SimonL Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) Its been a tough couple of weeks at home and it lead to my latest build (a Crusader Tank) stalling. Long and the short of it, my 13 year old son was knocked over by a car on the way home from school. Fortunately no serious injuries - just scrapes and abrasions, but it did mean a couple of the days in the local hospital and a significant amount of discombobulation for the normal routine. Add in a serious heatwave in Perth and his mum is currently travelling overseas. Thankfully he is pretty much back to normal, and so I have chance to get back to the bench. However I couldn't face picking up the stalled Crusader, so what to do? I settled on just a straight from the box, no frills, quick build - hopefully one that can be completed this weekend. My choice was the Xtrakit Vampire which I picked up as an impulse buy last month. The obligatory sprue shots: Decal sheet: And these will be the markings I do - nice simple silver scheme (and I have a rattle can of Tamiya paint that is just the ticket): So after a late breakfast, I cleared the model desk and got started - you can see the stalled Crusader at the back of the desk. First a bit of gluing - everything fits together beautifully. Then some paint - all brush painted Tamiya acrylics. NATO black for the cockpit, dark iron for the exhaust end of the "pod", aluminium for the engine compartment. Decal settled nicely on the relief detail on the instrument panel. After lunch, the internal engine parts got a pin wash of thinned Tamiya black acrylic. The rear part also got a dry brushing of aluminium before the wash. All the internal parts were fitted into the lower fuselage half - a lovely fit. Some Tamiya tape seat belts and a slight dirty wash and the cockpit is looking good. Then the top of the fuselage half was fitted, needed a bit convincing to stay put. Time for a G'n'T and to get the dinner ready. Edited February 20, 2016 by SimonL 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_7713 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Looking good so far. Sorry your son got knocked over, but good to hear he's OK. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Ah excellent, I recently bought one of these so I'll sit in on this build if you don't mind Simon Oops, yes - sorry to hear about the boy, glad he wasn't hurt badly. Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thanks guys. Well sat down after dinner to do a bit of gluing and in no time at all I had a complete airframe. There are a couple of gaps that need a bit of filler, but nothing drastic for quick build. Bit of a step for the intakes on the underside. I'll probably sort that before bed so that I should be in a position for paint tomorrow morning. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Sorry to hear about your Son, must have been a bit of a shock even though there was no real damage done. This kit looks very nice indeed and you're cracking on with it. Duncan B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thanks Duncan. Last bit for tonight.I painted on some Mr Surfacer on the seams that looked like they needed it. Xtrakit does the wingtips as transparent parts, making the navigation lights easy to do. They were a bit of tight fit but eventually went in with a bit of coercion. There isn't much room in the nose of the aircraft but i stuffed as many small lead fishing weights in as I could, held in place with some blu-tack. Then on when the nose. It will need a bit of sanding here and there tomorrow, and may be a more Mr Surfacer but the airframe is essentially complete. That's it for tonight - hopefully paint and markings tomorrow! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Good stuff Simon. Pleased to hear your son is making a speedy recovery too. James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thank you James. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurrantBunbury Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Nice looking Vampire so far. Sorry to hear about your son. Glad he's OK and hope he's not too shaken up (or you and his Mum, for that matter). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Great work Simon, it's falling together! Sorry to hear your son was knocked down, it's horrible when the kids get any kind of injury but that must throw you about a bit! Glad it wasn't serious and he is mending Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Hi Simon. Hope all is well with you and your son. I managed to miss this before - any more progress since the 20th February? KInd regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 Hi Stix, nope not had a chance in the last few weeks. Family members returning from overseas trips, beginning of teaching for the year and my research group is currently being very productive - so lots of editing of papers and meeting with my students. Add to that its been VERY hot at weekends makes it a bit hard to get to the bench. My son is very much back to normal - no scars of any kind thankfully :-). Thanks for the thoughts. Hoping to get something done this weekend as I need to pull out a Spitfire/Seafire kit for the Edgar Brooks Group Build. Cheers Simon 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Well this is one quick build which has come to a full stop. Pulled it from the back of the desk to see this damage, I suspect too close a proximity to a magnifying lens and some very bright sunshine through the window in the last few days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislowe Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Oh no! Can you fix it or is It going in the bin? Glad to hear your son is OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toms111s Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 First off, hope your Son is OK after his accident? Secondly I had a similar problem with a Revell Vampire that I left too close to a radiator while the clear coat was drying, it ended up a right half molten mess. Hope you can save yours..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 WTH?! All is not lost. What about a BDR from a Middle Eastern air force? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi Simon. Sorry about your melting wing! That might be salvageable - some filing down - a scrap plastic insert glued in place followed by some filler/filing/sanding and a bit of re-scribing............unless there something more complicated on the underside? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rholland Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 That is bad luck! So it is true - sunlight is fatal to Vampires.... (sorry). I trust your son is OK. Richard in NZ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 First off, hope your Son is OK after his accident? Secondly I had a similar problem with a Revell Vampire that I left too close to a radiator while the clear coat was drying, it ended up a right half molten mess. Hope you can save yours..... Yep, he is very much back to normal thanks. WTH?! All is not lost. What about a BDR from a Middle Eastern air force? Going to have a go fixing it I think. Hi Simon. Sorry about your melting wing! That might be salvageable - some filing down - a scrap plastic insert glued in place followed by some filler/filing/sanding and a bit of re-scribing............unless there something more complicated on the underside? Thats the approach I am taking. All the scribing is straight lines so hopefully I should be able to manage it. I will also use the camouflaged scheme - I think a silver scheme is out of the question. That is bad luck! So it is true - sunlight is fatal to Vampires.... (sorry). I trust your son is OK. Richard in NZ and yes he is fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 Made a start. First sanded down the distorted plastic, and then filled the hole with some sprue, offcuts of plastic card and Mr Surfacer. This was left for a few days and then I sanded it down with fairly coarse sanding sticks, followed by finer grades of wet'n'dry Needs another coat of Mr Surface to get rid of a few dimples. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Good save! Glad to hear your son is ok. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
March Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 It's going to take more than a stake through the heart to kill this vampire! Good work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomoshenko Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Good save. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Glad your son is ok. Great save. You must be really pleased with that. I know I would. Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurrantBunbury Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 'Ere, that's a great job on the melted bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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