Grey Beema Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 (edited) I have been a member of the forum since the year dot and believe it or not I have never taken part in a Group Build. Group builds are risky for me due to the glacial pace at which I build but I've decided to risk it and join the build but what to build. Two possibilities spring straight to mind which fit in with my current "Aces of the FAA" theme. Airfix 1/48 Sea Hurricane. Which will be finished as 800 NAS Sea Hurricane Ib Z4550/G aboard HMS Indomitable Op. Pedestal 12.08.42. This aircraft was flown by Lt Cdr JM Bruen and has a couple of victories to its name. Eduard 1/48 Hellcat I. To be finished as 800 NAS JV132/E*F HMS Emperor Op. Hoops(?) Norway 08.05.44 when Lt B Ritchie destroyed a FW190. I asked on the Group Chat and got a "build the Hellcat" and "build both" so I have decided to go with the build both option with the proviso that if I'm running short of time one will be prioritised over the other.. so so here we go.... The box content (with additional artwork cover the markings that they will be finished in) Hurricane primed with the gun covers removed and the Instrument panel painted and decalled. Hellcat I (Weekend edition) primed, cockpit sides painted and cockpiit quite well advanced.. Who decided to open the cowl flaps? Thanks for stopping by... Edited July 14, 2018 by Grey Beema 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebra Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Nice start. These will be good, I’ll follow along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 welcome aboard with two nice choices too. I know the Enzo mantra is "build them all" but don't feel too pressured to build both. The Hellcat would be my first choice, it's a lovely model and by the looks of it you've made a great start to it. Good luck with both your builds, there's plenty of time so hoping to see both of them in the gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Good choices mate Cheers, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Two excellent choices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz23 Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Built the BoB Hurricane boxing and its one of my favourite kits, so much I may buy another and I have an Eduard Hellcat in the stash so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted April 13, 2018 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Blitz23 said: Built the BoB Hurricane boxing and its one of my favourite kits, so much I may buy another and I have an Eduard Hellcat in the stash so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress I have built two of the Airfix BoB Hurricanes both of Royal Navy Pilots seconded 242 Squadron and both Aces (I build to a theme). I am lucky because I didn't seem to have the problems fitting main spars and cockpit frames that others did. I am hoping that the luck continues in the Sea Hurricane. Coincidently I have also built two Eduard Hellcats (a MkI & MkII) from the Combi boxing. I am doing this one though without the PE. I have made Throttle, Mixture and Airscrew Pitch levers (just need to add knobs) and I need to do the gun charging handles for the Lower armament panel. Then it's the ignition leads for the engine cylinders... I don't think I'll get anything done tomorrow (a visit to the pub followed by a rugby match) so hopefully Sunday I'll get the chance to progress both aircraft... Thanks for looking in, if you have hints and tips - please shout out... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) Hi All, I only got an hour last week but I had a couple of hours today (yesterday was dedicated to Leinster Rugby's magnificent win over Scarlett) so could progress a couple of things. Fuselage is buttoned up.. P&W R2800 wired up. I didn't like the kit supplied exhaust so replaced them with brass tube. url=https://flic.kr/p/254DZTx][/url] And assembled a few more bits But the Sea Hurricane is still in the box and hasn't moved.. Hopefully next weekend will be wings on and a bit of progress on the Sea Hurricane as I plan to hit the main painting stage with both aircraft at the same time.. Thanks for stopping by... Edited April 22, 2018 by Grey Beema 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 gosh that is some nice work! I like the cockpit and that extra detail you've add to the engine is great. Brass tube to the rescue again, I love the stuff, useful for all sorts of stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Yes that is great extra work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share Posted April 29, 2018 A little bit of work on the Hellcat to nail the wings on. No filling or anything but the wings are on. Hopefully next weekend I will get a run at it and have enough done to turn to the painting.. .. More time was spent on the Sea Hurricane today though. With first plastic being cut. I think the most recent Airfix Hurricanes build up into lovely models. Just a shame they can't bring out a Seafire III to the same quality.. Thanks for stopping by.. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 I 110% agree with your Seafire Statement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 gosh that Sea Hurricane interior looks amazing!! You've done some great work there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted April 30, 2018 Author Share Posted April 30, 2018 13 hours ago, trickyrich said: gosh that Sea Hurricane interior looks amazing!! You've done some great work there. Thank you but the reality is that Airfix did all the hard work. I just slapped some paint on and added the seat belts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 7, 2018 Author Share Posted May 7, 2018 (edited) One way and another not musch modelling time this Bank holiday weekend. I did put a couple of models into competition - my first ever. It's not an experience that I'm going to repeat, I think I will stick to my lonely furrow, well me and anyone who wants to pop in for a butchers. So work on the Hellcat was really about a bit of gap filling around the mainplanes. You can see a bit of filler in the photo below, not much, it is an Eduard kit but there is some there... and a bit of a self indulgent cockpit shot... More work has been done on the Sea Hurricane though. Completing out the cockpit side walls, assembling and fitting the fuselage.. Another self indulgent cockpit shot I really must say, this is the third of the new tool Hurricanes I have built (two as BoB Hurricanes) it really is a lovely kit and I am thinking maybe get another for the stash to replace the Italeri RJ Cork hurricane I have already built - Next weekend time will be tight. The Mighty Leinster Rugby are taking on Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup Final in