RNZAF de Havilland Vampire T.11 NZ5710

[Magua87]

Kia ora koutou.

 

I've decided to throw my hat in the ring. I can't let a group build about my country go by without a contribution! 

 

I'll be building an RNZAF de Havilland Vampire T.11. This is the Airfix gift set, which includes RNZAF decals for NZ5710. I saw 5710 on a recent trip to the Air Force Museum in Christchurch. You can read about the aircraft here.

 

I'm undecided if I'll use the black bars (Squadron flash, badge?) next to the roundels on the tail booms or if I'll pinch the other style of bar (red and orange) from an Xtradecal sheet I have for a single seat RNZAF Vampire. I think I'll also be pinching stencils from my other Airfix T.11 for this build. 

 

This won't be a fast build and I might need all the time allowed. But I'm looking forward to this. 

 

Some parts off the sprue, but nothing painted or glued.

 

 

Decals.

 

 

The style of bar on 5710 at the Air Force Museum (my photo). 

 

[LDSModeller]

25 minutes ago, Magua87 said:

I'll be building an RNZAF de Havilland Vampire T.11

Nice

 

Look forward to seeing your build progress

 

Regards

 

Alan

[biscuit]

building this at the moment, nice kit

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome aboard

[Ray S]

I found this a lovely kit to build, so have fun with it. These always look good to me.

 

Cheers,

 

Ray

[stevehnz]

Don't mind me if I pop in on this along the way.

Steve.

[Magua87]

Welcome all. 

 

Am hoping to get the airbrush out tomorrow evening to paint the cockpit. Will probably be brush painting the intakes and engine compressor/impeller. I've got some putty en route too, but hopefully I won't need much.

 

I picked up some of the new (to me) Vallejo metal colour series. I will be substituting my usual Tamiya AS-12 for Vallejo's White Aluminium. Having moved house, I don't have anywhere to use my Lacquers yet. I once tried to spray some in my apartment and oh boy, that was a one-time affair. 

 

I've also remembered I had these seats with another T.11 I've got in the stash. I see from another build thread that some surgery might be needed to get them to sit at the right height. I'll get the base coat of paint on these tomorrow too. 

 

[Andwil]

I think you will be pleased with the Vallejo metal colour, they spray on very nicely.  Use a low pressure as they are quite thin!

 

AW

[Magua87]

I've made a start.

 

The cockpit pieces have all been painted, including a few off-screen. 

 

 

I'm particularly pleased with how the seats have come up. I realise this is an awkward angle, but the lap belts look great too. I might follow up with another photo in the next update. 

 

 

Tomorrow I hope to have the cockpit assembled. As noted, the seats might need some surgery to fit. 

 

It feels good to be cracking on with a build after having not built anything over several months of moving house, renovating (which never really ends, right?), and starting a new job. I'm looking forward to having more high speed silver in the cabinet. 

[Magua87]

Been a busy few weeks with family staying and moving house, but we're progressing slowly. 

 

Fuselage, booms, and fuel tanks, all glued together. 

 

 

In time-honoured hamfisted tradition, I broke the ejection handle off a seat while I was reducing the seat to make it fit. That's been fixed with some stretched sprue and painted.

 

 

 

[stevehnz]

Nice looking seats, reminding me I've s couple or three to do too.

Steve.