djktrumpet Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Hi all, I'd like to join this GB with a 1/72 Bristol Blenheim 1f. It's the Revell kit, which I believe was originally produced by Frog in 1969 - I built a few Frog kits back in my youth, but not this one, I think! It's a project I intended to do years ago but never got around to, with an Airwaves etch set to tart it up a bit and decals from an FCM set, depicting an aircraft from 25 Squadron in September 1940. Cheers, David 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Ooh! Look forward to this. If it’s any use, I’ve got a vac-form canopy set for this kit going begging. I’m happy to pass it on if you want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasermonkey Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Something to look out for if you haven't used that FCM decal sheet before: the decals silver quite badly*.I believe that the earlier FCM decals were notorious for it. Make sure you have a very glossy surface to apply them to and probably best to invest in some Ultimate Products Extra Strong decal solvent to make sure. * by "quite badly" I mean the worst I have ever encountered! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but forewarned is forearmed and all that. Cheers and good luck, Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Heather Kay said: Ooh! Look forward to this. If it’s any use, I’ve got a vac-form canopy set for this kit going begging. I’m happy to pass it on if you want it. Heather, thanks, that's very helpful, and I'm definitely interested. I'll send a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 49 minutes ago, lasermonkey said: Something to look out for if you haven't used that FCM decal sheet before: the decals silver quite badly*.I believe that the earlier FCM decals were notorious for it. Make sure you have a very glossy surface to apply them to and probably best to invest in some Ultimate Products Extra Strong decal solvent to make sure. * by "quite badly" I mean the worst I have ever encountered! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but forewarned is forearmed and all that. Cheers and good luck, Mark. Thanks for this, Mark. I did use some of the decals from that sheet on a Bf109 ages ago, and they didn't seem too bad at the time, but looking at the model again now, there is a bit of silvering.I'll keep it in mind! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 A quick tape-up of the main bits. Everything fits - more or less 🙂 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri3 Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 I've recently used that Battle of Britain FCM sheet on a Gladiator and Spitfire, I used Glosscote and Decalfix and got no silvering at all which was nice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 So in a break from tradition, I've started work on - the wings. After some thought about how to box in the wheel wells, I've gone for a bit of plastic origami and made some inserts which, whilst not wholly accurate, will at least close in the gaping hole and give a bit of the right sort of flavour should anyone try and look inside! I've painted them interior green and 'dirtied them up' a bit with an oil wash before fixing them in place. Next up, wingtip lights and the big landing light on the port wing. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Hi David, I just realized that I do have the original Frog kit of the Blenheim Mk I. Terrible plastic color, but nice surface. So yes, I am going to follow your journey... Just in case I decide to pull the old girl out of the stash! Well done so far. JR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share Posted August 21, 2020 Slow progress on this, but I have made some headway on the wings. I've added the wingtip navigation lights from bits of coloured plastic cocktail stick, and made the basis for the landing lights, which will be finished off with reflectors and glazing later on. I've also sanded off the raised panel lines and scribed new ones, filled and re-drilled the gun port and filled what seems to be a spurious hole in the leading edge of the starboard wing - I'm a bit new to this type of work, so it's all somewhat experimental! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Hi, experimental is good! You actually seem to know what you are doing, as everything is quite smashing. I have the Frog boxing of this kit, and I have decided to build it rather than buy the new-ish Airfix box. Looking at what you have done, this Blenheim has a lot of potential. Well done! JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 Thanks for the encouragement - it's much appreciated! I'll keep plugging away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 I’ve built all the 1/72 Blenheims and I have to say I enjoyed building the FROG one the most. I like your boxing in of the undercarriage - I’m looking forward to the rest of the build! Regards, Adrian edit/ps If you can source some larger wheels that would help because they are a bit small. I did mine on skis, so I dodged that problem! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 Thanks, Adrian - I've got some Barracuda resin wheels, which are the right size and should look much better! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 6, 2020 Author Share Posted October 6, 2020 Need to get this one moving again - I've been seduced by the ease of my Tamiya build elsewhere in this GB. Some progress on the Airwaves etch for the cockpit - very fiddly, I knew there was a reason I stopped building in 1/72! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 A pretty labour-intensive way to find out if you need glasses Good result though Cheers, Stew 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share Posted October 17, 2020 I've finally got the cockpit installed and the fuselage sealed up: Mostly the Airwaves set - I botched the PE throttle controls so bodged a replacement from plastic card, and also made the shelf behind the pilot's seat for the parachute stowage. I've also made a folded-up parachute from tissue paper and white glue, although I took the photo before installing that! I decided to go with the kit canopy - although it's a bit thick, it fits much better than the vacform replacement which I just couldn't get to work at all (sorry, @Heather Kay!). However, I have run into a problem in that even the kit canopy doesn't fit that well, and there's a noticeable step on the starboard side under the glazing. I tried blocking the fuselage out with plastic card, but that hasn't really solved it, so I'm afraid it's out with the filler, and just hope I can polish up the canopy again after everything's sanded down! Ho hum. I have got the wings on, though! 🙂 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 That is a lovely build and photoetch fits nicely👍 cheers, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 (edited) She's looking a bit sorry for herself, but hopefully will cheer up a bit once the canopy is polished. At least it will be a bit thinner! This is all a bit scary for me as I haven't tried doing anything quite like this before. I suspect I'll end up with some dust inside the cockpit now, but I'll just have to put that down to experience. Edited October 18, 2020 by djktrumpet Added photo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 While the filler's setting hard, I've done some work on the nacelles, given that the kit parts are a bit crude. I've cut away the cowl flaps and exhaust tubes - here are the new exhausts, from plastic rod, going into place - they still need a bit of tidying up. I'm planning to re-do the cowl flaps with pieces of plastic strip. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 This looks familiar. I built the frog version of this a few years ago. It wasn't easy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Cowlings going on - because I've chopped off the cowl flaps, the attachment of these is a mixture of hope and epoxy, with some added struts between the back of the engines and the blanking pieces in the nacelles. On the plus side, the canopy hasn't polished up too badly. I did end up with some dust on the inside, but I've managed to clear the worst of it by introducing a few drops of water containing a tiny amount of washing up liquid (so as not to froth), sloshing it around inside and allowing it to drain/dry out. The end is beginning to be in sight, although I'm doubtful of finishing in time for the GB finish date. We'll see. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 And here with my attempt at adding back the cowl flaps. OK if you don't look too closely! On balance I'm not really sure it was worth the effort of replacing the ones moulded onto the kit parts, but it's been an interesting experiment, and it's always good to to challenge one's basic modelling skills, 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djktrumpet Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Some paint going on... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Good progress mate, keep it up, you'll make it Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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