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MY FAVOURITE ...........

 

The 1960 vintage Airfix Sunderland III model which I built in recent years is my favourite model

 

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The Airfix Sunderland holds a special place in my life, it is the first model that I have memories of. I am about four years old standing outside our cottage in Felixstowe and I am holding my dad's Airfix Sunderland, I can still smell the Airfix paint warming up in the morning sun.

And then when I was thirteen I built one for my brother, I made sure that everything worked that was supposed too such as the retracting nose turret, beaching gear and bomb carriers.

The Sunderland has long been one of my favourite aircraft so I cannot understand why it took me so long to build one for myself.

It was circumstance that eventually brought it to happen which I will explain when I post its build soon. It had to be an Airfix Sunderland which to me still has the correct look and character of the real aircraft.

A number of improvements were made to the quite basic kit including an almost full interior. But most important to me is that the turrets and bomb carriers work.

 

resized_fd9f95a9-be51-4d81-8c4c-e8958a12

 

Yes, definately my favourite.

 

cheers,  adey

 

 

Edited by adey m
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8 hours ago, adey m said:

MY FAVOURITE ...........

 

The 1960 vintage Airfix Sunderland III model which I built in recent years is my favourite model

 

resized_86aa6bed-b856-43ef-9ba3-b82d2b06

 

resized_ad364e13-f565-49fc-983f-f9651439

 

The Airfix Sunderland holds a special place in my life, it is the first model that I have memories of. I am about four years old standing outside our cottage in Felixstowe and I am holding my dad's Airfix Sunderland, I can still smell the Airfix paint warming up in the morning sun.

And then when I was thirteen I built one for my brother, I made sure that everything worked that was supposed too such as the retracting nose turret, beaching gear and bomb carriers.

The Sunderland has long been one of my favourite aircraft so I cannot understand why it took me so long to build one for myself.

It was circumstance that eventually brought it to happen which I will explain when I post its build soon. It had to be an Airfix Sunderland which to me still has the correct look and character of the real aircraft.

A number of improvements were made to the quite basic kit including an almost full interior. But most important to me is that the turrets and bomb carriers work.

 

resized_ae765957-9e20-415a-b99d-af5f1670

 

Yes, definately my favourite.

 

cheers,  adey

 

 

lookin great to me

 

well done indeed

 

 

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Another one from the past  ............

 

I bought this model at the IPMS Nationals at Donington in the early 1990s. I like maritime aircraft and Russian helicopters and this kit combined both, an antisubmarine MIL4 M.

It was produced by a company called UNDA from Moldova and it was moulded in bright blue plastic.

 

ba7864e2-fd45-410b-8684-029d66cad0dc.jpg

 

It was one exactly like this that I bought with the misleading picture on the box .................. the kit is of a float equipped version and did not contain any wheels.

 

c83ad6f8-f323-4999-9c37-4bc197c70bfb.jpg    This is a more recent and honest packaging of the kit.

 

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I added some extra cockpit detail and constructed a wheeled undercarriage with help from my spares box. I brushpainted it with Humbrol enamels and built it as a Polish example which operated from bases on the Baltic coast. Note the open weapons bay doors, the surface radar under the nose, the shortened under fuselage gondola and the magnetic anomaly detector under the rear fuselage which was lowered by a winch operated cable and towed in the water to detect submarines.

 

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I later constructed an avionics operator's station and managed to coax it into position through the weapons bay. You can see one of the weapons racks removed from the interior.

 

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And this was my only photograph that shows the model with the added interior.

