Blackburn Kangaroo -Modified Contrail 1/72 vacuum-formed kit

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

This post is in response to a question posted on a related thread.

I thought I had posted this model, but can't find it, I may have posted images of it in reference to vacuformed kits, though.

 

 

 I am very grateful there is even a kit of the Kangaroo but...

Many moons ago Contrail released this now somewhat outdated vacuum-formed hefty kit. It is surely not state of the art, and has many inaccuracies, but it is nevertheless a starting point, if you are willing to spend time and effort. Many of its shortcomings, some subtle and some not, have to be corrected.

No little time was spent on this one. Uncountable hours of research and building and no little grief has been endured in correcting the various kit's faults, let alone the complicated building and subject to start with.

This rather basic kit was given a full interior and a very high number of details not present in the molds.

Needless to say the almost inexhaustible jungle of struts and rigging was the happy occasion of many a well-deserved Martini.

There are myriads of pieces of advise I could list regarding this kit. The kit has some obvious but fixable mistakes.

Retrospectively there are two things you shouldn't do: do not follow the kit's pre-marked locations for any of the struts, they are misaligned and will cause frustration. Measure and drill your own strut locations, and try to be as accurate as you can.

And do not use the white metal exhausts, radiators and props (I used the radiators and props). They are way too heavy and will give the engine gondola too much weight and mass, making it prone to detachment at the least provocation and almost surely during transport or handling, since its securing frame is too fragile. The radiators are easily scratchbuilt, the props may need plastic or resin substitutes. Able modelers may cast the kit's metal props into resin ones.

The Arctic Decals set fortunately facilitated an accurate and pleasant decoration providing its usual well-researched, easy-to-handle, well printed graphics.

There were many civil Kangaroos, each one with its own quirks. Fun is to be had by those wiling to take the bold step.

The British did actually design very beautiful planes, but this one is more, er, sculptural one may say...looking for some redeeming adjective, and that's precisely why we love it so much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Moa

[zebra]

Marvellous model of a remarkable looking aircraft. Can’t help wondering why they thought it needed so much ground clearance!

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

1 minute ago, zebra said:

Marvellous model of a remarkable looking aircraft. Can’t help wondering why they thought it needed so much ground clearance!

Obvious: to clear the cows and sheep.

[Graeme H]

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

21 minutes ago, Graeme H said:

[Horatio Gruntfuttock]

Good grief Mr Moa, is there no end to your willingness to face a challenge and apply your not inconsiderable skills? That is just gob-smacking. I once, furtively and very briefly, looked at one of these kits and then passed on to something else, shaking my head as I moved away! Thank you again for sharing your work.

[Pete in Lincs]

Moa, Epic!

Beautiful pictures too.

[invidia]

Lovely model, I remember my dad building one of these years ago, it never got finished.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

12 hours ago, invidia said:

it never got finished.

I was tempted too, believe me.

The best part is when you realize that strictly following the instructions leads to built-in mistakes.

Others set out to find Eldorado, we try to build models.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Moa

[Meatbox8]

Yet another absolute corker of a model.  Hitherto I hadn't known the type saw civil service.  I wish I had a fraction of the skills (and patience) on display here.  

[bigbadbadge]

Crikey Moa  an amazing model.  Great work on a very unusual subject.

Thanks for sharing. 

All the best 

Chris 

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Having built a couple of the Contrail flying boats I can appreciate what a magnificent job you have done on this model.  Well done sir!

[Courageous]

What they said. Another quality model.

I have to ask, What model build was the most difficult to build? What subject have you started and never finished? Just asking...

 

Stuart

[Edge]

What a fantastic build!

 

[stevej60]

Another outstanding build Moa and may I say one of your best!

[CT Modeller]

Wow that's quite a build. I remember visiting Contrail's place in Somerset many years ago and was amazed at the basic way in which the kits were made - wooden moulds and all. I still have a Contrail Valiant in the attic but I have a feeling it's going to stay there - especially after I built the Mach 2 version which took nearly as much work as the vac form would have. Anyway, very well done for producing such an impressive model of a piece of aviation heritage. I did my apprenticeship at Blackburns (though it was called Hawker Siddeley at the time) during the Buccaneer era, and Blackburn heritage was such things as Beverleys, Firebrand, Skua, etc - hardly ever a mention of the Kangaroo!

