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Vulcan XH558 - Airfix 1/72


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"According to Craig Bulman's 'Vulcan B2 from a different angle' book, XH558 did have TFR fitted, but it would have been removed when she was converted to the MR role with 27 Sqn. "

 

I have a picture of XH558 with TFR fitted. Still in white underside and no RWR on fin

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On 18/06/2018 at 01:58, stevehnz said:

& that's why I'm not so much into 1/72 for these things, too big for my modelling area & somewhere to put them. Nothing against Vulcans, I like them & do have a 1/144 Great Wall one.

Steve.

Thanks Steve - for me it's the only scale I'm focussed on, mostly out of nostalgia and the range of kits available. I am dipping my toe in the water of larger scales though :) 

 

On 18/06/2018 at 02:39, AdrianMF said:

That does look BIG. And nice too!

 

Shame about the undercarriage doors. The bomb bay and nosewheel doors looks OK so I guess that’s a bit of filling and sanding saved.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian - they'd be fine DOWN, as usual! :) 

 

On 18/06/2018 at 10:35, Azgaron said:

Nice job Ced! Impressive size! :)

 

Could you possibly use the wheel bays as template, and cut doors from plastic sheet?

 

Håkan

 

Thanks Håkan :) Good idea - I'll have a think...

 

On 18/06/2018 at 11:35, cherry268 said:

"According to Craig Bulman's 'Vulcan B2 from a different angle' book, XH558 did have TFR fitted, but it would have been removed when she was converted to the MR role with 27 Sqn. "

 

I have a picture of XH558 with TFR fitted. Still in white underside and no RWR on fin

Thanks Cherry, useful info :) 

 

 

I've done one side of the zzzzzz sanding:

 

42186897844_ed37481395_z.jpg

 

More to come.

 

This morning was spent in the Aerospace Bristol archive with several boxes of Beaufighter stuff.

Two of the boxes were full of negatives / microfilm of 'Assembly Drawings', none of which were indexed but they all numbered and are cross-referenced in the Mk X 'Schedule of Equipment'. They were almost impossible to view on a lightbox, even with a magnifier. I think they need a microfiche reader! Sadly it's not permissible to copy these as the Trust is concerned about product liability, apparently. I guess they're worried someone might build a new one from the drawings and blame them when it crashes. :hmmm: 

 

Other goodies:

Folders 
KEM Ref 2/3 - Various cutting from the press
Flypast Mag May 2003 has feature including history and development of variants www.flypast.com
“Two engines hotly pursued by an airframe”

Aviation news has Beaufort and Beaufighter drawings (no date) in their ‘Warpaint’ articles
    Drawings by John Bishop
Air International Sept 1975 has article on the Beaufort and Blackburn Botha (p124)
Flight magazine ‘Combat Cockpit No 6’ is the Beaufighter
Aeroplane mag August ’99 has feature on 60th and a cutaway of the Mk.I
SR919 was ‘the Last’ (5562nd) built Sept 21 1945

 

KEM Ref 2/3 - memorandum on the Manufacture of Beaufort/Fighter in Australia

 

KEM Ref 67 - Various cutting from the press
Flypast May 2004 has article ‘Beaufighter Rocketeers’

 

KEM Ref 9 - Airframe Test Specimens
Photos of airframe sections, all marked ‘Secret’!

 

KEM Ref 3/147 - ‘Misc Beaufighter’
Profile Publications #137 is Beaufighter I & II (I found a full list of these books here)
File from RR Aero on Griffon II and Merlin XX mounts from 1942
Airfix magazine Nov 68 has MkII Merlin version from Airfix kits
Flypast Jan 2003 has article on USAAF using NF in the Med.
Original memos and docs on Griffon installation including drawings (folder 3/4)
Aeroplane August 2003 has ‘Database’ article on the Beaufighter


Schedule of Spare Parts - Feb 1941 for Mk I. Shows parts from Blenheim, Beaufort and Bombay (!!)

 

Experimental contract for twin engined fighter, Appendix A

Mk X Schedule of Equipment

Original Type Record for the Mk II, Nov 1941 including diagrams of controls, merlin mounting and performance data.

