1/72nd Canadair CP-107 Argus Conversion

[Rob Probert]

Afternoon all,

 

I've been working on the recently released conversion of the Mach 2 Bristol Britannia to a Canadair Argus in 1/72nd scale. This is by Transport Wings and comprises of some hefty resin parts along with some 3D-printed detail parts. 

 

I've got the main construction completed now and am almost ready for the painting process to begin - the pictures below will give a good indication into the amount of work done and how little of the Mach 2 Britannia kit is actually used!

 

 

The white sections are the Mach 2 parts, the grey sections are the resin conversion parts.

 

 

You get new engines and nacelles with the option of open or closed cowl flaps.

 

 

There are also new rear sections of the nacelles to replace the Britannia's exhaust system.

 

 

Clear parts are resin - not completely blemish free but not too bad.

 

 

The Britannia's windows all needed filling and new windows opened up for the Argus.

 

 

The enormous MAD boom is well replicated.

 

 

The Britannia's fin is also modified with a new fillet and leading edge, but the Britannia stabilisers are a drop-fit.

 

 

I opted for the extra bomb-bay mod on mine. The doors are obviously yet to be fitted. The bays were a bit of a struggle to get integrated into the Britannia's lower fuselage but a dose of good old fashioned modelling and plastic card and filler soon had the problem solved.

 

 

The Mach 2 main landing gear is used but new Argus nose-gear is supplied in the conversion.

 

 

The conversion enables you to make a MkI or MkII with the various radar and aerial fits - I've gone for a MkI. Propellers will be added after painting.

 

 

The conversion captures the look of this graceful aircraft really well and although it's been a lot of work to get to this stage I've really enjoyed it.

 

I'll post some more pictures when it's had some paint applied.

 

All the best,

Rob

 

 

[Terry1954]

Absolutely superb job done there so far on one of my all time favourite aircraft. I'm a great fan of maritime patrol aircraft in general and hope to acquire a 1/144 scale Argus when Welsh model repop their kit. 

 

Will watch this one take the paint!

 

Terry

[Bill Bunting]

Very nice choice and very nicely done. Will be watching.

 

[Biggu]

Awesome conversion, and I'm sure you have these as well??

 

ww.belcherbits.com/lines/decals/bd34.htm  

[Tail-Dragon]

Absolutely brilliant!  I have this conversion (minus the bomb bay) and am continuing to collect detail info on it. I'll follow with great interest!

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Wow!  This is quite the conversion job, and I'm so glad it's in your hands. It's so beefy and muscular, the Argus makes the P-3 look like a converted airliner in comparison!  LOL!   Are the main landing gear tires those that come with the Mach 2 kit?  If so, they don't look bad.  

[dogsbody]

How I missed this when first posted, I just don't know. That's looking great. I grew up about 50 miles from CFB Greenwood, in Nova Scotia, where Argus' were based. There were not many days you didn't see or hear one lumbering along near our farm. When I was 12, my parents took my sister and I up to Greenwood for an open base day. I got to get inside an Argus and briefly got my backside into the pilot's seat. Good times!

I was back again in the early 90's and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

[Rob Probert]

On 12/13/2020 at 6:01 PM, Biggu said:

Awesome conversion, and I'm sure you have these as well??

 

ww.belcherbits.com/lines/decals/bd34.htm  

Yes indeed - that exact sheet has been used on this build.

 

On 2/5/2021 at 1:05 AM, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Wow!  This is quite the conversion job, and I'm so glad it's in your hands. It's so beefy and muscular, the Argus makes the P-3 look like a converted airliner in comparison!  LOL!   Are the main landing gear tires those that come with the Mach 2 kit?  If so, they don't look bad.  

Yes the landing gear all came from the Mach 2 Britannia. In terms of quality, they are not bad at all.

 

On 2/5/2021 at 8:00 PM, dogsbody said:

How I missed this when first posted, I just don't know. That's looking great. I grew up about 50 miles from CFB Greenwood, in Nova Scotia, where Argus' were based. There were not many days you didn't see or hear one lumbering along near our farm. When I was 12, my parents took my sister and I up to Greenwood for an open base day. I got to get inside an Argus and briefly got my backside into the pilot's seat. Good times!

I was back again in the early 90's and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

What wonderful memories. I remember seeing one at a Greenham Common airshow back in the day but can't claim to have got inside one!

 

Since the last time I updated this I've finished the model and it's come out well. Unfortunately it's not the weather for photographing it at the moment, although the current snowy conditions would make a realistic backdrop!

 

Rob

[busnproplinerfan]

Somehow I missed this. I built my own years ago kitbashing a B-29 and a DC-6. I have two vac forms now waiting to get made. Click2detail makes landing gear for the Britannia which is the same aside from the main wheels. I never got to see one fly since I'm in the prairie and these were a bit before my time. Only ever saw the two in the maritimes and 715 which was trucked to Gimli Manitoba for restoration but ended up scrapped. The nose I think still exists but must have been an after thought to save the nose since it's pretty banged up.