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1/48 MkI Blenheim - Completed!


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All Quiet on the Modelling Front, but just back from a little road trip up to Scotland and back, so the missus could marshal the Touring Cars over the weekend and add Knockhill to her list of circuits. Motor racing does little for me, so I managed to negotiate a couple of stops on the way up ... (And spent my time hill walking with the new rescue mutt while she marshalled)

 

Road trip to Scotland

 

(Click on the image to go to the flickr album)

 

First time visits to RAF Cosford and RAF Elvington. I need to go back to Cosford when they have workshop open days, as I'd love to see the Hampden. Also, half the War in the Air hanger was shut, in preparation for the the Battle of Britain anniversary. There were some excellent models on display, but the museum shop was very disappointing. I just assumed there might have a good selection of kits there?

 

Yorkshire Air Museum was great, and we stayed (driveway camping) with an old pal who works there.

 

As for the Blenheim, I've got all the transfers on now. A local mate got a new set of Micro Set and Sol, and then discovered he had a pair of old bottles he'd bought years ago at a show and forgot about. He passed on the Sol to me, as the one I bought never showed up. I must admit I didn't have good results with the Micro Sol, and guess it's hit and miss with different decal brands. It made little difference to the roundels, they didn't wrinkle up despite liberal applications. Anyway, it's waiting patiently for me to have a few spare hours. I think as it's had a coat of varnish I'm going to try out the Flory washes on it next.

 

And Chris, we took the Kombi to Kinross and back. 1,384 miles. 1600 motor, highest daily mileage 371 miles, best mpg 28.23mpg, worst 21.29mpg 😱. I need to work on that. Despite that hankering for a Traction Avant, the Kombi is such a useful classic I can't bring myself to sell it. I've done about 60,000 in it since I overhauled it in 2005/6. It needs another overhaul now. Lots of welding, lots of mechanicals, and maybe treat it to a brake servo upgrade. (Still single circuit 😳 )

 

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1 hour ago, Silver Fox said:

Cracking Kombi, you can't possibly get rid of her.

Thanks. Space and funds are an issue with me. Being an mediochre illustrator by trade doesn't leave me with a lot of disposable £££, and although we are very lucky to have a decent garage, there's only room for one crusty motor in there. If I did get my dream car, it would have to be a cheap wreck of a project, and live outside. I have just come into a couple of grand, but that's now earmarked for the Kombi overhaul. (If I can make the Kombi go a bit faster on the up hills, and stop a bit better on the downhills, my wife, who actually uses it more than me, will stop telling me what we could do with the money if we sold it! We could get a second hand T5 AND a half decent Traction with the money these old Splitscreens make 😲)

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T5s are good, more practical vehicles, it will be a tough thing to do but if you sell her to the right owner she'll be on the road for another 20 years.

 

I have a soft spot for old type 2s, I earned to drive in the local greengrocers pick up as he needed a driver once his knee went. Drove him around on L plates for about 3 months. I was a shock to release other cars had a very different accelerator pedal! 

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3 hours ago, Silver Fox said:

T5s are good, more practical vehicles, it will be a tough thing to do but if you sell her to the right owner she'll be on the road for another 20 years.

It's off topic, but it's my thread so, hey. We caught up on the way back from Scotland with an old VW buddy and copilot/driver from many, many road trips. He now makes a living restoring the very earliest VW buses. He resurected and absolute basket case Swedish woods barndoor 10 years ago, which helped make his name in the scene as someone who could bring dead carcasses back to life. He eventually sold it, and it ended up back in Sweden. (And he put the money to very good use - wedding/honemoon/setting up business) That guy then sold it just one year later, after robbing the vin plate, and removing a few rare parts along the way. It's now back in the UK. As happens to so many VW's, he's slammed it, 'cos he's down wid the kidz I suppose, and if that wasn't bad enough, he's ditched the famously indestructable flat four motor in favour of something 'more reliable', a crappy old Mk3 gold diesel turbo ... There really should be a law against it, but it's his bus, he can do what he likes. I'm well out of the VW scene now. Even when I was editing a VW club mag, I really couldn't stand the endemic fashion to lower them.

 

So, finding the right owner isn't always easy!

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First proper go with Flory weathering washes

 

Right, first go with Flory weathering washes. As soon as I started, I realised having a gloss varnish base was not ideal. I’m sure I read somewhere that matt or satin were best? Anyway, carried on for now. I figured the worst that can happen is it all comes off with a cloth, and I can start again with a different varnish. I’ll leave this on overnight and play with it again in the morning.

