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British Airways Airbus A319, Revell 1:144


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Here's a very quick build from the last few days, as a test using Halford's Fiat Capri Blue, and Halford's Racking Grey.

 

The build is very straightforward.  The only modification is to remove the unnecessary flap track fairings on the underside of the wings.  The A319, A320, and A321 kits use the same wings, but only the A321 has the extra flap track fairings.

 

Their removal is given in step 3 of the instructions.  

 

The blue turned out really well, I was afraid at first that it would be too light.  I'm also really impressed with the grey.

 

But this build has given me the confidence to use the Fiat Capri Blue on the Revell British Airways A380, and to use Humbrol Midnight Blue for the Landor 747.

 

I built this A319 as G-EUOG, which brought me home after six years living abroad.

 

The decals are the "old" Chatham livery for British Airways, meaning that there is no crest on the fuselage, and no registration decals for the top of the vertical stabilizer, or above the flight deck windows.

 

In addition, the current Chatham livery does not have shading on the tail cone, as depicted with the decals - the current version is solid red.

 

I found the wrap-around decals for the tail cone difficult to apply, and there are some folds.  However, with this A319 now hanging from the ceiling, no-one can tell!  One thing that bothers me about this kit is that there are no decal options for the cabin windows, like there were for the A320.  And there are no clear parts for the cabin windows.  There are silver window frame decals, but this means that the windows are represented only by the very thin decal film.

 

This is actually the third time I have built this kit - the first one was damaged beyond repair during my move, and the second one I had completed, just finished the decals and was fitting the antennas, when I turned it over and realized that I had some cement on my fingers, which had melted through the logo decals and smeared blue and red all over the fuselage.  

 

So in the bin immediately it went.

 

Most of the time building this kit was spent on the many decals that it has.

 

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Edited by neilg
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Hi Neil,

Super job, this looks really great! Well done on your perseverance I'd have given up after the first one probably!

You've done a good job on the blue/white demarcation. I didn't know about the differences between the old and new liveries apart from the crest so that's worth noting for the future.

Now you've built the old and new moulds can you comment on which is better?

Good luck with your BA A380!

Cheers,

Ian

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24 minutes ago, Turbofan said:

Hi Neil,

Super job, this looks really great! Well done on your perseverance I'd have given up after the first one probably!

You've done a good job on the blue/white demarcation. I didn't know about the differences between the old and new liveries apart from the crest so that's worth noting for the future.

Now you've built the old and new moulds can you comment on which is better?

Good luck with your BA A380!

Cheers,

Ian

 

Thanks a lot.

 

The A319 and A320 are from the same era I think.  I haven't built the new mould yet, but it looks like the flight deck section is a single-piece transparent part.  I'm not sure why they've decided to do that - the older kits have window frame decals that seem to look pretty effective.

 

The A320 was the original Lufthansa boxing, but I bought the PAS resin engine and winglet set to turn it into a neo.  I covered the build briefly here:

 

 

The masking always makes me worry - it looks like it's on tight around the edges before I start painting, but there is always some bleeding.

 

In this case, it was around the leading edge wing root, which I tidied up by hand with some Revell gloss white.  It took about six coats because the Revell aqua is not opaque enough to cover the blue.

 

I don't know how well the Revell aqua white ages, but I'm worried that it might yellow over time, whereas the Halford's appliance white seems to stay brilliant white for years.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, neilg said:

The A320 was the original Lufthansa boxing, but I bought the PAS resin engine and winglet set to turn it into a neo.

My apologies Neil, I thought it was the new Revell A320 Neo kit, I had completely forgot about that build!

Cheers,

Ian

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Nice job on the tiny bus, Neil! I really enjoy when modelers are straight forward with the admission of "testing" different paints, painting techniques, parts, decals, PE parts...anything...but even overjoyed when things work out as planned, or better! Looks like you got one of the better-than-planned finishes. And rightfully deserved, after a couple mishaps. Hate that you would throw something in the bin because of cement on the fingers...we've ALL had that "little" mishap. Interpreted as a major catastrophe...but...why not save the model...sleep on it, think it through, study some more, be creative...and start sanding it all off and go another route!?!?!? Easier said than done, I know...

 

Really like this BA livery, too, on the Airbus. You've done really well here. :goodjob:

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9 hours ago, Challenger350Pilot said:

we've ALL had that "little" mishap. Interpreted as a major catastrophe...but...why not save the model...sleep on it, think it through, study some more, be creative...and start sanding it all off and go another route!?!?!? Easier said than done, I know...

 

I did that with my recent B-2 build, where I thought I had finished it and then a few hours later, a permanent white bloom had formed all over it.


It was about to join the same fate as my second A319, when a member here told me to apply another coat of gloss on it, which did the trick.

