Matchbox Mojo Restorer

[Sabrejet]

I've had a bit of a (nother) hiatus with my Matchbox 1/32 Tiger Moth. Not sure why, but it's not floating my boat at the minute. So in an attempt to kick-start my mojo, I was looking for something simple, a bit of a challenge and a bit off the beaten path. I looked at a few vacforms on TheBay, but most or all of those I found have been done in recent years by mainstream manufacturers or didn't really fit the bill.

 

So instead I've somehow ended up with Matchbox's Boeing P-12E, which as far as I know is the only 1/72 kit of the type (OK there's a similar Monogram F4B-4) and shouldn't take too long to get results. But instead of doing it OOB, I'm going to try some limited aftermarket. I remember these kits when they came out and having managed to get one via FleaBay, it's been a trip down memory lane. First the box: I recall these being end-opening on the original kits, but this one has a proper lid: which came first?

 

 

Basic instructions and a typically basic decal sheet:

 

 

This being a typical 'no paint required' Lesney product, these are the yellow bits, plus a tiny windshield:

 

 

And the 'olive drab' bits:

 

 

Not forgetting the iconic Matchbox stand. Not sure if I'll use this.

 

 

Markings for two machines, but a lot of masking and painting required. Did this really cost 20p new???!!

 

 

And the aftermarket starts with a new engine - an absolute gem from Small Stuff in 1/72:

 

 

And though not exactly P-12E, I've bought the Pavla P-26 set so I can use the engine baffle plate plus seat (but not the wheels/tyres):

 

 

And finally since the Matchbox decals are a bit basic, I'm going to do one of the aircraft on Starfighter Decals' sheets 72-122 and 72-133 (respectively):

 

 

 

So there it is. I really do hope that this one progresses a bit more hastily than the other stuff I'm struggling with!

 

Oh and who remembers this? Happy times.

 

 

[Tweener]

I'll be watching! I have a P-12 of my own on the bench back home, I started with the Monogram F4B, added a Starfighter Resin P-12E Wing, and painted it to be one of the aircraft used for the 1935 AAF Camouflage Trials. Not quite done because I can't find the decal set I bought for it and I just can't seem to get the paint to act the same way that it did for my P-26 with the same scheme.

 

 

[billn53]

I can't wait to watch & learn how you handle the Small Stuff engine, seeing I have three of them for my just-started Ford TriMotor project 😉  It's absolutely essential you get the forward engine housing aligned exactly with the mid-section piece for the piston cylinders (speaking from experience).

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235045006-back-to-the-mountains-of-madness/

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by billn53

[Sabrejet]

Well @billn53 that Small Stuff engine is absolutely stunning! A TriMotor with three up front will be a real conversation piece.

 

So for those who have yet to see these things, I'll try to go into a bit of detail. Incidentally, they are similar in quality to Taurus WW1 engines and accessories, so really at the top level of what can be done; I think even Wingnut Wings would have trouble doing anything like this in plastic.

 

So here are the main parts of the kit. The wire is there in case you don't use the resin (!) ignition leads:

 

 

Luckily you get lots of spares of the smaller bits - which is just as well. And yes, that is a tiny set of resin tweezers at left above. More kit parts:

 

 

 

Three types of nose case: early, late and geared drive:

 

 

And an idea of how this engine set improves the Matchbox part:

 

 

These are the tiny pushrod tubes and even tinier spark plugs (in 1/72!!) in between:

 

 

And the ignition leads, which I did use in preference to the wire. I thought they's be brittle but they behaved perfectly:

 

 

More engine accessories, including the oil tank/sump (largest part) and intake headers on a separate block in second image:

 

 

 

So without more ado, on to the build. This passed a very pleasant afternoon and only took a couple of very enjoyable hours. This main part takes only a small amount of cleaning up and is the bit which comes together quickest: so far just 11 parts have gone together: nine cylinders, a crank case and the later nose casing (ungeared):

 

 

I'm not going to fit the aft accessory drive casing, so just sanded the aft side of the engine. Here are nine more parts installed - the intake headers (Matchbox parts to the right):

 

 

Because I'm going to fit the Pavla P-26 engine face plate, I decided to reduce the depth of the kit nose casing so that the face plate would sit further aft and flush against the pushrod tubes. So I cut the front off the 'geared' nose casing (spare in the kit) so that I had a risk-free chance of seeing how it went on a spare part. In the end it went OK and I still have all my fingertips too. In fact I then decided to use this resultant cam casing (left below) and gently sand the aft side of the unmodified 'late' casing so that I could lose some vital millimeters risk-free. The parts are resting against a cocktail stick by the way:

 

 

In the end, even with a mm or two lost, I still needed to sand the front face of the nose case, but since it will be hidden behind the Pavla face plate I'm not too worried, though it does look a bit rough in the next few photos. So next, up, spark plugs. These are MINUTE!!!

