bobster Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Hello all, Here is a kit I probably built around the mid 80's, It is one that sticks in my mind for some reason. I must have enjoyed building it and pleased with the end result! These three colour kits with the schemes printed on the back of the box bring back some memories, I must admit I only ever built Matchbox kits as a rule, with some Heller thrown in. I suspect that I could only afford Matchbox and felt the Airfix kits in my price range were pretty rough and ready in comparison. But wow the panel lines are DEEP! I'll add a bit of etch that was in the extra's box too. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 A beaufighter ,Welcome along bobster , thimble nose ,fillet tail ,torpedo, all quality ingredients 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Great choice 👍 I always preferred the Matchbox Beau to the Airfix one back then. I built this one in the Matchbox GB a while back. It's still a great kit to build. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dean Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 That pair of big Bristols gets you to where you want to go pretty quickly! The Coastal Command colour scheme is really attractive, much better than the cammo of the inferior Airfix version, in my opinion. I bought one to build last year, and it's still in the stash. Show me how it's supposed to look! Mike. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Great choice Bobster! I much preferred this one to the old Airfix kit too, for one thing it actually goes together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Fantastic. I agree that it was a big improvement over the Airfix kit, which was quite old even when this one was released. I've been trying to remember what the first Matchbox Orange Series kit I got was. I think it was the Jaguar. I certainly had one of these though. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Agree with the others, I too built both Airfix and Matchbox Beau’s and always loved the crisp and clean plastic that you got with Matchbox’s kits... still do! Cheers and all the best.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Any progress bobster, im sure we’d all love to see this one getting built 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 Hi Chaps, Sorry for the lack of action.....progress will begin soon! I have been catching up with all the builds started in the past, so I don't have as many kits half built and hanging around. I am now pretty much clear of all WIPs apart from a couple so I should start this one soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Good to know, we look forward to your joining us soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Looking forward to it bobster 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hello! I have moved on with the Beau - Etch cockpit sets: Etch sets When fitting the observers area, the floor was too wide and did not fit/bowed badly ......so I fabricated my own: Beaufighter_1 Painted and belted: Beaufighter_2 I'll update again soon, as bringing back great memories, a bit of glue here and there, we have a Beaufighter! These kits are fun! Cheers 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 26 minutes ago, bobster said: These kits are fun! They really are aren't they. Excellent work on your Beau, the interior looks a lot better than the kit parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Nice work on the interior. Looking forward to seeing how it comes together as I have one to get to in my 'restoration box'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 The Beau is now built up and mostly cleaned up. Hopefully start painting soon! Beaufighter_4 Beaufighter_5 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 Your Beaufighter is really looking good, none of the dodgy fitting parts of the old tool Airfix kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 The clean up suggests a very nice result after paint. Did you do some scribing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 Hi, I still have one of these somewhere that my wife bought for me ages ago, at a time when the only alternatives were the ancient Airfix "TFX" which I had converted into an NF Mk II, and the Frog one or should I say ones as I believe there were 2 releases. It builds up nicely except perhaps for the usual "troughs" for panel lines, and I don't recall them being too bad in this case. One of these days I might see if I can re-work it into something even better, though perhaps I will go for one of the more recent Airfix offerings to go alongside their expected Beaufort I have on order. Cheers Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted August 9, 2020 Author Share Posted August 9, 2020 On 8/8/2020 at 7:23 PM, Dansk said: The clean up suggests a very nice result after paint. Did you do some scribing? No, I've rescibed the panel lines back over the seam lines, but that is it really. I was going to reduce the panel lines, but I would be trying to finish the kit at Christmas, not next weekend! Actually, I am glad I have left it as is, as this is a Matchbox kit and this is what the kits were. It has been fun doing this one, I have one or two more in the stash 20 hours ago, PeterB said: Hi, I still have one of these somewhere that my wife bought for me ages ago, at a time when the only alternatives were the ancient Airfix "TFX" which I had converted into an NF Mk II, and the Frog one or should I say ones as I believe there were 2 releases. It builds up nicely except perhaps for the usual "troughs" for panel lines, and I don't recall them being too bad in this case. One of these days I might see if I can re-work it into something even better, though perhaps I will go for one of the more recent Airfix offerings to go alongside their expected Beaufort I have on order. Cheers Pete. I think I bought this kit way back before the Airfix kit came out too, as I am 'collector'. I have the new tool Beau kit in the stash waiting to be built.... and the re-boxing coming out later this year looks interesting too. I am looking forward to the Beaufort too....although I have a second hand Special hobby Beaufort in the stash, as that seemed to be the only game at the time and I never saw a Beaufort kit when I built my original Matchbox Beaufighter so I don't know how well kitted the Beaufort has been in the past. The primer has now been applied and I will Airbrush the camo (I am using project for a bit of a learning as I usually brush paint and fancy using an airbrush for some of my builds) using Tamiya acrylics. I already have the sky on (not perfect but maybe a combination of using a can of air, and the weather being too hot to airbrush) but I am pleased. I'll post pictures of the camo once finished. With primer on: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 Looks great, a real brute of an aircraft. All looks good for making the deadline too.👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 57 minutes ago, bobster said: No, I've rescibed the panel lines back over the seam lines, but that is it really. I was going to reduce the panel lines, but I would be trying to finish the kit at Christmas, not next weekend! Actually, I am glad I have left it as is, as this is a Matchbox kit and this is what the kits were. It has been fun doing this one, I have one or two more in the stash I think that’s the perfect respectful way of doing it for the kit 👍 looks great in primer, very nicely done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 AFAIK the only Beaufort before the SH one was the ancient Frog one. There are a few problems with that - particularly the engine cowlings, but with a bit of work I managed to get one that looks almost passable. However, I have ordered the new Airfix kit which must surely be a major improvement. Just found my Matchbox Beau and as I thought the panel lines are not that bad so I certainly would not bother re-scribing - though I probably brush painted quite thickly to hide them a bit! Cheers Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 'High Planes' did/does a Beaufort 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 Hello! The main painting has now been done over Sunday/yesterday. I have used Tamiya Dark Grey and Sky. The nacelle rings and exhausts are Tamiya gun metal. The nose is Tamiya Rubber Black. Not necessarily all accurate, but I am practicing with the Airbrush and the LHS stocks Tamiya and they look near enough to me. The kit has waited many years to be built, so I think this is in the sprit of Matchbox kits! I'll paint the torpedo (not really sure of the colours, be it the kit colours or using reference photo's) and paint the canopy etc later. I think I will try and use the kit lettering decals and some Hannants roundels after applying a gloss coat first. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 Very smart, and I would say you've picked up the technique for that airbrushing lark very quickly. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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