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Short Sunderland in 1/32nd scale


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8 hours ago, tomprobert said:

Bulkheads, bulkheads, bulkheads and more bulkheads will be the key - in fact I've cleared my local model ship out of 1mm plastic card sheets! The kit plastic is pretty thick though, so it's actually fairly rigid but the wings are going to need some serious supporting.

I too have visited Calshot and spent a week doing water sports down there in 1995 - many of the hangars were being used by the activity centre and we actually stayed in the old barracks - great fun!

 

In regard to markings - as it's a MkII it'll be in the early 1940/41 Coastal Command scheme of Slate Grey/Dark Sea Grey over sky. There are no markings available for this kit though, so they'll all be home-made masks.

Yes I do remember seeing the Sunderland fly - my Dad and I also got inside it when it was anchored down at Rochester. Good times!

I know... I've run into major problems with the BUFF (mainly undercarriage related) so have had to shelve it for the time being. The Shackleton is still in storage and will be finished one day, I promise!

I've often looked at the 1/48th kits available - I had a drool over the Sanger one but have not had the chance of a close examination of the Combat one. However, having built a few Combat kits, I imagine it's best to avoid it!

 

Surprisingly, the Combat Model 1/48 isn't all that bad, I actually ordered this one from them a couple of years ago rather than finding one at a yardsale. I just finished an XP-67 Moonbat for a group build on another site and that was an old casting and a pure pain in the backside to complete. But that is another tale for  telling scary stories around the campfire.😯

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18 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

Surprisingly, the Combat Model 1/48 isn't all that bad, I actually ordered this one from them a couple of years ago rather than finding one at a yardsale. I just finished an XP-67 Moonbat for a group build on another site and that was an old casting and a pure pain in the backside to complete. But that is another tale for  telling scary stories around the campfire.😯

Well that's good news - perhaps his kits are improving. The 1/32nd B-24 and 1/72nd C-17 that I built were almost enough to put me off modelling for life.

10 hours ago, Cees Broere said:

Great subject Tom,

Another Mission Possible from the Probert Modelworks. Looking forward to the progress on this one.

Cheers

Cees

Hi Cees,

 

Good to hear from you - hopefully I won't disappoint you!

 

I've had a quiet day at home today without the wife and child and have completed the drilling out of all the portholes. The light beat me for decent photographs so I'll try to get some uploaded tomorrow.

 

Tom

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This is utter madness........that's why I'm in for the duration. I love the way we open a large 72nd or 48th kit with trepidation, while Mr.P drops this monster in the mix!

Good luck.....this is going to be awesome.

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1 hour ago, tomprobert said:

Well that's good news - perhaps his kits are improving. The 1/32nd B-24 and 1/72nd C-17 that I built were almost enough to put me off modelling for life.

Hi Cees,

 

Good to hear from you - hopefully I won't disappoint you!

 

I've had a quiet day at home today without the wife and child and have completed the drilling out of all the portholes. The light beat me for decent photographs so I'll try to get some uploaded tomorrow.

 

Tom

I think the new stuff coming out may be more of the "draped" mouldings as opposed to the "cavity" type like Gerald Elliots. Because of backlogs for the holidays just got anAJ-1 Savage and a C-121 Super Connie. The Savage is  a cavity mould fair detail panel lines and what not and part of the old Combat Models catalogue.  The Connie  Is one of the newer kits released in the last few years, a draped mould with plenty of room for mods. Both will provide a lot fun. But then I am a sick sod.😆

Edited by LorenSharp
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Strewth Tom, and I thought my 1/48 Sunderland vac was going to be big if I ever got round to it.  Watching every step of the way and hoping to be educated in the dark arts. 

 

While you are sanding away are your thoughts turning to a 1/6 scale Lincoln scratchbuild or some other Mount Everest of the modelling world?:D  Always enjoy watching you at work 

 

what comes in the box for you to work with?

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10 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

I think the new stuff coming out may be more of the "draped" mouldings as opposed to the "cavity" type like Gerald Elliots. Because of backlogs for the holidays just got anAJ-1 Savage and a C-121 Super Connie. The Savage is  a cavity mould fair detail panel lines and what not and part of the old Combat Models catalogue.  The Connie  Is one of the newer kits released in the last few years, a draped mould with plenty of room for mods. Both will provide a lot fun. But then I am a sick sod.😆

 

I do fancy the Connie so glad it’s not too bad. One day... 

