1953: Provost T.1 and Harvard IIB

[Paul J]

These will be my first two builds coming from my stash. I my well add third being a Chipmunk which I will need to source. All will be Coronation Review of 1953 examples but two have a connection with me. The Chipmunk will be representing one of the ones that took part in the flypast and also happens to be one I flew in many years later.( in fact another I flew in also took part in the same flypast formation WK577 but I have already done that one)

The Provost T.1 has a connection in as much that it first flew 24 Feb 1950 My birthday but 3 years earlier   However it entered RAF service in 1953.

 Also only two were displayed in the static at the review at Odiham '53.  The Harvard, well, its just that I like the type and doing an RAF one in silver with yellow T bands is fitting.

 

My first two from the stash.

The Harvard first and here some prepping under way.

 

PS: Question.... Can I build the Provost in a scheme other than as presented at Odiham that year??

[Rabbit Leader]

Nice start Paul and to answer your question up front - yes.. the Provost can still be linked to 1953 (entered service) so that’ll be enough to qualify for any paint scheme you so desire. I also have the S&M kit in my stash, so am biased to see this one built here too - ain’t it good having GB Host powers! 

 

Cheers and warm welcome to all these builds.. Dave 

[Paul J]

A little bit more on the Harvard build.

The part of the rear decking that needs to be cutaway for the new canopy .... cut away

Saw cut for the other side to be cut away.....

Some assembly going on here. At right centre the removed rear decking.  At bottom centre the centre console bit that need to be stuck back in place due to being accidentally broken away.

Fuselage joined aith seats ready-ish for fitting and the new replacement vac formed canopy from the CMR conversion kit that shows and has the different rear decking.

 

Incidentally, found in my box of doom( started but never finished) another S & M Provost. It just needed a fresh coat of paint and markings applied which I am doing while this one progresses. But I will make a start on the other unbuilt one  once the Harvard is done.

[Paul J]

Earlier I posted pics of progress carried out Friday night. Now soem from earlier this evening.  Making fast but steady progress.

 

In the above pic and below, the extent of the surgery at back end of cockpit can be seen. A dry fit of the already trimmed vac canopy showed a good fit with minor gaps but will deal with those when set and then tidy it up.

The instruments are from paper copies of  Spitfire instrument panels . you know, those that were done by BMW Models a long time ago.  You don't, well they were early aftermarket items before the days of decals and etched such panels. Trimmed to fit. Not accurate for this but they wont betthat visible to matter much; just to look good.

After these pics I managed to glue the vac canopy on. Used super glue applied in dabs via the pointy end of one of my scalpels bit by bit and held it all down with strips of masking tape then left to set. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

That thing looks really good for as fast as it went together. 

[Rabbit Leader]

Excellent progress on the Harvard there Paul. coming along very nicely and quickly as well. Looking forward to seeing the 'correct' Falcon canopy on, I have a stalled build doing this same thing with an Academy Texan. 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Paul J]

Progress slowed a bit Main assembly all done except the u/cart and things. But am up with a problem. I airbrushed Humbrol No. 11 silver and it has come out in a dull matt finish. Not best pleased with it  The yellow T bands are fine . Can someone recommend a decent silver to represent the sprayed on all over silver dope/ high speed silver???  I have another tin of the above and that one comes out like a chrome finish!!! 

Will post up progress pics this evening.

[Black Knight]

Hannants does High Speed Silver, in enamel only I think

X038  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X038

 

A nice silver is Revell 99 Aluminium, in both acrylic and enamel

https://www.emodels.co.uk/revell-aqua-color-aluminium-metallic-99.html

https://www.emodels.co.uk/revell-14ml-aluminium-metallic-enamel-paint-99.html

though I prefer the acrylic version

[Rabbit Leader]

Paul, I’m a stickler for Tamiya Aerosol AS-12 ‘Airframe Silver’. I prefer to decant it and run it through my AB, however I’ve also used it straight out of the can and it behaves itself very well. It’s quite a bright and shiny finish when first applied however can be dulled down a bit with whatever clear you prefer. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Paul J]

Thanks for the paint tips everyone... will try and source some.

 

Some more Harvard progress pics.....

 

The canopy 'operation ' worked Ok but also needs a bit of a tidy around the base of it.

Silver decal stripes work wonders for doing the mass of framing on a Harvard

There is a wider decal stripe along the bottom edge and when it dried it looked like someone had stuck a length of gaffer tape on it!  Not all that pleased on looking closely at it.

You can also see the horrid silver paint on the rest of it...

[Rabbit Leader]

It’s a shame we don’t have a readily made new tool Harvard and need to resort to this surgical modification, whoever realises one will make an absolute killing! All looking hood Paul, those canopy frames have turned out really neat too. 

 

Cheers.. Dave

[Paul J]

Some final build pics but mainly decalling process.   Did some more to the canopy framing such as cutting tiny triangular bits to reliate the glazing corners as per full siz e Harvards. Tedious but fully engrossing and it kept my left hand from shaking with all the focussed concentration! Lots of generic numerals and letters from Modeldecal and Xradecal being used as well as the 'FT' from the old laterish Airfix decal issue of their original kit.

 

Here you can see a bit of overspray. What I did was to mask the canopy and T bands with very low tack masking tape so that it wouldn't pull of the already applied decals which I sealed in with Klear. Then I airbrushed AK xtremem aluminium very lightly ove the model to improve the silver finish that I had. It made a difference and it looks better in the fleah as opposed to HD photos which show up a lot of imperfections.  A couple bits of the framing did come away but was easily replaced.

Looking a bit like an  Aussie Wirraway nearly...

Part of serial in progress.  The fin flash isn't perfect as the Almark decals have the proportions wrong. I may well try to sort them out before finalising this build.

The ancient Almark decals which must be at least 50 years old or darn close to it!!  But thye still work =ed like they were supposed to... and responded well to Micro stuff well!

Almost there now. Just the prop, main wheel/legs to be fitted and the landing lights.

 

What I would like is one of the decal printers to do is do a whole sheet of D type roundels with only 36" sizes as they are /were the most widely used of them all And my old Modledecal ones are all used up and any spare unused ones from kits have also been used.  I know Xtardecal do a set but not enough 36 inch ones with half the sheet taken up by dull pink and blue ones and fin flash strips!!

 

The Almark ones scale to 33 " size which is close enough especially the fuselage ones on this Harvard as they look to be just right!

The finished build should be up in the gallery later this week. Then its on with the Provost T.1 .

[Paul J]

All done!  A couple pics here and others in gallery. 

 

Pitot from a bit of stiff wire I found. Couldn't find references to antenna fitting but will add them when I do. As for the exhaust not sure if the long one was fitted but as the Heller kit only includes the stub exhaust I'm going along with it. Wing walk markings from black decal stripe matted down.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Very well done Harvard. 

[AdrianMF]

Very nice indeed. I hear you on roundel sizes. A man can never have enough 35” Type A1 roundels (well, not this man anyway).

 

Regards 

Adrian

[Rabbit Leader]

That’s turned out wonderfully well Paul. I love this Harvard and (to be honest) anything that wears a Type ‘D’ roundel. I hear you about a whole sheet of one common sized roundel, that does make a lot of good sense. This is a wonderful tribute to 1953 and the Queens coronation. 

 

Cheers and looking forward to the others.. Dave