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It had a short wingspan but it did a stirling job- Italeri Short Stirling


Antb

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8 hours ago, celt said:

Hi Antb,nice progress.I have been given a Revell Lancaster and when my workbench is clear I will be making a start.:yahoo:

Looking forward to seeing that one Celt! 

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9 hours ago, celt said:

My models are not good enough for this forum,I just watch the real modellers like yourself and others.

 

Its very kind of you to say so, but honestly mine aren't that great. There's some real talented folk on here and it can be a little daunting at times.

 

I like to post as it gives motivation, you can see real progress with a build (plus you get pictures of what the insides look like before they are lost forever :D) and it provides learnings along the way. @BIG X has just started doing WIPs and I'm sure can attest to learning from posting his builds.

 

If if you feel up to it, give it a shot. I'd be interested to see how you do your models and see if there's anything I can learn along the way. it's all good fun too and that's what it's all about. 

 

Quick note on the build. We now have 2 wings on and we're almost ready for primer. Rear turret to build and stick in place and the rest can all be added at a later date. Including the engines. They will be on later to make it easier to paint. 

 

No photos as as of yet though I'm afraid. It's been tipping down here for the last two days. 

 

 

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Not sure if you'd noticed Ant, but Italeri have left a huge void under each nacelle where the Oil Coolers would have been fitted on the Mk III/IV, there's nothing on the instructions to tell you to fill this void. The oil cooers were mounted in the wing leading edge on a Mk I

 

John

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Hi Antb,I have posted in the past on this forum,but my models are not up to the standard of the other modellers and it got disheartening.So now I just like looking at models that I would like to do or have done in the past and see how it could look like when done by a proper modeller.

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9 hours ago, 12jaguar said:

Not sure if you'd noticed Ant, but Italeri have left a huge void under each nacelle where the Oil Coolers would have been fitted on the Mk III/IV, there's nothing on the instructions to tell you to fill this void. The oil cooers were mounted in the wing leading edge on a Mk I

 

John

Hi John 

 

Yes I had read that somewhere but thanks for the pointers. Going to take some filling as the space is massive! 

 

2 hours ago, celt said:

Hi Antb,I have posted in the past on this forum,but my models are not up to the standard of the other modellers and it got disheartening.So now I just like looking at models that I would like to do or have done in the past and see how it could look like when done by a proper modeller.

No worries mate! Do what you enjoy doing B)

 

No more progress yet. Hoping to get some day in a few days time. 

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Haven't had a lot of time at the bench since the last update only 10 minutes over the past couple of nights but some progress has been made. Now that postimage seems to be working again I can post an update. 

 

First up was trying to fill the voids for the Mk 3 oil coolers. I tried using some small pieces of plastic that I cut and trimmed to size. 

 

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Added some filler and left to set. 

 

Whilst sanding the filler down there was a slight problem. The plastic fillets came out so I just reverted to using filler. 

 

The voids were filled and sanded flush. 

 

Rear turret was next up to finalise the stage of the build before I could get primer on. 

 

I don't have any pictures of the turret build as it was doing my head in, I just couldn't get anything to stick! 

 

When built and dry I added to the ring but the turret didn't fit into the rear space properly. It sat too high and didn't sit back flush. Out came the clamp and superglue and this did the trick. 

 

20170926_190045.jpg

 

Et voila. Ready for a coat of primer 

 

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Primer on. Straight out of a rattle can. 

 

A few bits to touch up but not too bad. 

 

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I quite like the deep panel lines in the kit. 

 

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All tidied up and looking quite smart. 

 

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Before work this morning I sprayed her black and she's currently upside down curing. Going to 're visit her in a day or two apply some more black if needed and then get the dark earth and green on. 

 

Thanks for looking 

 

 

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Hi guys 

 

Don't seem to have had any time with the build this week. Late nights with work and life has got in the way of plastic but strangely the few bits I have done seem to have really moved the build on. 

 

Following the last update the primer got a light sanding and I have to say she looks beautiful. The stirling is a really nice looking aircraft. 

 

I sprayed black on top of the sanded primer let that dry then gave it a second coat to ensure all areas got a covering. Rattle can of course. 

 

Left it to dry for a couple of days and masked the demarcation for the dark earth and dark green uppers. 

 

20170929_183255.jpg

 

These aren't the best shots but wanted to show how Matt the black was after curing. 

