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1/48 Airfix Buccaneer


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After months of fruitless searches on ebay for one of these, a big thank you to @224 Peter who very kindly offered me one for a good price earlier this year, and now I finally have the time to make it! I hope I do it justice as the Bucc is one of my favourites.

 

IMG40541539191372.jpg

 

A full pamphlet of instructions and huge decal sheet! Can't decide between 12 or 208 sqn yet, I'll see as I progress. However, one thing missing - the big underwing serials! Are there any 1/48 Bucc decals available with these at all? I'd kind of like to do an older one if possible, one of the XN, XT or XV range. Are they 36 inch characters or larger?

 

 

 

 

 

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Xtradecal X48137 has markings for XX895 in 12 Squadron colours with large underwing serials but I think she’s in wraparound Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey.

 

Buccaneer underwing serials are 36 inches high, as are those on the Phantom FG. 1 and FGR. 2.

Edited by stever219
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I am now finishing (I hope!) for forthcoming Telford an S-1 conversion.

It's  a seal "putty eater"  kit !!

 

A big choice of finish in the model alliance sheet and a lot of serials to mix up as well.  By the way  on ebay right now at a reasonable price.

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21 minutes ago, Devilfish said:

Aren't the options for the kit both wraparound camo?  Therefore no underwing serials would be carried.

 

Yes, I'll be doing her in wraparound, but they did have underwing serials in that scheme at first. Not sure when they were painted out.

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8 minutes ago, fubar57 said:

Is this a different molding than the original? I heard the original made modellers cry

The moulding I tried to make previously was OK but it was definitely the original 'twist and shout' model....it twisted and you shouted!

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25 minutes ago, MarkSH said:

The moulding I tried to make previously was OK but it was definitely the original 'twist and shout' model....it twisted and you shouted!

Takes some work.  Here's my current build at that "delicate" stage of negotiation!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/150542161@N05/45199786592/in/dateposted-public/

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16 minutes ago, Graham T said:

Takes some work.  Here's my current build at that "delicate" stage of negotiation!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/150542161@N05/45199786592/in/dateposted-public/

 

All this to look forward to! And not a clamp in the house. Might have to be pegs and masking tape! 

 

I did a dry fit of the fuselage halves, one seems to be about a millimetre longer than the other! 

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1 minute ago, Lord Riot said:

I did a dry fit of the fuselage halves, one seems to be about a millimetre longer than the other! 

I think that's just built-in bend tolerance!

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2 hours ago, MarkSH said:

I think that's just built-in bend tolerance!

It's not.  They genuinely can be different lengths.  My solution: cut off the longer front section (probably the lower half) and space it with plastic card.  It's easier than it sounds.  Especially if you do all your sawing before you assemble the fuselage.

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I enjoyed your Jaguar build so I'll definitely follow your progress on this one. It's a wonderful aircraft and it really does deserve a modern tooling, but congrats on getting an Airfix one for less than the price of a small family car!

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I built a couple of these maybe ten years ago

Treat the fuselage as a vacform. Glue tabs along the top and bottom of one half.

You may need to roughen the plastic to get the glue to hold. DRY fit & then dry fit again

For clamping, follow your local postie and pick up the elastic bands he drops. They're cheap and the method will work.

IIRC the intakes will need work/filler at the rear joint. The exhaust nibs may need work too.

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Watching this - got to do one of these when I can get one at the right price.  I am not far from Honnington & the last Bucc is still there on the gate.  Looks a bit sad now but wrap around camo it has to be for me.  Good luck with wrestling it in to shape

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Cheers chaps! Some good advice there too, I'll definitely be following that when it comes to the fuselage especially. 

 

I have read quite a few horror stories about this kit but I've wanted a big Bucc for ages and it's the only one around. It's odd how Airfix seemed to make this one so dodgy, hopefully the workarounds suggested on here will put that right. Having said that, all the Buccs on the RFI look awesome so it should be doable.

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