much better than the standard kit.

I am still an P E virgin, but that will not last for long.

Keep up the good work,

Simon.

[PZRGREN]

Inspirational chaps!! Well done! Good work so far, keep it up!!

[S5 modeller]

Thanks chaps.

Simon. Most pe is nothing to be scared of, with the possible exception of this airwaves stuff, get stuck in. I've used eduard pe before, and it's much better to work with. Get some, you won't be disappointed.

[S5 modeller]

Evening chaps.

Managed to get some spare time at the bench.

Taped up the mating faces of the fuselage ready for paint.

This is how it all looks now, under a coat of humbrol acrylic primer from a rattle can.

Whilst it was drying, I decided to start the scribing on the starboard wing.

Mainly, due to my enthusiasm to get it done, I made a mistake. Luckily I have been feeding my old bottle of tamiya extra thin with some sprue.

Daubed the gloop all over the 2 offending lines. When it dried, I noticed a peculiar thing, where I'd put the gloop the old rivet details became visible again! You can see it in the picture above. Now believe me, there is absolutely no trace of surface detail left on the wing. All the rivets were eradicated with 360 grit sand paper, so I have no idea how it's came back. Does the moulding process leave a "memory" of the detail, represented maybe by the flow characteristics of the molten plastic, all through the thickness of the material? Almost like the lettering in a stick of rock?

Anyhoo, now it's set, I've sanded it back ready to try again. Also profiled the wing tip too.

On a side note, can anyone tell me, is it safe to use enamel paint over acrylic primer?

Edited February 5, 2016 by S5 modeller

[Spookytooth]

Those appearing rivets is probably caused by rivet creating Imps which strike without notice.

Still the inners look OK Matt .

Simon.

[Martian]

That looks a whole lot better under the primer! Yes you are fine to go with enamel over acrylic primer, not the other way round though.

Martin

PS: The Airwaves wing tips are, to my amazement, an excellent fit!

[S5 modeller]

Simon, banished the rivet imps with more 360 grit paper.

Martin, glad to see airwaves got something right.

[Martian]

Simon, banished the rivet imps with more 360 grit paper.

Martin, glad to see airwaves got something right.

Me too! I was fully expecting a filler fest on the wing tips. Still, something went right for a change and I'm not complaining!

Martin

[Work In Progress]

Yes you are fine to go with enamel over acrylic primer, not the other way round though.

Well, that's a bit sweeping in my experience. All depends on what you're calling an acrylic primer and an acrylic paint. Assuming you're talking a water-based acrylic and a solvent-based enamel over the top, then I wouldn't. You can put water-based acrylic over anything without risk of crazing or bleed-through reaction, but putting a solvent-based paint on to a water-based primer coat is a no-no.

If it's a solvent-based acrylic primer, e.g. Halfords aerosol white primer which I use a lot, then once that's properly cured I've not had any trouble airbrushing anything over it.

[S5 modeller]

This is the primer I used.

It states acrylic on the can, but not much else.

[Work In Progress]

The clue is in what the manufacturer says about it

http://www.humbrol.com/uk-en/1-grey-primer-matt-150ml-acrylic-spray-paint.html

Solvent based.

[S5 modeller]

Thanks for clearing that up, works in progress.

Safe to apply the enamel interior green then, and acrylic black too.

[S5 modeller]

Got the interior painted in revell interior green. Put some pics up later.

Anyone got any tips on using vallejo model washes?

[S5 modeller]

As promised, a couple of pics of the fuselage....

I've started to mask around the pe ready for some paint.

[Aimee'sDad]

This looks spiffing!, I'm ashamed to admit my Hampden went in the bin because the fuselage halve was arched like a adult entertainment lady's back.

[S5 modeller]

Thanks aimee's dad.

From what I can see, my fuselage halves don't look too bad, only time will tell.

Does anyone have any idea if the flame damping exhausts were fitted? The kit lists them as an option, but can't seem to find any reference to this airframe.

[S5 modeller]

Found this interesting short film, how to identify the hampden bomber....

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Great work on that interior, I was a bit sceptical about the PE as you know, but that's turned out very nicely indeed.

[Gomtuu]

Thanks aimee's dad.

From what I can see, my fuselage halves don't look too bad, only time will tell.

Does anyone have any idea if the flame damping exhausts were fitted? The kit lists them as an option, but can't seem to find any reference to this airframe.

The info that I have is that at the outbreak of war, the stub exhausts emitted an alarming amount of flame and the a long flame dampened exhaust was used by the time night operations commenced. I presume you are talking about part 103/104? In which case it looks like the shorter version. I would use part 101/102 which is the longer flame dampened version that was standard on all later aircraft.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Gomtuu

[Gomtuu]

Just a little info on Hampden serial number P4403;

On the night of 12/13 August 1940 eleven Hampdens of 49 Squadron from RAF Scampton were detailed for operations against the Dortmund-Ems Canal. Two aircraft failed to locate the target, four carried out diversionary attacks whilst the remaining five attacked a viaduct on the canal near Munster where it crossed the river Ems. Flt Lt Pitcairn-Hill DFC made the first attack from 100 feet, being badly mauled by flak gunners as he did so. The 2nd and 3rd aircraft were both shot down whilst the fourth piloted by Pilot officer Matthews made a successful attack but had an engine put out of action in the process. He returned to Scampton on one engine.

Flt Lt "Babe" Learoyd in P4403 made the final attack, suffering the full blast of flak and was almost blinded by searchlights as he roared in from 150 feet to release his bombs, then banked away to take stock of the damage. Although P4403 had been hit repeatedly, the engines were still going strong. The main problem was the hydraulic system and Babe was able to fly back to Scampton where he circled until it became daylight before making a safe belly landing without the use of landing gear or flaps.

For his actions this night Learoyd received a Victoria Cross. The canal was also put out of action for 10 days. Learoyd continued flying operationally, later commanding 44 Squadron on Avro Lancasters, and survived the war. P4403 was repaired but met its end after an overshot landing returning from a mine laying operation near Lorient. The crew were unhurt.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Gomtuu

[S5 modeller]

Thanks for the detailed history.

Need to get back to this build, some group builds have got in the way.

Need to try and sort out the glazing, as when I dry fitted it I found out the main cockpit transparency was wider than the fuselage. Don't know if I should try and squeeze it to fit, or shim the fuselage join to suit.

Other than that, I thought about a vac formed canopt set.

Matt