 

adey

 

 

 

 

Edited by adey m
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On 09/05/2018 at 23:14, Valkyrie said:

Definitely my best so far since returning to the hobby after childhood, also favourite

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I really like your toned down weathered paint work and the gun exhaust staining Valkyrie. I also like to see models posed on a realistic base and your Russian apron really compliments your model.  

regards,  adey

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I've been modeling more-or-less steadily since about 1963...so the 'first' is regrettably long-gone...but oh-so fondly remembered:

 

Hawk's beautiful 1/48-ish F-104 Starfighter...won in a Cub Scouts Christmas 'grab bag' raffle...the magnificent chromed parts all mirror-like and shiny with their 'Authent-i-plated' finish

 

40231629870_0222640265_o.jpg

 

'Favorite' is a dead-heat between two solid contenders, The first...MPC's ancient hybrid Dodge Van, done up as the familiar telephone company vehicle, as oft-seen in my youth as 'cable' vans are, today:

 

40231629540_bb01f946ba_b.jpg

 

The also-ran is another throwback to youth, albeit in a much-updated and customized version: Tom Daniel's 'Rommel's Rod' for Monogram, in its 2009 reissue:

 

40231630860_58a9feaffc_b.jpg

 

'Finest' is arguable...but probably will give the nod to my first in-depth WIP right here on Britmodeller, Revell's excellent 1/72 Westland Sea King, done up as an Exocet-armed Commando of the Qatari AF:

 

40231630620_431b1bfd2f_b.jpg

 

Cheers

 

[5/13/18 - Apologies to the membership. I surf threads by title, not by category, so I didn't even realize until today that this thread was in under AIRCRAFT. (Though you might well think that ALL the other submissions under the title might have been a 'subtle'-enough clue....) My mistake. :worry: I'll just go have a lie-down....]

Edited by thorfinn
My usual wandering inattention to relevant detail....
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On 5/9/2018 at 8:00 AM, adey m said:

MY FAVOURITE ...........

 

The 1960 vintage Airfix Sunderland III model which I built in recent years is my favourite model

 

resized_86aa6bed-b856-43ef-9ba3-b82d2b06

 

resized_ad364e13-f565-49fc-983f-f9651439

 

The Airfix Sunderland holds a special place in my life, it is the first model that I have memories of. I am about four years old standing outside our cottage in Felixstowe and I am holding my dad's Airfix Sunderland, I can still smell the Airfix paint warming up in the morning sun.

And then when I was thirteen I built one for my brother, I made sure that everything worked that was supposed too such as the retracting nose turret, beaching gear and bomb carriers.

The Sunderland has long been one of my favourite aircraft so I cannot understand why it took me so long to build one for myself.

It was circumstance that eventually brought it to happen which I will explain when I post its build soon. It had to be an Airfix Sunderland which to me still has the correct look and character of the real aircraft.

A number of improvements were made to the quite basic kit including an almost full interior. But most important to me is that the turrets and bomb carriers work.

 

resized_ae765957-9e20-415a-b99d-af5f1670

 

Yes, definately my favourite.

 

cheers,  adey

 

 

Now that's a bit special Adey.

I agree, there's something very nostalgic about the old Airfix Sunderland.

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Very first model went to the boneyard a long time ago and was an Airfix Spitfire. However, first model on returning to hobby was this Airfix chippie. For a regular modeller, it should take a day to build - took me nearly a month :giles:

 

26314589725_4cb4f174c3_b.jpg

 

Favourite at the moment as it is a hard decision to make is the Airfix Defiant. Waited a long time (20 years?) for a good tooling to come along and also had a couple of near disasters during the build. Quite happy it turned out alright in the end.

 

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...and lastly the best to date, has to be the Matchbox Hs 126, first time in taking a MB kit to beyond just a OOB factory fresh finish and probably first time I paid the most attention to a MB build. The previous ones more towards "fun" as that was what Matchbox kits were made for :rambo:

 

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On 5/9/2018 at 8:00 AM, adey m said:

the turrets and bomb carriers work.

I caught a bit of flak from a bloke on a modelling site (don't think it was this one) over my preference for props and wheels that turn, swing wings that actually swing and various other moving parts.  The bloke thought that was a bit childish but the way I look at it, getting those things to work (and work smoothly) is another engineering challenge of kitbuilding.  (I don't want to brag but I managed to install moving wing glove vanes on an F14A a few days back and they still work and haven't fallen out yet.  Now to see if I can get the rest of the plane assembled, painted, decalled and on the shelf before they fink out on me).

