Fairey Fulmar *FINISHED*

[Beard]

When I signed up for this Group Build I planned on doing a Seafire but I'm a little bored of Supermarine's finest at the moment so have decided to do something completely different.

 

So I'm in with this:

 

If there's time, I might do one of the Special Hobby ones I have in the stash (and a Seafire).

Edited May 5, 2018 by Beard

[Stew Dapple]

Nice one Simon, I have an unaccountable fondness for the Fulmar, I look forward to seeing how you get on 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[JOCKNEY]

Great choice, I bought the same kit recently absolute bargain £4.99 including free postage, what's not to like !

 

Can I ask, a question of your good self and our learned BM members ?

 

I read a while back that the Fulmer was very successful due to the unique tactics employed when using the aircraft operationally. Now despite my best efforts I have been unable to find out any more information, can you shed any light on this ?

 

cheers Pat

[Beard]

40 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

Nice one Simon, I have an unaccountable fondness for the Fulmar, I look forward to seeing how you get on 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

I like the Fulmar too, built to a specification which never envisaged it fighting land-based fighters yet it managed to be pretty successful.

 

2 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Great choice, I bought the same kit recently absolute bargain £4.99 including free postage, what's not to like !

 

Can I ask, a question of your good self and our learned BM members ?

 

I read a while back that the Fulmer was very successful due to the unique tactics employed when using the aircraft operationally. Now despite my best efforts I have been unable to find out any more information, can you shed any light on this ?

 

cheers Pat

£4.99 is a bargain. Although the exhausts and wheels are pants (I'm going to ignore them both, unless I can find some spare exhausts) and the wheelwells are empty, it's still a pretty good kit and has been issued by Vista, Airfix, Revell and AZ (the last with resin wheels and some photo-etch). 

 

I think the success was as much due to the Italian aircaft it was fighting as to the Fulmar and Royal Navy tactics. This is worth reading: http://www.armouredcarriers.com/fairey-fulmar-operational-history/

[Grey Beema]

I would be a fan of the Fulmar myself.  Frequently when operated in a CAP role they operated with a pilot only and no observer.  They did need height though as there top speed was marginal over the Axis bombers they were defending against..

 

I built the SH 1/48 Fulmar flown by Stan Orr whilst he was a Lieutenant in the Med...  It's a nice model..

 

Good luck with yours...

[JOCKNEY]

16 minutes ago, Beard said:

 

I like the Fulmar too, built to a specification which never envisaged it fighting land-based fighters yet it managed to be pretty successful.

 

£4.99 is a bargain. Although the exhausts and wheels are pants (I'm going to ignore them both, unless I can find some spare exhausts) and the wheelwells are empty, it's still a pretty good kit and has been issued by Vista, Airfix, Revell and AZ (the last with resin wheels and some photo-etch). 

 

I think the success was as much due to the Italian aircaft it was fighting as to the Fulmar and Royal Navy tactics. This is worth reading: http://www.armouredcarriers.com/fairey-fulmar-operational-history/

Brilliant link, amazing to think of these quite big aircraft out-turning the CR42 !

 

Have you decided on the markings for your build yet ?

[trickyrich]

welcome aboard with what seems to be a popular choice.

 

It's always nice to break away from what you'd normally build, gives you a chance to refresh the old mojo.....well that's what I find. 

 

The Fulmar had an interesting life and I don't think many know just how successful she was, have just been reading up on her.

 

Good luck with the build, look forward to seeing her in the gallery. 

[Beard]

7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Brilliant link, amazing to think of these quite big aircraft out-turning the CR42 !

That whole website is worth reading.

 

7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Have you decided on the markings for your build yet ?

Not yet but it'll either be one of the two in box or some spares from the Special Hobby boxing.

[Beard]

It's Saturday so let's get cracking.

 

Here are the obligatory sprue shots:

 

 

Quite a lot of flash...

 

 

Seeing as the molds have been used by Vista, Revell, Airfix, Smer, Modelcraft and AZ, I suppose it's not surprising that they show a little wear.

Anyway, I've made a start gluing and painting:

 

 

I'm off to look for some photographs of Fairey Fulmars. Thanks for looking.

Edited March 24, 2018 by Beard
to remove duplicate photograph.

[Beard]

While waiting for the Colourcoats RAF Interior Green to dry, I've been considering the wheels and exhausts and decided that I'm none too keen on either.

 

 

 

Here's the real thing:

 

I think these wheels, from the recent Airfix Hurricane, will be okay

 

and these AZ Spitfire exhausts are better (although they'll need adapting because they're a little longer than the Vista ones)

 

Any opinions would be welcome.

[Beard]

I'm also not sure about the spinner.

 

Here's the kit one:

 

Here's one from a KP Spitfire V:

 

Opinions welcome.

Edited March 24, 2018 by Beard
to correct spelling.

