MarkSH Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Yes, yes I know about as much resolve as the bathroom cabinet after a big night out! As far as SWMBO is concerned my finger slipped OK! So, anyway the other big idea I had for this GB is now on its way to me: Cheers, Mark. 21 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 a real oldie mark , the box art on this one is really stunning, i look forward to seeing it polished up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Airfix really did hit the jackpot with Roy Cross, didn't they? What a fantastic bit of artwork. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Look forward to following this one, not one I've ever built but one I've always wanted to. This is not encouraging me to reduce the stash at all ! Cheers Pat 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Ooh I'm in for this one Mark! Always liked the box art on the P-61 kit and thought it one of the best Roy Cross did for Airfix. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsjmse Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Beautiful. I had one of these too. A series 4 Airfix was always quite a thrill if you were used to series 1 or 2. I remember trying to stuff the nose with modelling clay (it's all I had) in a poor attempt to make it sit correctly. I also remember horrible silvering of the decals which I applied over a lovely matt black Humbrol 33 finish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 Evening all, Despite only ordering this a couple of days ago look what turned up this afternoon! a great service from the vendor, good feedback left. Like the Heinkel 177, not quite the stirring Roy Cross artwork we so enjoy, but I knew that when I ordered it. and just like the Heinkel a lot of heavy rivet detail which I will sand back a bit on both kits. I may have to investigate some alternative schemes and after market decals. Raring to go! Cheers, Mark. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Great to see that your P-61 turned up so quickly Mark, that really is excellent service. There are a few aftermarket sheets available, I think that Kits World do a couple of nice ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 (edited) Another super simple decal sheet, nice thing about these old kits is we don’t have to spend eons with intricate stencil data. congrats with the speedy arrival by the way mark! Edited April 23, 2020 by Dansk 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackAck Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Ooh a P-61. That's an eye-catcher for certain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, BlackAck said: Ooh a P-61. That's an eye-catcher for certain. Hopefully it will be. I have just ordered a decal sheet containing a selection of saucy young ladies to choose from to adorn the nose of the aircraft....its a good job those sort of decal sheets weren't available when I was a teenager otherwise I'd be using the maximum magnification lenses on my head loupe now 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I'll look forward to seeing this come alive mark, it was always a kit I lusted after but never managed to make happen. That artwork above is a bit cool, so much action, I do wonder though what Mr Cross was on about having the Black Widows blow what looks like a Dragon Rapide to smithereens. Must have been a captured one. Steve. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 7 minutes ago, stevehnz said: I do wonder though what Mr Cross was on about having the Black Widows blow what looks like a Dragon Rapide to smithereens. Must have been a captured one. Without wanting to shatter a cherished childhood memory, it’s the shadow of the near aircraft that makes it look like a biplane 😜 The Dinahs at right angles to the runway have them, too... best, M 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Consider my cherished memory well & truly shattered. Funny how even now, I still didn't see it for what it is, though I still reckon it looks a bit like a Dragon Rapide. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 On 4/23/2020 at 7:22 PM, MarkSH said: Evening all, Despite only ordering this a couple of days ago look what turned up this afternoon! a great service from the vendor, good feedback left. Like the Heinkel 177, not quite the stirring Roy Cross artwork we so enjoy, but I knew that when I ordered it. and just like the Heinkel a lot of heavy rivet detail which I will sand back a bit on both kits. I may have to investigate some alternative schemes and after market decals. Raring to go! Cheers, Mark. It's....grey! Probably not a bad thing, I always found the black Airfix plastic difficult to work with for some reason. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Hi Mark This is the only kit my latest cats have managed to break so far. I have all the bits so I will watch how you put this one together to remind me where they went! Cheers Pete 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 Evening all, I'm going to try and keep an even pace with both the Greif and the Black Widow: I have already given all of the major airframe components a light sanding in the same way as the Heinkel just to take the edge of the raised detail, plus I have a couple of nice reference photos that show skin dimpling on the wings catching the light nicely in the all black paint scheme, so I have done a light pass between the rivets in a few places with a round scalpel blade to add some further texture: I have also started to detail the engine cowlings which are just