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Contrail Handley Page Sparrow


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Trying to keep one step ahead of Valom I've decided to tackle another vacform and build a Sparrow. This will be my second vac, the other being a Sanger Bristol Bombay.

For those who don't know harrows as they became obsolete as bombers were converted to other things such as refuelling and transport aircraft, rechristened the Sparrow. A plea for info on the WWII forum provided a photo of the aircraft I will be modelling complete with invasion stripes, the thread is here;

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235000817-handley-page-sparrow/?hl=sparrow

Some pics;

IMG_4898_zps6svtmdlw.jpgb6977822-a8e9-45bf-974f-36fb6f6cf98c_zps0000019_zps2wtgk5no.jpgharrow_zpsswkyvy0k.jpg

The interior will be a challenge! First step is to get all the components cut out and see if Contrail are better than Sanger when it comes to fit!

More soon

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Ooh I built one of these when I was nobbut a lad... I was building a sequence of Bombers in honour of my Dad who was a halton brat and was ground crew in Bomber Command: 106 and 619 Sqns. So I will be watching with interest.

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This is the only kit I have ever given up on, so seeing how you tackle it will be a big learning opportunity for me. It was my first....and last venture into doing vac form kits and really put me off. Can't wait to see how you go about it :)

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Thanks for your interest so far, hope I can deliver something half decent!

Spent most of the available time over the weekend scribing, snapping and sanding, followed by more sanding and then some more. Now have a kit of parts!IMG_0386_zps2sss5xk8.jpg

They actually seem to fit together quite well, couldn't resist a quick mock up, looks nearly ready for paint..

IMG_0387_zpsmk2naozx.jpg

the window cut outs are based on this photo, best I've come across.

large_zpsjthgihos.jpg

The kit comes with one set of wings for the Harrow bomber version so the mid upper turret fairing had to go and the resulting hole filled in with plastic card and filler.

IMG_0389_zpsmqkz3hro.jpgIMG_0396_zpsrwqy4byy.jpg

I think I'm going to start looking at the flight deck next, not much provided so the spares box will be raided. The aim is something that looks convincing as there are precious few photos that show the real thing around.

More soon.

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Great to see this old'y being brought nicely to life. I notice that the metal parts in your kit were the ones supplied by G.Elliott (Sanger) so they are not the correct Pegasus but just copies of a generic 9 cyl engine with the wrong valve gear push rods.

John

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Great to see this old'y being brought nicely to life. I notice that the metal parts in your kit were the ones supplied by G.Elliott (Sanger) so they are not the correct Pegasus but just copies of a generic 9 cyl engine with the wrong valve gear push rods.

John

Hi John,

thanks for the comment, I assume this Contrail kit predates the Sanger version so surprised it has G Elliot engines in it?

Will have a look tonight to see how bad they are. A quick Google suggests it's possible to buy resin replacements but they would be about £12-15 for two, not sure I want that expense so may have to make do.

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I like very much these "obscure" and non-trivial aircraft. I will also be watching with interest (I have an old unbuilt Contrail H.P.54 in some place here...).

Me too, no fear of seeing me build a Spit, 109, Lanc etc!

I've lived in fear of the one in my stash for a few years now so I will be watching with interest, hoping you can wrestle the beast into submission.

Regards

JIm

Time to revisit it before Valom release their version?

This is the only kit I have ever given up on, so seeing how you tackle it will be a big learning opportunity for me. It was my first....and last venture into doing vac form kits and really put me off. Can't wait to see how you go about it :)

I've only done one Vac before and was surprised that it was less difficult than I thought just lots of patience and filler, see pic below. what fills me with fear and the new tool kits with huge numbers of parts!

IMG_2678_zps34ac73ed.jpg

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Looking forward to seeing this come together. :)

This is the only kit I have ever given up on, so seeing how you tackle it will be a big learning opportunity for me. It was my first....and last venture into doing vac form kits and really put me off. Can't wait to see how you go about it :)

I'm surprised, If I can get as far as I have with the Combat Models Martin Mars, you can definitely do a vacform! ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Apologies for the lack of updates on my Sparrow, it is still happening but slower than expected.

Available info on the cockpit area is virtually none existent so I have been forced to make a lot of it up and come up with this...using leftover bits and pieces and some scratch building, still a bit more to do before it's stuck in place.

The interior of the aircraft has also caused a lot of head scratching, how can you represent the frames etc.? in the end I bought some 2mm double channel and formed some holes in it using small drill bits and joined them together with a scalpel to form a lozenge shape, lots more to make yet. The photo of the fuselage shows a few temporarily in place. The line along the glazing is stretched sprue to represent the longitudinal supports to the fabric and transparent material.

More soon.

IMG_0443_zpsaezebyep.jpgIMG_0447_zps5jnxnrzt.jpgIMG_0446_zpsgimefsxp.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Finally making some headway and have completed interior detailing; I usually subscribe to the doctrine of 'if you can't see it from the outside don't waste time modelling it'- not sure what went wrong this time!

One thing I have tried to do with the glazing is get it flush with the outside face of the fuselage rather than stuck behind; afterall these aircraft were fabric covered and the glazing was thick polythene (or whatever they used in 1940's) so there would not have been a step. Downside is this requires a piece of transparent plastic cut to an accurate size; I found the best way to do this was to stick Tamiya tape over the opening and scribble on it with a pencil; like brass rubbing, to get an image of the opening. Stick the tape on transparent material then cut it out for a 'perfect' fit.

Next step- join up the fuselage.

In the meantime some work on the wings has taken place. The y come in upper and lower halves but if you locate one engine nacelle above the other half the other one doesn't line up, easily solved by cutting the lower wing half in two. One rib down the fattest pert is enough to strengthen the whole assembly.

Next time you see it it will look like an aircraft!

IMG_0903_zpsi3go0izz.jpgharrow_zpsswkyvy0k.jpgIMG_0889_zpsjeljtei5.jpgIMG_0908_zpsejgecqws.jpgIMG_0910_zpskuwdxdaz.jpgIMG_0920_zps2ytbgspy.jpgIMG_0921_zpsoazatc1k.jpg

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