 

However, that A319 just pushed me over the edge, especially as I had thought I had been so careful with it, and had spent hours and hours applying the decals.

 

I had attached the antennas last because they usually snap off during the build, and I didn't even feel the cement on my fingers.

 

This time, I put the antennas on before painting, so there was no cement around when I was applying the decals!

 

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8 hours ago, Turbofan said:

Hi Neil,

Just a thought, do you use liquid cement applied with a brush? Far less chance of getting any on your fingers.

Cheers,

Ian

 

I use liquid cement with a fine paint brush, but at that time, I can't remember how I did it.

 

It still terrifies me to this day, especially as I get clumsier the more delicate I try to be!

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2 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

Beautiful A319 you've built. Not flown on the 319 but I've flown on the 320 twice. 

 

Thank you.

 

I got quite attached to the A319 over the years, only twice were there equipment changes - to an A320 (G-MIDT), and an A321 (G-EUXE).

 

The box art depicts G-EUOF, which I never had the chance to fly on, but my parents flew out on OF when they visited me.

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19 hours ago, neilg said:

 

I use liquid cement with a fine paint brush, but at that time, I can't remember how I did it.

 

It still terrifies me to this day, especially as I get clumsier the more delicate I try to be!

Ha, ha...  I feel your pain as I’m exactly the same!
 

A super nice build and very cleanly built.  That blue bottom is a pain to get right.  I think I made a little jig with a pencil to draw a straight line around the aircraft and then masked to that.  Came out pretty well apart from some bleeding at various panel lines.  Cleaned most up but some remain.

 

Currently at the decalling stage on mine which may take some time so will be a week or two before I post my build though I’ll update the WIP soon.

 

Won’t look as good as this fine example but hopefully not too shabby.
 

Great work Neil!

 

You wait forever for a BAby bus and two come along at once. Almost.

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4 hours ago, BluesModeller said:

Ha, ha...  I feel your pain as I’m exactly the same!
 

A super nice build and very cleanly built.  That blue bottom is a pain to get right.  I think I made a little jig with a pencil to draw a straight line around the aircraft and then masked to that.  Came out pretty well apart from some bleeding at various panel lines.  Cleaned most up but some remain.

 

Currently at the decalling stage on mine which may take some time so will be a week or two before I post my build though I’ll update the WIP soon.

 

Won’t look as good as this fine example but hopefully not too shabby.
 

Great work Neil!

 

You wait forever for a BAby bus and two come along at once. Almost.

 

Which blue are you using for it?

 

I had some bleeding around the panel lines too.  I need to use a toothpick next time to really press in the masking tape - my fingernails are clearly not long enough.

 

Looking forward to your update!

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3 hours ago, neilg said:

 

Which blue are you using for it?

 

I had some bleeding around the panel lines too.  I need to use a toothpick next time to really press in the masking tape - my fingernails are clearly not long enough.

 

Looking forward to your update!

I’m using Vallejo Model Air French Blue.  Seems to be close enough once a coat of gloss is on to darken it a touch.

 

Was going to post an update but the Android Flickr app is a useless mess.

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19 minutes ago, BluesModeller said:

I’m using Vallejo Model Air French Blue.  Seems to be close enough once a coat of gloss is on to darken it a touch.

 

Was going to post an update but the Android Flickr app is a useless mess.

 

Are you using the larger wingtip fences?

 

I forgot the ones on this kit are undersized until I went to attach them.

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8 minutes ago, neilg said:

 

Are you using the larger wingtip fences?

 

I forgot the ones on this kit are undersized until I went to attach them.

I am, although they where quite thick so took some work to make them look right.  I’ll probably stick with the kit versions if I build another A319 or make my own from plasticard.  My only other addition is a set of 26 decals for the windows.

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How was your kit to put together?
 

This is my second try after ruining the last one by messing up the white.  The first one went together ok save for a bit of flash but this one had major fit issues with the fuselage which I never got quite right and the wingtips where deformed and needed a fair bit of work to make good.

 

 

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4 minutes ago, BluesModeller said:

How was your kit to put together?
 

This is my second try after ruining the last one by messing up the white.  The first one went together ok save for a bit of flash but this one had major fit issues with the fuselage which I never got quite right and the wingtips where deformed and needed a fair bit of work to make good.

 

 

 

Each one I've built has been fine - I haven't noticed any fit issues.

 

The CFM engine parts had quite a lot of flash, especially around the tailpipe.

 

There was also a bit of tidying up to do on the trailing edge of the wings and around the flap track fairings.

 

Oh and some of the windows needed to be cut out.

 

I didn't have any warping at the wingtips though.

 

It certainly was not as flashy as the Revell 1:144 Concorde!

 

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