Airfix Boeing Clipper 1/144

[MikeW]

Thanks for posting those pics. The austere part was a bit of a surprise. Thinking back though, to the more glamourous age of air travel, like the 60s, those Boeing 707s and DC-8s were also fairly austere. No in flight entertainment, not even movies on a big screen in the front of the cabin. One would board a 12 hour flight and you'd better be sure you had magazines / books aplenty!

[John_W]

Reckon that would be good for a whif

Strange it was never adapted in the same way the Singapore became the Sunderland.

[TallBlondJohn]

Thanks for the pics! Meanwhile, I've been travelling on business and working on 1:1 bedroom but I have got the main bits together. The fit is pretty good, with care and fettling it can be made almost exact on dry fitting, though the fit around the nacelles isn't great. Of course when the glue came out the carefully honed fit magically vanished and brute force was necessary, and I made a bit of a mess of it all so more sanding than I would have liked was necessary. . A few sinkholes in the fuselage as well.

Perfect Putty to the rescue, now all I have to do is figure out how to restore/extend the raised panel lines (there are a few spots where they aren't on the mould, like the tailplane roots). I plan to use the fine lines of carefully masked paint method, it has worked on some test scraps. Primer first - I'm thinking of a first go with MR Surface 1000 - will it be fine enough for NMF?

Off on a holiday now, will be back in a week or so

Cheers

John

[Martian]

Nice to see that this is still progressing!

Martin

[Martian]

I think that the Foynes pictures indicate that this model needs to finished in NMF its so evocative of the period.

Martin

[AdrianMF]

There is a serious crop of airliners being built at the moment. This thread is packed with great information - I had no idea the thing was so big. Build is looking good too!

Regards,

Adrian

[TallBlondJohn]

Me again. I've been on holiday (the Isle of Mull and it was hotter than the south of France ) and working on 1:1 scale bedroom, but the Clipper is making slow progress. Its been primed with spray can Mr Surfacer Primer 1000 - marvellous stuff, beautiful finish - and then much sanding and filling with Mr Surfacer 500 - another debut product for me and very impressive.

Since then there has been much sanding and then more sanding, and the raised panel lines have suffered accordingly. No way am I scribing this thing - I don't think the scale suits scribed lines anyway - so I'll try restoring the raised lines with fine masking and more primer, which has worked in my tests. It will be a long and slow task so bear with me.

Funny how one can see things in the photo invisible to the eye - excuse me I can feel some more sanding coming on. After that we need to decide on a metallic finish - I'm going to go with the Pan Am scheme. I was going to try Citadel acrylics, but am now tempted by the AK Xtreme Metals enamels in the Italeri B-58 Hustler WIP thread. Can anybody recommend a friendly online supplier? I don't think Hannants carry them.

Edited June 19, 2016 by TallBlondJohn

[pinky coffeeboat]

Looking nice so far. I've recently bought a few AK Xtreme Metal paints from emodels. Fast service.

Jeff

[Martian]

Looking good! Strangely enough I am off to the Isle of Lismore, next door to Mull, on Wednesday night.

Martin

[TallBlondJohn]

Hello everybody, just a note to say I haven't given up. Build is currently temporarily suspended while I experiment with restoring raised panel lines on an Airfix Yak and a Tamiya 1/100 Me 262. So far the best results are using Mr Surfacer thinned on a base of Mr Surfacer Primer. Remove the masking tape just after painting the surfacer. Depending on how much you slap on you can make almost microscopic lines or taller ones. The surfacer stands up to light sanding better than Humbrol enamel which comes off too easily.

Once the Yak is done I'll stick it in Ready for Inspection and apply the lessons to the Clipper. I've also got hold of black decal lines for the walk markings.

[Grey Beema]

Funnily enough I've started converting the Airfix Sunderland MKIII into a Sandringham - now why did I say I would do that?....

I am watching with interest to pick up any tips...

[TallBlondJohn]

Crikey it's a year later, sorry everybody. I've managed to get this one re-started after major mojo loss caused by Gary Grigsby's War in the East (vast PC based sim of the Russian Front).

 

All sanded off panel lines have been re-built, everything painted with AK Xtreme White Aluminium (very impressive) and I am now masking prior to doing the black and red/orange. Hopefully a picture or two by the weekend.

[TallBlondJohn]

I did promise an update photo - well I've just dropped it and a wing has snapped off. Not happy.

 

I did get the black leading edges done, for a brief moment the end was in sight. Not certain the black bits are de-icing boots, they tend to come and go on Clippers so may be just paint. Any thoughts?

 

 

I'm also finding out enamels don't adhere too well to Xtreme metals, they wear off very easily if you aren't careful. But looks like I have a major repair task anyway so there will be much re-painting.

[TallBlondJohn]

Probably last update - repairing the wing join has turned into a nightmare, just pop it back on with Tamiya extra thin, no, lets wreck half the paint while we are at it, then wipe out the surface detail trying to get it off.

