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Breaking cover!


Heather Kay

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I have been seriously getting back into plastic kit modelling again, following a lifelong passion. I've been lurking here as a guest, staring in awe at the amazing work on display and gleefully collecting new ideas and skills. I felt it was time to disable lurk mode and show myself.

 

Hello. :)

 

I'm Heather. I've been making tiny things since I was knee high to a grasshopper. My parents always encouraged me and my sister to be creative, and I was always making detailed things for our doll's house. Add in a fascination with all things mechanical, and it was sort of inevitable that I should move into building models from kits as well.

 

After failing to make any sensible headway in my chosen career path as a graphic artist, I managed to find myself a little niche as a professional model maker, turning a hobby into a business. I specialise in O gauge model railway subjects, ranging from relatively modern diesel locos to a train's worth of GWR broad gauge coaching stock. To relax, I enjoy myself by collecting kits to feed my insatiable passion for all things to do with 1940.

 

What started as just an interest in the Battle of Britain, at around the 40th anniversary of that famous event, it has become a lifelong passion. Now I've extended my interest to cover the entire Western European theatre in 1940, so that's the Phoney War, Norway, Blitzkrieg, Battle of France, Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and the Night Blitz. I aim to try to illustrate these events with 1/72nd scale model aircraft, with at least one example of every type that flew during the year. 

 

My original idea was to build the traditional Battle of Britain set: Luftwaffe and RAF Fighter Command. Then I thought it was fairer to include the RAF's other commands to even things up a bit. Coastal and Bomber Commands all saw action through the period, after all. Why not include Fleet Air Arm planes? Things have got a bit out of control now, with Belgian, Dutch and French Air Force types arriving in the stash. I'm also seriously researching what the Norwegians were flying...

 

Here's an example of a recent build. 

 

40564063435_4ac15c14c7_b.jpgBlackburn Roc MkI by Heather Kavanagh, on Flickr

 

Blackburn Roc MkI, from the Special Hobby kit. I quite enjoyed the build, but the painting was a bit of job. Other FAA planes will join the collection, with a Fairey Fulmar already in the stash. 

 

That's plenty of words from me. I'll now go and properly follow some topics that I've been lurking on. When I get a chance, I will kick off a build thread or several, but it may be a while as I'm a bit busy in the "day job". It's currently "painting season" and GWR coach livery takes a lot of painting!

Edited by Heather Kay
Dodgy Flickr link
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Heather, welcome that’s an intriguing cv!  Your Roc looks really nice, with a lovely finish, but I guess it should!

My daughter is doing an art foundation course next year, I’ll suggest O gauge model railways as a fall-back option if fashion illustration (or whatever is this weeks plan) falls through - she’s been properly educated with several Airfix Spitfires under her belt!

cheers

Will

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4 minutes ago, Don149 said:

Well done Heather, show us blokes what ladies dainty hands can do !.

Ha! I have sausage fingers like the rest of you! Some of the new breed of kits have many very small parts to frustrate, annoy and feed the carpet monster!

1 minute ago, malpaso said:

Heather, welcome that’s an intriguing cv!  Your Roc looks really nice, with a lovely finish, but I guess it should!

My daughter is doing an art foundation course next year, I’ll suggest O gauge model railways as a fall-back option if fashion illustration (or whatever is this weeks plan) falls through - she’s been properly educated with several Airfix Spitfires under her belt!

Thank you! There's a few lady modellers in O Gauge, but I'm sure she'd be welcome. I quite enjoy the metal bashing, as many kits are etched brass and need forming and soldering. The following is a brass coach which took me about two years to complete.

 

28009032540_5852759e98_b.jpgBR Mk1 RMB (Diagram 99) by Heather Kavanagh, on Flickr

 

Boy, was I glad to get that one off the bench!

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3 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

 Why not include Fleet Air Arm planes? 

Other FAA planes will join the collection, with a Fairey Fulmar already in the stash. 

Sound choice of subjects. And fine intro with a Pusser's Roc.

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Wow! Thanks for the welcome, chaps!

 

I've got a bit of a backlog of client work to plough through, but there are some boxes in the stash that keep calling to me. I don't think it'll be long before I start a work in progress thread on something.

 

It would be nice to post some of my past work on BM, but I think it may be more sensible to let you click on the Roc up there and see them on Flickr for now. 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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Welcome aboard Heather. You're right about female railway modelers. I was always a fan of Vivienne Thompson and her models of LB&SCR models. I still have her book. That BR Mk.1 is fabulous. I'd love to see more of your railway stuff.

 

John. 

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1 hour ago, Roger Newsome said:

Welcome Heather. Funnily enough I found your Airfix Whitley build on another forum just the other week when I was building mine, it was very helpful.... and a lovely finish. 👍

 

Thanks Roger. I need to revisit my Whitley. The Xtradecal set I used for it was out of register leaving a white drop shadow, and I ought to either redo the squadron codes or apply some more paint. One of the reasons for joining Britmodeller was because out of a stash of 19 kits (and growing, not forgetting my narrow field of interest) only four are Airfix. Rightly, Airfix take a rather dim view of non-Airfix builds on their forum. I am patiently waiting for the new tool Wimpey to arrive. It must be soon, mustn't it? :please:

 

42 minutes ago, CedB said:

Welcome Heather :)

Lovely Roc and I'm looking forward to seeing more!

 

Watch this space, as they say. Can I add I am enjoying your thread on the Hind. I don't really do whirlybirds, but I have got an Airfix Fairey Rotodyne in the stash somewhere, for which I have plans for a what-if one day. I find it's often therapeutic to branch out from my rather narrow period interest, hence a 1/72nd scale TSR-2 arrived a few years ago. One of my all-time favourite aircraft, and Best Beloved and I always make a pilgrimage to see the Cosford example every year.

 

27 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

Welcome aboard Heather. You're right about female railway modelers. I was always a fan of Vivienne Thompson and her models of LB&SCR models. I still have her book. That BR Mk.1 is fabulous. I'd love to see more of your railway stuff.

 

There's a bunch of stuff on my Flickr, John, and I share the best in showcases on my web site (see my signature). It's taken a few years, but it's nice to see more lady modellers getting the proper recognition for their work. Maggie Gravett is a current hero. I wish I could build structures and scenery like she does.

 

 

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1 minute ago, Max Headroom said:

Now then, your BoB theme........don’t forget the Italians!

 

D'oh! How could I forget the Italians?! :blush: I've the Italeri Fiat BR20, and waiting for a decent Fiat CR42 to appear. 

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Welcome, Heather! Always nice to see someone on here who models railway stuff as well as the more traditional wingy things  :)

 

Edited to add: That Pannier Tank is terrific! :thumbsup2:

 

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:welcome:, Heather, to Britmodeller, and the madhouse, er, website. I am Joe, live in the SE corner of Wisconsin, USA. This is a great place to be; as I am sure that you have already discovered. Your Roc and the rail coach are just superb! I suspect a large percentage of the people here started with a train set as youngsters before discovering things that float, clank, roll, or fly. I preferred HO scale myself; but, nothing wrong with your choice. My interests are 1/72nd scale aircraft, any era. I am glad to see that you stopped lurking, and decided to join. I look forward to your builds, comments, and questions.

Joe

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22 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

...and waiting for a decent Fiat CR42 to appear. 

I can recommend the Italeri Fiat CR.42; it's a nice kit that makes a good looking model and I don't think we will get a better one any time soon :)

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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11 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

I can recommend the Italeri Fiat CR.42

I shall look out for that, ta. A quick sqwerch on Hannants doesn't turn anything up in 1/72 scale, so I'll throw my net a bit wider. 👍

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