 

 

And here (arrowed) is one installed (note also the roughly-modified nose casing):

 

 

Then next up, 18 pushrod tubes: handily, part 20 is a jig to ensure you cut them to the correct length:

 

 

And here is the engine with 9 spark plugs fitted and a few of the first pushrod tubes. For a bit of scale, the second view is the engine balanced on my trusty X-acto razor saw for scale:

 

 

 

And then, with nine resin plug leads fitted, with the Matchbox engine again:

 

 

And the aft side, with nine more plug leads (it's a twin-plug head, like most piston aero engines). Since I'd lost most of the spare spark plugs to the carpet monster I decided to just plug the leads straight into the spark plug holes - that side of the engine should be less visible):

 

 

Then after a bit of grinding-out of the Pavla engine face plate, a trial-fit on the engine:

 

 

And this is how big it is when almost finished:

 

 

And just about the final bit fitted: the oil sump: I will paint this separately and fit it later:

 

 

I have to say I loved this little project and I can't wait to get some more, even if I don't have anything to fit them to! They make awesome models in their own right and I suspect I'll get one just to justify buying a kit to fit it to: indeed I will look at getting at least one from the whole range. Next I think I'll take a look at the cockpit and maybe put some paint on the engine. Next time I may paint the parts before assembly too. Mojo definitely on the mend!

[billn53]

Very very nicely done. And in only a couple of hours? It took me that long to do just one cylinder LOL!

 

Also, I’ve decided to build my trimotor with Small Stuff’s Wasp Junior engines (that’s what most trimotor photos seem to show) so I now have a couple unopened packs of their R-1340s that I’ll let go cheap, if anyone’s interested. 

Edited October 22, 2018 by billn53

[Courageous]

Welcome back Duncan, impressive start. I love the look of those engines from Small Stuff,did you but direct or from UK somewhere?

 

Stuart 

[Sabrejet]

9 hours ago, Courageous said:

Welcome back Duncan, impressive start. I love the look of those engines from Small Stuff,did you but direct or from UK somewhere?

 

Stuart 

From eBay in fact: came direct from Small Stuff via there - and dead quick too.

[Richard Humm]

On 10/21/2018 at 7:42 PM, Sabrejet said:

First the box: I recall these being end-opening on the original kits, but this one has a proper lid: which came first?

 

Markings for two machines, but a lot of masking and painting required. Did this really cost 20p new???!!

 

 

 

 

The box and lid version came out first in March 1973, with the move to one-piece boxes being in 1974. The original RRP was 23p, so your one must have been sold at a discount.

[Morlock]

Going to look good even without the extras. Matchbox were my Airfix growing up their kits were more available than Airfix ones were when I was a kid! 

[Steve Coombs]

I wish Revell would repop this (as well as the Siskin). Both my P-12E and Siskin fell prey to a falling shelf about 30 years ago...

[Andwil]

Fantastic work on that engine Sabrejet!

 

46 minutes ago, Steve Coombs said:

I wish Revell would repop this (as well as the Siskin). Both my P-12E and Siskin fell prey to a falling shelf about 30 years ago...

The like is for your call for the repop of the P-12E and Siskin, not for the shelf falling on your models!

 

AW

[Sabrejet]

OK so to the fuselage (which is tiny): some major ejector pin marks to remove, plus a lovely bit of  'Matchbox 1973' embossed print:

 

 

The P-12E has a metal fuselage with stringers and frames in aluminium, so my aim was to replicate that, using the tried and trusted method of v. thin plastic card and an attempt to cut that into the thinnest strips possible! Possibly still a bit too thick for scale, but better than looking at a fuselage full of ejector pin marks. I'm going to keep the cockpit floor so that I have something to rest a new one on top of:

 

 

[Sabrejet]

Bit more cockpit work: aft bulkhead and a floor, since the Matchbox one would have a big seam down the middle:

 

 

 

And to stop the draughts coming through, a front bulkhead:

 

 

Did I say it's tiny? It's tiny.

[Courageous]

yes, it's tiny.

