CliffB Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Hi all. The Supermarine Walrus is proving to be a popular choice in this GB and I can see why. It's always been a favourite of mine, ever since my dad built the original Airfix version back in the early 60s. Unfortunately, there's no Walrus kit available in my preferred 1/100 scale. However all is not lost, as there is one available in my other passion - 1/200. Trumpeter produce a range of 1/200 naval aviation kits - I'm assuming as accessories for their aircraft carrier kits. I managed to get secondhand versions of all of them via KingKit. Each box contains 5 kits and they appear to be little gems. To be honest, I'd be happy to pay the £6 asking price for just one kit! The PE parts are rigging wires. I'll give them a try, but I'll probably end up using finer stretched sprue. The transparent parts have a mesmerising, ghost-like appearance and at some point I'd really like to build one of the kits unpainted. For this GB however, I've decided to go for the well known RAAF Antarctic aircraft HD874, which is currently on display at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook. Here's a link to the museum's info on the aircraft. Cheers, Cliff 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 How lovely! They look really cute. And tempting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 43 minutes ago, Paul J said: How lovely! They look really cute. And tempting. I'm glad you approve Paul. As you'll see, Trumpeter's choice of 1/200 scale carrier-borne aircraft includes a B-25. It'll only be a matter of time until that one hits my desk! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Might have to indulge in those. Even though I have been slapped with a kit buying ban until I get rid of a load of made ones and don't add to the stash. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Great choice Cliff Im also very jealous of your eyesight ! cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Great choice Cliff Im also very jealous of your eyesight ! cheers Pat Thanks Pat. Magnifying lenses are a great thing 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 These look great Will be checking these out . Good luck with these . 5 kits Hmm Someone would suggest that built them all . Martin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Grandboof said: 5 kits Hmm Someone would suggest that built them all . Martin H The thought had crossed mind Martin - some quite interesting non-Commonwealth users plus civil schemes Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Hi Cliff! Welcome to the GB! Very interesting choice. The kit really looks beautiful in transparent plastic! Good luck! Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 8 hours ago, jrlx said: Hi Cliff! Welcome to the GB! Very interesting choice. The kit really looks beautiful in transparent plastic! Good luck! Jaime Thanks Jaime. I've a couple of November deadline builds to finish first, then I'll be straight onto this. I'm looking forward to it. Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 Up early this morning (as always), so I thought that I would make a start on the Walrus. Immediately, I hit a snag . Trumpeter have decided to mould one of the locating pin sockets immediately behind a side window. I'm not sure why - if they'd moved it back a bit it would have been invisible behind a painted bit of the fuselage. It also dawned on me that the kit represents the side windows slid back (you can see the framework), so where the socket is would in fact be an open hole. This is how this Walrus is displayed at the RAAF museum. So my solution will be to cut out the socket and open up the window . Things get even better. The aircraft at the Point Cook museum is displayed with one of the starboard wings (and I think also a tail plane), covered in transparent material, so that the internal structure is visible. Here's a photo. You can probably see where this is going ........(no pun intended). Cheers Cliff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Good start, Cliff! Curious about your idea of displaying the internal structure of the wing. How are you considering doing it? Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Oooooooh! Wish they'd bring that out in 1:144! This is going to be interesting! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 2 hours ago, jrlx said: Good start, Cliff! Curious about your idea of displaying the internal structure of the wing. How are you considering doing it? Very carefully with very small tweezers i expect. I considered the museum example for my 1/48 Walrus but decided it was too much! Anyway wasn't the Spitfire a baby Walrus? 😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 26, 2019 Author Share Posted November 26, 2019 8 hours ago, jrlx said: Curious about your idea of displaying the internal structure of the wing. How are you considering doing it? Thanks Jaime. Thankfully, Trumpeter have done the work for me. All I need to do is to remember not to paint over it! 6 hours ago, Murdo said: Oooooooh! Wish they'd bring that out in 1:144! I'm sure it's only a matter of time! 5 hours ago, Colin W said: Anyway wasn't the Spitfire a baby Walrus? 😉 I've always been suspicious about the Spitfire's parentage. It looks nothing like its parents Cheers Cliff 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 28, 2019 Author Share Posted November 28, 2019 Time for an update. I managed to cut the side windows out (and remove the offending locating bits) OK. Opening up the windows made the cockpit interior much more visible, so I decided to add a simple bulkhead and pilot's seat. Please ignore the my tatty paintwork, it's just to matt down the interior a bit. The first coat on the outside will be cockpit green too and that's when I'll mask the windows. Cheers Cliff 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 29, 2019 Author Share Posted November 29, 2019 I'm starting to stick bits together now and I just can't resist another photo. I love this kit! There's absolutely no flash or mould seams and the tiny parts just slip into place. The struts are obviously a bit over-scale, but I can forgive it that The only other problem is that the kit is not very photo friendly. The auto-focus on my camera just can't cope with the clear plastic - hence the random piece of masking tape, to provide the necessary target! Cheers Cliff 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 That is a beautiful little model Cliff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 I thought 1:144 was natty but I really like this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 22 hours ago, Robert Stuart said: That is a beautiful little model Cliff. 14 hours ago, Murdo said: I thought 1:144 was natty but I really like this! Thank you guys The Walrus is now masked up and ready to receive some paint - I must just remember to stuff some foam into the open windows before I start! I simplified the framework on the top of the canopy, in order to give me a fighting chance. Cliff 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 Am I missing something here Cliff, what's with the masking? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Courageous said: Am I missing something here Cliff, what's with the masking? Stuart Hi Stuart. I'm building this museum piece, which has one of its wings (and also its starboard tail-plane), covered in transparent material. I chose the subject before I realised about the see-through wing, but once I twigged, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss . As an aside, I always dip my canopies in Klear to improve their clarity, but this is the first time that I've dipped a wing! Cheers Cliff 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 Cockpit detailing and open windows in 1/200 scale. Must visit the opticians again! It does look smashing. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 I cant find it now, but remember reading a couple of years ago about a Soviet prototype spy-plane from the 1930’s that was covered in a clear material ? Rendering it from distance virtually invisible. Now that would make for an interesting build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 Even if painted in camo, at 1/200 scale I would be struggling to see it! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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