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Airfix 1/72 Blackburn Buccaneer S2C


Seamus

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Evening all,

 

It's been a very long time since I posted a WIP on here, and even longer since I joined a Group Build, but given my passion for naval types in particular it seemed rude not to join in this one. I've plenty of options in the stash, and I may end up entering more than one build, but looking through the build threads I didn't see a Buccaneer, so I thought I'd put that right for starters. I'll be building the new Airfix 1/72 kit OOB, although I may choose to finish her as a 736 NAS option on an old Model Alliance Sheet I have knocking around.

 

On with the now very familiar box and sprue shot...
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I have a Stuka on the bench that is nearing completion, so hopefully I'll be able to get cracking with this one sooner rather than later.

 

Cheers,

 

Shaun

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OK, so I couldn't resist making a start on this one before finishing the Stuka....

It's not much of a start in fairness, just a bit of part preparation, starting with the intakes. I gave them a good clamping whilst the glue set to ensure the seams closed as fully as possible in the hope of reducing the amount of filling required. This in turn squashed them a touch, leaving a slight step at the top and bottom between them and the intake rings, so my clever idea resulted in more work sanding the inner faces back to remove the steps... The ring sections are just dryfitted but I think it should be fine, just need to add a touch of filler to the seams and smooth the whole lot out and they'll be ready for paint.

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One of the things I always wondered when looking at the sprues before I got my own kit was how the wheel wells went together, now I know!

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It's very clever engineering to build the well structure up around the jet pipes, I'm very impressed! In fact I've even sprayed some burnt iron inside the pipes and glues the two halves together in preparation for getting more colour on soon.

 

The cockpit is also very nice and should look suitably busy with the seat and IPs in place, hopefully Airfix will one day mould the console detail in place of the decals- no issue if you're using etch of course, and to be fair the decals should look fine underneath a closed canopy, but it would add a touch of finesse to what is otherwise a decent interior.

 

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Of course, a test fit of the major components was hard to resist. Fit appears to be generally excellent and more clever engineering seems to reduce the number of seams that will need sorting. I'm really liking this kit even at this very early stage.

 

20200224-202013.jpg

 

More soon

 

Shaun

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Some proper progress to report, with the bulk of the painting of the internals complete. Hataka Medium Sea Grey used in the cockpit, FS  36495 in the wheel wells, and a range of Alclads on the metallic areas.

 

20200302-231558.jpg

 

Annoyingly, some of the latter seems to have lifted with the masking tape- I recently purchased what I thought was a load of Tamiya tape, but it seems to be a copy that is a bit too tacky- six rolls for £12 was probably too good to be true! That said, I did lay it down on unprimed plastic so that may also have contributed....

 

The Airbrake had all but the smallest of lightening holes drilled out before painting

 

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The tail section has also been assembled- there was a bit of a gap after installing the insert on the underside that needed filling, still needs sanding back...

 

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Next step will be to touch up the lifted paintwork and add a touch more detail painting before I can get a simple wash on the internals.

 

More soon, thanks for looking

 

Shaun

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Hi Shaun,

 

As I will be attempting to build this in the upcoming Buccaneer GB I am watching with interest. I have heard that the F4K was a good if sometimes tight fit but I have also heard complaints. So far the Bucc looks good! Maybe I will build the Phantom just to get my hand in.

 

Cheers and good luck with the build.

 

Pete

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Thanks chaps :)

 

More progress to report, having touched up the previous paint issues and subsequently given the interior parts an oil wash;  W&N Payne's Grey thinned with white spirit. It's probably a bit stark against the lighter greys but serves to add a bit of depth to raised details. Firstly, the cockpit components:

 

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Worth noting the decals were applied and sealed in before the wash went on! Looks a bit rough, especially in the pics, but doesn't look too bad when dryfitted....

 

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The same treatment was given to the main undercarriage bays

 

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Much happier with the way these look, especially when dryfitted

 

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The engine faces also received a wash to add a bit of depth to them. 

 

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Note the cones (for want of a better word?!) were painted white in accordance with the Buccaneers I've had the pleasure of seeing running and photographing at Bruntingthorpe 😍

48620066942_6362fe4f58_o.jpgHawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B | XX894 | The Buccaneer Aviation Group | Bruntingthorpe 25/08/19 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr

 

All of that needs a few more details sorting before flat coating and assembling. 

 

Thanks for looking, more soon...

 

Shaun

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Work continues on the Bucc, with a quick update to show the main three fuselage assemblies are together.

20200310-192921.jpg
 

The clever engineering should reduce the amount of clean up required around the seams..... hopefully! One of my least favourite jobs....

More soon,

 

Shaun

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Progress continues slowly whilst I concentrate on getting a Flanker off the shelf of doom, and it's starting to look like a Bucc now.

 

20200315-094714.jpg

 

20200315-094734.jpg

 

As ever, despite a dryfit showing no issues, the moment I committed to glueing I was left with steps at most of the joins. I've slapped some filler on them that will be sanded back in due course, and frankly it's not too much of an issue. The nose section was a little tricky to get aligned, probably due to the fact I misaligned the cockpit a little during cockpit. The tolerances on this kit are tight! A bit more care and a much better modeller than me will have no trouble at all with it I'm sure....