9 hours ago, JohnT said:

Strewth Tom, and I thought my 1/48 Sunderland vac was going to be big if I ever got round to it.  Watching every step of the way and hoping to be educated in the dark arts. 

 

While you are sanding away are your thoughts turning to a 1/6 scale Lincoln scratchbuild or some other Mount Everest of the modelling world?:D  Always enjoy watching you at work 

 

what comes in the box for you to work with?

 

Not a lot comes in the kit. Just the outline shapes of the fuselage,

wings and tail. There are some engine cowlings but I don’t think they’ll be useable. The vacform transparencies are excellent, however, with the turrets in one piece so no nasty join lines to deal with.

 

There are no interior parts whatsoever so it’ll all have to be made from scratch. Engines and props will need to be sourced too. Fun times!

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I had a very productive day on the Sunderland yesterday - the opening up of the portholes is now complete.

 

As with the port side fuselage, I carefully measured the plans and transferred the position of the portholes onto the fuselage before opening them up:

 

46490131501_deb21dd33c_z.jpgWindow apertures by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

The trickiest part was ensuring that they were all perfectly aligned and identical, but hopefully this photo shows they're close enough to pass a cursory glance:

 

45577093315_f5e5d40349_z.jpgWindow alignment by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

Here are the two fuselage halves with their portholes finished and I can now continue with more detailing work on the fuselage:

 

45766736654_3931d46448_z.jpgRear Turret Aperture by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

A useful size comparison when compared to my iPhone:

 

45766736524_e292a4340a_z.jpgSize Comparison by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

And this is where my attention will be turning now:

 

45766737124_e1b9256c5f_z.jpgInterior by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

As you can see the interior isn't exactly brimming with detail, so plenty of scratch-building ahead!

 

I'm hoping to make the most of the last couple of days of my holiday before returning to work on Monday - there maybe another update before the weekend is out but it'll depend on whether I can persuade the wife to go out somewhere for the day :winkgrin:

 

Tom

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5 hours ago, tomprobert said:

I had a very productive day on the Sunderland yesterday - the opening up of the portholes is now complete.

 

As with the port side fuselage, I carefully measured the plans and transferred the position of the portholes onto the fuselage before opening them up:

 

46490131501_deb21dd33c_z.jpgWindow apertures by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

The trickiest part was ensuring that they were all perfectly aligned and identical, but hopefully this photo shows they're close enough to pass a cursory glance:

 

 

Hi Tom,

Looking good thus far.

 

Couple of comments if I may

As an FYI, the Starboard side of the Sunderland All marks had 10 portholes on the lower forward section

including the one in the galley hatch. You can count them on my photo below

 

9821968f-9078-4fc0-bba1-674f963476d9.jpg

 

The additional port would need to be added at the bow forward section, you can make it out in this

interior photo just forward of the Forward bulkhead/frame

06d093bf-c3d6-4d4e-a667-830563a4d733.jpg

 

Just out of curiosity what are the two small openings for (Port side forward and Starboard rear)?

 

Regards

 

Alan

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19 hours ago, LDSModeller said:

Hi Tom,

Looking good thus far.

 

Couple of comments if I may

As an FYI, the Starboard side of the Sunderland All marks had 10 portholes on the lower forward section

including the one in the galley hatch. You can count them on my photo below

 

The additional port would need to be added at the bow forward section, you can make it out in this

interior photo just forward of the Forward bulkhead/frame

 

Just out of curiosity what are the two small openings for (Port side forward and Starboard rear)?

 

Regards

 

Alan

Thanks for this information, Alan - I can easily add the extra porthole. 

 

The small opening are are small circular windows in the doors - they were on the plans for The MkII I’m using. I haven’t checked my photographic references of the airframe I’m building though...

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5 hours ago, tomprobert said:

 

 

The small opening are are small circular windows in the doors - they were on the plans for The MkII I’m using. I haven’t checked my photographic references of the airframe I’m building though...