 

Box of Bits
Illustrated London News Sept 27 1941 has cutaway by G H Davis. p407
Aviation Magazine March 1944 p117 
Lots of original memos! Including RAF ‘Reports on Examination of Aircraft’ from 1940 on various aspects of the mark. Each has a series of observations and a column for BAC to respond.
Memos regarding installation of cable cutters to LE's from April ’41.

Experimental Test Flight reports from 
- Nov ’39 for R2053, 
- Jan ’43 for X7881,  150 hour reliability tests on Hercules (with flight logs)

AAEE Boscombe report on trials of Mk VI Type I rocket projectors on EL 393, Oct 44 to June 45. Photos of racks and time lapse of projector jettison

 

Great stuff. They have a grant for its cataloguing and will be starting in September, hoping to finish in a year.

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Really enjoying this build Ced, you do seem to be turning them out faster than I can read the threads! Nice to see the FD nozzles being used, heck, I'm taking notes. 😋 

 

I actually watched that potters wheel interlude, heard about it so many times but never actually sat and watched it. I can't decided if the potter was indecisive on what he (she?) was making, or if that was indeed the method of making the pot. I wonder if it was messed up at the end, we never get to see then end darn it....what did they make?....where did it go? We'll never know....🤔

 

Meanwhile, I've got this Delta beast in the stash along with a Victor (Revell x2) and a Valiant. I may do a V-Bomber trio at some point and stuff them in this new Ikea coffee table I've got on my wish list, £60 but looks the part. https://ikea.assetbank-server.com/assetbank-ikea/action/viewAsset?id=15506   It's 700mm square, will they all fit in or am I going to be disappointed? 🙄 Anyone, anyone?...Bueller...Bueller...?

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Keith - I thought that quote was great too! :D

 

Hi Phil, nice to see you! :D If you'd like to see the end of the interlude it's here. Fruit bowl? 

A V-Bomber coffee table eh? Sounds like a great idea if you can get it past the furnishing committee...

 

 

Where are we? Well, I don't know about you but I'm still filling and sanding:

 

42922174181_e8164a4d7e_z.jpg

 

42203658024_61aeb6d857_z.jpg

 

42873148832_4efacf7933_z.jpg

 

Getting there but my Lord, is it tedious. To put it into perspective this side of the nose is about the same length as the entire seam I usually have to deal with:

 

28053215937_21a2b2eb73_z.jpg

 

I shall persevere...

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Thanks Keith and Martian - just the sort of encouragement I need :) 

Thanks Simon :) Er...

 

29053093408_bf6d75de5a_z.jpg

 

Rats.

Right, how about taking the model and these cans out to the garage:

 

42207210964_f275d49545_z.jpg

 

The Humbrol says 'Matt primer' - what do we think? Bit of black basing?

 

Alternatively, you're supposed to be able to brush Stynylrez.

Or I could just spray a bit that fits at a time... it just about goes in side ways (snurf snurf!)

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Thanks Håkan :) 

 

It's OK guys, I've decided:

 

29053586778_717af76f90_z.jpg

 

This was a whole cup of primer.

It's actually made me realise that:

  • not only will it not fit in the booth all at one but...
  • a cup of paint (yes, a big one) won't cover more than 1/4 of the model and
  • how am I going to hold it if I try to do more at once?

So all in all it's worked out well. Ish.

Just three more cups / sessions and we can see how the sanding went.

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2 hours ago, CedB said:

Right, how about taking the model and these cans out to the garage:

 

Oh Ced,  just my case! Looks good so far for that. Better than a 0,2mm airbrush use with all it's preparation and cleaning afterwards. Too old,  too much time and too lazy. Cheers

Edited by bbudde
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Seamly work Ced and some highly interesting notes from the aviation archives. :thumbsup2:

Looks like you could create a researcher/archivist position there indexing materials?

 

I hope you've included the total weight of all the paint in your calculations if you're going to be dangling the Big Vee from the rafters!

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2 hours ago, CedB said:

29053093408_bf6d75de5a_z.jpg

 

Rats.

Right, how about taking the model and these cans out to the garage:

My point entirely Ced. :D I'm so impressed with how you're getting on with this, a similar thread by me would have celebrated it's third birthday by now. :(

Steve.