 

But I'm not giving in - I've bought another (probably bidding against half of Britmodeller to get it) and I'll start again over in the flying boats group build. Still got the first attempt, I'll probably re-do it as Berwick so that I can practice mucking up camouflage masking as well. Acrylic over laquer, what can go wrong?

 

Just noticed the centreline seam on the beached Clipper above - they didn't bother with filling that did they?

[TallBlondJohn]

Not the last update - the repairs aren't ideal but should pass, and I'll have a shot at completing her as Berwick. Hopefully the camo finish will be a bit more forgiving than metallic. So lets see if I can post from Flickr. This is progress so far, with black leading edges masked off - note for builders its much easier to do the black first, then mask that off, especially around the engine nacelles.

 

 

 

[TallBlondJohn]

To anybody still following this - you may have seen Dixie Clipper finally get finished in the Flying Boat Group Build. That done it was time to get back to Berwick and complete this WIP. As noted elsewhere, Airfix's dark green/dark earth paint scheme is wrong, the Clippers all wore Temperate Sea Schemes with a different pattern on each plane, just to complicate things. Here's Berwick, the old film added brown to the colours and maybe put Airfix down the wrong path. The demarcation between the top colours and the Sky looks like a random soft edge on the nacelles, which suggests Berwick may be brand new here - Boeing certainly delivered Bristol that way but BOAC soon fixed that.

 

 

For reference, this is Berwick later in the war on Lagos lagoon. Some of the rear fuselage pattern can be seen and the Sky demarcation is now done properly!

 

 

OK let's get that camo on. The Sky is Xtracolor, Humbrol 123  for EDSG and 224 for the slate grey. I lightened the 224 a touch with a drop of Matt 120 for a bit of scale effect, plus Boeing would have used US equivalents for the initial painting so a bit of variation seemed appropriate ('slate blue' and 'olive drab' have been cited). The pattern is my own invention but incorporates the bits I have been able to make out in photos.

 

 

 

Masking was Tamiya tape and copydex for the in-between bits. Far too many coats applied...

 

That done it was time for the walk lines - if they are walk lines. They are very prominent on the civilian Clippers and presumably there for a reason. The wing lines are visible on this splendid photo of Bangor:

 

 

...and I think I can just make out fuselage lines as well. Anyway they look good so they went on - which took very small bits of Xtradecal, probably over a hundred to get all the corners, and a lot of time. In the photo note that the panel lines are raised - they are welds. Also the bulb aerial is painted black, and its offset from the centreline (its set slightly starboard). Propeller blades are black but the hub is silver - this varied so check photos.

 

More to follow soon!

 

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by TallBlondJohn
slate blue and olive drab added

[Azgaron]

Interesting plane! Looking good!

 

Håkan

 

[Martian]

That first picture looks as though it could be Poole harbour.

 

Martian 👽

[TallBlondJohn]

So mid March, all the lines done and it was time to apply the decals, varnish, Krystal Klear the windows and then lie back and bask in the praise. Oh if only it was so easy...

 

...the decals go down beautifully, but were way out of registration. The white was by far the worst, and with the large wing letters you can't get away with it. As an example, this is one of the fuselage registrations (put onto a plasticard sheet later for surgery).

 

 

So everything had to be chopped up and then once again it was fun with dozens of tiny bits of decal. Took weeks. Finally all done (apart from the 'Berwick' name, far too small, I left that as-is). And then...

 

 

Yes I dropped it again - the other tailplane is cracked but hanging on. Are we starting to see a pattern to this build? So another week to fix that. And a propeller tip snapped off at some point - not the blade, just the yellow bit. Eh? It is an old kit and the plastic must be getting brittle but I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Stay tuned - the disasters are not finished yet!

 

[TallBlondJohn]

59 minutes ago, Martian Hale said:

That first picture looks as though it could be Poole harbour.

 

Martian 👽

 

Good spot - Poole was the base for UK BOAC Clipper operations until 1946 so very probably correct. The Harbour Heights Hotel was used as the VIP terminal.

I've found captions dating this photo to 1943 - I'm not convinced, it could be earlier.

Edited May 5, 2018 by TallBlondJohn

[72modeler]

On ‎4‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 3:06 PM, TallBlondJohn said:

Hi everybody, I'm going to try a build log. It will be slow but hopefully it will get there.

The subject is Airfix's 1/44 Boeing model 314 Clipper, a fine example from the golden age of luxurious, noisy and vibration-rich air travel.

All detail is raised lines but in this scale I think that works better, though repairs will be tricky. I intend to omit the glass and use Krystal Klear instead to save masking. The 1989 boxing from ebay looks complete, here's the sprue shot, though actual sprues are few and far between and the breakages and escape attempts have already started.

