Operarion Torch Martlet IV

[Beard]

My Fulmar is at the 'waiting for the Future to dry before putting om the transfers' stage so it's time to start another kit.

 

I've decided to make the recent Airfix F4F/ Wildcat/ Martlet.

The obligatory box-top photograph:

 

I think Airfix box-art is really good at the moment.

 

The sprues:

 

 

 

 

The bottom sprue is unique to the Martlet.

 

I actually made a start on this the other day, here's the cockpit bits after a coat of Humbrol 226 and a gouache/water/Future wash:

 

and the wheelwell bulkhead after a coat of Colourcoats Sky and the same wash:

 

(I suspect that the wheelwells were aluminium, at least they are on the photographs I've found, but I believe that the FAA liked to paint things the underside colour.)

 

Airfix tell you to remove these lumps:

 

So I did:

 

Next up is the undercarriage; I need to decide what colour to paint it, Airfix would have it painted satin black and Sky but I think it'll be Sky and chrome (for the slidey bits).

 

Thanks for looking.

[Beard]

Inbetween drinking pink gin I've finished the cockpit:

 

More soon. Thanks for looking.

[dogsbody]

I must follow this one. My last acquisition was this kit. If I finish my Hurc, then this might be next. That or a Beaufighter.

 

 

Chris

[trickyrich]

welcome aboard again with a second build, and what is turning out to be a popular one.

 

This does look to be a very nice model, scale wise it's a bit small for what I mainly build now.

 

Good luck with this one, though from the progress of your other build you don't need that. I look forward to seeing her in the galley as well.

[Grey Beema]

I'm in.  Love to see how this one goes.  I assume (from a previous posting) that this is going to be an Op.Torch Martlet 888 NAS?.  

 

I want to add a 1/48 Martlet IV to my collection to represent the Martlet flown by Lt DM Jeram in his combats on 06.11 and 09.11 during Op. Torch which I think my be the same aeroplane you're doing..

 

mind if if I sit over here - I'll be quiet, honest...

[CedB]

Nice start Simon and I really like that cockpit - good job

[Beard]

10 hours ago, dogsbody said:

I must follow this one. My last acquisition was this kit. If I finish my Hurc, then this might be next. That or a Beaufighter.

 

 

Chris

Why not do a Martlet and a Beaufighter? 

 

7 hours ago, trickyrich said:

welcome aboard again with a second build, and what is turning out to be a popular one.

 

This does look to be a very nice model, scale wise it's a bit small for what I mainly build now.

 

Good luck with this one, though from the progress of your other build you don't need that. I look forward to seeing her in the galley as well.

Thanks. It is a nice little kit, The cockpit reminds me of the Eduard Hellcat.

 

1 hour ago, Grey Beema said:

I'm in.  Love to see how this one goes.  I assume (from a previous posting) that this is going to be an Op.Torch Martlet 888 NAS?.  

 

I want to add a 1/48 Martlet IV to my collection to represent the Martlet flown by Lt DM Jeram in his combats on 06.11 and 09.11 during Op. Torch which I think my be the same aeroplane you're doing..

 

mind if if I sit over here - I'll be quiet, honest...

It will be an 888 squadron plane, Airfix don't give you a choice and I haven't got any aftermarket transfers.

 

 

1 hour ago, CedB said:

Nice start Simon and I really like that cockpit - good job

Thanks Ced. I'm quite happy with how it's turned out.

[Beard]

Not much progress lately because I've been doing the undercarriage which is made up of 6 parts, it's a thing of beauty but is it ever a right royal pain in the proverbial to put together and paint. Anyway, here it is - just needs painting:

 

I've also been fiddling with the engine.

 

The part on the left fits perfectly to the engine BUT you have to fit this bit inside first.

 

and that means the reduction gear (is that what it is?) doesn't fit. Much filing didn't help because the the above part snaped (but I have a back-up plan).

 

I'm now going to have one of these to recover.

 

Thanks for looking.

[Stew Dapple]

Your back-up plan is beer? An excellent idea and one I might adopt myself

 

It's coming along nicely mate, good work

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Beard]

3 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

Your back-up plan is beer?

My back-up plan involves gin, and lots of it.

[Killingholme]

On 07/04/2018 at 6:03 PM, Beard said:

Next up is the undercarriage; I need to decide what colour to paint it, Airfix would have it painted satin black and Sky but I think it'll be Sky and chrome (for the slidey bits).

 

Thanks for looking.

 

I'm absolutely no expert on Marlets, but every photo of them I have seen indicates the black factory-finish was retained on FAA aircraft.