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Cracking road trip fella, the bus sounds as though she behaved herself very well.  I  always have regretted selling my bus, she was so useful and loved every opportunity to camp in her and also moved house in her too!!! Will the traction be as good /useful???

I have just bought some black Flory wash to try although i have used oil wash on my current project as I like the effects you can get using it.  

Will see how your lovely Blenheim comes out once you take off the excess to see if i can persuade myself to give it a go. 

Chris

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Well, first impressions are good. I'm only a little way in removing the wash, but it's great fun revealing the model again.

 

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Flory weathering wash by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Flory weathering wash by Mike, on Flickr

 

You can see where I struggled to get the Xtradecal roundels to sit in the panel lines a little here

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Flory weathering wash by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Flory weathering wash by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Flory weathering wash by Mike, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

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Right, I might call this done before I do anymore damage to it! Last night about a minute after I'd stuck the long aerial on, (the last kit part) one of the fragile flaps fell off. No Problem, lets just turn it upside down and fix it back on ...

Doh! 

I was rather chuffed my crude repair has actually held, but looking at the photos it is crooked. A better man would remove it, and make a new one from scratch. I just want to put it in the cabinet where I can't do any more mischief!

Also, I was a little eager to finally remove the canopy masking, after more months than I care to count. It was only today I remembered I was going to give it a satin varnish ... Luckily it is only a semigloss finish, and I actually quite like it.

The radio wire is painted stretched sprue. The dorsal turret what a bit of a fiddle to fit. If I had a choice I think I'd prefer it in the retracted position. The propellers are a rubbish fit as well.

 

Next I need to work on my photography set up. I just have a beat up Canon 450D, and no studio facilities here in my tiny 'snug', that has to double as a library/study/computer room. I'd be interested to see others set ups? I'm guessing those who take it seriously have studio booths with lighting rigs?

 

Anyway, here it is, cramped and badly lit. I'll save a RFI until I get my photography set up sorted. Thanks for sharing the journey with me. It's taken the best part of 6 months I reckon. Not a quick builder I'm afraid! Thanks for all the advice along the way.

 

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I couldn't wait any longer. I'd almost forgotten this is a canopy. Slightly nerve wracking but enjoyable revealing the 'perspex' again. The Eduard mask set that came with this kit was a godsend.

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

All clear, phew!

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

That blasted aerial! 🤬

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

Mixed results using Micro Sol with the Xtradecal transfers. I'll keep an eye out for the big guns stuff Spadgent recommends, Draco something?

Oh, I broke the barrel off the Vickers K. I made a replacement, knocked that off too. Of course both were lost forever. This is the second replacement, I'm surprised it's lasted this long. The kit gun is actually very crude, I'm sure better aftermarket options are out there.

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

I keep seeing stuff I haven't got round to finishing ... I was going to add some fuel stains with an oil wash 🙄

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

The underneath, a bit too shiny.

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

 

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Airfix Bristol Blenheim MkI by Mike, on Flickr

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2 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Looking very nice indeed Mike, great work,  I like staining left behind by the wash in the third photo from the bottom. 

Chris

Thanks Chris. I've tried so many new things on this build, it's all very hit and miss. There are bits of this model that make me go "Wow!", and others that make me cringe 😂  but it's been fun, and hopefully I've learnt a little along the way for the next build. I'm keen to jump straight back in, which is very unlike me. Not sure exactly what yet. The Gladiator and S5 are strong contenders though. And now I can shift this big Airfix Blenheim box into the recycling bin, I can free up some space for another kit 😎

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I don't use them, but to me Flory washes are terrifying! I worry that they might not come off in the first place and then I worry about whether they continue to come off before you get another coat of varnish on. Presumably you have to spray the top coat otherwise you would drag up the wash?

 

Looks good though, even though I'm watching from behind the sofa!

 

Regards,

Adrian

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On 9/7/2020 at 11:23 PM, bigbadbadge said:

Is it the 32nd Gladiator kit I have a Sea Gladiator version to doand it looks bloomin nice.  It's always a great feeling to get a box out of the way.  Just about to do the same on my Seahawk build.

Chris

No Chris, I bought the MkI 1/48 Roden kit, I'm really liking working in this scale. Not sure what scheme to go for yet though. My favourite is the '38 RAF temp camo, but there are 5 options with the kit I think? And I'm also keen on the Finnish Air Force schemes as well.