My first dilemma is which scheme? Airfix include NC18605 "Dixie Clipper" in pre-war silver or G-AGCA "Berwick" though both paint schemes are full of known errors (Berwick should be DSG not Dark Earth which also makes her look fat). A USN blue Dixie would (I think) be possible with the decals if I can find a profile. Opinions welcomed, I'm honestly stumped which to do.

I've also just spent ten minutes trying to find the 'missing' central tail fin...

Cheers

John

John- Berwick, Berwick, Berwick!

Mike

 

Just finished re-reading the trials and tribulations of your first Clipper project. I have a suggestion you might try on this one, especially if you do a silver scheme. After all of the raised panel lines have been removed and the primer of your choice has been applied, you can re-create the most visible panel lines using drafting pencils- you will need to use a sharpener designed for drafting leads, as they will produce a very sharp, fine point. Any mistakes can be easily removed and re-drawn. Need to do this after the exterior colors have been applied, and then seal them with the clear coating of your choice. You can practice on old kits or scrap parts until you get the hang of it. This method is very convincing in 1/72 and 1/144 scale models, and the eye is fooled into thinking the lines are scribed. Try this out- I think you will be surprised with the results! Works great for hinge lines in control surfaces, flaps, and cowl flaps as well, and much more subtle than  inking or pre-shading.

Edited May 6, 2018 by 72modeler
added additional text

[TallBlondJohn]

7 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Just finished re-reading the trials and tribulations of your first Clipper project. I have a suggestion you might try on this one, especially if you do a silver scheme. After all of the raised panel lines have been removed and the primer of your choice has been applied, you can re-create the most visible panel lines using drafting pencils- you will need to use a sharpener designed for drafting leads, as they will produce a very sharp, fine point. Any mistakes can be easily removed and re-drawn. Need to do this after the exterior colors have been applied, and then seal them with the clear coating of your choice. You can practice on old kits or scrap parts until you get the hang of it. This method is very convincing in 1/72 and 1/144 scale models, and the eye is fooled into thinking the lines are scribed. Try this out- I think you will be surprised with the results! Works great for hinge lines in control surfaces, flaps, and cowl flaps as well, and much more subtle than  inking or pre-shading.

 

Hi 72M - its all a bit complicated but my first Clipper started out as Dixie (I wanted a classic peacetime airliner), then became Berwick (as the NMF would have showed up what a mess I made of the wing joints) and a second kit for the Flying Boat Group Build became Dixie - thread is here:

 

I replaced all the sanded off raised lines with new lines made using Mr Surfacer and masking tape, which can produce a hair-thin line that doesn't rub off easily. It was the right call as the Bangor photo above shows Airfix got the lines mostly right - they are raised weld lines. But there are some panels too of course. I'll try the drafting pencil method on my next old build though, I'm not sold on scribing especially in the smaller scales. And don't get me started on my favourite rant - pre-shading!

 

[Martian]

The picture of which we spoke has now been confirmed as being Poole Harbour. I was part of a series taken of Berwick. Diorama potential there methinks.

 

Martian 👽

[72modeler]

3 hours ago, TallBlondJohn said:

 

Hi 72M - its all a bit complicated but my first Clipper started out as Dixie (I wanted a classic peacetime airliner), then became Berwick (as the NMF would have showed up what a mess I made of the wing joints) and a second kit for the Flying Boat Group Build became Dixie - thread is here:

 

I replaced all the sanded off raised lines with new lines made using Mr Surfacer and masking tape, which can produce a hair-thin line that doesn't rub off easily. It was the right call as the Bangor photo above shows Airfix got the lines mostly right - they are raised weld lines. But there are some panels too of course. I'll try the drafting pencil method on my next old build though, I'm not sold on scribing especially in the smaller scales. And don't get me started on my favourite rant - pre-shading!

 

You and me both, my friend!

Mike

[TallBlondJohn]

So... the story continues.Tail repaired and repainted, its now time to mount the engines - one blade keeps coming off but is easy to glue back on. I replaced the kit aerials with new ones made from brass, but I didn't bother with the very small after aerials or the DF loop visible in the photos above, maybe one day if I find some suitable PE.

 

Now she just needs a coat of matted Future and the windows done. What could possibly go wrong?

 

White speckles... too much flat base. But this pot was fine on the previous model... and its fine on a sheet of card. WTF? Try again. More speckles. Remove the coats with Windolene. Oh great the decals are lifting. Put them back, repair the damaged bits. OK scrub out the white specks with Tamiya thinner. That worked but now the paint has come off...

 

Much repainting later, another fresh brew of Future... more white! This time around the windows on the sides of the fuselage. Eventually figured out what was happening. Airbrushing from one side was depositing flat base on the other side - I guess because it was the heaviest part of the spray and travelled further. Clean it all up and brush at an angle on much lower pressure - and eventually we have a result that works. Not perfect but it will do. Krystal Klear all the large windows and black decal stripe with a drop of future for the very small ones. And she's done!