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SNCASO Trident 1/100 (L015) +++ Finished +++


CliffB

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Hi all.

I'll be starting with a 1/100 scale Trident, which I bought second-hand without any packaging.  So here's an image from Scalemates which shows what the wrapper looked like when the kit was first released in 1962.

 

168488-12155-98-pristine.jpg

 

The Trident was a mixed-power, point defence interceptor (like the SR.53), having a rocket motor in the fuselage and two turbojets on the wing tips.

It first flew in 1953 and around a dozen examples were built before the programme was cancelled in 1957.

 

I was originally going to build this in last year's FROG Squad GB, as it was one of six Heller Cadet kits that were also released as FROG Cadets.

Unfortunately, I failed to get started back then - so here it is again!

 

P1100695.JPG

 

P1100696.JPG

 

As you can see, it's a simple kit.  Given its space-age looks, I think I'll make use of the stand and build it 'wheels up'.

 

Cheers

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I just knew you’d be around with this Trident Cliff, and do recall seeing this before in the Frog GB. Glad to see it again and I do think that this GB is more suited to it than anything else. It’s a big welcome aboard from me. 
 

Cheers and best of luck.. Dave 

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6 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I just knew you’d be around with this Trident Cliff, and do recall seeing this before in the Frog GB. Glad to see it again and I do think that this GB is more suited to it than anything else. It’s a big welcome aboard from me. 
 

Cheers and best of luck.. Dave 

 

29 minutes ago, Wez said:

Nice one Cliff, welcome to the GB

Thanks guys.  It looks like you and your co-hosts are going to be very busy!

 

 

1 hour ago, RidgeRunner said:

Hmmmm ..... very nice and VERY different :)

 

Martin

 

Thanks Martin.  I guess if things had turned out differently, we could have seen Tridents in European skies, rather than Starfighters ;)

 

2 minutes ago, TonyW said:

What a plane! Imagine the aerobatics if one of those outer engines conked out suddenly. Test pilots of all nations were made of strong stuff.

Yes Tony, the mind bogles!   It was obviously showing some promise though, to have had so many prototypes built.

 

Cheers

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Very nice! 

I'm also going to build a Trident in this group. However I'm going for the larger 1/50 scale kit. 

The amount of parts and detail in my kit look about the same as your tiny one... 

So I guess that it will either be a really quick build or one with some scratchbuilding required... 😀 

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2 hours ago, Rudolf_Filip said:

Very nice! 

I'm also going to build a Trident in this group. However I'm going for the larger 1/50 scale kit. 

The amount of parts and detail in my kit look about the same as your tiny one... 

So I guess that it will either be a really quick build or one with some scratchbuilding required... 😀 

Yours sounds an altogether a more serious build than mine, Rudolf!  My only 'extras' will be to sand off the rivets and re-scribe the control surfaces.

I'll also need to brush up on my Photoshop skills if I'm going to salvage the "Trident" script from the decal sheet :winkgrin:

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This year in particular, I seem to be playing catch-up in most of the GBs that I've entered.  So, despite the fact that I've got five much more pressing builds to start/complete, I thought I'd try to get this one done while it is still fresh and new :).

 

Internally, there's no cockpit detail so it's been out with the matt black paint to disguise the void.  Fortunately, Heller provide a jet pipe for the rocket motor, so there are no 'see through' problems with fuselage.  That's not the case with the two jet motors though, so I've inserted a couple of blobs of black sponge to block things off.

 

P1110677.JPG

 

As you can see, the kit's not really designed to be built 'wheels up', as the u/c doors are much too small for their openings.  I've backed the gaps using small pieces of plasticard and will putty the outsides once everything has dried thoroughly.  It might have been easier to just blank the whole opening using card, but somehow it was nice to use the kit parts too - after all, there are precious few of them ;).

 

Externally, I've sanded off all the raised surface detail and re-scribed the control surfaces.  As is common with silver plastic, the raised detail can still be clearly seen even though it has been removed - it's quite disconcerting!

As far as I can tell, Heller's control surfaces were too small and so I've taken the opportunity to correct this.

 

P1110678.JPG

 

I'm on-call today, but if things are quiet I should hopefully have more to report later on.

