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Donaldson International Britannia **FINISHED**


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Well that’s G-AOVC done and dusted and here are a couple of pictures to prove it!  I'll post a few more in the gallery.  Overall I’m pretty happy with the result.

 

SAM_1153.jpg

 

SAM_1176.jpg

 

Apart from the usual traumas associated with stringing aerials (how do biplane builders stay sane?) the only real problem I had since my last update, oddly enough, was with the pitots.  I hadn’t given these any thought but as soon as I attached the first one I realised they were grossly over-scale and just looked silly.  A quick check back through BM found beautiful Roden Britannias by MODeller and MikeW who both omitted the pitots and their models looked the better for it. Unfortunately I must have been over-generous with the superglue and when I removed the one I’d attached it lifted a little of the surrounding paint.  Obviously a proper fill, rub down and respray less than 1mm below the cheatline wasn’t going to happen so I resorted to skulduggery, smoothed over the area with a little superfine (white) Milliput and once it was dry popped a scrap of white decal on top.  Unless it’s pointed out, the repair is virtually unnoticeable on the model.  As we say in Scotland “Ye ken the noo” and when I build my next Roden Britannia I’ll forget any notion of using the moulded pitots.

 

The other small parts generally went on OK.  The towel rails are a little chunky but better than I could do myself. I replaced the Roden “V” aerial with a photoetch item originally intended (I think) for a BAC 1-11. It’s not 100% accurate but it’s a huge improvement on the kit part and again better than I could make from scratch. When I next build the kit I’ll probably replace the tiny forward undercarriage doors with plastic strip.

 

Final thoughts?  Overall it was a fun project although the poor fit of the engine nacelles and the propellor spinners rather let the side down.  Comparison with the F-RSIN kit is inevitable and having built both I don’t think I could really choose between them.  Some of the detailing on the Roden kit is heavy-handed and it lacks the small triangular fairings on the ailerons which F-RSIN capture very well. (Yes, I could have added them but life is too short and I doubt if my eyesight would have been up to it).  On the other hand Roden make a good job of the Britannia’s upturned wingtips which F-RSIN don’t even attempt.  I would declare it a draw.  

 

I have another Roden Britannia in the stash which I plan to cut down to a -100 and finish in BKS livery using an out of print Two Six sheet I’ve had for years but before I get to that there is an SAS DC-6 awaiting my attention.

 

Thanks to everybody who has contributed to this thread.  Your encouragement and help has been brilliant and much appreciated.

 

Dave G

 

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You're "pretty happy" with this model??!!

 

Crikey, I'd be over the moon if mine ever turned out half as good! Honestly, a cracking result. Donaldson livery looks very smart, love the thistle on the tail. I agree about the hugely thick pitots and the towel rail antenna. My Transglobe Britannia only has the rail antenna, I couldn't bring myself to add the pitots.  

Brilliant! 

Please show the BKS 100 when it's done, that's another attractive colour scheme. 

 

And I've just noticed the subtle exhaust staining. Excellent.

 

Jeff 

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Beautiful, it really is. Well done. Good critique too. The Brits' chamfered wing tips are a must have!

I flew on VC (VE and VT) around 1959 in B.O.A.C guise, much better than the previous DC-7C. Sold to British Eagle, it was an LHR regular for over ten years, not that surprising really, it was it's home !

Well done again and thanks for showing !

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This is beautiful Dave, not that I had any doubts it would be! Love the Donaldson livery too but it's the 26 decal windows which bring it to life for me, airliners with curtains, classy!

Glad to see you've added the wire aerials, I think it was worth the trauma!

There is a PE set for the Britannia available from Hannants

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NHA144021

which includes scale pitots and a cockpit too. Might be worth a look for your BKS 100 series.

I've had to use the white milliput trick too, good job it's an exact match for Halfords white, eh?

I'm going to have to pull my finger out and finish my Britannia now, after my GB entry is finished of course!

Looking forward to the DC-6.

