1/72 Airfix Marshall MA4 ( well, 20% of it is!)

[Head in the clouds.]

Hello everyone.

 

I was looking for an unusual aircraft to build in my first ever WIP and I came across the Marshall MA4 which was a Auster T7 converted by Marshall of Cambridge for research into boundary layer control. For this to happen a completely new wing was fitted, the cockpit heavily modified, a Budworth 60HP turbine fitted behind the pilot and in front of the observer, the observer seat facing backwards making it very cosy indeed. Other modifications included a completely new tail with a recovery parachute fitted and new undercarriage to take the extra weight.

 

It started modifications with Marshall of Cambridge in late 1960 and making it's first flight with boundary layer control in 1961. The Budworth turbine was used to generate the boundary layer air which was pulled through he new wing through many of the 200000 holes that were in the wing. To alter the flow the wing was covered in aircraft tissue and heavily doped, holes were then punched through the tissue to expose the number of holes required for any specific test, apparently 100 holes a minute could be pierced through by ground crew  and at one time 200000 had been punched.

 

In it's original form with the extra weight the stall was still too great so a programme to reduce drag was carried out and this altered the outline of the aircraft that it no longer looked like an Auster, all points of drag were faired or moved and the fusalage was made more streamlined, the undercarriage was enclosed totally and all other points of drag sealed. This improved things considerably but was still off the target of around 30kt so the leading edge of the wing was altered with balsa blocks and this worked, giving the MA4 a stall of 30kt at which point the AoA was just over 40degrees,

 

However, the story has a sad ending. On March 8th 1966, test pilot Brian Wass and student observer Mr Krishnamurthy took off on a test flight only for the MA4 to fall to earth near the village of West Wratting, the pilot and observer both dying in the crash. The reason for the crash has never been established. Six years later the wife of Brian was killed in a road traffic accident. A truly sad end for all involved.

 

I decided to model the aircraft after the initial modifications, the classic Auster lines still be evident. The base kit was the Airfix Antarctic Auster, however, only the wheels(modified) fusalage and propeller being used, the tail, wing, struts, undercarriage, chute assembly and cockpit were all scratch built. Information on this aircraft is scarce, 2 pages in Aeroplane Monthly 1990, a similar number of pages in 'Tested' Marshall Test Pilots and their Aircraft and 2 or 3 images on the web. With this in mind I contacted the the International Auster Club who were very helpful giving me further contacts at Leicester County Council and Marshall Aerospace, all contacts giving me a wealth of info, so much in fact I could build a full cockpit. Many thanks to the Auster club for their support.

The WIP can be found here;

One thing I did not have was a colour picture of the MA4, I knew it was Royal Blue but this covers many variations of blue so I took my best guess with a sprinkle of facts and mixed my own colour.

The biggest problem was the decals, I had to use several different sets and cobble a couple together with mixed results but I think I just got away with it.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed my first WIP, I hope you like the finished article too.

 

Some of the pics look like I have dusted it like a Victoria sponge, I havn't, it was rather bright outside today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RidgeRunner]

Very nicely done, mate. :). She deserves a post! :). You deserve a post too for modelling the unusual

 

Martin

[Terry1954]

Followed the WIP and witnessed the effort and skill you put in. Excellent result I would say. Love that blue finish!

 

Terry

[Viking]

Very interesting story and some good background research on a plane I'd never heard of. Fabulous build as well, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

 

Cheers

 

John

[Alpha Delta 210]

Lovely model of an unfamiliar type.

[Baldy]

A lovely little model of a type completely unknown to me. Cool!

 

Cheers

 

malcolm

[John R]

Nice model and a fascinating story. I love the way these aeronautical 'unknowns' turn up on Britmodeller. Thank you. I wonder if Moa is thinking 'wish I had thought of that'?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Great looking bird ... Happy to see it finally in RFI. It was an enjoyable build to follow along.