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Miles.52


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Well jbot1971,this has been a good introduction for you I think !  I look forward to seeing your rendition of your M52 pilot :whistle:

Britmodeller is very good for one's education and I have said many a time that it never ceases to amaze me at the vast knowledge herein. Even after 55 years knocking plastic together I'm still learning.

 

We will never see the likes of 'Winkle' Brown again but his legacy will live on.

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Congratulations on a well made model of what should have been a ground breaking aircraft. Another book I can recommend is Air Britains "Miles Aircraft - The Post War Years. A little expensive perhaps but then as well as the M52 it details other Mils projects.

             Cheers Andy

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On 2.03.2017 at 6:55 PM, Kes said:

Wow, great model! I've wanted an M52 kit for a long time, I even scoured the models shops of the Czech republic looking for one! (well, Prague at least!) Although for the moment I've forgotten the manufacturer of that particular kit?

Can you tell me who manufactured this one of yours? Interesting you chose white for for your model? I just assumed it would be bare metal? Only a partial wooden mock up was ever made, I've never seen or read anything which would suggest it's colour?

Uncle Google says this :) :

https://www.scalemates.com/products/reviews.php?scale=1%3A72&topic=Miles+M.52

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/938224-arba-miles-m-52

Cheers

J-W

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That is my kind of model and a kit I wish someone would make. You have done a lot of work to make a basic kit into something very nice indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Regarding the books of Eric'Winkle'Brown I have one of his last books but I must endeavour to add more to my bookshelf as he is such an interesting man with so many sides to his life.

There could be a subject for a Group Build here ' All the types Capt Eric 'Winkle' Brown has flown, it could be the most interesting group build yet.

 

Thanks

Gary.

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1 hour ago, Head in the clouds. said:

 

 

Welcome to BM Jim good to see you here.

 

Great looking M52, I've built the same kit and made the same changes as you have. It's always going to be an emotive subject in the UK due to the way it was cancelled etc.

 

1 hour ago, Head in the clouds. said:

That is my kind of model and a kit I wish someone would make. You have done a lot of work to make a basic kit into something very nice indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Regarding the books of Eric'Winkle'Brown I have one of his last books but I must endeavour to add more to my bookshelf as he is such an interesting man with so many sides to his life.

There could be a subject for a Group Build here ' All the types Capt Eric 'Winkle' Brown has flown, it could be the most interesting group build yet.

 

Thanks

Gary.

 

An Eric Brown GB has been suggested - 

Would be a good one with so many different types to choose from.

 

Steve

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Wow, I had no idea my model would generate so much interest and conversation and information. I will take more photos to show you the details of my construction. Thanks, everyone.

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On 01/03/2017 at 6:57 PM, stever219 said:

 

And the world record holder for the greatest number of aircraft types flown.

A record very unlikely to ever be broken too, I would suggest. 

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On 01/03/2017 at 8:56 PM, jbot1971 said:

Ah, therein is the connection. So, maybe I will add a figure beside the plane, but in 1/72 scale, how can I make it look just like him?

 

I believe he was a rather diminutive figure physically, hence the nickname, although a giant in the aviation World.  A terrific model of what should have been a truly historic aircraft.  All the work you've put in certainly paid off.  The subject gets the average British aircraft enthusiast almost as worked up as the TSR2.  I understand that mentioning the Avro Arrow in Canada has a similar affect.

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44 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

 

I believe he was a rather diminutive figure physically, hence the nickname, although a giant in the aviation World.

 

His diminutive stature probably saved his life when testing a DH108 with its unpredictable violent pitch oscillation, an oscillation which took the life of the taller Geoffrey De Havilland Jr!

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1 minute ago, Reconcilor said:

Great looking model! Scratchbuilding  one of those in 1/48 is on my bucket list!😀

 

I've heard using a Revell V2 is a good starting point for building a M52 from the spares box??

 

 . . . Kes

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Here are some more photos:

Miles.52%20(1).jpg

I make decals (JBOT DECALS, www.jbot.ca) so of course I had to make some for this build. The nose art commemorates the "fact" that the Miles.52 holds the world speed record. I also added the photo-registration marks all over the airplane, and navigation lights, and stencil data.

Miles.52%20(3).jpg

I like the low, sleek look to this plane.

Miles.52%20(5).jpg

This view shows the very slight dihedral to the wings and the annular intake around the cockpit. I glued the nose to a central column inside the fuselage to maintain the illusion of an unbroken intake.

Miles.52%20(6).jpg

The pitot tube is from the spares box. I think it was for a HAWKER Hunter, originally.

Miles.52%20(7).jpg

There were 3 sizes of "exhaust cans" in the kit. I chose the longest one and thinned the walls, then built a long exhaust tube. My understanding is that the engine was located in the forward part of the fuselage.

Miles.52%20(8).jpg

 

Miles.52%20(9).jpg

Elegant lines of the Miles.52.

Miles.52%20(10).jpg

Trying to look into the cockpit. I should have taken photos before I attached the canopy.

Miles.52%20(11).jpg

I read that the designers knew the cockpit was going to be very small and cramped and that the test pilot would have to be short. Was it designed with Winkle Brown in mind, or was he chosen because of his stature?

Miles.52%20(14).jpg

The landing gear and wheel wells were scratchbuilt. Perhaps I should have added some detail in the main wheel wells ... oh well. I should mention that the main wheel wells had to be re-positioned. Where the openings were originally molded in the resin resulted in a conflict with the position of the wings. The serial number is fictitious; I hope it does not conflict with any real planes.

 

In general, I like to add detail to the cockpit, intake, exhaust, and wheel wells. I usually rebuild landing gear doors using thin sheet plastic and add lightening holes to an inner layer of thin sheet plastic. 

 

I have about 50 LUFT'46 models but doubt they would be appreciated here on a British airplane modeling site!

 

There you have it. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them. I am eager to learn whatever I can.

 

Edited by jbot1971
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3 hours ago, jbot1971 said:

 

I have about 50 LUFT'46 models but doubt they would be appreciated here on a British airplane modeling site!

 

There you have it. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them. I am eager to learn whatever I can.

 

 

jbot, you'll find that there are a lot of Luft 46 models in this site, it is a very popular subject for modellers.

 

I'm sure, given your excellent build of the M.52, your Luft 46 models will be well appreciated!

Edited by Whofan
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15 minutes ago, SkippyNZ said:

Beautiful build of a beautiful aircraft.  Quite an emotional reaction to this one!

 

Are you really surprised?  Our self-styled greatest ally knees us in the nuts when we were down on our knees after a war that had nearly bankrupted us and desperately needed an achievement we could be proud of just so they could be first through Mach 1.

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2 minutes ago, stever219 said:

 

Are you really surprised?  Our self-styled greatest ally knees us in the nuts when we were down on our knees after a war that had nearly bankrupted us and desperately needed an achievement we could be proud of just so they could be first through Mach 1.

 

Not surprised at all - in fact I was talking about my own reaction.  As a non-Brit I am probably entitled to say... you can be proud of the achievements that *have* been made.  There will always be a few 'near-misses' too.  I wish I could have seen the M.52, TSR-2, and HOTOL come to fruition.  However... Pup, Camel, Snipe, Hurricane, Spitfire, Meteor, Hunter, Mosquito, Lightning, Harrier, Typhoon (take your pick!), Tempest... Lancaster, Comet, VC 10, Sea Vixen, Fruitbat... (wanders off to have a cuppa and a wee lie down)

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