Cheers,

Ian

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On 10/18/2016 at 8:44 AM, Skodadriver said:

Well that’s G-AOVC done and dusted and here are a couple of pictures to prove it!  I'll post a few more in the gallery.  Overall I’m pretty happy with the result.

 

SAM_1153.jpg

 

SAM_1176.jpg

 

Apart from the usual traumas associated with stringing aerials (how do biplane builders stay sane?) the only real problem I had since my last update, oddly enough, was with the pitots.  I hadn’t given these any thought but as soon as I attached the first one I realised they were grossly over-scale and just looked silly.  A quick check back through BM found beautiful Roden Britannias by MODeller and MikeW who both omitted the pitots and their models looked the better for it. Unfortunately I must have been over-generous with the superglue and when I removed the one I’d attached it lifted a little of the surrounding paint.  Obviously a proper fill, rub down and respray less than 1mm below the cheatline wasn’t going to happen so I resorted to skulduggery, smoothed over the area with a little superfine (white) Milliput and once it was dry popped a scrap of white decal on top.  Unless it’s pointed out, the repair is virtually unnoticeable on the model.  As we say in Scotland “Ye ken the noo” and when I build my next Roden Britannia I’ll forget any notion of using the moulded pitots.

 

The other small parts generally went on OK.  The towel rails are a little chunky but better than I could do myself. I replaced the Roden “V” aerial with a photoetch item originally intended (I think) for a BAC 1-11. It’s not 100% accurate but it’s a huge improvement on the kit part and again better than I could make from scratch. When I next build the kit I’ll probably replace the tiny forward undercarriage doors with plastic strip.

 

Final thoughts?  Overall it was a fun project although the poor fit of the engine nacelles and the propellor spinners rather let the side down.  Comparison with the F-RSIN kit is inevitable and having built both I don’t think I could really choose between them.  Some of the detailing on the Roden kit is heavy-handed and it lacks the small triangular fairings on the ailerons which F-RSIN capture very well. (Yes, I could have added them but life is too short and I doubt if my eyesight would have been up to it).  On the other hand Roden make a good job of the Britannia’s upturned wingtips which F-RSIN don’t even attempt.  I would declare it a draw.  

 

I have another Roden Britannia in the stash which I plan to cut down to a -100 and finish in BKS livery using an out of print Two Six sheet I’ve had for years but before I get to that there is an SAS DC-6 awaiting my attention.

 

Thanks to everybody who has contributed to this thread.  Your encouragement and help has been brilliant and much appreciated.

 

Dave G

 

Just to make sure, unless I missed it somewhere.You sprayed the white directly over the primer? You just do it in very light mist coats to build it up right?

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Thanks for your kind comments everybody.  Your support makes it all worth while :)

 

On 18/10/2016 at 11:25 PM, Turbofan said:

...

There is a PE set for the Britannia available from Hannants

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NHA144021

which includes scale pitots and a cockpit too. Might be worth a look for your BKS 100 series.

...

Looking forward to the DC-6.

Cheers,

Ian

 

Ian, thanks for the heads up about the P/E set.  Despite using a P/E "V" aerial on the model I'm not a huge fan of the medium but I'll certainly investigate the set before my next Britannia whenever that might be.  I'm afraid it's looking increasingly likely that the DC-6 is going to miss the end of the GB.  That's mainly down to work pressures.  I have picked it up again and I've started trying to replicate the radar fairing, guesstimating from photos.  Once I get a bit further on I'll post an update in the thread.

 

18 minutes ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Just to make sure, unless I missed it somewhere.You sprayed the white directly over the primer? You just do it in very light mist coats to build it up right?

 

Pretty much so.  Halfords Appliance White has remarkably good covering qualities, especially when it's airbrushed.  I just airbrush it straight on to the grey primer and keep building up the coats until it's all nice and even.  It's a good idea to inspect the model under a close, bright light because you can get a sort of "shadow" effect if any of the primer is allowed to show through.  I'm hopelessly unscientific when it comes to things like airbrush pressures and I doubt if I've changed the setting on my compressor more than once in three years.  I just go by eye and experience and use Micromesh to get a good final finish.

