Smudge Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 (edited) Well, in for a penny in for a pound. I couldn't let the Airfix GB slip by without at least one aircraft entry. Only a small one with a very minimal parts count, so I should be ok to finish (he said crossing his fingers). I have made one of these before, if I recall it's all fairly straightforward. Just a matter of what extras to add in the way of scratch built detail. Probably do a bit in the cockpit as it is fairly minimalistic in there. I am a bit of a fan of this aircraft. Quite an amazing little machine, if rather dangerous to operate. I remember seeing one at the Imperial War Museum back in the 1970's, and recently on a day out in London when we popped into the Science Museum. They have one in the Flight Gallery. I couldn't resist opening it up. I felt strangely nostalgic as I sliced through the little blister pack and breathed in that 70's air. I might pop this one on the stand Thanks for looking. Edited June 26, 2018 by Smudge Picture added 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Hey, it's got twice as many parts as the older Lindberg Komet has. That was my first 1/72 WW2 aircraft model, way back in early 1967. Chris 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 I've never seen the sprues for this kit, so thanks for taking these clear photographs. They look quite neat. Looking forward to seeing this one build up quickly. Cheers.. Dave 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 Not one I remember, so should be good Cliff 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 Looking forward to seeing this one get underway. I remember it coming out when I was a kid and being really excited about getting one. Great box art too. Quite rare and expensive these days. Enjoy the build. Cheers Greg 😀 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) On 24/06/2018 at 07:49, Rabbit Leader said: I've never seen the sprues for this kit, It's quite a nice little kit. A bit short on detail. I was just looking at some references and noticed there are no armament/cannon openings in the wing leading edges. On the plus side the surface detail is nicely done. Raised detail, but very fine. I will have to go easy and try to preserve as much as I can. 21 hours ago, GREG DESTEC said: Quite rare and expensive these days. Oh, I didn't realise that. Too late now. I'd better not mess it up Edited June 25, 2018 by Smudge 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 So off we go. A bit of test fitting. Everything looked pretty good. The only niggle was the slight gap at the wing joint. The wings seem to fit snugly on the underside, but leave a slight gap on the top. I scraped away at the inside of the wing joint and, this helped achieve a nicer fit. I cleaned up the seam lines which are on most of the parts, and started some assembly. The cockpit is rather sparse, but then the real thing was not exactly roomy. I think that this will probably be enough. I will try and detail the instrument panel, and add some seat belts, but probably not much more I was thinking of doing an in flight aircraft, using the stand. But this little fellow is not a Komet pilot. They wore a very distinctive flight suit and mask. Besides, the ground handling and take off trolley is rather nice and it would be a shame not to use it. Cheers guys. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Now that I don't appear to have anymore distractions (and I don't even like watching football, usually) I find I have time to do something more interesting. A bit of paint and some tape seat belts. I drilled out a few dials in the centre of the panel, and added a few drops of clear fix, to try and replicate more closely the real thing. The Airfix panel is actually quite good. I found a few pictures of Komets with their cannon ports faired over with doped patches (Spitfire/Hurricane style) and was tempted to take the easy way out and depict them so, but in the end I opted to drill them out. I think that looks a bit better. Cheers. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I just found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNIpJcOZPlA How cool is that! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 I was going to say "that's crazy, how can that fuel be legal", then I saw it was being flown as a glider. Way too fast on his approach though! Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 On 6/24/2018 at 11:28 PM, GREG DESTEC said: Quite rare and expensive these days. All the more reason to build it. Collectors can bog off. :) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 takes me (us?) back! And Airfix Modellers club badge too..... just googled that - ran until 1981, membership reached 150,000. Dick Emery (remember him?) was 'President'... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 On 14/07/2018 at 18:02, limeypilot said: Way too fast on his approach though! I don't think Komet's make the best gliders! On 15/07/2018 at 08:30, FalkeEins said: Dick Emery (remember him?) was 'President'... Ha ha yes, FalkeEins. 'You are awful, but I like you'. (Dick Emery catch phrase, for those who might be wondering) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 Well, typical isn't it. You do lots of dry fitting and fettling and everything looks tickety boo. Then you commit to gluing the bits together and .........hang on, that's not quite right The wings had a definite dihedral (upwards sweep), when they should really be straight (neutral). I had to bend them down a little to achieve the correct look, unfortunately leaving a slight gap on the upper wing root join. A little Plastic Putty should fix it ok. There was also a nasty ridge at the join on the lower starboard wing. I have tried the 'masking tape method' to try a protect some of the moulded detail, and used some wet n dry to sand away at the plastic to try and reduce it for a better fit. Besides those little issues, it all seems to be coming along. Cheers guys. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 looking good! Jeez this thing must be pretty small if that's a tub of cocktail sticks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 Hi Lawzer. Yes, she's a bit of a tiddler (well spotted on the cocktail sticks. I don't know how I used to make models without them). Here she is with a familiar object for scale. I have cut out and repositioned the rudder, just to give it a bit of character. I filled the gaps at the wing join, and underside wing tips. PPP worked fine and is so much easier to use than some of the other 'old school' stuff. No need for filler anywhere else (not that there is much else) the centre line seam cleaned up nicely. Tidying up the little propeller that is such a feature of the Komet. Some kind of generator I guess. I will have to look that up. My hand vice is really 'handy' for these little jobs. Cheers, Guys. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Nice work! Jeez how SMALL is that prop??! 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 3, 2018 Author Share Posted September 3, 2018 Cheers Lawzer. Yep, that is pretty small. We'll I have been absent for a little while, but have been doing a bit here and there. I wasn't too pleased with the kit pitot tube/prope. I used some very small diameter hollow brass tube to make a replacement. Quite pleased with that. I have ordered some resin Revi gunsight's, so they should be here in a day or two, which will be mounted on the bar across the front of the cockpit. Cheers. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Back in 2010, I visited the Airfix facility in Margate. The Me163 metal mould was on display there. Quite a lump of metal for such a tiny kit. The Vulcan mould must have been a whopper! Tony. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 3, 2018 Author Share Posted September 3, 2018 Brilliant! Thanks for the picture. Amazing how they do it really. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 great picture @TonyW - I've never actually seen a mould before! It makes me realize the craftsmanship and work that must have gone into the older moulds - guess it would all be done by computer controlled machines these days..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 16 hours ago, TonyW said: Back in 2010, I visited the Airfix facility in Margate. The Me163 metal mould was on display there. Quite a lump of metal for such a tiny kit. The Vulcan mould must have been a whopper! Tony. Ah , my question is answered in that the little sign in the bottom left indicates that there must also be a'male' half to the mould that fits on top to provide the other side to the parts. Maybe it also has holes for ejector pins - nasty things which make marks on that perfect plastic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 Well, I have been tinkering away at the old Komet. I got a nice little Revi 16b Gunsight from Quickboost. Much nicer than something I would have made out of a block of plastic. Just a few little things to do, and then the painting. A little mock up with the trolley. Cheers guys. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Superb! younhave steadier hands than me to fit that gunsight! 😆👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 13, 2018 Author Share Posted September 13, 2018 Yes it's rather small and fiddly, it did take me several attempts to get it into position. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now