 

More soon

 

Shaun

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10 hours ago, Seamus said:

As ever, despite a dryfit showing no issues, the moment I committed to glueing I was left with steps at most of the joins.

Happens to me too.  Something about glue that makes things start to go wrong!

 

AW

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Cheers chaps.

A couple of unexpected days off work have meant I've been able to trickle along further with the Bucc, having added the intakes and jet pipes, which have also required some fairing in with filler. The starboard intake and exhaust in particular required  a bit more work for some reason.... Overall though it's not a big issue, though there is still a bit more refinement needed, including the starboard intake lip which I accidentally caught with a coarse sanding stick and subsequently had to rub back....

 

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Another fairly uninspiring update, but hopefully demonstrating how not to do things...!

 

More soon

 

Shaun

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3 hours ago, MarkSH said:

Great work on this. It does look like a nice kit I'm loath to get one as I still have two of the old ones to do!

Unless you’re studying for a Masters in Plastic Massochism or a PhD in “filler, it’s uses and limitations” you might want to quietly ditch those old kits.  Later issues had additional weapons (all external) but the basic airframe was needing a lot of work to put together and cockpit detail was non existent.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Progress continues slowly... I needed to spray some EDSG behind the cockpit before the canopy went on, so I took the opportunity to check the joints. Some remedial work was required which has since been sanded back. I also restored the intake lip to its former glory. A few more components added and this is where she stands as of this morning- a little messy looking but we're getting there.

 

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I've also assembled and painted the rocket pods- some paint lifted in areas annoyingly so more remedial work is required when it comes to painting the main airframe

 

20200326-083350.jpg

 

Thanks for looking, more soon...

 

Shaun

Edited by Seamus
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On 15/03/2020 at 09:54, Seamus said:

 

As ever, despite a dryfit showing no issues, the moment I committed to glueing I was left with steps at most of the joins. I've slapped some filler on them that will be sanded back in due course, and frankly it's not too much of an issue. The nose section was a little tricky to get aligned, probably due to the fact I misaligned the cockpit a little during cockpit. The tolerances on this kit are tight! A bit more care and a much better modeller than me will have no trouble at all with it I'm sure....

 

More soon

 

Shaun

 

Coming along very nicely. I do know what you mean in what you have said above, although with my Phantom it does seem that the dry fitting can be a struggle too. I have built a few of the newer Airfix kit one goes together well and easy, whilst the next is quite the opposite.

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More progress and a significant milestone reached with the construction just about about complete and the airframe primed. A few spots to tweak before rubbing the primer back with some micromesh but painting shall commence very soon, when my workshop is a little warmer!

 

20200329-133158.jpg

 

20200329-133220.jpg

 

More soon,

 

Shaun

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Thanks both 👍

 

As it's not essential for me to be at work today I've got stuck into the painting of the Bucc and thought I'd share my process. Firstly, I laid down a base coat of Hataka Orange Line EDSG. To my eye, this is the best replication of this colour I've used, and even has a blue tinge in natural light, plus being Hataka it goes on like a dream.

 

20200330-134841.jpg

 

Royal Navy Buccs were generally kept pretty immaculate, but I recall seeing some images in a thread on here with them looking a little faded, something I wanted to try and replicate to break up the monotony of the EDSG. So, my next step was to add a few drops of light grey to some heavily thinned EDSG and spray a random mottle, going heavier/lighter on the upper surfaces whilst keeping the lower surfaces almost pristine, with the exception of the undersides of the outer wing sections, which when folded would be exposed to sun bleaching. 

 

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At this stage the effect is greatly over exaggerated, and subtlety is key, so I go back over the model with thinned EDSG to take the edge off the fading, building it back up in thin coats to the point it looks acceptable. At this point it becomes difficult to photograph, especially on my phone, but hopefully you can see the end result for yourselves...

 

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This is the approach I take with all my models unless I'm building a pristine warbird etc and as ever there's an element of artistic license involved, but I always aim to add a little visiual interest in this way if I can.

 

Next step will be to gloss this to protect the paintwork and hopefully cure the lifting issues I had rockets pod pylons before I can crack on with painting some of the details.

 

Thanks for looking, given I'm likely to be off work for the foreseeable future this one should really start to come along now.

 

More soon,

 

Shaun

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That looks a treat  shaun,very nice ! i saw a video on the net of an easy way to do that mottling look using a stretched out old scouring pad and spraying through it, it was convincing,

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Thanks! I've seen that method used as well as purpose made stencils for the effect, may have to experiment with them myself at some point...

 

Another productive day on this one, adding the detail painting- Alclad Aluminium on the leading edges, steel on the exhaust shield plates- and touching up the EDSG here and there, before a couple of coats of Tamiya X-22 to gloss her up ready for decals in the morning.

 

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Cheers,

 

Shaun

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