Glad you spruced up the cockpit with that big hole there.

 

Stuart

[rob Lyttle]

..... And this year's "Watchmaker of the Year" Award goes to.....

 

 

 

 

Saberjet... !!

👏👏👏👌👏👍👏

[j-fever]

So cool to see, lots of fond memories of building multicolored matchbox kits.

 

 

[Bill.B]

1/72 spark plugs? That’s just insane! This is a fascinating build so I’ll tag along, watch & learn.

BTW, to thwart the carpet monster I use an old white bedsheet laid out on the floor under my work bench, that way small parts (usually PE) can’t disappear down in the pile of the carpet, they simply lay on top. 

[Sabrejet]

3 hours ago, Bill.B said:

1/72 spark plugs? That’s just insane! This is a fascinating build so I’ll tag along, watch & learn.

BTW, to thwart the carpet monster I use an old white bedsheet laid out on the floor under my work bench, that way small parts (usually PE) can’t disappear down in the pile of the carpet, they simply lay on top. 

Nice tip and one I may well adopt. I was lucky this time since I had lots of spares but ballistic PE might be recoverable with the bedsheet trick.👍

[Graeme H]

Really loving this, I think I still have an unbuilt one somewhere, must go looking

[Sabrejet]

1 minute ago, Graeme H said:

Really loving this, I think I still have an unbuilt one somewhere, must go looking

It's a little gem: I always think of Matchbox kits being clunky but this one has real finesse. I didn't build this one back when they came out - I think the Strikemaster was my first Matchbox, followed by a lot more. I Googled the subject and realise I made a good number but missed quite a few too: those I made are in bold but I somehow missed doing the Hawker Fury and Siskin; and I have to admit to being completely oblivious to the Fairey Seafox! I think I may look on TheBay for that as a stash candidate.

 

PK-1  Hawker Fury I
PK-2  Spitfire Mk. V
PK-3  Boeing P-12E: finally getting round to this one!!!
PK-4  Mitsubishi Zero
PK-5  Dornier Alpha Jet
PK-6  Focke-Wulf Fw 190A
PK-7  Westland Lysander Mk. I/II
PK-8  Gloster Gladiator Mk. I
PK-9  Bell AH-1G Hueycobra
PK-10 BAC Strikemaster Mk.80/86
PK-11 Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC
PK-12 F-5A Freedom Fighter
PK-13 Mustang Mk. IV
PK-14 Vought F4U-4 Corsair
PK-15 Hawker Siddeley Gnat T. Mk. I
PK-16 Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR 1/AV-8A
PK-17 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
PK-18 Grumman F6F-3/Mk. I Hellcat
PK-19 Mikoyan MiG-21
PK-20 Dassault Mirage IIIC
PK-21 Messerschmitt 262 A-1a/A-2a
PK-22 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
PK-23 Hawker Tempest Mk. II/Mk. VI
PK-24 Brewster Buffalo I/B-339D
PK-25 A.W. Siskin Mk. IIIA
PK-26 Henschel Hs 126
PK-27 Hawker Siddeley Hawk Mk. 1/T. Mk. 51
PK-28 Lockheed CF-104/F-104G Starfighter
PK-29 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk
PK-30 Percival Provost T. Mk. 1/Mk. 52
PK-31 Curtiss P-40N/Mk. IV Warhawk
PK-32 North American F-86A-5 Sabre
PK-33 Saab J-29F Tunnan
PK-34 Aeritalia G-91Y
PK-35 Curtiss SBC-4 Helldiver
PK-36 Fairey Seafox
PK-37 Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier FRS 1/FRS 51
PK-38 SA 360 Dauphin
PK-39 Northrop F-5B
PK-40 Lockheed TF-104B Starfighter
PK-41 Mikoyan MiG-21 MF
PK-42 T-2C Buckeye
PK-43 Bell OH-58D Aeroscout
PK-44 Dassault Mirage IIIB
PK-45 BAe Harrier GR 3
PK-46 BAe Hawk 200
PK-47 Dassault Mystere IV.
PK-48 MBB/Kawasaki BK-117

 

