A pair of AZ Models Chipmunks

[AndrewE]

After a fairly quick build I finished these two today.  The kits are typical short run injection moulded kits, a bit rough round the edges, rather chunky and lacking in detail but the decals are good and canopies clear so with a bit of work they can produce god results.

 

The cockpits have enough detail for 1/72 especially if you do not want to open the canopies, the only item I added were some Tamiya tape seatbelts.

On the exterior I added the wingtip lights, pitot tubes, brake cables and engine detail (just to the part visible through the opening in the fuselage.

Decals are from the box for the Canadian Armed Forces version representing a machine from the Primary Flight School at CFB Borden, Ontario, in the mid 1960's. 

For the RAF version I used decals from S&M Models  RAF trainer sheet to finish it as s machine from Cambridge University Squadron 1n 1959. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cngaero]

Two great looking Chipmunks. They are both very eye-catching.

[Gorby]

Great looking pair.

[Simon382]

Great looking Chippies!!! Brings back some very pleasent memories from my time in the RAF air traffic at Abingdon working with 6AEF. None of the pilots under 60 yrs old and all as mad as a box of frogs!

[John_W]

Very nice. The Canadian canopy looks much more modern.

Flew in these as a Cadet too, Filton and Abingdon.

[Bedders]

Blimey that was quick, Really pleased to see how these new kits build up, AS I'm keen to invest in a couple of these myself. You've done a great job on both, particularly (for me) the sliver machine.

 

Justin

[keithjs]

I was hoping to pick up one of these at Abingdon tomorrow. However not that it's your fault and they're lovely builds...but where on earth did the massive centre canopy frame (front and back) come from on the silver one...? It's certainly not on any Chippie I've ever seen? They're a much thinner simple metal strip no wider than about an inch...

 

 

Edited May 13, 2017 by keithjs
spelling

[canberraman]

Blimey I didn't know the AZ Chippies had been released. A great looking pair and well worth the wait for a decent new IM Chipmunk.

 

Mark

[Head in the clouds.]

Two fine looking Chipmunks there, your yellow paintwork is excellent, we all know the perils of yellow! The markings on the silver Chippie are just the ticket, nice and colourful and they catch the eye.

Gary

[WildeSau75]

Great pair - like them both.

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Paul J]

Nice builds . But as mentioned above, those frames to front and rear of canopy on the T.10 should NOT be there. The front one is actually on the inside and not attached to the one piece curved windshield as can be seen in the pics by keithjs above. Also, again not your fault, the red(dayglo?)panel on the fin is too deep forcing the Canadian flag and serial to be place lower down and on to the fuselage fillet to fin area.   And whats with the legend " Famous British Trainer" They originate in Canada!! Its just that a large quantity were built over here but still designated DHC! Have got two of these on order but now feel disappointed by what I have seen. Maybe I'll use my spare Airfix ones instead . At least they were right. Just hope Airfix will re do their kit sometime to go with their lovely Gnat, JP.4 and Vampire.

[Phone Phixer]

Nice couple of Chippies.

Another to have flown in them as an ATC cadet, memories!!

[Luis Alfonso]

Hi Andrew!!!!

 

Congratulations for the two wonderful builds!!! This pair look wonderful and the quality of your build excels in them.

I will be looking for the Canadian box as this one has also the Lebanon markings to make one that way. Also will look for the kit to watch what AZ can offer ober the Airfix kit as have a good quantity of them in my stash to build. Or will wait if they released also other variant markings as the Uruguayan and portuguese birds together with a Continental engine to make the other Portuguese peculiar version they have some in use.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Cheers,

 

Luis Alfonso

[tausugAir]

Both subjects exhibit finest modeling work!! But, I am biased towards anything metal or silver aircraft... Thanks for sharing.. Regards

 

Farouk (tausugAir)

HARIBON Decal

[kiwitrogg]

The kit itself doesn't seem to get good grades but you get top marks from me for your builds and finish. I prefer the silver one 

From another ex-ATC back seater.

Cheers

Gaz

[FatFlyHalf]

Lovely little aircraft.  Lots of fun. Like them....

[bearmatt]

Very nice pair of Chippies.

To what I can see, these AZ birds do look quite similar to the old Airfix kit, just without the rivets and a few engraved panel lines.

 

Cheers

 

b.

 

[Colin1967]

Lovely builds of the AZ 1/72 Chippies - Well done.

Mine are on the way from the big H and I am looking forward to building them.

[Rod Blievers]

Quote

 And whats with the legend " Famous British Trainer" They originate in Canada!! Its just that a large quantity were built over here but still designated DHC! 

 

First off, but for the huge potential order from the UK, I strongly suspect the Canadian Chipmunk program would have finished with the 60th DHC-1A (it wasn't exactly a huge commercial success at that stage).

 

Secondly, the UK (and Portuguese) built Chipmunks are VERY different airframes than the Canadian DHC-1B - they might look the same but they're not. Different sub-systems, different gauge metal panels etc etc.

 

So yes, I think it's very fair to call it a "British Trainer".

[AndrewE]

On ‎13‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 7:10 PM, keithjs said:

I was hoping to pick up one of these at Abingdon tomorrow. However not that it's your fault and they're lovely builds...but where on earth did the massive centre canopy frame (front and back) come from on the silver one...? It's certainly not on any Chippie I've ever seen? They're a much thinner simple metal strip no wider than about an inch...

 

 

Thanks for all the comments everyone.  I cannot believe I did not spot the extra canopy framing myself.  I may not know much about the aircraft but I had enough pictures to be able to notice the error.  Trying to build them too quickly probably.

Anyway having had the error in the kit pointed out I decided that I would have to do something about it so last night I spent half an hour with a new scalpel blade, various grades of Micromesh and a coat of Klear and managed to remove just about all trace of the offending framing. Not perfect but much better than it was.

 

 

[keithjs]

That's much better Andrew. Did you take it off or do it in situ? Nice to know it's easily fixable too.Well done.

[AndrewE]

8 hours ago, keithjs said:

That's much better Andrew. Did you take it off or do it in situ? Nice to know it's easily fixable too.Well done.

All done in situ. Always a risk of making the  mistake even worse but thankfully it is back on the shelf and not in the bin!

[kapam]

Excellent pair of Chipmunks!

Marvellous work.

[danielwood5]

These look great, top work. I'm just building mine now and can I ask if you had to do any work to get the nose/engine to fit on the fuselage? The nose section on mine is much bigger than the fuselage and it looks like I'll have to sand away a few millimetres to get a cross section that matches!

[AndrewE]

7 hours ago, danielwood5 said:

These look great, top work. I'm just building mine now and can I ask if you had to do any work to get the nose/engine to fit on the fuselage? The nose section on mine is much bigger than the fuselage and it looks like I'll have to sand away a few millimetres to get a cross section that matches!

Yes, I had forgotten about.   The cowling is supposed to be wider than the fuselage on the sides which was fine but it was also taller tan the fuselage so I had to remove some form the top and bottom.  Annoying but it did not take long to correct.  I think it was less than 1mm I had to remove from the top and bottom.