Stew Dapple Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I hope I've got time to finish another build before this GB draws to a close; with unlimited time I think I would have at least a dozen more builds in the stash, but I'll stick with this one for now: The sprues: Clear parts, instructions and transfers: ... and the aftermarket stuff - the Alley Cat Early Beau conversion set, the Peewit canopy mask set and the DK Decals sheet 72024 "Bristol Beaufighter in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service": The aircraft in the middle - T4843 WRoX - is the one I intend to represent: ... and finally the paints; Phoenix Precision Paints Interior Grey-Green, Sky, Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey: I hope to make a start shortly... Cheers, Stew 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 What a great idea stew!! Looking forward to how this one goes together, it's a very nice kit and the conversion looks nice from what I have see. Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I'll be tagging along Stew, even though I'm a little disappointed that you're not doing the Middle Stone & Dark Earth over Azure Blue one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimHead23 Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 One of the schemes I have earmarked myself for the Alleycat conversion Stew so I am watching with interest. Regards Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Me too Jim,..... I intend on making this scheme too along with a Blenheim Mk.IV from the same unit,......so go for it Stew,....we`ll be with you all the way and if I come across any reference stuff I`ll send it over. As I said om PM,.....I`d go for short stub exhausts and short air intakes. Cheers Tony 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Great to see, hope you have more luck with the alleycat set than me, was a PITA to fit to mine, also good to see not gone for the same scheme reminds me I haven't updated my post in a few days 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 Thanks Rob, the conversion does look nice, so long as I don't make a mess of it Thanks Simon; I was tempted by one of the tropical schemes but that one pressed all the right buttons for me - a Mk.I in Temperate Sea Scheme, based in Malta... I can still do any of the others at a later date, of course Hey Jim, nice to have you along, hope all is well with you? Thanks Tony, I just read your follow-up, I hope you'll keep an eye on things here Hi Stu - thanks for that, sorry to hear you had bad luck with yours - I will proceed with caution I assembled most of the interior parts: ... and sprayed the interior green: I'll be adding the crew figures to this one, but I don't think I'll get a lot of time to work on them before the weekend... Cheers, Stew 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Cracking choice of subject Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Will be watching how the conversion goes as I am interested in doing a desert scheme at some point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahunaminor Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Looks to be a good start. Pheonix precision paints....are these new or very old? Regards, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Thanks Col - I'm hoping my Beau won't be too complicated! Thanks Phil - I don't know if you have the DK Decals sheet but there are several tropical schemes on it Thanks Kent - the Phoenix Precision Paints I have are several years old; I stocked up on them when I was living in England and I have been living off the proceeds ever since. Their website seems to have developed some problem as it no longer displays as it used to (and the home page says they are trying to fix ASAP but it has been like that for months) but you can still order and buy paints - however I think it is unlikely they would be able to send them to Australia under the current postal rules Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrel19 Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 Nice choice of subject Stew. Interested to see how the conversion set works out as there are a few Mk.1's I would like to do myself, from the same decal sheet (when I get it that is). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 22, 2016 Author Share Posted November 22, 2016 Thanks mate, there are some very interesting schemes on that sheet and I don't think I will be limiting myself to just the one I got the wee fellas painted and settled into their new home: I made an assumption and issued them with tropical kit. Next I have to paint up the tailwheel, install it and the instrument panel in the fuselage and then I can join the fuselage halves... I've got the day off tomorrow so hopefully will make some progress. Cheers, Stew 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Late again, sorry Stew, but here now and looking forward to this as (you may remember) PC sent me the Haze Mk VI with resin conversion and I have no real idea what to do with it... Watching with interest and taking notes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 25, 2016 Author Share Posted November 25, 2016 Hi Ced, I've got the Hase Beau VI too, and the (AML?) tailplane conversion set, I think they are pretty much a straight swap for the kit parts if I recall - I'd check but since the Airfix Beau came out the two Hase Beaus I own have been slipping into Deep Stash and it would require a degree of excavation to recover them... I remembered to fit the fiddly radio-direction-finder loops before joining the fuselage halves, so I can accidentally break them off later (they look a little wonky here, I did get them straightened up afterwards): While I was in the mood for remembering to do things I would regret not doing later I removed the strike-camera housing from the nose-cap and filled the adjacent camera access panel, as I believe my Beau should have a smooth nose: Yes I know you can't see it. I removed it. I then joined the fuselage halves: ... but I didn't add the underside part as recommended here - I don't recall having an issue with this the last time I built a couple of these kits but I'd feel a fool if I ignored the advice and did have problems this time Then I assembled and cleaned up the wings: All thing being well I will attach those over the weekend, but mine will be a slightly late one as I am working tomorrow (but off Sunday and Monday). Cheers, Stew 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Thanks Stew. I have this one as well as the Haze so I may do both together when I get around to it. Looking good, as always. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimHead23 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Looking excellent Stew. I can't make up my mind if I prefer the Hasegawa to the Airfix. I have a few of both in the stash and the Airfix has a surprisingly larger wingspan than the Hasegawa although I don't know which is correct. The AML conversion is, as you mention, basically just the tail plane but the different parts for exhaust etc are contained in the Hasegawa box. I also have the 'NIght Fighter' Mk 1 boxing of the Japanese kit and the only addition from the Mk VI is the flat tail plane. I believe the canopy should have an extra frame along the side which is not catered for in either kit/conversion so it might be worth checking your references to confirm this is so for your subject. Watching on with interest. Regards Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 She's looking good stew, a big leap of progress! Always good to get it buttoned up and some of the big bits done! Rob On 25 November 2016 at 6:57 AM, CedB said: Thanks Stew. I have this one as well as the Haze so I may do both together when I get around to it. Looking good, as always. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 On 11/25/2016 at 7:28 AM, JimHead23 said: I believe the canopy should have an extra frame along the side which is not catered for in either kit/conversion so it might be worth checking your references to confirm this is so for your subject.... Jim Thanks gents - Jim, my gut feeling is that the Airfix kit has the correct span but I haven't seen the kits compared by the experts... regarding the canopy framing, you are correct in your belief - it is hard to see in photographs as the Hercules engines tend to get in the way, but the Ducimus Camouflage and Markings book does have drawings showing the position of an extra horizontal frame on the canopy side panels, about half-way down, I got the wings and tail fitted - following PhantomBigStu's warning I was careful to repeatedly test fit the replacement tailplane and by dint of scraping a little off the central part got a fit I was happy with: Then filled a few small gaps with Citadel Liquid Green Stuff and then I added the ailerons: I did make a start on the engines but haven't any real progress to show yet... Cheers, Stew 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Lovely looking Beau Stew, she's come together nicely... How did you get on with those 'unusual' joins on the wings? I haven't seen that type before, although it looks as though your gaps were small? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 8 hours ago, CedB said: Lovely looking Beau Stew, she's come together nicely... How did you get on with those 'unusual' joins on the wings? I haven't seen that type before, although it looks as though your gaps were small? It looks like stew had a better plan than me and my daughter, we glued lowers then uppers around the supports, ended up with a small gap. Nothing a tiny bit of filler couldn't sort. the kit is actually rather nicely engineered in my opinion Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 On 25/11/2016 at 0:28 AM, JimHead23 said: Looking excellent Stew. I can't make up my mind if I prefer the Hasegawa to the Airfix. I have a few of both in the stash and the Airfix has a surprisingly larger wingspan than the Hasegawa although I don't know which is correct. The AML conversion is, as you mention, basically just the tail plane but the different parts for exhaust etc are contained in the Hasegawa box. I also have the 'NIght Fighter' Mk 1 boxing of the Japanese kit and the only addition from the Mk VI is the flat tail plane. I believe the canopy should have an extra frame along the side which is not catered for in either kit/conversion so it might be worth checking your references to confirm this is so for your subject. Watching on with interest. Regards Jim The extra cross-bracing on side of the canopy was on early Beaus. It was removed from later versions when a modified canopy was introduced. I'm not sure what the Mod. number was. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 Great photos there Chris, not just the canopy either. Very useful. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted November 30, 2016 Author Share Posted November 30, 2016 19 hours ago, CedB said: Lovely looking Beau Stew, she's come together nicely... How did you get on with those 'unusual' joins on the wings? I haven't seen that type before, although it looks as though your gaps were small? Thanks Ced, the wings aren't a problem, Airfix seem to have developed a liking for using strengthening bars between the fuselage and wings but you just assemble the upper and lower wing halves then slide them onto the bars - I just held them in place with a rubber band while they were setting, and only needed a smear of filler along the join. 11 hours ago, rob85 said: ...the kit is actually rather nicely engineered in my opinion Rob Agreed, it goes together nicely but as with a lot of the new Airfixes you need to be careful as the tolerances are quite unforgiving in places. Last time I had a slightly wonky nose cap on one of them which I think might have been due to a slight misplacement of the instrument panel when I joined to fuselage halves... 5 hours ago, dogsbody said: The extra cross-bracing on side of the canopy was on early Beaus. It was removed from later versions when a modified canopy was introduced. I'm not sure what the Mod. number was. Thanks Chris - aside from the periscopic mirror on some of the canopies that is the canopy as provided by the kit - do you have any pictures showing the extra frame in question please? Cheers, Stew 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 For you, Stew. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210783 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126904 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126831 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205127036 Oh yeah! That isn't a rear-view periscope, it's just a rear-view mirror. Nothing fancy. Chris 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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