 

On 9/8/2020 at 11:00 AM, AdrianMF said:

I don't use them, but to me Flory washes are terrifying! I worry that they might not come off in the first place and then I worry about whether they continue to come off before you get another coat of varnish on. Presumably you have to spray the top coat otherwise you would drag up the wash?

 

Looks good though, even though I'm watching from behind the sofa!

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

I did jump in at the deep end Adrian! A little daunting? But as they were on top of a gloss varnish I felt safe. I was happy with the effect, which basically gave it the feel of a few months of service life outdoors. I removed most of it I think, but on the gills around the engine for instance it really 'stuck', and is a little grubbier than I'd like. I wanted a very subtle look, and it is maybe a touch heavier than I wanted.

 

Thanks Silver Fox, Dunny. It's been a fun build with more Ups than Downs.

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7 minutes ago, Quiet Mike said:

Chris, I bought the MkI 1/48 Rodin kit, I'm really liking working in this scale. Not sure what scheme to go for yet though. My favourite is the '38 RAF temp camo, but there are 5 options with the kit I think? And I'm also keen on the Finnish Air Force schemes as well

The Roden kit is nice, Eduard do a nice PE set for it too.  I built the Mk1 quite a few years ago was an enjoyable build.  

Chris 

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2 hours ago, Quiet Mike said:

I removed most of it I think, but on the gills around the engine for instance it really 'stuck', and is a little grubbier than I'd like. I wanted a very subtle look, and it is maybe a touch heavier than I wanted.

Good part is that it's clay-based pigments that wash/rinse off with water. A wet/moist brush and q-tip would probably take care of that.

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I had a brainwave this afternoon and used Mother Nature for my lighting and studio set up. (Lots of you have realised this already. I've seen enough of Moa's RFIs so I should have twigged this much sooner!)

 

Thanks for all the help and encouragement along the way with this one.

 

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1:48 Airfix Bristol Blenheim Mk.I by Mike, on Flickr

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Brilliant finish. You did the right thing with the gloss coat before the flory. You can remove as much or as little as you like with water and a cotton bud. 👌

Personally I top coat again after the fact but each to their own. The canopy looks great. I Hope mine turns out that good but with scale and the scratch factor it probably won’t.  Excellent work, you can be proud of that one for sure.

Johnny.

 

ps. While using micro sol on the second or third pass you can gently roll a cotton bud over the decal to almost force it into the nooks and crannies. Daco is the other decal settling agent by the way.

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I really must avoid eBay sometimes, I am too weak! I have several kits in the queue, but this really float (planes) my boat. Luckily the eBay going rate is £30, and my going rate is only £15, so it's currently on the wish list as I've been outbid on two so far. I'll keep trying 🤞

Schneider racers have always been a pet subject, not just the later famous Supermarines. I reckon if this could be converted ...

 

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Brooklands Revival August 2018 by Mike, on Flickr

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Brooklands Revival August 2018 by Mike, on Flickr

 

Anyway, back to the Apollo 11 Columbia and Eagle 🚀

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On 9/9/2020 at 10:48 PM, The Spadgent said:

Brilliant finish. You did the right thing with the gloss coat before the flory. You can remove as much or as little as you like with water and a cotton bud. 👌

Personally I top coat again after the fact but each to their own.

Thanks Johnny. I was supposed to be modelling tonight, but then your epic Lancaster build from 2018 that I hadn't seen before popped up and I lost half an hour ... I only skim read a few pages  😂   I'll have to come back to that and go through it in a few sittings I think  🍿

Removing the Flory wash was interesting, I just dug out a few brushes and had a play with different effects. A very soft make up brush was good, also dabbing a wet paper towel instead of wiping it across. All achieved slightly different effects. And it's all relatively low risk if it's on top of a gloss varnish, so great to just learn as you go. By the time I'd finished playing, I'd removed most of mine anyway, but yes, a final varnish was supposed to be on the cards, if I hadn't been so keen to remove the canopy masks 😂

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  • 3 weeks later...

Good haul at The Works yesterday, there's a few of the Haynes manuals down to £3. I only went in to see what Airfix kits they stocked (1/48 Blenheim, 1/72 Fortress, and a few other smaller kits, all near RRP) and couldn't resist. 🙄

 

The Tabloid kit was found on ebay for under £20, and the Sopwith - The Man and his Aircraft book was a tenner from Amazon and is excellent.

(I'm still after the Sopwith Schneider or Baby)

 

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Recent bargains by Mike, on Flickr

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