 

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The bomb bay. The plastic covering I added for those pin marks aren't visible at all. I'm really happy with how she looks. 

 

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A close up of the front end. She really does look something. 

 

20170929_183318.jpg

 

She's had her first coat of dark earth tonight which I'm going to let cure overnight give her a light sanding and another coat tomorrow. 

 

If you're still following along thank you. Hope you enjoy the progress I'm making. Really enjoyed this build 

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29 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Really coming along now and starting to look the business with the paint coming on. And where would we be without Tamiya masking tape!

 

 

 

 

That's a great question. How would we do half of what we do without the stuff? 

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8 hours ago, Michael Enright said:

Great progress.

 

I am following this with interest.

 

I have built the MkIV so did not encounter the front turret issue. The glazing bits went on quite well.

 

Michael

Thanks michael. 

 

It's probably me to be honest rather than the kit 

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Good evening modellers 

 

Today has seen some major progress with the build. Please see the pictures below. 

 

First up we had dark earth. This took 3 thin coats to get a nice solid colour that I was happy with. Tamiya dark earth this one. 

 

20170930_133212.jpg

 

Even though I brush painted the dark earth there was very little leakage under the tape which given the panel lines is impressive 

 

20170930_133216.jpg

 

And a touch of missing paint. 

 

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Here's another shot of the overall finish

 

I should point out that I took this after taking off the tape rather than after I painted in the areas where the tape sat. 

 

20170930_133231.jpg

 

RAF dark green next. The camo pattern isnt accurate but it will look OK i think. Its times like this i wished i had an airbrush as it would make things easier in terms of masking the pattern etc. 

 

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The green looks a little.patchy here but it's been sorted. 

 

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This dried over a few hours and then we had a gloss coat! I haven't glossed the entire black areas as I'm not planning on adding a wash etc but I have glossed the sides of the fuselage where the decals are to go. 

 

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She looks rather splendid and I have to say that the kits great. 

 

Just after taking this picture I knocked her and broke off the front left gun from the turret. She's now drying. :swear:

 

Stickers next. Happy days ahoy! Love getting stickers on they make a huge difference to the build progress. 

 

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9 hours ago, celt said:

IMHO the Stirling looks much better than the other four engined heavy bombers the RAF had during WW2.:drink::popcorn:

Have to agree Celt there's something about the look of a stirling. 

 

8 hours ago, Michael Enright said:

Looking really good.

 

Why oh why did they scrap all the real ones?

 

Michael

Thanks Michael. 

 

It is a massive shame that they didn't keep atkeast one. It certainly does seem a strange decision not have kept one example but needs must I suppose. 

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This weekend has been very productive for the build. 

 

Stickers are on, wash has been applied and rubbed off. Good old Flory 

 

We're very picture heavy so I apologise in advance. 

 

First up we have a stirling with stickers! 

 

20171001_160734.jpg

 

The decals settled really well

 

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Bit wrinkly these ones. I took the picture whilst still drying. They've since dried flat. 

 

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Once the decals had settled and dried I applied gloss over the top. And then this happened. 

 

No idea why but an easy fix 

 

20171001_171618.jpg

 

Flory was slapped on as you can see from the above 

 

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And removed. 

 

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This is where she sits until I can decide what's next to do. 

 

Matt coat will be done once everything has been added. 

 

 

 

 

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Hi everyone 

 

Have hardly had any time since the last update but have done little bits. 

 

Hoping to get some bench time tonight and this weekend! 

 

First up the tail wheels. 

 

At first I wondered how on earth these were going to support the weight of the beast. But once the glue had set the wheels were actually quite sturdy and they should be ok. If they aren't then I don't know I'm going to do as you can really pin them with the way they sit in the fuselage. 

 

20171004_192930.jpg

 

And a view from t'other side 

20171004_192941.jpg

 

A touch of paint applied. Tamiya rubber and army painter silver woth a wash of games workship nuln oil. 

 

 

20171005_200426.jpg

 

Here they are slotted into the wheel well. 

 

20171005_203323.jpg

 

Stuck in with super glue in the hope that it's strong enough to support the weight. 

 

One more bit the sticky out bits at the end of the stabilisers. No idea what they're actually called! Bit if a weird bit to add on and not actually be moulded as part of the main stabiliser "fillet" bits. 

 

20171005_204114.jpg

 

And that's it. Nothing more to see here. 

 

Hoping to get some work done in the next few days but I don't know if that's going to happen. 

