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Handley Page O/400- O/700 civil passenger transport


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Unlike many of the British subjects present here (and sufferers from around the world), I was never acquainted with Airfix's H.P. 0/400.

I cherished, though, for a long time, building the civil transports that derived from it.

I started as usual gathering references, and after a few years, once satisfied with the research, I bought (quite recently), a new release of the old kit.

When the kit arrived from the Foglands, I just put it in the closet, and only today I opened Pandora's box.

My first impressions:

 

1) A large number of parts were already loose in the bag they came in.

Some were so extraordinarily tangled with each other that they made me think of some weird model parts orgy; but then I thought "Nah, it's a British kit, they are quite proper and respectful of formalities".

2) I have hardly ever seen so many ejector pin marks.

3) I surmised that two people were in charge of producing the masters for the flying surfaces. One was restrained and created a normal rib pattern. The other was a madman and thought the masters were for a washboard. Or perhaps was trying to represent rib tapes, in which case to say they are overstated is an understatement.

4) When I saw the three included figures I jumped thinking that they were, like me, Shaolin Modeling Monks! One was even meditating seating in the lotus position!

But no, they were stoic British crew members that at the first opportunity asked me what time tea was served. The gall!

5) The "system" devised for the wing upper and lower halves is dismal. Not sure if it was thought to facilitate rigging, but if it was, the designer should be condemned to endlessly hear the deranged rants of certain president. If it wasn't, all the same. Hard to disguise those seams will be.

6) I love it.

 

Now, do not hold your breath with this build, it will not be one my usual flash-builds. I have other business to attend for a while and just wanted to share the opening moves with all of you.

 

 

IMG_6507+%25281280x966%2529.jpg

 

Getting rid of the extra weight: the main sprues and the pim-poom-paff-kaboom parts:

IMG_6508+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The washboards are included in the kit:

IMG_6509+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

An engineering solution not even a mother would call elegant:

IMG_6510+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Oh boy...

IMG_6512+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

@Martian Hale, @general melchett (who reputedly coined the phrase "Bloody Paralizer"), and another crew member half-eaten already by the Martian, who liked to take his snacks on board alive:

IMG_6514+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

As it is common knowledge among the members of modeling cenacles in Río Ceballos, Rosario, Timbuktu and Kamchatka, there were several variants derived from the 0/400.

I am not interested in discussing variants irrelevant to this build, and of course as usual I have no interest in any military versions.

 

I am focusing at the moment on the somewhat hastily converted for civil passenger service left overs form the war, which need of course a new interior and some changes on the exterior, and on the 0/700 variants that need much more noticeably changes.

I have the impression that this is going to be fun!

Meanwhile, I am going back to my references to chose a specific plane.

 

Hopefully will be seeing you soon!

 

Cheers

 

 

 

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That wing engineering is still in use today, my ongoing Eastern Express Beriev Be-200 uses it. I'd put money on your kit's wings being a lot less effort than mine are proving.

 

I'll follow along here, the reuse of military equipment in civil guise is an interest of mine, and you do pretty good work. 😛

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38 minutes ago, Rob G said:

That wing engineering is still in use today, my ongoing Eastern Express Beriev Be-200 uses it. I'd put money on your kit's wings being a lot less effort than mine are proving.

 

I'll follow along here, the reuse of military equipment in civil guise is an interest of mine, and you do pretty good work. 😛

Hi Rob

So, the technique spread! Oh, the humanity!

Glad we share the interest in this kind of plane.

Cheers

7 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

Do you have a belt sander, Moa? You may need one.

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris

See below......

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So soon after the HP.42!  Your current thing for biplane behemoths means a lot of work for you and a lot of entertainment for us.

 

I remember building this kit (badly I’m sure) in my youth and rigging with cotton thread.  Getting the wings straight was a nightmare and beyond me at the time.  I recall part of the issue was that the top wing was just far too heavy for the struts.  But Im sure you will overcome and produce a masterpiece.

 

AW

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4 hours ago, Andwil said:

So soon after the HP.42!

Really? Days have already passed! 😉

4 hours ago, Andwil said:

Your current thing for biplane behemoths means a lot of work for you and a lot of entertainment for us.

