BIG X Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 OK - Time to slip in 'under the cover of darkness' to reveal my first of a possible four entries - no pressure there then eh I seem to have been talking to my good mate @Lawzer about this kit for ages and looking back I actually bought it last August, when Hannants were selling them off on one of those 'when they're gone - they're gone' deals. So may I present the Airfix 1/72 Pontoon Bridge... I am sure lots of us are familiar with this little kit, which is actually a snap together type model. I'll lay odds that there is many a Britmodeller that assembled this on the front room carpet - prior to a damn good game of 'war'. Not a lot in the box... and not much in the way of instructions... I doubt it will keep even someone as slow as me the full length of the GB to build and paint this one - so I will be making some other entries. If it helps @Rabbit Leader - http://www.vintage-airfix.com/airfix/ho-oo-forts/pontoon-bridge-p-746.html Airfix Catalogue information: Series: 1 First Issued: 1970 Catalogue Ref - 7th Edition (1969): 1708 Wish me luck folks - Steve 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Should be able to knock this one together well within a rainy day Steve - which could be anyday of the week in the UK if I'm not mistaken!! This will be an interesting and unique edition to this GB. Cheers.. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 @BIG X , i'm sure like my mossie that box has been opened a few times since august!! 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 3 hours ago, Lawzer said: @BIG X , i'm sure like my mossie that box has been opened a few times since august!! 😁 ...oh yes - it has taken all my will power not to take the parts off the sprues - roll on Saturday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 (edited) 12 hours ago, BIG X said: OK - Time to slip in 'under the cover of darkness' to reveal my first of a possible four entries - no pressure there then eh I seem to have been talking to my good mate @Lawzer about this kit for ages and looking back I actually bought it last August, when Hannants were selling them off on one of those 'when they're gone - they're gone' deals. So may I present the Airfix 1/72 Pontoon Bridge... Wish me luck folks - Steve Good luck - looking forward to this and all the surrounding 'extras'! Edited May 29, 2018 by Ventora3300 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Ah the number of times my miniture engineer's threw one of these over the river for my HO/OO airfix tank's to pour over and overun the enemy with,happy day's,good to see it again X! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Hi Big X This is a 1:1 scale version I had to replace a few years ago. A couple of photos below, let me know if you would like any other pictures. I think they overdid the weathering on mine to be honest ! Cheers Pat 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 13 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Hi Big X This is a 1:1 scale version I had to replace a few years ago. A couple of photos below, let me know if you would like any other pictures. I think they overdid the weathering on mine to be honest ! Cheers Pat Sadly the Airfix kit bears no resemblance to 'the real thing'. Like a great artist - I intend to give the 'impression' of a Bailey - you know the sort of thing 'Can you tell what it is yet' Smashing pictures 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Here's one I did 5 years ago 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 Nice looking water there @Ratch 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 I just remembered that my Dad built Bailey Bridges when he was in the Royal Engineers during his National Service after WW2. When we were kids, he took us to see one still in place somewhere near Aviemore when we were on holiday there. (We also visited his old Barracks which was like a ghost town and a bit creepy - didn't stop him yelling out 'By the right, quick maaaaaarrrrch', though! (BM has told me I have no more 'likes' left today so apologies for going 'quiet). Mike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 Hey @Mike - surely GB organisers like @Ventora3300 and @Lawzer should get 'unlimited likes' for the duration of their GB - I think it is going to be a 'biggie' 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 My "like" finger is worn out!!!!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 10 hours ago, Lawzer said: My "like" finger is worn out!!!!! Is that a chat up line on your side of the country ? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 22 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Is that a chat up line on your side of the country ? Easy tiger... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 31/05/2018 at 00:20, JOCKNEY said: Is that a chat up line on your side of the country ? (for people of a certain age...) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 How did we get so far down this thread without any proper pictures of the build - oh maybe because we have been looking at someone else's bridge Anyway - as they say - I've taken the spirit of the GB to heart and only pulled the scalpel and files out at midnight - sounds ominous... ...to trim away all the massive sprue gates and get this 'on the road'... ...and then - DO YOU REMEMBER - WHEN YOU WERE A KID... ...job done - which way to the RFI GALLERY Joking apart - I'm sure this is as far as most of us got as kids. It simply 'fits' together and then we can go and paly 'WAR'. However at over 2ft long I don't want to be accused of 'flaunting myself' - so time to 'sleep on it' - I don't have anywhere big enough to display it as a diorama. ...but I have a cunning plan... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Bbbooooooooooommmmmm! That was the starting gun going off! Very impressive start, BigX! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Well done being first out of the traps (so to speak) I am intreaged by the cunning plan.......🤔 Great start X, Cheers Greg 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 OK - The cunning plan... At over 2ft long the only sensible place to put this is on the living room carpet - but Mrs X has said no - rather firmly - with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face. So - following 'extensive' research I have found that there aren't enough pontoons to keep this bridge stable and afloat - here is an example of pontoon spacing... So I'm only going to use one main section - rather than two. This leaves me with two spare sides... As you can see - one side has detail but the other is a bit 'blank'. I'm not going to tie myself in knots over this, as the kit is generally regarded as completely inaccurate anyway - and I'm here for some FUN. One of the spans is full of these blisters anyway... So - I'm going to glue the blank sides of the side supports together - to give a more 'sturdy' construction. So the first real 'job' - lose the pins on one each of the side supports. Off to do some gluing - back soon 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 Well that didn't take long and I'm kind of committed now... ...why on earth did they put these on the side with the detail though - bit of sanding and some Mr Surfacer - this is like 'real modelling'... While that is setting what else can we do... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 Whilst the Mr Surfacer is 'going off' I have been having a look at the main section. The whole thing will still be 16 inches long - that equates to 101ft or over 30M - still quite a span. However take a look at the pedestrian walking boards... Quite where you find 28ft planks I don't know and how on earth do you transport them... ...time for a bit of scribing... This is what I am trying to achieve - I think... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Oh look....handrails! Is that chap in the photo a health and safety officer 😀 ? More details required perhaps.... I always wondered why my troops fell off this back in the day! Nice work Big X, coming along nicely Cheers Greg 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 2 hours ago, BIG X said: So - I'm going to glue the blank sides of the side supports together - to give a more 'sturdy' construction. Actually, one of the features of the Bailey Bridge was that you could double up the side sections to increase the load carrying capacity. So, you have just added realism to your build! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 2 hours ago, GREG DESTEC said: Oh look....handrails! Is that chap in the photo a health and safety officer 😀 ? More details required perhaps.... I always wondered why my troops fell off this back in the day! Nice work Big X, coming along nicely Cheers Greg Hi Greg, I was 'pondering' the rope handrails - they seem quite common on a lot of Bailey's - it might be out with the cocktail sticks and thread later... 1 hour ago, Ventora3300 said: Actually, one of the features of the Bailey Bridge was that you could double up the side sections to increase the load carrying capacity. So, you have just added realism to your build! 'realism' eh... I can only hope... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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