Hi Tom, happy to help :)

 

Perhaps to assist you some more, the only Sunderland's that had transparencies on

the main hatches (fore and aft) were the Mk5/MR5. I'm picking the author of the plans you're using

mis-identified the Mooring lock which is about where you have drilled your smaller opening.

If you check out my photo you can see where it fits in. The only other indentation is on the main

hatch where the handle to unlock/lock the match is (horizontal bar in photo)

 

f1033138-d649-4c72-8329-7063e6b18c4c.jpg

 

Close up of Mooring Lock

00f2aa25-1d72-4df1-be35-462952547a08.jpg

 

The small opening aft is probably a Mooring cleat, they can be either indented or push out/push in.

 

If you would like the actual dimensions for the two main hatches, I have them if you like.

 

As a PS, I read your post on LSP (I'M a member there also - but don't participate.....) asking the member

who posted the MOTAT photos of our MR5 (not Mk 3) about the beaching gear - I have photos if it helps?

bd01ecc3-49c0-4ffe-bbeb-f3a3b4a3fad2.jpg

a1cc93c5-29c6-4bc5-8302-fffc162cb717.jpg

 

The dimensions of the main bogey tyres are Tyre W=37cm (close too)

                                                                    Tyre Diameter = 110.7cm

 

Hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

Alan

                                                                   

 

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@LDSModeller you’re a star - thanks so much. I’ll fill the windows on the doors in that case; an easy job. 

 

I may need to pick your brains some more as the build progresses! 

 

All the best,

Tom

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Tom

those close up photos of the portholes gave me an idea on glazing. They appear to have a metal ring around the glazing. I have not thought it through but given their appearance might an option be to make round glazing with a “collar” and add from the outside once completed?  

Just a thought. You could make loads and only use the ones that work out best. 

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3 hours ago, tomprobert said:

@LDSModeller

I may need to pick your brains some more as the build progresses! 

 

All the best,

Tom

Hi Tom, again happy to help - ask away anytime, I have the Sunderland manual for Mk I/II Sunderland which has

a lot of information regarding differences between early and latter marks.

I also have a truck load of Interior shots if they help? An example below

Photo, looking from Rear Spar in flight Engineers Station, past Main Spar onto rest of Flight Deck

 

4bfc18a8-a7a2-4c16-b577-3f4e96b70434.jpg

 

3 hours ago, JohnT said:

those close up photos of the portholes gave me an idea on glazing. They appear to have a metal ring around the glazing. I have not thought it through but given their appearance might an option be to make round glazing with a “collar” and add from the outside once completed?  

Just a thought. You could make loads and only use the ones that work out best. 

The Glazing Transparencies (1:1 Diameter = 30.5cm) are sandwiched between the outer ring

(1:1 Diameter = 37.5cm) and an inner ring - I have an "Opening Porthole" from one of the RNZAF

Sunderland's my Dad worked on - have photos if needed

Bear in mind that the opening portholes (outer rings) are only found  on the forward section

of the Sunderland. There were only about 6-7 each side of hull. All the rest of the portholes were fixed

(glazing same diameter as opening)

 

Regards

 

Alan

Edited by LDSModeller
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On 1/3/2019 at 5:00 AM, tomprobert said:

In regard to markings - as it's a MkII it'll be in the early 1940/41 Coastal Command scheme of Slate Grey/Dark Sea Grey over sky. There are no markings available for this kit though, so they'll all be home-made masks.

if you want a white one, a few Mk II Sunderlands survived to wear the later scheme

Here's my WIP (I think the first post in this link shows a 1/32 model)

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234930547-italeri-sunderland-mk-ii-raaf-10-squadron/

and finished model

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234940047-italeri-sunderland-mk-ii-raaf-10-squadron/

 

Yours is looking great so far and I will watch with interest.

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You're off to a good start. I hope it's better than the Sanger kit. There's virtually nothing usable in the latter. The wings are different cross sections (and both completely wrong) and the fuselage halves are different in profile and also completely wrong cross sections. Even the other flying surfaces are all assymetrical / weird / plain wrong cross sections so in summary all the plastic in the packet is junk.

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