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Given the variety of types and the sheer number of kits I have built, this is really quite a difficult exercise but quite fun; for example I could easily do first, favourite, finest Harrier, or first favourite finest helicopter, biplane, WW2 aircraft, what-if etc.  Making a decision at a whole collection level needed a little thought and probably reflects my current focus on post WW2 Fleet Air Arm subjects.  So I have cheated slightly and added "runners up".

 

Ask me again in 6 months and I might have a different view.  What is interesting and a little disappointing, is that "finest" definitely doesn't equate to my more recent builds, suggesting I probably peaked a few years back!  Must try harder!!!!!

 

First: Relatively easy.  Not actually my first by a long way, but this Airfix Seahawk is the oldest build in my collection, dating back to about 1973 (I was 11).  Its been repainted and re-decaled twice since then, plus a new canopy replaced the glue-strewn original: 

 

P9060433.jpg

 

Runner-up:  My Frog Sea Vixen from 1976, bought the very week that FROG went bust). I was totally convinced that the 1:600 Sea Vixens on my Airfix HMS VICTORIOUS kit were mis-moulded with the canopies to one side;  when I found out the real thing was actually built like that, I just had to build one, or two, or three, or four..... :)

 

wpd19e61da_05_06.jpg

 

Favourite:  Really very difficult to decide.  After a lot of thought, probably my Sea Lightning from 2005.  Based on the rather basic Matchbox 2-seat Lightning, it was definitely an enjoyable project:

 

P1260019.jpg

 

Runner-up:  my Westland Wasp, using the Airfix Scout and Airwaves conversion.  First aircraft I ever flew in. 

 

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Finest:  Still quite difficult to decide.  Probably my 1/48 Sea Vixen, which was an excellent kit to build and turned out very well.  All brush painted I would add (no airbrushes here!):

 

wp852d4b52_05_06.jpg

 

Runner Up:  My (new mould) Airfix Swordfish. A fiddly but very satisfying kit.

 

wp350deed7_06.jpg

 

 

FredT :)

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1 hour ago, Uncle Pete said:

I caught a bit of flak from a bloke on a modelling site (don't think it was this one) over my preference for props and wheels that turn, swing wings that actually swing and various other moving parts.  The bloke thought that was a bit childish but the way I look at it, getting those things to work (and work smoothly) is another engineering challenge of kitbuilding.  (I don't want to brag but I managed to install moving wing glove vanes on an F14A a few days back and they still work and haven't fallen out yet.  Now to see if I can get the rest of the plane assembled, painted, decalled and on the shelf before they fink out on me).

With all due respect...if that 'bloke' had ever attempted to actually engineer working features like that...in-scale, and working smoothly, as you said...he would have kept his beezer to himself!

Having attempted such engineering at various times myself---with frustratingly-varying degrees of success---I have naught but the greatest respect for those who can pull it off. (And let the churlish would-be critics take a flying...ahem...leap, at the proverbial rolling doughnut! :whistle:)

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2 hours ago, Uncle Pete said:

I caught a bit of flak from a bloke on a modelling site (don't think it was this one) over my preference for props and wheels that turn, swing wings that actually swing and various other moving parts.  The bloke thought that was a bit childish but the way I look at it, getting those things to work (and work smoothly) is another engineering challenge of kitbuilding.  (I don't want to brag but I managed to install moving wing glove vanes on an F14A a few days back and they still work and haven't fallen out yet.  Now to see if I can get the rest of the plane assembled, painted, decalled and on the shelf before they fink out on me).

I remember oh so many moons ago in a danish ladies magazine there was a series of articles about modelling.(Yes there was! :huh:)

The author reviewed the - then new - Monogram A-4 Skyhawk (yes it IS that long ago) and lamented that the undercarriage wasn't retractable! :D

At the time - early 1970'es (!) - a retractable undercarriage and other moving parts was something that really took a model to the highest level!