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57 minutes ago, Skodadriver said:

Thanks for your kind comments everybody.  Your support makes it all worth while :)

 

 

Ian, thanks for the heads up about the P/E set.  Despite using a P/E "V" aerial on the model I'm not a huge fan of the medium but I'll certainly investigate the set before my next Britannia whenever that might be.  I'm afraid it's looking increasingly likely that the DC-6 is going to miss the end of the GB.  That's mainly down to work pressures.  I have picked it up again and I've started trying to replicate the radar fairing, guesstimating from photos.  Once I get a bit further on I'll post an update in the thread.

 

 

Pretty much so.  Halfords Appliance White has remarkably good covering qualities, especially when it's airbrushed.  I just airbrush it straight on to the grey primer and keep building up the coats until it's all nice and even.  It's a good idea to inspect the model under a close, bright light because you can get a sort of "shadow" effect if any of the primer is allowed to show through.  I'm hopelessly unscientific when it comes to things like airbrush pressures and I doubt if I've changed the setting on my compressor more than once in three years.  I just go by eye and experience and use Micromesh to get a good final finish.

I'm not scientific on airbrushes either, just have to start using retarders, I guess any good company appliance white could be used? I don't think I have Halfords here.I'm sure it's more cheaper for the quantity than testers etc. I was using primer, flat white, then gloss white, but that gets to thick and looks like a white slab or contoured armor, like your idea. Do you clearcoat after decals at all?

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I use grey primer because I think it shows up flaws better than white and because it's much better at giving a uniform colour.  There are certain colours (notably red and yellow) where you have to use white primer but I try to use grey wherever possible. I only use Halford's paint so I can't speak about anything else from direct experience but any good white automotive-type paint should work OK.  As I said at several points in the thread, always try a new technique or product on something that doesn't matter before committing yourself to the actual model.  

 

I don't usually use clearcoat unless there is a specific reason and I almost never clearcoat an entire model.  I mentioned in the thread that I decided to apply the window decals individually.  Once they were dry I swabbed the cheatline with Klear to seal the window decals but that was all.

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19 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

I use grey primer because I think it shows up flaws better than white and because it's much better at giving a uniform colour.  There are certain colours (notably red and yellow) where you have to use white primer but I try to use grey wherever possible. I only use Halford's paint so I can't speak about anything else from direct experience but any good white automotive-type paint should work OK.  As I said at several points in the thread, always try a new technique or product on something that doesn't matter before committing yourself to the actual model.  

 

I don't usually use clearcoat unless there is a specific reason and I almost never clearcoat an entire model.  I mentioned in the thread that I decided to apply the window decals individually.  Once they were dry I swabbed the cheatline with Klear to seal the window decals but that was all.

Ok,sounds good. I'll have to practice a bit more with white paint, but now I have a couple more ideas ti use. Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 9 months later...

I would absolutely love to see the stages in this thread, but (for me) all of the images appear as broken links. How sad! Any chance of fixing it?

 

(If you need somewhere to host them that won't vanish overnight, I have an Amazon S3 account and would be happy to host them).

Edited by Graham In Oz
offer of hosting
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On 4/17/2018 at 4:30 AM, Graham In Oz said:

I would absolutely love to see the stages in this thread, but (for me) all of the images appear as broken links. How sad! Any chance of fixing it?

 

(If you need somewhere to host them that won't vanish overnight, I have an Amazon S3 account and would be happy to host them).

Hi Graham

 

I just noticed your post by pure chance.

 

It seems there is an issue with Postimage which is both ironic and infuriating because I moved all the images there after being held to ransom by Photobucket. At least Postimage aren't trying any financial rip-off and according to some online stuff I've read photos are recoverable.  However I'm afraid I simply don't have time to re-link over 30 photos just now even if I can remember what they are.

 

If it's any help I put some pics of the finished model in RFI.  These are on Flickr so hopefully they're safe.

 

Feel free to pm me if you're looking for any specific information about the build

 

Dave G

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