klr Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 (edited) No, you're not seeing things. As I just posted in the chat thread, this is my exorcism for all the grief I've suffered building the old kit. I had previously turned my nose up at the new tooling because it lacked rivet detail, but I'm prepared to overlook that here. I picked up this kit second-hand yesterday for 10 Euro, which was exactly how I acquired the old kit last year. One thing I hadn't noticed before is that there are two boxings of the 2016 HAR.3 starter kit, both coded A55307. I bought the version on the right: The difference goes beyond rearranging the paints to reduce the package size - assuming the version on the right is newer. The version on the left has 6 different paints, the version on the right just 4, with two each of Hu 69 yellow and Hu 64 light grey. This is not just an academic point, because I suspect the painting instructions (which for starter kits only ever refer to the supplied paints) are overly simplistic, especially in respect of the interior. So I will try and muddle through. I am starting on this kit as soon as time allows today ... can't keep Prince William (the pilot) waiting! Edited October 18, 2020 by klr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 After several hours work, most of the part have been removed, cleaned up, dry-fitted and many sub-assemblies have been completed. Now it's time to start painting. As you can see, I've gone for the folded main rotor option. For some reason, there is no surface detail on the blades, quite unlike any other Sea King kit I've seen (either in person, or seen a picture of, or have the instructions for). Was this an oversight by Airfix, or were these aircraft fitted with newer blades (composite?) at some point? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 The cockpit and cabin are now complete, although I may matt varnish the gloss blue and orange seat covers before I close it all up. I may leave the main cabin door on the starboard side open. What's the point on all this detail if you can't see it? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) I did a lot of work last night, not just closing up the fuselage, but then cleaning up all the joins. There's still some work to be done on that score, but I'm hopefully broken the back of it: Note how the inflatable dinghy (I assume that's what it is) is stored right on top of the rear port-side seats. I couldn't see any other way, based on the instructions. That's not a smudge on one of the seat covers, it's a reflection. To save time, I didn't matt coat these, but I still could, at least the ones that will be visible from the open main side door. The next major steps will be the cockpit transparencies. Dry-fitting suggests these will require very little if any filler or any other remedial action, so I will be able to move straight onto the painting: Black cockpit undercoat, then at least two coats of yellow. The main undercarriage sponsons will also be assembled and installed, but there are some niggles to be sorted with these. With any luck, I should be able to start the main painting work on Thursday morning. I may well get the kit finished by Sunday afternoon, as planned. Edited October 13, 2020 by klr 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Very rapid progress there, certainly a lot faster than mine. The object that you refer to above the port side seats is actually a stretcher which also contains some of the medical equipment. Some of the covering is normally fluorescent red-orange. The life raft is in the container just aft of the main cabin door and is yellow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 10 hours ago, stever219 said: Very rapid progress there, certainly a lot faster than mine. The object that you refer to above the port side seats is actually a stretcher which also contains some of the medical equipment. Some of the covering is normally fluorescent red-orange. The life raft is in the container just aft of the main cabin door and is yellow. Thanks for the extra information. I may be able to re-paint the part of the life raft container that is visible, but everything else will have to stay "as is". Of course, I could close up the side door, but I don't really want to do that. I am already looking at photos of XZ596 & other online resources for clues about painting external details. Tricky, because these things can change over time, and the decals represent it at very specific time (2011). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share Posted October 14, 2020 Back half now painted with 3 coats of Hu 69. I may get to apply some decals this evening. As you can see, I also painted the part of the fuselage that will be visible underneath the window of the big sliding door, when it is attached in the open position. I also pre-painted that tricky area that will be partly obscured by the diagonal support strut for the starboard sponson (... is sponson the correct term? <shrugs>). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 26 minutes ago, klr said: Back half now painted with 3 coats of Hu 69. I may get to apply some decals this evening. As you can see, I also painted the part of the fuselage that will be visible underneath the window of the big sliding door, when it is attached in the open position. I also pre-painted that tricky area that will be partly obscured by the diagonal support strut for the starboard sponson (... is sponson the correct term? <shrugs>). When I worked at Westllands in the late 70's and 80's that is the term we used. Rodders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share Posted October 14, 2020 22 minutes ago, Rodders154 said: When I worked at Westllands in the late 70's and 80's that is the term we used. Rodders I can't get a more authoritative answer than that! 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share Posted October 17, 2020 A lot has happened since I took that photo on Wednesday. This was taken yesterday afternoon (Friday), and more work has been done since. Since then, much of the framing has been cleaned up, including any imperfections at the joins. As good as the transparency parts fit is in this kit, they are not perfect. There were also some areas of the fuselage that needed an additional coat of paint. I should have another photo later this afternoon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share Posted October 17, 2020 ... and here it is: Still a lot of work to do between now and tomorrow afternoon. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 As finished as she'll ever be. The pictures taken with flash are better than those without: More pics in the gallery in 5 minutes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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