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11 hours ago, Azgaron said:

It sure is big, so why on earth do I want to build one in 32nd? :)

 

Håkan

 

I have no idea Håkan, sounds like some sort of illness? :D 

10 hours ago, bbudde said:

Oh Ced,  just my case! Looks good so far for that. Better than a 0,2mm airbrush use with all it's preparation and cleaning afterwards. Too old,  too much time and too lazy. Cheers

Thanks Benedikt :) I'm using a 0.4 'from a distance' so not that bad. It does confirm Paul at Modelling Tools advice that I don't really need a 'wider' airbrush.

The needle was stuck in the brush before I started so my new Windex cleaning routine obviously isn't perfected yet, but it's better.

10 hours ago, TheBaron said:

Seamly work Ced and some highly interesting notes from the aviation archives. :thumbsup2:

Looks like you could create a researcher/archivist position there indexing materials?

 

I hope you've included the total weight of all the paint in your calculations if you're going to be dangling the Big Vee from the rafters!

Thanks Tony :) I did apply as an archive volunteer but didn't get the job. Not surprising I suppose when you consider a LOT of the other volunteers actually worked on the aircraft and are probably able to recognise what they're looking at. I've got two eyelets in the ceiling waiting - should be enough... I hope!

9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

My point entirely Ced. :D I'm so impressed with how you're getting on with this, a similar thread by me would have celebrated it's third birthday by now. :(

Steve.

Thanks Steve :) I am feeling a bit Proverbs 26:11 about this one now. Sand, fill, sand, fill. Very Hebrews 13:8. I'm hoping the 1/48 bits will arrive for the Cessna soon so I can have a break.

8 hours ago, giemme said:

Boy, she's huge! :frantic:

 

I'd have gone with the rattle can primer, but I see you are - as usual - managing it smoothly :clap:

 

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio, especially for your Windex / IPA airbrush cleaning advice - much easier, once I get the routine going :) 

8 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Wow she is a big beastie. Good luck with the painting fella.  You need a bigger spray booth !!!

All the best 

Chris 

Thanks Chris :D A bigger booth was discussed with Mrs B, briefly, but I think I can manage once this one's done... the booth has done a Halifax and Lancasters before, just shows how BIG this thing is.

8 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Me too. And I'd have just about got the cockpit finished....

 

Keith

Thanks Keith :) 

 

 

More sanding in my future:

 

41123065850_5523bb86f0_z.jpg 42215145914_9e6d11d49f_z.jpg

 

Grrrnnggghhhh.

 

It's a bit smelly in the man cave after the last primer session. Do you think I need to change the booth filter? I usually compare the colour of a new one with the old:

 

42215331724_d72006fb4b_z.jpg

 

That'll be a yes then...

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What you need is a small(ish) tent. 

The Halfordes primer is the one I use, but usually grey, and have had some good results with it.

I would normally suggest a couple of dowel rods or old pens wound with masking tape in the jet pipes for holding it, but in your case that probably wouldn't work.

 

Bonne chance.

 

John

 

 

Edited by Biggles87
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Thanks John :) Dowel rods would be my usual solution too but I fear the resin exhausts would crack off this one, as you say :( 

I'll just have to carry on with the top then bottom method, once I've sorted the seams (again!)

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1 hour ago, CedB said:

Thanks Giorgio, especially for your Windex / IPA airbrush cleaning advice - much easier, once I get the routine going :) 

Glad if I can be of any help :smile: Did I mention that while spraying Windex/IPA for cleaning, I unlock the needle and move it back and forth while twisting it, keeping the trigger pressed? It helps removing the bigger residuals and cleaning the needle shaft without having to remove it completely (hope what I've just said makes sense to you)

 

Ciao

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14 minutes ago, giemme said:

Did I mention that while spraying Windex/IPA for cleaning, I unlock the needle and move it back and forth while twisting it, keeping the trigger pressed? It helps removing the bigger residuals and cleaning the needle shaft without having to remove it completely (hope what I've just said makes sense to you)

 

It makes perfect sense to me G, & what a great idea!

 

Keith

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Some more work both sanding and filling, I guess, and it will look nice! :)

 

I'd go for a change of filter! :)

 

Håkan

 

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