A DH Vampire (another boring ehrrr... exciting 28 Sqn build)

[Fritag]

On 5/23/2021 at 3:06 AM, hendie said:

There's still a decent ways to go with this before I can chuck it into the darkest corner at the back of the display cabinet.

 

It’d be front and centre in most of our cabinets  

[Brandy]

 Given what you had to work with the result is really looking outstanding!

 

Ian

[Head in the clouds.]

There was only ever one outcome, nice work indeed on a pig of a kit.

[Wlad]

Looking great.

[hendie]

Once again, many thanks to those who've commented on the Vampirical shape shifting kit of a thousand nightmares.  Fair warning: This is going to be a long post as I had a concerted effort to get thee behind me before I had a nervous breakdown. (I think I got there)

In the last exciting episode we managed to get stickers on and stay on, unlike some of the paint. After I arrived back from my travels, on Friday I managed to get a gloss coat on to seal all the stickery-pokery stuff. That was followed on Saturday, or maybe even Friday evening - I can't remember now - with a coat of semi-matt.

The underside

 

 

Not the underside

 

 

For the most part, the decals behaved themselves though there was some slight silvering on a few of the C/A stencils.  My largest concern was around the KEEP ORF panels but they turned out to be fine

 

 

With the semi-matt coat on it was time to unmask the cockpit.  The masking appears to have done its job though there was the slightest of overspray visible, but easily touched up

 

 

Next task was to paint the (somewhat scummy at this point) windscreen using one of those really fine detail brushes and very shaky hands.  I'm still impressed with how decent a seam I got between the windscreen and the fuselage given what I had to work with.

 

 

Now we have to turn our attention to the not topsides again.  On the right we have Classic's version of what the undercarriage linkage looks like, and on the left we have the PE part.

What should we go with fellow BMers?

 

 

You lot chose this didn't you?   I just know you did. I know.   Way back when I first opened this kit I actually made one of these from brass tube and wire as I didn't like the 2-dimensional aspect of the PE, but this far into the build and after what I've had to go through, I just couldn't face making another one, so PE it is.

Would you be surprised if I told you it didn't fit?  I had to cut a good few millimeters off each leg before it would go anywhere near where it was supposed to live. Additionally... see that line in the PE that's adjacent to the very end of the tweezers?  That's a fold line. Seriously?  I measured the segment to the right of that fold line and it was about 0.15mm or less.  I mean, come on... how on earth is anyone expected to be able to fold over 0.15mm of PE?  I just folded the legs instead... then had to cut more off so they would fit.  Then forgot to take a photo of them in situ.

 

 

... though I did take a shot of some other bits of PE that I ended up using

 

 

as well as the main oleo linkages.  oh look! you can just make out the non-fitting, non-foldable PE bits if you really squint.

 

 

I also remembered to fit the counterbalances on the tail, which were painted after this shot

 

 

The nose leg was glued in place as were the nose doors.  The nosewheel is still loose in this shot which is why the flat is not on the bottom

 

 

Unfortunately, it went on slightly squint.  It's superglued - I'm not taking it off again!

I am pleased with the intakes though

 

 

But if you're just looking from the side it looks fine.

 

 

Tail feathers went on without a fight, and the "repair" to the decals isn't too noticeable.

 

 

T'other side

 

 

then some diluted PVA was applied to simulate the tail light.

 

 

The exhaust pipe was glued in with E6000 to give me plenty of time to position it -shown here with styrene wedges to ensure it was concentric with the fuselage opening

 

 

After all those shenanigans I felt it was about time to put that canopy on. I used Canopy 5-whatever it is, though I had to use a couple of blobs of cyano to squeeze the canopy inwards as it was wider than the fuselage. After it was held in place by those blobs, I wicked diluted PVA along the main seams. (I also added the armored shield behind the seat - making sure that the mirror didn't hit it)

 

 

I could almost be convinced to start liking it from this angle

 

 

The PE panels over the guns turned out to be acceptable - i.e. not too intrusive or noticeable after the paint went on

 

 

Here's a few overall shots

 

 

Maybe it's not that bad after all... 

 

 

Front'ish view

 

 

Back'ish view ( with tailpipe spacers still in place)

 

 

followed by one of those "I don't know why I took this" shots

 

 

Given the numerous issues encountered with this spawn of Satan, the paint job isn't too horrendous - if you know where not to look

 

 

I'm pleased, as much as one can be with this kit, with the stbd intake modifications

 

 

One thing I'm not very pleased with is the undercarriage sit.  I made the mistake of using the kit part as a template and the mainwheel sits too far proud of the oleo.  Good thing it's on the underside where no-one will see it

 

 

It was while I was taking these photos that I noticed that somehow, the dark green for the canopy was a different dark green than used on the fuselage - then remembered I had changed paint brands after the first unintentional weathering procedure.  I decided I couldn't live with (most of) it. I painted the rearmost part of the canopy, but left the side rails in the other shade where tbh it doesn't look too out of place (paint still wet here obv.)

 

 

With the absolute dearth of photos of 28 Sqn Vampires of any quality and clarity, it was impossible to tell what if any, aerial configurations were used - so I didn't do any.

It sort of looks like a Vampire and adding an aerial here and there isn't going to make it look any more like a Vampire, so I quit while the going was good wasn't horrendous

 

The good news?  It's not a tail sitter    

 

 

And there we have it folks. One Classic Airframes Vampire.  Aptly named.  It drew blood and very nearly sucked the life out of me. 

Never again. Never. Never, never, never again will I attempt another CA kit.

I'm taking it easy from here on out. Making a Whirlwind HAR10 from a 1959 Revell H19, and scratchbuilding/printing a Wapiti from the ground up are childs play after this I can assure you.

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

1 hour ago, hendie said:

Maybe it's not that bad after all... 

I think it just got bored while you were away and decided to behave itself on your return.

It does look good though. Well done and welcome back. 

Now, Back to the rotary stuff, eh?

[Wlad]

Vampiríssimo! Well done @hendie. I felt your pain.

 

Cheers,
Wlad

 

@Pete in Lincs, is it artificial?

[Pete in Lincs]

1 hour ago, Wlad said:

is it artificial?

Of course.

[Hamden]

 

Great result - silk purse/pigs ear comes to mind.

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!

 

  Stay safe             Roger

[RichieW]

Great result, it fought tooth and nail but it wasn't able to beat you. It really does look fantastic!

[giemme]

I've said it already, but you won the battle with this - and not only that: the intakes and the windshield faring turned out excellent, and to think of where you started for those....   

Great modelling all round!  

 

Ciao

[81-er]

That turned out beautifully

[CedB]

Well, apart from the obvious attempts to avoid Dbl-Es (spoilsport) in the post that's one nice model.

From all angles.

 

Good job matey  

[Head in the clouds.]

Well done that chap, he stands undefeated from the perils of CA kits, she looks good to my eyes and every bit a vampire, 100% better than when you opened the box.

[Brandy]

Stunning Vampire you have obtained here from a box of random bits of plastic and brass Alan. I'm sure Dr Frankenstein could not have done any better!

 

Ian

[John Masters]

Nifty looking Vampire.  You've really nailed this one.  Nice work with 28...

[The Spadgent]

I missed the finale. 😯 looks like you turned out another stunner. That CA Whirlwind is eeking back up the pile. 🤔

Brilliant work and a most enjoyable thread to boot.

Thanks.

 

Johnny

[Max Headroom]

I missed ‘The Great Unveiling’

 

Turned out nice didn’t it!

 

Trevor