Bilbao. I not going but I will be viewing from Chez Beema (it will be the first Leinster final I have missed) - supporting Wayne Barnes in making the right decisions and when he wanders from the path of righteousness helping him with well chosen sarcasm to return to the path of truth (Wayne Barnes is the Referee). You should be able to hear me from wherever you are.... Sunday though (depending of how I feel) will be control surfaces and undercarriage... Thanks for looking in... Edited May 7, 2018 by Grey Beema 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 they both look so good in just the silver!! It's a great colour to help find all those little bits that need to be tidied up. The interiors in both look fantastic. I've never shown any of my builds, other than on here and to a few that have visited the modelling dungeon, the thought of rather does scare me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 5 hours ago, trickyrich said: they both look so good in just the silver!! It's a great colour to help find all those little bits that need to be tidied up. The interiors in both look fantastic. I've never shown any of my builds, other than on here and to a few that have visited the modelling dungeon, the thought of rather does scare me. Thanks Rich, TBH the silver is really because I am lazy. I spray the silver (which i get from the local Car factor) whilst the parts are still on the sprue. On an aeroplane like the Hurricane a good bit of the priming was in Silver / Aluminium so as the cockpit is built it is just a case of paint the areas that need painting but where areas were aluminium add washes with a grey/brown tint to really liven it up. The same will go for any unpained/silver painted areas of the undercarriage etc.. Externally the Silver / Aluminium paint works to highlight areas where there are blemishes. Once cleaned up the airframe will be masked appropriately and resprayed with the silver / Aluminium paint. If you pre-shade this will result in the necessary contrast. For me the real beauty is that I use Xtracrylic paints which are not as hard as the silver. So to replicate wear on the paint, I literally scratch or abrade the top colour down to the silver. In the case of the Hellcat, I will paint the aircraft Grumman primer colour over the Aluminium, Future it, then spray the Xtracrylic over that. You can then abrade through the top camouflage colour to the primer or through the primer to the aluminium. Future the aircraft again, Decals, Post shading and fading then Matt/Satin coat to finish.. TBH I'm not going to compete or show again. I actually didn't get anything out of the experience other than the stress of getting the models to the show and home again without breaking them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Great work,I'm liking this silver primer idea one for a future project I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 2 hours ago, stevej60 said: Great work,I'm liking this silver primer idea one for a future project I think. I've used it quite a few times, it's great and you can get some really nice effects to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Not a modelling update but my team Leinster Rugby have just won the European Champions Cup for the fourth time. Only one other team (Toulon) has won it four times. This is a truely awesome sporting achievement.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted June 3, 2018 Author Share Posted June 3, 2018 Managed to get into the Cave yesterday and again today. Yesterday wasn't such a good day but I think this morning I managed to repair what I did wrong.. What follows is a lesson on not forgetting your own rules... I had painted the undersides of the Sea Hurricane and the Hellcat last weekend which was fine - then came my first mistake. I usually leave the masking of the under surfaces to just before I want to paint the top surfaces. This is at least 24 hours but can be a week until I get into the Cave again the next weekend and it give plenty of time for the paint to harden but no, being in a hurry I decided that the paint was hardened enough and I would mask and leave it for next weekend - Mistake 1. I usually de tack the masking and use it to stick cling film to the main planes, fuselage etc but I decided to use the tape in the underside of the tail planes - mistake 2, having done that and being in a hurry I obviously didn't de tack enough.. It was hot last week in the Cave and the tape decided it didn't like being warm. Yesterday I started painting. Roughing on the Extra Dark Sea Grey, Then on with the whitetac sausages (this was new white tack i recently bought in the Euro shop). Mistake 3 - I usually give it at least overnight between colours when I have to mask over the top.. You all know what way this is going don't you..... Yes disaster when the masking is stripped off... The Hurricane is not as bad. I think the paint had longer to harden and I de tacked the tape better. So - Onwards and upwards... This morning after the grass was cut.. Out with the airbrush again and with the use of a bunch of post it notes as masking I blew in the paint again.. The aircraft have been given a coat of future which accounts for the very shiny finish... The Hellcat. Hurricane. And I have just spotted that I haven't painted the the upper surface struts in over the gun bay in camouflage colour!!!.. Next step for the Hellcat is decalling but for the Sea Hurricane I need to do a little research.. Operation Pedestal Hurricanes of 880 NAS are clearly marked with a yellow tail - my question is did the Hurricanes of 800 NAS also carry the yellow tail? Might go and ask the Hurricane boys... Thanks for looking in... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted June 4, 2018 Author Share Posted June 4, 2018 Bit more progress today. Markings starting to go on. 800 NAS Sea Hurricane - Lt Cmdr JM Bruen.. Operation Pedestal. I need to do some fixing up on the yellow leading edge marking and once the decals are on, hardened and sealed it will be time for some subtle fading and weathering... Oh and I need to find a Saint from somewhere... Thanks to @Graham Boak for help on the markings 800 NAS Hellcat I - Lt B Ritchie Norway 1944. Again decalling needs to be completed all those small stencils and the last digit of the s/n before some light weathering.. Thanks for looking in... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Coming on really nicely! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Great save on the paintwork,these two are looking superb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 they're both looking very tidy and some nice work with the airbrush on the touchups as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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