 

Cheers

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I managed to grab some more time this afternoon and got some assembly done.

 

P1110679.JPG

 

It's not quite as advanced as it looks, as the wing-tip engines need more work and are therefore still loose.  I also haven't done any filling yet.

 

I've also had a go at reworking of the decals, using a combination of Photoshop, PowerPoint and my creaky old ink-jet printer.

 

P1110680.JPG

 

I can source new roundels from my spares box (thanks to a generous previous donation by @spaddad), but I'm pleased to have been able to salvage the Trident logos.

Those eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the change from "Trident II" to just "Trident".  The latter is correct, as the kit represents the first prototype Trident (currently on display at the Air & Space Museum at Le Bourget Airport).

 

Cheers

 

 

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I love that that little fiche de contrôle. Seems they weren't contrôle-ing l'exactitude de reproduction the day they knocked out their P-47.

 

Really interesting subject, I'll follow with interest. I can't get my head around the idea of 1/100 scale models, 1/72 sends me cross eyed.... Enjoy

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Glad you’ve elevated this GB build among the others on the go... we’ve all done that haven’t we?
No matter what scale, you seem to really get the best out of these small models. This one looks to be another awesome little gem in the making. 
Cheers.. Dave

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The French seemed very keen on Tridents. This, the markings on my naval Dewoitine 501 and the pitot tube on the LeO 451 (which somehow popped through my letterbox today whoopsie).

 

I think I would have had to have had a big tuft of coloured wool on the fin of this one - the fin and tailplanes all look a bit too similar!

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11 hours ago, TonyOD said:

I love that that little fiche de contrôle. Seems they weren't contrôle-ing l'exactitude de reproduction the day they knocked out their P-47.

 

Thanks Tony.  I will check out your P-47 build immediately :winkgrin:

 

9 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Glad you’ve elevated this GB build among the others on the go... we’ve all done that haven’t we?
 

Thanks Dave.  I fancied a bit of instant gratification and hopefully it'll clear the way for another entry later on!

 

9 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

The French seemed very keen on Tridents. This, the markings on my naval Dewoitine 501 and the pitot tube on the LeO 451 (which somehow popped through my letterbox today whoopsie).

 

Literally "three teeth"?  Not really a great look (although I'm gradually heading that way 😬).

 

Cheers

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16 minutes ago, CliffB said:

hanks Tony.  I will check out your P-47 build immediately :winkgrin:

There won’t be anything to see for a while Cliff, got two bombers to finish before I get to that one! I can’t do simultaneous builds...

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10 hours ago, Jinxman said:

Lovely work on those decals... and the plastic looks great as well.

 

I still need to get to Le Bourget - one day!

Thanks Jinxman.  I've never been to Le Bouget either, but it does look good :thumbsup2:

 

A little more progress today:

  • I've refined and fixed the wing-tip engines
  • The poorly fitting u/c doors have been filled and sanded
  • The canopy is on and masked

 

So the Trident is now ready for some paint :)

 

P1110682.JPG

 

 

Cheers

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On 10/4/2020 at 7:36 PM, TonyW said:

Oh my. The perfect example of Less is More. It can't get much simpler than that, but what a fine looking model.

 

If you need me, I'll be trawling the Internet...

 

Thanks Tony.  Any joy on the Internet? :winkgrin:

 

On 10/4/2020 at 8:56 PM, Jinxman said:

Lovely. Simples.

Thanks Jinxman. :)

 

A little more progress to report - the priming has been done and I've painted the rudder stripes.

 

P1110683.JPG

 

The blue's an enamel, so I'll probably wait until tomorrow before masking it and starting the Alclad.

 

Cheers

 

 

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10 minutes ago, CliffB said:

Thanks Tony.  Any joy on the Internet? :winkgrin:

 

 

 

Nothing Trident shaped.

 

A couple of other Heller bits and bobs though. I'll have to stop looking before the GB bankrupts me.

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4 hours ago, TonyW said:

I'll have to stop looking before the GB bankrupts me.

Imagine my joy when I discovered there is absolutely zero aftermarket material available for my chosen aircraft!

 

I love the lines of this little model, looks great, I only do '72 normally but quite fancy doing one of these to sit on its lonesome on my desk at work. 

Edited by TonyOD
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