PK-101 LTV A-7D Corsair II 
PK-102 SEPECAT Jaguar
PK-103 Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X
PK-104 Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver
PK-105 Supermarine Walrus Mk. II
PK-106 Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S Mk. 2B
PK-107 Dornier Do 28D-2 Skyservant
PK-108 Westland Lynx
PK-109 Junkers Ju 188D-1
PK-110 Hawker Siddeley 125-600/Dominie T. Mk. 1
PK-111 Junkers Ju 87 D-3/G-1
PK-112 Fairey Swordfish Mk. I/III
PK-113 Messerschmitt Me 410 A-2/U4, B-1
PK-114 BAC Lightning F. Mk. 2A/6
PK-115 Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-3/D-2
PK-116 D.H. Mosquito B. Mk. IX/NF. Mk. 30
PK-117 Hawker Hunter F.6/T. Mk. 7
PK-118 Lockheed P-38L Lightning
PK-119 Saab AJ-37 Viggen
PK-120 Douglas A-20G Havoc/Boston IV
PK-121 Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II
PK-122 General Dynamics F-16A Thunderbirds
PK-123 Vickers Wellesley Mk. I
PK-124 Grumman F9F-4/F9F-5 Panther Blue Angels
PK-125 Norseman IV/UC-64A
PK-126 BAC Lightning T. Mk 55
PK-127 D.H. Twin Otter
PK-128 BAe Jaguar T. Mk. 2
PK-129 Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF-11/12/14
PK-130 Panavia Tornado F. Mk. 3
PK-131 Saab SK-37 Viggen
PK-132 Heinkel He 70F-2/G-1/He 170A
PK-133 Westland Wessex HAS.31/HU.5
PK-134 Douglas Skyknight F3D-2/F3D-2T2

 

PK-401 Heinkel He 115
PK-402 Wellington B. Mk.X/GR. Mk. XIV
PK-403 Heinkel He 111H
PK-404 McDonnell Douglas F-4K/M Phantom II
PK-405 North American B-25H/J Mitchell
PK-406 Grumman F-14A Tomcat
PK-407 Martin B-26B/Mk. II Marauder
PK-408 BAC Canberra PR. Mk. 9
PK-409 Dornier Do 18 V-2/D-2/G-1
PK-410 Grumman EA-6B Prowler
PK-411 McDonnell F-101F/CF-101B/RF-101B Voodoo
PK-412 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG. 1/FGR. 2
PK-413 Boeing Vertol Chinook HC Mk. 1/CH-47D

 

PK-501 Spitfire F. Mk.22/F. Mk. 24
PK-502 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
PK-503 Douglas SBD Dauntless
PK-504 Westland Lysander
PK-505 DH-82A/C Tiger Moth
PK-506 Sea Venom FAW 22
PK-507 Puma HS

 

PK-551 Handley Page Victor K. 2 Tanker

 

PK-601 Supermarine Stranraer
PK-602 Avro Lancaster B. Mk. I/III
PK-603 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
PK-604 Halifax B. Mk. I/GR. Mk. II/Srs.IA
PK-605 Handley Page Heyford Mk. I/II/III
PK-606 PB4Y-2 Privateer/Liberator RY-3

 

PK-651 Douglas AD-5/AD-5N Skyraider
PK-652 North American FJ-4B Fury
PK-653 Kaman SH-2F Seasprite

[Sabrejet]

Back to the watchmaking: cockpit almost finished, with Pavla seat (well most of it) installed and Airwaves PE belts added:

 

 

In fact those brass tube seat supports were a bit overscale so I replaced them with thinner rod in the end. I also ground away the seatbelts on the seat as they were a bit indistinct; I also added a seat cushion. Here is the stuff painted and with a hefty wash, which I wish I'd toned down.

 

 

It's a pain to photograph all closed up, but here is my best effort:

 

 

And there is an instrument panel in there too, but you can't really see it:

 

 

 

Next up - bit of rivet removal! The P-12E was mainly flush-rivetted so that will be my next task I think. I found this lovely shot of the real thing. These aircraft seem to have served as trainers in later years (and fitted with proper exhaust collector ring and wing-mounted lamps (for night flying?)? - anyone know why? I guess this could also be a Navy F4B-3/4), but mine will be Olive Drab and Yellow, not sure which one yet:

 

 

 

[Col.]

Wow! That engine is quite a piece of work so I'm glad to see you're taking everything else up to the same standard

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Great work on this - can't wait to see the next stage!!

[Courageous]

That cockpit is very nicely done 

I must admit, I never knew that Matchbox done so many kits. I think I have a couple of Matchbox kits in the stash, a Siskin being one of them.

 

Stuart

[invidia]

Lovely kit and great looking model.  I built one a few years ago with that very decal sheet, a word of warning, the 'gold' decals are very thin and stick like a very sticky thing!!!!