Jump to content

Space 1999 Eagle restoration - Finished


Recommended Posts

Apparently, sometime in the past I built an Airfix Eagle. Probably in the late Seventies. I don't remember doing so, but there you are.

Anyway, I discovered it in a box a few years ago and it's been hanging around in the mancave crying out for a refurb. Now is the time.

I recently discovered the magic of Dettol as a paint stripper. I've just finished a build, so with a clear desk I set to.

 

The kit came apart quite easily, the ancient tube glue having crystalized over the years. Bits got dunked into the Dettol for 24 hours at a time and scrubbed.

Forget a six inch brush, I must have applied the Humbrol gloss white with a tarmac laying machine!

The Dettol got most of it off, but I've spent hours just chipping paint out of all the crevices caused by the tubular framework on the panels.

XF3a8iX.jpg

The main bodywork. Now pretty much paint free. Dettol and a dental pick got most of it off. I finished up with a wire brush!

Inside the 'beak' a copyright script and the year 1975 are moulded in.

 

nH2kArE.jpg

The lift engine pods. Slight damage caused in splitting these but nothing a dab of filler won't hide.

 

9yJ2oak.jpg

The landing pads had broken off years ago. I've drilled the centres to insert rods. I might have a go at making the scissor links.

 

BqbyqHE.jpg

Under fuselage engines. One was missing so I made a new one. A cutdown prop spinner and a couple of plastic rings.

 

1wUNzvW.jpg

And here's the reason I need help. I originally painted these pods/tanks? in dayglow orange paint (of unknown type & origin) for some reason. 

Well it reacted with the Dettol and pretty much melted the plastic. No idea why. A horrible twisted mess.

 

3vOto13.jpg

They look more like the Alien Queens' eggs! If anyone has a clue where I might be able to get replacements, or if you have a scrap Eagle, Please get in touch.

I will have a go at scratchbuilding replacements but it would be good if help turns up anyway.

 

The Passenger pod is in Dettol as I write. It will be decanted and cleaned in the morning.

Yes, I know this kit is wrong in a lot of details and that better ones are available, but, nostalgia knows no bounds!

Also....Speaking of nostalgia.

bGitsMl.jpg

Another one! This time, a car boot sale Dinky, bought many years ago. Why do just one when you can do two?

It too has been hanging around the mancave, just lying there, green. Green? Why, I have no idea. But it was really annoying me, so it had to go.

The Dettol did a fair job on the paint but some scrubbing and scraping had to be done. Again, as a model, it's far from perfect, but (sort of) looks the part.

Thanks for looking in, As always, comments and suggestions are welcome. Pete

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

And here's the reason I need help. I originally painted these pods/tanks? in dayglow orange paint (of unknown type & origin) for some reason. 

Well it reacted with the Dettol and pretty much melted the plastic. No idea why. A horrible twisted mess.

 

3vOto13.jpg

 

:doh: The consequences of using a dubious seventies paint scheme 

 

If the Airfix kit is the same scale as the Dinky version, you might be able to order a replacement part from Shapeways

Edited by Richard E
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

 

 

3vOto13.jpg

 

They look more like the Alien Queens' eggs! If anyone has a clue where I might be able to get replacements, or if you have a scrap Eagle, Please get in touch.

I will have a go at scratchbuilding replacements but it would be good if help turns up anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry to almost bust out laughing at your description.

 

So sorry that some parts of your kit got ruined, and we modellers should be there to support each other, we feel your pain. But sorry, I couldn't help it, finding your description really funny,

 

Hope you will find the answers you seek.

 

Alien Queen's eggs? That's a good one!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an unstarted kit that I haven’t even been able to give away. I’d offer it to you for only the cost of shipping, but it looks like the US Postal Service will charge close to $20 to ship to the UK. That’s almost halfway to the beautiful new 1/72 MPC kit! Still, it’s yours if you want it.

 

Ben in the USA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PM sent. Thanks.

 

In other news, The tanks hardened up a bit overnight, though it's still a bit like sanding sherbert.

Of the large tanks, I got away with just half of one no good, so I made up that half from bits and a bit of filler.

As I sanded the small ones I managed to separate the halves and I've matched up the deformed bits with good bits.

Tomorrow I'll do a bit of filling on them and rubbed down they should be passable. 

