Blue Rider 1/72 Gloster Mars X Nightjar

[Patrik]

Finally I can present you the completed kit after series of troubles described here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235028205-172-gloster-mars-x-nightjar-completed/. The kit is an 80's vac-form + some photo etched and white metal parts, with many scratchbuild interior an exterior details. I used Eduard Superfabric seat belts.

Finished as H8537 from No.203 Squadron RAF ca. 1921. The front fuselage has been described alternatively as black, dark grey or even red. I decided to follow the interpretation of the excellent Datafile No.160 and painted it PC10. Contrary to the Datafile colour profile I represented the wing struts in silver dope instead of varnished wood, as the available photo reference suggests so, and of course applied the fuselage stripes with the red in the front, because here the Datafile profile is clearly erroneous and contradicts its own source photo. Hand brushed with Tamiya (PC10), Revell and Humbrol enamel paints. Decals came partly from the kit and partly from my own stock of RAF interwar roundels. Final coat by Mr.TopCoat Flat. And as usual with me, no rigging, I am sorry. Notice the strange windscreen which looks like it could have been used for reading newspaper in the less stressful periods of flight.

Patrik

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Patrik

[cngaero]

Great looking Nightjar, not something that we see much of in these parts.

It's very nicely built and well hand painted.

[stevehnz]

Nicely done work on an unusual subject, you are brave to take it on but the effort has been worth it.   Which Tamiya paint did you use for  the PC10, it looks good?

Steve.

[Buzby061]

A little beauty. Lovely work. 

 

Pete 

[stevej60]

What a great looking build.lovely!

[Meatbox8]

What a super looking model of this little known British fighter. Congratulations on putting tis one together.  Building vacform kits, especially of these tiny proportions, is a dark art in my opinion! I see what you mean about the windscreen.  Maybe it was for map reading. 

[Andwil]

Beautiful model.  Like you I haven't rigged any of my biplanes, I think you can get away with it in 1/72 scale, but I am going to give it a go soon.

 

Andrew

[Courageous]

A good recovery from the varnish problem. A lovely looking Nightjar, a rare build indeed. 

 

Stuart

[Patrik]

18 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nicely done work on an unusual subject, you are brave to take it on but the effort has been worth it.   Which Tamiya paint did you use for  the PC10, it looks good?

Steve.

XF-62 Olive Drab. Looks just fine to me, but I am actually no colour freak, most of my kits are doped silver anyway. Rather tricky paint to work with using a brush, because the second coat dissolves the previous one slightly, so one must be aware not to stroke one place repeatedly, especially not after the second coat had some time to react with the former one. But can be easily the thinner too, because I use just the standard enamel thinner you can buy in every household shop (called S6006 here).

[Head in the clouds.]

Love it.

[Smudge]

Very nice, I do like that. Unusual in the silver dope finish.