blank, I've added some panel lines and riveting. Additionally, the cooling flaps are mahoosively thick so I've thinned them down and defined the split between each flap a bit more: One of the main efforts with this kit will have to be the interior because ...it just doesn't have one....well ok, it does....but you see what I mean, and as a point of interest it appears this particular P-61 was crewed by the gimp brothers and a mutant pygmy. The trouble is that the Black Widow does have a substantial glasshouse and of course this kit's clear parts aren't nearly so bad as the Heinkel's so a lot more will be seen. ...so this evening I've made a start on adding some detail to the interior starting with the front cockpit: I added side walls to disguise the substantial ejector pin marks, cut out a more representatively shaped instrument panel which was glued to the kit effort with some added discs for gauges. On the starboard side I've added some suggestion of the framing and some simple blocks and cabling. I need to do similar on the port side but that has a fairly large block panel which comprises the main engine control quadrant, flap controls and electrical panel which I have already begun (the angled panel emanating from the main instrument panel). I also need to add further detail to both the Gunners position and the Radar Operator's compartment at the rear of the fuselage which is also highly visible. I have no idea at this point what to do about the seats which are just blobs really, some more thought required. Cheers, Mark. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Wow!! Hasn’t that improved things? Great choice Mark and although this Airfix kit is not one I’ve previously craved about, I do admit that taking on Monogram’s 1/48 version has always been something I’d like to challenge myself too one day. I’m sure with your skills (already evident above) this will turn out to be another head turner. Cheers and all the best.. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 That is top work all round Mark! Your improved engine cowling looks like an aftermarket one in comparison to what comes in the box, it really does look that good. The work you are doing to the wings is improving the look of them no end but the cream of the crop has to be your scratch built cockpit, it looks fantastic! Not only does it cover up those nasty ejector marks but it really does add interest to what will be a fairly visible area. Will you be modifying the gimp brothers and the dwarf or leaving the crew out? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 9 minutes ago, modelling minion said: Will you be modifying the gimp brothers and the dwarf or leaving the crew out? No, I've given them the sack, the gimp brothers have slinked off to their dungeon as for the dwarf he's got a new job as body double for ant man. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Very nice work indeed. The wings will look especially good with the dimpling effect. The cockpit interior looks about a million times better for the work done, ditto the cowls. I can see this build turning into a crash course in adding detail for me.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Great choice Mark,never tackled this kit but I remember my friends older brother had a great example back when I was kid,he always had a collection of the more expensive Airfix kits as he worked including my first sighting of the Grief,Catalina and Sunderland. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Smashing work, i like the stressed skin effect, and that cockpit!, It puts some modern 48th scale kits to shame , cracking bit of detailing that 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Superb work as usual mark. Top notch 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 Afternoon all. I hope this finds you all safe and well. I have had a mini modelling break this week as I didn't feel like doing much after rushing (unnecessarily) to complete the Draken for the Nordic GB. Anyway got back into it today and pretty much finished the detailing of the cockpit and Radar operator's station in the P-61, just going to give it a blast of primer and can start to detail paint it: The left hand side wall has been detailed with an engine controls block and throttle quadrant plus the flap control on the side wall top rail. More detail added to the right hand side wall and the rear bulkhead. Including a large conduit, which is presumably for feed cables to the Radar operator's station from the radome, more framework. oxygen bottle and fire extinguisher, plus the gun sight/firing mechanism and a few other nameless blocks just to busy it up as it is all quite visible. Had a go at the seats for the front office, the seat bases are made from Apoxie sculpt to get the bucket shape, the framework is made from 0.8mm copper wire and lead wire. ...and with some foil and tape seatbelts added, ready for some primer. Pilot's seat on the left, gunner,s seat on the right. One more to make for the Radar Operator. The Radar Operator's station at the rear has also been detailed: Again just some representative shapes to fill what would be a very visible and blank area. I hope people don't think that adding so much extra detail isn't in the spirit of the GB, but It's what I use to do as a kid but without being able draw on such reliable supplies of manual dexterity. patience, materiel and disposable income, anyway I'm really enjoying it! Cheers, Mark. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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