I've had a look at various pictures and I think I can add more pipework to disguise any wobbly bits.

I've also primed the Airfix and Dinky body parts.

Thanks for looking, Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Pete in Lincs  If the parts that deforms into "Alien Queen's eggs", is going to be a bit of a troublesome trying to fix it, why not turn the whole Eagle into a crashed diorama?

 

Sometimes when a model kit (say as an example, a WWII Hawker Hurricane) is so badly damaged, and more tricky trying to repair it, I tend to change it into a battle-damaged aircraft that returned to airbase, or looking like one that crashlanded.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thought had crossed my mind, but these are fuel tanks so there wouldn't be much left. I used to love Gerry Anderson programmes for the explosions!

I think I'm going to get away with repairing what I have. I'll probably be the only one to see this thing anyway. (I'll take photo's in the dark for you lot!)

It's only a nostalgia re-build anyway. Hopefully better than the first time, and will live out it's days in the mancave. (As will I)

Replacement parts would have been easier but beggars can't be choosers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Pete in Lincs

 

What if you were to cut off the rods between the tanks and balls?

Sand and if needed, use modelling filler, around the tanks and balls, to get them in shape.

Drill holes in place of where the rods had been.

Push one of those small metal or wood or plastic rods (you could buy from modelling shop or from the likes of Hobbycraft) through the main tanks (the ones in the middle.)

Then put the balls on at the ends of the rods.

What do you think?

 

By the way: I've been trying to insert an image from URL but for some reasons, this website here don't seems to let me, maybe browser problems or something! So I'm going to have to do it the old fashion way, give you a link to show you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sunday update time. 

NwNeQh6.jpg

Planning, that's what counts (apparently). Anyway, take a piece of rod (centre right here) and put it through the hole in a split pin.

You then have a T piece onto which you slide a bit of tube, and you can then slide the balls onto the ends of the top bar.

 

y4SpOfL.jpg

Drill holes in the aft fuselage portion and insert the rod/tube. Glue the cylindrical tanks to their carrier and attach to fuselage portion.

Good this, innit? almost like real instruktions. 😆

 

JWrHEeX.jpg

Obligatory close up shot. If the Dettol hadn't melted the plastic/paint then these bits would be joined together. Though that isn't prototypical.

https://www.scifiairshow.com/commercial     You'll have to copy & paste this into a new tab, I can't get a link to work. Go on, convince me that it isn't real! :laugh:

 

EghkQuk.jpg

Meantime, the monobots are having a union meeting.

 

66Gg37X.jpg

And the other parts are painted too. Plastic primer and rattlecan gloss white.

Since the pictures were taken earlier today, I've rubbed down the centre joint on the passenger pod and assembled the fuselage portions to the spine.

The rear bit & tanks will need another coat of paint tomorrow just to touch it up after being handled. The paint was still very slightly tacky.

I need to detail the pods and beak, but I'm going to keep things fairly simple and will probably just do the black bits. The feet need to be grey.

 

nX2cgIr.jpg

The paint I used worked on the Dinky Eagle parts too. 

Thanks for looking, Pete

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Ben. And, it's all over. They are finished and here are some pictures to prove it.

UMz0u4e.jpg

My attempt at forced perspective, 

 

DxDB4tB.jpg

Not quite so convincing. Neither of them will win any prizes, but they are better than before I started, and will only ever see the inside of the mancave anyway.

 

TRPpw1J.jpg

Roll over, play dead. A bit of detail painting carried out but no decals on either Eagle.

The hardest bit was masking off the white strips before I painted the black on the beak. Strips of Tamiya tape less than 1 mm wide.

I'm generally happy with them, purely built for nostalgia. I'd have preferred the meltdown not to have happened, but it gave me something to think about!

So that's four days from start to finish, a Lunar blitz build! It's not worth doing a RFI so I'll leave it here.

Thanks muchly for looking in and the helpful suggestions.

Pete

 

 

  • Like 14
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/15/2020 at 7:10 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

Apparently, sometime in the past I built an Airfix Eagle. Probably in the late Seventies. I don't remember doing so, but there you are.

:rofl:

A missing decade - pure hedonism you wild child!

 

One of my favouritest ever vehicles of any kind Pete and beautifully restored to front line duty. Alan Carter would approve. :clap:

 

 

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...