 

Anyway, happy Friday! 

 

EDIT small mishap. The rudder is on too! 

Edited by Antb
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I think the tailplane trailing edge fillets were moulded separately to facilitate installation of the glider towing bridle in the Mk. IV kit.  Your close up of the rear turret installation really emphasises the width and depth, and the radiused edges of the panel lines in this kit: they make some of the works of the Matchbox-phantom-trench-gouger look restrained.  Those on my Mk. IV have been slathered in filler to hopefully reduce their visual impact.

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19 minutes ago, stever219 said:

I think the tailplane trailing edge fillets were moulded separately to facilitate installation of the glider towing bridle in the Mk. IV kit.  Your close up of the rear turret installation really emphasises the width and depth, and the radiused edges of the panel lines in this kit: they make some of the works of the Matchbox-phantom-trench-gouger look restrained.  Those on my Mk. IV have been slathered in filler to hopefully reduce their visual impact.

They looked ok until washed and they do look a bit too much. Never mind the kit itself looks great and goes together well. 

 

In other news I've had 15 minutes tonight and given up. I've done a bit of work around the tail wheel adding in the "bar" section between the tail wheel and have seriously fallen out with it. 

 

Will.post some photos at some point but for now it's something with coke time.... need it after that brief session. The stirling nearly went for a flight. 

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Good evening one and all 

 

Some serious progress last night and today has resulted in this 

 

20171007_214801.jpg

 

Not the best picture but she has feet. And looks rather splendid if I don't say so myself! 

 

Engines next and then it's rear turret glazing, upper turret glazing some weathering of the black bomb bay doors and the bombs themselves and then we're done. 

 

Here's some pics of the works I've done to get her to this stage. 

 

First up is this 

 

20171007_124405.jpg

 

This was the most frustrating and difficult part of the build so far. 

 

The great part you can see just wouldn't fit at all. In the end o had to cut away quite a lot of the wheel assembly which led to that coming loose which needed 're gluing but that just didn't want to stick. Once it had I then had to get the grey bit back in which didn't want to happen and this went on for ages. 

 

Eventually I just had to chop more from the wheel assembly and it went in. Not good but it's in, has been blended and painted. 

 

With that sorted it was on to that amazing undercarriage. Remember how I left this out from the initial build stages as I thought I could get it in once the wings were joined up. Well, you can but by jove it's not the easiest and some surgery is required. 

 

I had hoped that I could just squeeze the undercarriage enough to squeeze into the place holders at the top of the legs but this was not to be. 

 

Here's the number of parts that go together to make up one leg. One part of the leg and not all of it. 

 

20171007_125458.jpg

 

This is the bit that the wheels attach to and what attaches to the frame seen above. 

 

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There's no squeezing that at the top to get it to fit. 

 

So here's the surgery which I would come to regret slightly. 

 

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The whole thing just wanted to twist and parts snapped I didn't want to. 

 

It did go in and I had to glue the snips back together. The ones that would go back together. The top one below the gap didn't sit back together at all! It's either a bad fit and never would sit properly or it's me. I'm going for the latter  

 

Here it is in position. Super glue to the rescue

 

20171007_134007_001.jpg

 

And the main frame 

 

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It's an absolute brute of landing gear! 

 

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Now we need some wheels to add onto that beautiful landing gear. 

 

Cut off, glued and clamped to within an inch of their plastic lives 

 

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These things are huge but really nice. 

 

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Painted and weathered 

 

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And finally the landing gear with some paint on. They need some aluminium and steel adding but everything is drying overnight and she's on her feet bedding then in..... 

 

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Mid upper turret glazing has been masked and painted. Going on tomorrow when dry 

 

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And finally for this evening 

 

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Ignore the lighter mark on the wheel.in the last picture. It got scratched when being attached the the leg and is in the process of being repaired 

 

Hope you enjoy this update. 

 

We're nearly there 

 

 

 

 

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38 minutes ago, phildagreek said:

Looks very smart, nice work!

 

:goodjob:

 

Thanks Phil. 

 

9 minutes ago, The Spadgent said:

Rather pleasurable 15 minute catch up there. She's looking the business, excellent work all round. I must keep up with this lovely build more often. Nearly there.:penguin:

 

Johnny

Thanks Johnny! Appreciate the comments very much 

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This is a brilliant WIP - all the ups and downs we all go through - but keep plugging away - it is looking ACE - nearly there now - can't wait for the RFI

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