Sea Vixen FAW.1x2

[AdrianMF]

Ooh loverly! The engines look so, well, operational.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[hendie]

impressive pipery Tony.  Having just completed a similar endeavour I know how much effort and time you put into those two engines.   Very convincing and will look fabulous in situ. 

9 minutes ago, TheBaron said:

As anticipated, the repeated handlings involved in completing this set of tasks has rubbed off a considerable amount of the patina on the metal from the compressor outlet back to the exhaust: there's no point touching that up until the engines are safely in their bays now.

 

If it were me, I'm not sure I would do anything there - I really like that weathered/worn look

 

 

[Brandy]

Those look very nicely used to me, I'm with Alan re the touch ups. The pipery looks pretty special too, and I'm sure there won't be many who could spot any fictionary in the layout.

 

Re the Molotow pens, don't fret if it looks very thick and detail obliterating on initial application, it will be ok when dried!

 

Ian

[Pete in Lincs]

On 12/5/2021 at 3:26 PM, TheBaron said:

That is an interesting bit of folklore Pete. Any idea how that slang came about?

A Donkey engine was a wheeled/powered contrivance used for pulling loads, rather in the way that yer Actual Donkeys & Horses were used.

In the 70's at Odiham we had one such, age unknown. Semi triangular, it had three wheels, a steel frame and concrete sides with a 'JAP'engine.

Usually used to tow ground equipment but it would tow a Wessex too. You walked along in front steering by means of a tiller shaft complete

with a throttle and brake lever. They were a pig to start, as were the 'JAP' engines on the hydraulic rigs we used. They were said to date back to Blenheims!

I assume that the term Donkey, or more usually Donk, just passed over to Aircraft engines because an old Propjob just pulled the assemblage through the air.

 

I too would leave the engine weathering as it is now. They were new & shiny at some point, and they all weather to different degrees.

 

If you can thin the Molotov ink enough to spray it, then a drop or two diluted with thinner should brush & settle nicely.

 

Oh, and lovely semi imaginary pipework BTW.

 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

“Donk” is (or was, at any rate) an expression in widespread use in the RN as well.

 

Those Avons would have me smiling for weeks in 1/48; in your silly small chosen scale they are ridiculously splendid.  BZ

[Andwil]

“Donk” is also widely used downunder for engines in general.

 

AW

[CJP]

 Those Avon's are just splendid!

[Fritag]

I’ll add to the chorus of appreciation for the Avon’s if I may.   Unimaginative as it may be just to follow the crowd; the crowd in this instance is wholly correct….

 

 

[giemme]

Absolutely impressive job with those engines, Tony    

 

I find the Molotow pen to be very controllable (I have the 2 and the 4mm tip ones, but only ever used the 2 so far); for the finish they give, anyway, I'd rather go with them and later touch up the surroundings if needed, rather than not using them   

 

Ciao

[Terry1954]

Absolutely spiffing Avon's Tony!

 

Terry

[Pete in Lincs]

I just had to edit my post just above as somehow it turned 'JAP' into 'Japanese' unless I added apostrophes. Hope no one got too confused. 

'JAP' BTW was the trademark of JA Prestwich Industries. Below is a link to a typical example complete with starting handle. 

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDuYFAsXgdnC1VNX5Xafc4GOynlZrowHV6iA1nN2XWO9rxnXVoTk8I2SKHhll1uz-8jNSjYsvBjRaP3p3wy48ZdeCI7uLLtI9s8wzj4oA&usqp=CAc

[Neil Lambess]

On 05/12/2021 at 12:42, PeteH1969 said:

This is a good watch.

 

 

BARON!

You have put the cockpit on the wrong side  !

😉

[keefr22]

On 05/12/2021 at 21:22, Andwil said:

“Donk” is also widely used downunder for engines in general.

 

AW

 

As it was in motorsport circles in the UK, at least in the 70's and 80's.

 

Stick some Avtur in those Avon's when done Tony and I bet they'll run like a dream....!!

 

Keith

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

6 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Stick some Avtur in those Avon's when done Tony and I bet they'll run like a dream....!!

AVCAT, surely?

[keefr22]

4 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

AVCAT, surely?

 

You'd know better than me Crisp, but thought it was Avtur (Jet A-1??) in my day. But it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. So I don't really remember.....!!

 

Keith

[Pete in Lincs]

Google says..

The UK Military specification for this grade is DEF STAN 91-86 AVCAT/FSII (formerly DERD 2452). This is primarily jet fuel for use in aircraft carriers.

[TheBaron]

With Der Sturm Barra giving this part of the Atlantic littoral a good old lashing, work got closed work down the last couple of days ( ) and  I managed to smuggle in some extra time at the bench to good effect: as a result the Avons have said they're finished with me and that  I should move on.

 

On the subject of lashings (not to mention rum and err...The Pogues), let's have a gander in the culture section at what the critics have been saying first...

On 05/12/2021 at 15:34, AdrianMF said:

Ooh loverly! The engines look so, well, operational.

Cheers Adrian.

And at that cc, the insurance is going to work out quite reasonable!

On 05/12/2021 at 15:36, hendie said:

If it were me, I'm not sure I would do anything there - I really like that weathered/worn look

On 05/12/2021 at 15:42, Brandy said:

hose look very nicely used to me, I'm with Alan re the touch ups. The pipery looks pretty special too, and I'm sure there won't be many who could spot any fictionary in the layout.