Glad to be of service 😁

 

4 hours ago, Andwil said:

I remember building this kit (badly I’m sure) in my youth and rigging with cotton thread.  Getting the wings straight was a nightmare and beyond me at the time.  I recall part of the issue was that the top wing was just far too heavy for the struts.  But Im sure you will overcome and produce a masterpiece.

Nice memory (well, even if the results were not what you expected). This one would have been like climbing Everest for me then.

4 hours ago, shortCummins said:

I'm really looking forward to this

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

Hi John!

Let's hope I don't let you guys down.

Cheers

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Hum...I just realized that the kit did not contain the transparencies, not that I need them, since that is part of what needs reworking, but it would have been nice to have them anyway, if any should come with the kit.

Finished sanding the upper areas of all flying surfaces and finally got rid of those unsightly washboards.

Eventually some rib relief will be applied, most likely masking and priming, a method I successfully used before. I see in my future rolls and rolls of masking tape...

Once a determination is made of which exact type of plane will be represented, the modifications of the other parts will begin.

I noticed that the horizontal tail surfaces are commendably thin, while other parts could have used the same delicacy.

Not sure how old is this mold.

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3 hours ago, Moa said:

 

@Martian Hale, @general melchett (who reputedly coined the phrase "Bloody Paralizer"), and another crew member half-eaten already by the Martian, who liked to take his snacks on board alive:

Not gilcup:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxI7B758XBQ

 

Innocent of Mars 👽

 

 

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We seem to share interest in the same kits. Many of the ones you have shown resides in my home to. Mostly unbuilt. I am looking forwar to this one. I started on a O/400 back in 2006. I came so far as some paint on it in 2008 but nothing has been done to it since then. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/hyperscale/hp-o-400-old-builds-t496806.html

 

There was a pink one in India. (It might have been a O/10). That would make a different model.

 

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You’ve pipped next to the post here Moa, I recently purchased an even older Airfix boxing of the 0/400 mine is a wonderful dark green plastic and has as much flash as mouldings. I was also planning a civil build as I’m getting sick of PC10/12 already. I’m planning on dusting off my one sometime around Christmas So I will watch this one with great interest.

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This is one of those kits that you buy from the model club for $1 and think, this is cool, while you're beaming in delight. Then you get home and the few drinks wears off as soon as you look at the wings. You slap your miner hat on and start digging, or sanding. I've done it. I'll remember to employ Igor if I get something like this.

Edited by busnproplinerfan
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Looking forward to seeing this one progress. It must be almost as big as the HP42!

 

According to various sources, the kit dates from 1967. It was designed to make rigging as easy as possible, hence the odd split in the wings. In fact, the instructions have a rigging diagram and the original text-based version explained what to use and how to rig as you built the model. Quite advanced for the day, I would suggest.

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 Nice one, Moa. I have one of these, part-built, in a cupboard. I didn’t take an orbital sander to mine but probably should have done and, when I noticed that the fuselage (which glues together very firmly) was twisted slightly towards the tail, I used some interesting Anglo-Saxon phrases, stopped worrying about the wing joints and put it all away ‘for later’. That would have been about 15 years ago.  If I ever work out how to undo that twist I might even contemplate returning to it.

 

This will be very interesting to watch, especially as it will be a civilian conversion. The ‘70s disco crewman might be difficult to incorporate, though...

 

Jon

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Wow Moa! You are a one man modelling factory! After the superb vac form HP42, I think I would have needed a lie down, holiday or therapy....or maybe all three with several cups of tea on top!

 

I'm pulling up a chair for this one and following closely....it's going to be another uber build! 

 

By the way, not having had the 0/400 kit myself, those standing figures are very well done and nicely detailed for the time. I'm impressed.

 

Steve

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Must resist urge to start my 0/400.... I may just open the box to see if the wings are as horrible as Moa’s were, but I’m not starting it, I’m finishing the Pfalz( really should be done over the weekend) , the JI and the Bristol(s) before I start anything new.........

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Just now, Heather Kay said:

A good question, and one I can’t answer - in either case to be honest. ;)

 

I'm just funning at EE's expense, Heather. Given the small wings on the Be-200 kit (it's 1/144), the way that they've done it is about the only way that they could do it, as it's pretty close to limited run moulding, and doing it in the normal upper/lower split method might make the construction even more difficult than it is.

 

One day, I'll build me an Airfix O/400. Right after I finish that Wingnut Wings one that imma gonna buy. Uh huh. Yep. Right after...

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