[Spitfire31]

Finally, a passenger-carrying plane with a sensible system of boarding – just like a good ol' railway carriage with doors along the length of the car. Designers of 'modern' airliners should take notice.

 

Superb model of a plane I've never even heard of. So, thank you for the modelling inspiration and for the eduction!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

8 hours ago, Courageous said:

What they said. Another quality model.

I have to ask, What model build was the most difficult to build? What subject have you started and never finished? Just asking...

 

Stuart

Hi Stuart

Interesting questions.

This is very subjective, though, and I don't want people to feel discouraged from building this kit or the other. But.

More than the degree of difficulty, it is the sensation that the builds leave behind (they are related, of course, some times).

I hate Dujin kits, but have built many, they are substandard kits with problems of all kinds, yet they depict subjects seldom seen. But I see one and feel heartburn. I truly and utterly hated dealing with the vac of Zeppelin Staaken E4/20, e really miserable kit. The recent build of the Merlin Lockheed Air Express left a sour taste (the most despicably kit I built in my life so far).

I don't mind complex (for example IICM's Illya Mourometz and Tupolev TB-3), although they are challenging kits with faults of their own. Those two and the just posted Burnelli and Blackburn were long builds, peppered in their midst with simpler subjects builds. A recent scratch that required a hefty effort both in research and through the build was the Rorbach Roland (M-CACA in the photos)

 

As far as I can recall, I stopped only three builds in all my modeling life (once I bite, I hardly ever let go):

I made a series of autogyros but left a Buhl one unbuilt; a scratch of a Dorand AR-2 that I started and lost interested in; and a vac Execuform kit of a Spartan Executive that I was modifying -backdating it to prototype stage- and ended up butchering beyond salvation.

One I never even started: I bought -for a not very convenient price- a Combat vac of the Dornier DOX, looked at the contents, and kicked the humongous box to the dirtiest, darkest corner of the garage, where it has been (and will ever be) since. A monster without possibility of real redemption.

 

So there, my modeling shadows in a nutshell 😉

 

 

 

[pheonix]

I have not seen the Kangaroo modelled before - but now I have seen one as a masterpiece. The civilian setting is superb, and the photos first class. I too like a forst of struts and wires - somehow they look more challenging than they really are - except of course when the instructions lead the modeller astray....

 

Do keep these models coming - they are truly inspiring.

 

P

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

7 minutes ago, pheonix said:

I have not seen the Kangaroo modelled before - but now I have seen one as a masterpiece. The civilian setting is superb, and the photos first class. I too like a forst of struts and wires - somehow they look more challenging than they really are - except of course when the instructions lead the modeller astray....

Not to mention P that they keep jumping all over the building board while you are trying to add the details.

 

[Britman]

Absolutely fantastic, that's exactly why i have had a bit of an urge to build one of these. It just oozes character. 

 

Keith 

[Darby]

Absolutely bang on old bean!

[Jonners]

Once again, a superb model - and this time of an aircraft that has to be one if my favourites due to its sheer ungainliness. Your top tips for attempting the Contrail kit are very welcome; if I ever get / take the opportunity to try one myself I will remember your advice. Thanks!

Jon

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

2 hours ago, Britman said:

Absolutely fantastic, that's exactly why i have had a bit of an urge to build one of these. It just oozes character. 

 

Keith 

Keith, go for it. It takes some effort and time, but it's rewarding to have it finished.

59 minutes ago, Darby said:

Absolutely bang on old bean! 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

13 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

Hitherto I hadn't known the type saw civil service. 

There were about 11 civil registrations for the Kangaroo, three of them had canopies for the passengers.

All differed to some extent, since they were customized. The reference material available is not superlative or exhaustive, but it's enough to work from. So there is a lot to chose from.

And there is the decal set from Arctic Decals.