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F.165 Bristol 138/A


Ventora3300

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On 02/09/2019 at 16:33, Mr T said:

Coming on well now, I have done a bit more to mine and putting some photos up today.

Thanks, Mr T - I'm keeping an eye on your build as well and looking good.

On 03/09/2019 at 12:42, Rob S said:

 

Unfortunately there appears to be absolutely no photos or drawings anywhere which fortunately means if anyone has a go at one no one can say whatever it looks like (Two Seat arrangement and Kestrel and Cooling layout etc) is inaccurate!  

 

Yes, Rob. You could really push the boat out when doing a whif with this kit. I'll keep it in mind!

 

A bit more detailing done in the Bristol 138A's cockpit sidewalls.

RCE0AU4.jpg

 

Printed IP added - too small to see anything at this scale

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Some piping added to the oil cooler at the last minute but time now to close up the fuselage

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It all went together pretty well - some smoothing and filling of seams and joints will be required. Ailerons move of course!

CzK0OWo.jpg

 

Still some oil cooler detail visible at the front. Looking at the engine, though, that's going to need a bit of work to make more realistic.

PKULQmQ.jpg

 

 

Edited by Ventora3300
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 08/09/2019 at 22:15, JOCKNEY said:

That's looking really smart, keep up the good work.

 

On 08/09/2019 at 22:49, Rabbit Leader said:

Nice update Mike.. she really is a big beastie isn’t she! The extra details all go a long way so keep at it cause it’s all worth it. 

Cheers.. Dave

Many thanks, Guys. Slog on....


Lots of filling and sanding going on at the wing and stabiliser joints. The prop is now 'wooden' although I need to do a neat circular boss on it. I built up the engine cylinders with more tubing but still a little more detail required, I think.

k3B4yOg.jpg

 

VJ4ePHD.jpg

 

Here is what I need to aim at for the Bristol Pegasus.

IWP6SFU.jpg

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14 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Apologies Mike

Just caught up with this one, looking really good.

Now don't get this one mixed up with the Bleriot, this one doesn't need rigging !

cheers Pat

Thank goodness no rigging Pat but a (doped) silver finish to produce - I'm using Rustoleum Silver Metallic and in answer to @PeteB, it also comes out very grainy and will need a rubdown of some sort (I'm thinking fine micromesh) before putting on the transfers.

Here are  couple of pics showing a little more work to be done on the fuselage seams. There were two of the aileron actuators missing so I had a go at making them from stretched sprue - first time I've done that.

However, all the extremities are on now, just the pilot, canopy and wheels to add once painted, and the engine to improve of course.

Recent pics have come out very dark and I don't seem to be able to edit them before loading - must fix that.

 

OKdE76t.jpg

 

7mfepCC.jpg

 

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I just love this aircraft now Mike, but must admit I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it before this GB got going. You’re doing another fine job of another trailblazer kit and it’s all looking the goods at the moment. Keep going. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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On 01/10/2019 at 11:19, Rabbit Leader said:

I just love this aircraft now Mike, but must admit I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it before this GB got going. You’re doing another fine job of another trailblazer kit and it’s all looking the goods at the moment. Keep going. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Many thanks again, Dave. Me too, I never thought I would be building non-military kits but the penny has dropped that these beauties paved the way for aviation and technological advances. 

 

On 02/10/2019 at 07:50, Johnson said:

Looks great Mike, very nice silver finish!

Ta! I'm liking this silver too.

 

A bit more filling and sanding and replacing lost raised panel lines with some basic scribing followed by another quick spray of silver. It's going to be a crime to go over the silver with black on the uppers!

 

qpPoBEc.jpg

 

Tyres painted and pilot is next.

 

5lkRvBs.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wheels are on (using a small soldering iron rather than a hot knife!) and I see the port one is angled inwards - looking at the previous pics, I can see that the stub axle is actually at the wrong angle. Hopefully a bit of hot water will resolve this. I re-painted the undercarriage legs in black as the reference photos seem to indicate that, rather than silver as on the kit paint guide.

 

I've spent a fair amount of time trying to detail the engine with small exhaust stubs made from copper wire but no joy with getting them to stick in position - just managed to get some connecting rods on and do a bit of dry brushing to highlight.

 

9Q0L8Vl.jpg

 

Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain is in - I did the sealed helmet visor in deep blue, reflecting the view he has of the atmosphere at 51,000ft, don'tyouknow.

 

I painted in the engine side panels, cowling and oil cooler casing in Humbrol 191 Chrome - a very imperceptible difference from the metallic silver - maybe a polish up will increase the contrast.

 

NVU3DDI.jpg

 

Masking in progress for the upper surfaces black - @MrT will also testify to just how difficult it is to get the curves lined up from wings to fuselage. I still think it's a crime to overspray that silver and it has occurred to me that the white ring on the upper wing roundels may be dulled by a black base underneath.

 

QzQ7B61.jpg

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2 hours ago, Ventora3300 said:

Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain is in - I did the sealed helmet visor in deep blue, reflecting the view he has of the atmosphere at 51,000ft, don'tyouknow.

How amazing that must have been in 1936!

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Beautiful work Mike

I can see lots of these being built now because of this GB including my own. Although with it being a Novo one goodness knows what you do for decals !