[Grey Beema]

Looks like the Spitfire spinner fits the front of the fuselage better to me.  I think I'll go for that one and the exhausts...

 

Are you going for the MkI or II?  Op Torch or something else?

[Beard]

5 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

Are you going for the MkI or II?  Op Torch or something else?

Not sure yet but I'm leaning toward the Op. Torch one that's in the box because I like the US markings on a FAA aircraft (I imagine the planners hoped the Vichy forces didn't have any aircraft recognition manuals).

 

I've made some harnesses, using Tamiya tape painted buff. The pilot's:

 

and the Observer's:

 

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the kind of seat you sit in whilst stroking a cat and planning on taking over the world?

Edited March 24, 2018 by Beard

[Graham Boak]

That's a useful tip about the Hurricane wheels - if they are not perhaps a little small?  Now just where did I put mine?

 

As for the exhausts, my suspicious mind thinks that they will have varied much as those of Hurricanes and Spitfires did  (i.e. tubes or fishtails?), so it is worth checking photos of the subject you wish to model.

 

I don't know what recognition booklets the Vichy air force had, but I do know that they had a Fulmar, which might have helped.

[Beard]

Just now, Graham Boak said:

That's a useful tip about the Hurricane wheels - if they are not perhaps a little small?

I measured them against the resin ones in the Special Hobby kit and they're a very close match for diameter. Mind you, the SH ones have five spokes.

 

6 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Now just where did I put mine?

There'll be some in that Airfix fabric-wing Hurricane that's in your stash.

 

2 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

As for the exhausts, my suspicious mind thinks that they will have varied much as those of Hurricanes and Spitfires did  (i.e. tubes or fishtails?), so it is worth checking photos of the subject you wish to model.

The Vista ones are pants - not to put too fine a point on it - but I shall be examining photographs of Fulmars before installing the replacements, which need quite a lot of modification in order to fit.

[Grey Beema]

This is the Special Hobby 1/48 Fulmar done as a Fulmar MkI, so you can see the Spinner and Exhaust.  You're welcome to delete this post if you wish and I certainly don't mean to muscle in but this might help. 

 

 

Cheers

 

[stevej60]

Good start Beard,that flash is awful the Airfix issue and my Vista one is totally flash free,no worries I know it wont worry you! Look forward to progress.

[Basilisk]

Good to see the first build out of the starting blocks! Neat way to make harnesses Beard. In regards to spinners, the Vista spinner looks more like the original as the Spitfire one is to long and just not the right shape.

 

Cheers, Peter

[Beard]

14 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

This is the Special Hobby 1/48 Fulmar done as a Fulmar MkI, so you can see the Spinner and Exhaust.  You're welcome to delete this post if you wish and I certainly don't mean to muscle in but this might help. 

Cheers

 

Thanks Gary. I won't be deleting your post as that Fulmar is better than the one I'll do.

 

9 hours ago, stevej60 said:

Good start Beard,that flash is awful the Airfix issue and my Vista one is totally flash free,no worries I know it wont worry you! Look forward to progress.

Thank Steve. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Basilisk said:

Good to see the first build out of the starting blocks! Neat way to make harnesses Beard. In regards to spinners, the Vista spinner looks more like the original as the Spitfire one is to long and just not the right shape.

 

Cheers, Peter

Thanks Peter. The Vista spinner looks too short to me, I'll look for some more photographs of Fulmars before proceeding.

Edited March 25, 2018 by Beard
to correct spelling.

[trickyrich]

nice start, it looks like you may have to do a bit of mix-n-match, but you're off to a great start.

[Basilisk]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

The Vista spinner looks too short to me, I'll look for some more photographs of Fulmars before proceeding.

 

Doesn't look too bad to me.

 

Cheers, Peter

[Beard]

Thanks for the advice chaps, I'll go with the kit spinner and exhausts - I'm really not keen on the later but can't find any suitable replacements.

 

Things have slowed down somewhat, I had to see lambs (Moreno and Romney, since you asked) and The Handsome Family on Sunday, but here's where I've got to:

 

 

I had to add some plasticard shims to the wing roots, to get rid of the gaps, and made a little shelf for the Observer.

 

I now have to decide if I can be bothered to box in the wheelwells.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited March 26, 2018 by Beard

[Stew Dapple]

That's pretty fast work Simon

 

I don't want to influence your decision on whether to box in the wheelwells or not, but I would say that if you were planning not to it probably would have been best not to mention it at all... now if you don't do it, everyone will notice  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Basilisk]

3 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

I don't want to influence your decision on whether to box in the wheelwells or not, but I would say that if you were planning not to it probably would have been best not to mention it at all... now if you don't do it, everyone will notice  

 

True, but an easy fix - just don't take pictures from the bottom of the plane . Anyway, a bit late to box in the wheel bays now. But nice progress of your build.

 

Cheers, Peter

[CedB]

Nice progress Simon and the shelf does add a certain 'I don't know what' (my French is rusty...)