Flying Suitcase! 1/72 HP Hampden

[TimT]

This is my version of Valom’s 1/72  Handley Page Hampden. An early version of the twin-engine fighter bomber, it was deployed in key missions before being quickly superseded by craft that were less vulnerable to attack. An  unlikely looking war plane,  it’s broad wings and long-tailed body make it seem like the offspring of a bat and a pregnant seahorse. 

 

The Valom model is no shake-n-bake: a limited run kit, it lacks any locating pins or obvious means for one piece to attach to another - beyond a butt joint and a lot of liquid cement.  Made from thick, unpleasant plastic, it challenges you to carve and add what you need to make a structure durable enough to handle. After that, the fit of pieces isn't bad; I used very little filler, although perhaps I needed more.

 

I chose it over the Airfix 1/72 because of its bizarrely intense surface detail; row upon row of rivets pepper the surface, and while its certainly inaccurate for the scale, it’s fun to paint nevertheless.

 

There’s a couple of sheets of PE details to figure out, plus a small sheet of misaligned decals. 

 

I added canopy transparencies from AZ Models, and a pilot from PJ Productions. Apart from that, I adapted it to in-flight mode, which required shaving the wheels down and some surgery on the wheel bay doors. The black underside hides a load of shaky craft trying to get this to work. 

 

A poor crafts-person blames the kit, but I had to take some shortcuts with this one. Some more sanding and filling, and a few more hours with the painting would’ve produced something better. However, I enjoyed trying to wrestle this tough little kit into the unique lines of the Hampden. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[swralph]

Lovely build.😀

[gazza l]

Excellent result, you're hard work has paid off.

 

gazza l 

[Bangor Lad]

Now that, I like! The weathering is great and typifies a well used airframe that doesn't look like it's about to fall apart!

[Homer]

Excellent piece of modelling, well done 👏 

[TimT]

2 hours ago, swralph said:

Lovely build.😀

 

15 minutes ago, Bangor Lad said:

Now that, I like! The weathering is great and typifies a well used airframe that doesn't look like it's about to fall apart!

 

13 minutes ago, Homer said:

Excellent piece of modelling, well done 👏 

 

Thanks very much, everyone - and Gazza too! Sorry, forgot to quote you! Your feedback is really appreciated!

Edited December 14, 2020 by TimT
missed info

[TimT]

 

 

2 hours ago, gazza l said:

Excellent result, you're hard work has paid off.

 

gazza l 

 

and to you too, Gazza!

[GREG DESTEC]

I have to concur with my fellow BMers. 

 

A lovely rendition of the Hampden. Very tastefully weathered, and photographed. 

 

Very well done 👍

[RidgeRunner]

Very nice

[TimT]

4 hours ago, GREG DESTEC said:

I have to concur with my fellow BMers. 

 

A lovely rendition of the Hampden. Very tastefully weathered, and photographed. 

 

Very well done 👍

 

4 hours ago, RidgeRunner said:

Very nice

 

Thank you both. And thanks for noticing the photography - still a skill I'm working on. Along with all the other skills I'm working on!

[RMCS]

Excellent 

[Quiet Mike]

Splendid effort!

 

[Mark4700]

Wow. I like that rather a lot. I certainly can’t spot where you had any issues. 

[Lightningboy2000]

Superb, you've made stunning work of the tasteful painting & weathering. All you need now is a sky/ground photographic back drop & it could easily be a Charles E Brown photograph.

Apart from that excellent to see one built up. I'm only just thinking about building my AZ boxed version. Hope the decals are OK in there. Also mind me asking which paints you used?

martin

[Vinnie]

Very nice work, Tim. Nicely photographed as well.

[TimT]

20 hours ago, Lightningboy2000 said:

Superb, you've made stunning work of the tasteful painting & weathering. All you need now is a sky/ground photographic back drop & it could easily be a Charles E Brown photograph.

Apart from that excellent to see one built up. I'm only just thinking about building my AZ boxed version. Hope the decals are OK in there. Also mind me asking which paints you used?

martin

Thanks for your comments, Martin! I used Tamiya paints throughout, heavily diluted. However, Mission Models make a transparent dust paint that is great for some subtle weathering over camouflage.

Good luck with you build!

[bigbadbadge]

Oooooo I like that,  love the weathered finish you have achieved,  cracking job

Chris

[Vulcanicity]

Excellent build, and as others have said very nicely finished and photographed!

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Good looking model with very effective weathering, looks just right!! - I have never heard of it as a fighter bomber though!

[socjo1]

Original subject and very nice effect. Congratulations!

[Sky Keg]

Absolutely beautiful!!!  Hall of Fame level craftsmanship.  

 

Mike

[alt-92]

Nice work
And a good dodge on the flimsy undercarriage & alignment   ask me how I know.

 

The AZ clear parts are a must on this kit @Lightningboy2000, make sure you have them.

Not your Tamiya shake & bake but with care and attention, builds up really well.

 

[TimT]

5 hours ago, Sky Keg said:

Absolutely beautiful!!!  Hall of Fame level craftsmanship.  

 

Mike

 

Thanks for the kind words, Mike! Much appreciated!

 

5 hours ago, alt-92 said:

Nice work
And a good dodge on the flimsy undercarriage & alignment   ask me how I know.

 

The AZ clear parts are a must on this kit @Lightningboy2000, make sure you have them.

Not your Tamiya shake & bake but with care and attention, builds up really well.

 

 

Thanks! Yes, apart from the undercarriage looking flimsy and awkward to build, I've never seen one built in-flight - and it looks so good in the air! I think the AZ clear parts + the masks are the only way to stay sane with this one.

[stevej60]

Look's superb,love the paint and weathering!

[djos]

Great build and result.

Weathering is very realistic

Regards Djordje