 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Killingholme

[Beard]

11 minutes ago, Killingholme said:

 

I'm absolutely no expert on Marlets, but every photo of them I have seen indicates the black factory-finish was retained on FAA aircraft.

I'm opening the gin.

[Grey Beema]

I suspect it was painted black because the exhaust was vented down there and blew back over the undercarriage.  The exhaust would make a mess of your Sky painted U/C..

[trickyrich]

everything looks better after a drink! That is an odd looking pin to hold the prop on with, why not leave a hole on the back of the engine and just use a normal shape pin???

 

...and that's probably the easiest way to fix it as well, unless you want your prop to spin?

[Beard]

9 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

I suspect it was painted black because the exhaust was vented down there and blew back over the undercarriage.  The exhaust would make a mess of your Sky painted U/C..

Good point. 

 

5 hours ago, trickyrich said:

everything looks better after a drink! That is an odd looking pin to hold the prop on with, why not leave a hole on the back of the engine and just use a normal shape pin???

 

...and that's probably the easiest way to fix it as well, unless you want your prop to spin?

My back-up plan may allow the propeller to spin and a spinning propeller is what we all want (even if we won't admit it).

[Killingholme]

7 hours ago, Beard said:

Good point. 

 

My back-up plan may allow the propeller to spin and a spinning propeller is what we all want (even if we won't admit it).

 

A spinning propeller is also sensible- it you knock it, it spins. accidentally knock a fixed propeller and you're likely to snap a blade off.

[Beard]

For those of you wondering how this build is getting on, the answer is very slowly. I've bean dry-fitting the cockpit/ undercarriage unit into the fuselage and seeing how the fuselage halves fit together, not very well without some force.

Anyway, here's where I am:

 

 

Thanks for looking.

[Beard]

As it often the case with modern Airfix kits, tolerances are small and, as is often the case, I forget and bash things together. The result is much wailing, gnashing of teeth and filler.

 

I suspect this one is a going to take some and more test-fitting.

 

Thanks for looking.

[CedB]

I know what you mean Simon.

I get so used to poorly fitting kits that I normally bash things together and sort out problems later... with well fitting kits I should follow Nigel's advice and mask the joins before painting (or at least scrape them off) but then where's the fun in that, eh?

I'll try to remember your warning when I get around to mine...

[rob85]

That’s a funny looking spitfire Simon... looking good so far, I found mine a bit tricky as I wasn’t careful enough with the line up/ paint!

 

Rob

[Beard]

1 hour ago, rob85 said:

That’s a funny looking spitfire Simon... looking good so far, I found mine a bit tricky as I wasn’t careful enough with the line up/ paint!

 

Rob

Oddly, I have only one Spitfire on the go at the moment. I think I've made the basic mistake of doing a WiP of a kit I haven't made before.

PS. Haven't seen you around these parts much, hope you're well.

[rob85]

11 hours ago, Beard said:

Oddly, I have only one Spitfire on the go at the moment. I think I've made the basic mistake of doing a WiP of a kit I haven't made before.

PS. Haven't seen you around these parts much, hope you're well.

Yeah I’ve been rather busy of late so just been lurking, watching all of you in a non-sinister way. 

 

I have a new flat with space for modelling in just need to finish setting it all up, e.g. move the stash in correctly so the girlfriend doesn’t realise the extent of my problem 😂. 

 

Once im set up I will probably build a few little mojo starters before getting back to/starting any WIP’s

 

Still it’s good to see all of you guys going strong!

 

Rob

[Beard]

11 hours ago, rob85 said:

Yeah I’ve been rather busy of late so just been lurking, watching all of you in a non-sinister way. 

Glad to hear you're doing okay. Good luck sneaking in the stash.

 

Progress here is slow, my head has been turned by the B-25 Group Build, but steady:

 

I have to repaint the bit on the front of the engine, although it won't be seen once the cowling is on.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited April 29, 2018 by Beard
to correct spelling.

[trickyrich]

21 hours ago, rob85 said:

Yeah I’ve been rather busy of late so just been lurking, watching all of you in a non-sinister way. 

 

I have a new flat with space for modelling in just need to finish setting it all up, e.g. move the stash in correctly so the girlfriend doesn’t realise the extent of my problem 😂. 

 

Once im set up I will probably build a few little mojo starters before getting back to/starting any WIP’s

 

Still it’s good to see all of you guys going strong!

 

Rob

the real sneaky way is to stuff all the small models you can into the boxes of the bigger model, or keep the big boxes to help stash all the new stuff. A few big boxes is easer to talk away than lots and lots of small ones.   Not that I endorse that sort of thing!!

 

[Beard]

Progress is slow but a coat if Colourcoats Sky has been splashed on the Wildcat's bottom.

 

Thanks for looking.