So don't take any flak for moving parts - if you can get them to work - more power to you! :clap2:

I for my part seem unable to retain such functions on my models - too fatfingered I guess! :hmmm:

 

Cheers :bye:

Hans J

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11 minutes ago, HansReggelsen said:

retractable undercarriage

I'd dearly love to install retracts but of course the thickness of the plastic prohibits it.  I don't have the skills but I can see how it wouldn't be too hard for a hot-shot (or perhaps a Swiss watchmaker) to install micro R/C kit and have features working all on their own.  (Having said that, you can find a lunatic on youtube who has built a 1/96 P51, eight channels including retracts, landing lights and gun flash/noise and it flies!)

Edited by Uncle Pete
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4 hours ago, HansReggelsen said:
  6 hours ago, Uncle Pete said:

I caught a bit of flak from a bloke on a modelling site (don't think it was this one) over my preference for props and wheels that turn, swing wings that actually swing and various other moving parts.  The bloke thought that was a bit childish but the way I look at it, getting those things to work (and work smoothly) is another engineering challenge of kitbuilding.  (I don't want to brag but I managed to install moving wing glove vanes on an F14A a few days back and they still work and haven't fallen out yet.  Now to see if I can get the rest of the plane assembled, painted, decalled and on the shelf before they fink out on me).

 

4 hours ago, HansReggelsen said:

I remember oh so many moons ago in a danish ladies magazine there was a series of articles about modelling.(Yes there was! :huh:)

The author reviewed the - then new - Monogram A-4 Skyhawk (yes it IS that long ago) and lamented that the undercarriage wasn't retractable! :D

At the time - early 1970'es (!) - a retractable undercarriage and other moving parts was something that really took a model to the highest level!

So don't take any flak for moving parts - if you can get them to work - more power to you! :clap2:

I for my part seem unable to retain such functions on my models - too fatfingered I guess! :hmmm:

I like movable parts. All my models have spinning propellers and movable gun turrets (obviously, those which are not jets :D). When possible, I install rotating wheels and movable rudders. I do not mind retractable undercarriages and folding wings, (also) because I have no skills to assemble them so they work "forever", without breaking. So I glue them "hard" without movement. Old kits (and some new ones) have movable control surfaces, but the gap between the wing and said surfaces is too big and unrealistic, so I do not care about them either. Nowadays I glue them in place, without the gap.

Edited by Convair
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I used to go for the heated screwdriver to melt the end of an axel so that the wheels could be fitted on but still turn.  Can’t help doing stuff - motors and lights in a Revell 1/48 Apache anyone?

 

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Moving parts on a model ..........

 

There is something very challenging and satisfying getting parts to move as they should or maybe as they were not intended. At least when a child reaches over to a model on display at a model show to spin a prop and it actually spins without snapping off ........ that is worthwhile.................

 

I remember many years ago at a model show I was returning to our club display table and I found a member of our club spinning the huge five bladed main rotor on my 1/72 MIL 6 helicopter ................. not one blade snapped off..........................

 

moving parts or miniature engineering ..................

 

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My 1/72 Special Hobby Sea Balliol complete with spinning prop, steering tailwheel and retractable undercarriage...................

 

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removeable brass locking pin keeps undercarriage leg locked down

 

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when pin removed undercarriage can be retracted. Legs pivot on brass rods in the wings.

 

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then you can go flying around the house  ................

 

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open up the throttle and let's have fun .......................

 

cheers,   adey

 

Edited by adey m
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Did someone mention wing folds .................

 

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My 1/72 Hasegawa Grumman Tracker with folding wings, spinning props and retractable MAD probe. Wings fold by the use of small brass hinges which are used by the R/C guys.

 

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MAD probe is a aluminium tube for lightness to prevent being tail heavy

 

cheers,  adey

 

 

 

 

Edited by adey m
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27 minutes ago, Lord Riot said:

Adey those are amazing, do they have a battery inside?

No batteries were abused in these photo shots Lord Riot, I make sure that my props spin freely with the use of brass rod and tube, then it's a little matter of hand co-ordination, one spins the prop while the other operates the camera .............. sometimes the timing goes wrong................like here

 

resized_c4b03b10-d364-469f-97e5-b2b2421d

 

but luckily we have digital cameras today

 

cheers,  adey

Edited by adey m
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