I had to do a little bit of remediation as the photos didn't adequately  show up  my brutal handling of the exhaust unit and combustion chamber, but not too much. The one thing I noticed from references is that the pipework always seems to stay relatively clean and shiny,  so that needed a bit of lustre too. I'm hoping that the final result looks 'randomly soiled' rather than 'stylized weathering' (if that makes sense?).

 

Rather than inventing spurious pipework, I just let it fizzle out where it disappears under the engine in lieu of any reliable photos.

On 05/12/2021 at 15:42, Brandy said:

Re the Molotow pens, don't fret if it looks very thick and detail obliterating on initial application, it will be ok when dried!

That was absolutely brilliant information Ian and really well-timed to give me the confidence to crack on with the shiny stuff at this scale. Thanks

On 05/12/2021 at 18:56, Pete in Lincs said:

A Donkey engine was a wheeled/powered contrivance used for pulling loads, rather in the way that yer Actual Donkeys & Horses were used.

In the 70's at Odiham we had one such, age unknown. Semi triangular, it had three wheels, a steel frame and concrete sides with a 'JAP'engine.

Usually used to tow ground equipment but it would tow a Wessex too. You walked along in front steering by means of a tiller shaft complete

with a throttle and brake lever.

Thanks Pete.

Truly you are the Jack Hargreaves of the aircraft hangar!

On 05/12/2021 at 19:12, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

 

Those Avons would have me smiling for weeks in 1/48; in your silly small chosen scale they are ridiculously splendid.  BZ

Much obliged Crisp. I fear they took as long to do as many people would an an entire aircraft....

On 05/12/2021 at 21:53, CJP said:

Those Avon's are just splendid!

Thanks CJ - they were quite intense going so I'm not sorry to be able to put them somewhere safe for the time being and move on.

On 06/12/2021 at 07:48, Fritag said:

I’ll add to the chorus of appreciation for the Avon’s if I may.

I may just confine myself to making engines from now on Steve: I've forgotten what a whole aircraft looks like any more! 😁

On 06/12/2021 at 08:06, giemme said:

I find the Molotow pen to be very controllable (I have the 2 and the 4mm tip ones, but only ever used the 2 so far); for the finish they give, anyway, I'd rather go with them and later touch up the surroundings if needed, rather than not using them

As with Ian's advice this was great intel Giorgio for which I'm most grateful. I did indeed just use the pen (a 1mm one in my case) to chrome the cones at the front.

The finish that Molotow stuff gives  - even at this scale - is peerless! 😲

On 06/12/2021 at 10:50, Terry1954 said:

Absolutely spiffing Avon's Tony!

Thanks Gliderman. 😁

On 06/12/2021 at 19:49, Neil Lambess said:

BARON!

You have put the cockpit on the wrong side  !

 

You swine Neil!

I went all numb there for a second.... 😁

On 06/12/2021 at 22:57, keefr22 said:

I bet they'll run like a dream

😀

Thinking of sticking a spare one on the grille of the Skoda to give it rally credentials!

19 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

This is primarily jet fuel for use in aircraft carriers.

Wait until Customs & Excise catches up with them....

 

 

Enough of my inanities and roll the tape...

 

As shcoked as anyone to find myself at the bench yesterday doing some old school modelling with plastic and TET:

To mitigate the effect of my paws all over the Avons in the last stages of colour work, I decided I need to build a couple of mounts to sit them into and avoid rubbing/breaking off anything else in the last knockings:

The remaining tasks done were reinstating broken pipework and repainting where necessary to put the shine on the various pipes, respraying and patinating patches on the exhaust/combustion runs that had gotten too rubbed away, tidying up paintwork on the compressor casing and anti-icing gates and just generally adding a dab or two of black to fittings that had had the corners rubbed back to the resin. Oh, and a final chroming of the front cones as mentioned above.

 

All of which would have made a boring set of ongoing shots, so what follows then are various views of the engines in their now-completed state prior to installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Avon in Stormlight':

On 07/12/2021 at 05:45, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

AVCAT, surely?

AVCAT surely....

 

Take care, and if you can't take care, take it slowly.

That way it looks like you're being careful...

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hamden]

 

Those Avons are superb Tony. Great workmanship and paint skills.

 

    Stay safe            Roger

[Brandy]

The only two words I can think of would get me a slap on the wrist from our Mike!

"Outstanding" will have to do instead.

 

Ian

[hendie]

Superb. Breathtaking in fact.

[Pete in Lincs]

Beeyewtifull Donks.

Now, where did I put my pipe Baccy?

[Martian]

I don't even pretend to understand all the tech/magic that goes into printing those engines  but they are wonderous to behold.

 

Martian 👽

 

PS: Do you weigh the same as a duck? If you do we shall have to burn you as a witch. 

[bigbadbadge]

Tony, those engines look sweet dude

Chris

[keefr22]

8 hours ago, TheBaron said:

find myself at the bench yesterday doing some old school modelling with plastic and TET:

 

 

What?? You didn't 3D print them?? It's the end of the thread as we know it......

 

Really can't think of anything meaningful to say about those Avons that hasn't already been said, so can I just agree with everyone else?

 

Keith

 

 

[The Spadgent]

9 hours ago, TheBaron said:

 

 

 

It’s like you have put a real set in the oven and shrunk the blighters. Like we did in the 80s with Monster much packets.  Stunning work. 😳👌😃

 

Jont.