Already looking forward to the next instalment. 

Cheers Pat 

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Agree @JOCKNEY, I found and quickly purchased one of these kits (NOVO box) at a recent swap meet after seeing Mike's initial tread all those months ago and have been tempted to give mine a bash whenever I get the chance - which may be a while when I look back on my proposed 2020 build queue! This is looking really nice Mike and you're doing a great job with the curved masking... thank God for Tamiya's curved tape! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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On 14/10/2019 at 17:51, Johnson said:

How amazing that must have been in 1936!

Yes Charlie - it must have been a real Golden Age for aviation with all the innovative aircraft and pioneering / record breaking going on. Dangerous, though.

 

On 14/10/2019 at 18:10, JOCKNEY said:

Beautiful work Mike

I can see lots of these being built now because of this GB including my own. Although with it being a Novo one goodness knows what you do for decals !

Already looking forward to the next instalment. 

Cheers Pat 

Many thanks, Pat. I'm sure MrT picked up a good set of modern decals if you look back at his build. Not far to go now.

 

On 15/10/2019 at 06:39, Rabbit Leader said:

Agree @JOCKNEY, I found and quickly purchased one of these kits (NOVO box) at a recent swap meet after seeing Mike's initial tread all those months ago and have been tempted to give mine a bash whenever I get the chance - which may be a while when I look back on my proposed 2020 build queue! This is looking really nice Mike and you're doing a great job with the curved masking... thank God for Tamiya's curved tape! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Many thanks, Dave. (Pity you got that NOVO example because I do have the Air Lines kit of this one (complete and pristine) which I picked up during that visit to the 'Antiques Warehouse' earlier in the year, which you could have had). I had to slice the Tamiya 5mm tape down the middle to get it pliable enough to curve that tightly. Reminds me of doing the 'go faster' stripes on my first car!

 

Black is on, masking is off and quite a few little touch ups to do. That black spray penetrated everywhere - I'm not a regular spray painter so my paper masking had a few gaps which I subsequently found out about! I ended up doing a quick brush paint of the silver, particularly on the undersurfaces so looking more like silver doped fabric or wood now rather than silver painted metal.

 

The prop is in and the retaining collar at the back needed very careful blobbing with glue to avoid gumming it up. I thought masking the canopy would be simple but I lost patience so did it with a black fine Sharpie pen instead - don't zoom in too closely! Stand is ready, now for the transfers.

 

IxdxhGq.jpg

 

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All good Mike, I got mine fairly cheap (I think) so it's all good. The Novo moulds are actually quite nice, however the canopy has a strange blue tinge and the decals are obviously of the 'shatter within cooee of water' type. Hopefully I'll lay my hands on a set of Rising decals one day and then perhaps make a new canopy from some clear plastic sheeting. 

 

Now this Bristol is looking superb Mike. Good move to cut the Tamiya tape down, however I would have thought it would have handled that type of curvature fairly easily. Also, welcome to the wonderful world of spray painters where masking takes up 99% and application the other 1%! It's all worth it in the end, however it can drive you a bit potty at times. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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Transfers on now - they may be 50+ years old (and a bit yellowed) but they behaved beautifully - needed a good bit of soaking then 'popped' off the backing paper. Also, the white on the roundels and nameplate was strong enough to stay white even on a black background. No 'Decalfix' applied as yet because I'm not sure if there would be any reaction with the paint. More touch ups done and nearly ready for the Gallery. I am loath to put any varnish on after the recent stories of reactions!

 

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UinxR3B.jpg

 

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Engine test run completed!

8x9Vvxq.jpg

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18 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Fantastic and a spinning prop man as Well, it doesn't get better than this !

Congratulations  :partytime:

Cheers Pat 

Thanks Pat. A bit of animation makes up for the lack of detail...Well done on the 'hosting'. Not long to go now (on this one anyway)!

 

14 hours ago, TonyW said:

That looks spectacular on its classic stand. A beautiful looking plane.

 

 

Thanks, Tony. Have you got one of these in your 'Museum'? Are you keeping that Nostaligia thread going btw? i must look.

 

13 hours ago, Jinxman said:

Wow - looks great.

Thanks, Jinxman, it's great to get it finished and fly it about while it's quiet!

 

Final pics then - some more touch ups done of the black colour and I see that there is a bit of wrinkling on the nose. I have managed after all to get a difference in effect between the metal engine cowling/panels and the silver doped surfaces - also touched in the piping on the side of the oil cooler housing in chrome mixed with white as the ref pics show it as 'silvery' - maybe it was aluminium piping. While I had the Sharpie in my hand, I drew in the retracting step in the port wing root -Finished. Lovely kit, this one

 

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Next stop the Gallery, to get the completion stats up. Thanks all in the GB again for your help and encouragement with this one. Onwards and upwards - well, to 51,000ft anyway!

 

A fantastic, epic GB, well hosted by @JOCKNEY / @Rabbit Leader well supported by the BM community and the real reason for modelling these old kits (brandy, please!).

Edited by Ventora3300
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Excellent!... a real top notch show with this model Mike.

Now the stand just makes this kit sing just that little bit sweeter as the Bristol was well known for her high flying prowess, so looks the part high up off the ground. A great build of another great Frog Trailblazing kit. Cheers and very well done.. Dave 

 

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