David Womby Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 This is the first Blackburn NA39, serial XK486, the first prototype of the Buccaneer. I have tried to represent her as I believe she was configured when she was rolled out. She flew, on schedule, for the first time on April 30, 1958. She was basically a flying shell - no folding wings, no weapons, no air-bleed system. I built this from the old Airfix NA39. I removed 13 scale inches just aft of the cockpit to move it back and I shortened and reshaped the nose cone (no radar in there!). I also deleted the production-style strakes from the airbrakes and fitted 4 new configured as originally worn by XK486. The blue is Tamiya Royal Blue: a nice colour match but no fun to airbrush for me for some reason. Decals are mostly old ModelDecal ones with some homemade underwings serials. As a contrast, here she is with the S1 I recently finished. Comments and critiques welcomed. David 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Jolly nice! The prototypes do look very different from the production aircraft. I’m toying with the idea of doing the prototype from the FAAMuseum In the Buccaneer GB if time allows, because that seems a bit closer to the kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Beautiful Buccaneer, nice work ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhutchi Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Really nice. Great to see something a little bit different but familiar at the same time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crobinsonh Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Lovely builds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 A great pair David. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky210 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Nice Bucc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binbrook87 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Really like what you've done there from the old kit. Great work 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 Thanks, everyone. I like older kits - they're simple, like me. I did make one deliberate omission - she had something (a spin recovery chute or a camera) in a blister on the airbrake port half. It spoils her lines. So I left it off. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Nicely done! How did you redo the intakes? Did you employ styrene tube of appropriate diameter? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 1 hour ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Nicely done! How did you redo the intakes? Did you employ styrene tube of appropriate diameter? I did put plastic tube inside both the intakes and the exhausts but the outer intakes are as in the kit. I needed some filler on the insides where the tube met the intake lips and then I I thinned the lips a bit too. Here's a couple of in progress pics to show what I did to shorten the fuselage aft of the cockpit and refine the kit's intakes. There's a whole build thread on another modelling site I can point you to if you want to see more. David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Great job! If any version of the Buc can be considered svelte and sleek, the NA39 would be the one! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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