BritJet Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I like to have a couple of builds on the go at the same time so will be doing this alongside the little Grob 120. The Saunders-Roe SR177 was a development of the SR53 for RAF & RN use and used jet and rocket engines. Like a lot of other promising British jet projects it was cancelled in the infamous 1957 Defence White Paper as missiles were thought to be a better option. My plan is to do the first prototype that was under construction at the time of the cancellation and have printed my own serial numbers and RN titles. I won't be using any of the kit decals as they are of the Pressfix type and my previous experience of them is not good. The kit is a typical vacform with some nice surface detail and decent metal parts. Steve 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelKrypton Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 You sure are a busy boy Steve. I am looking forward to this vac forum build. cheers, Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 An aircraft I was unaware of . I'm wondering whether the RN version was to have been carrier borne? It would have been quite a challenge, I would thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Yes, carrier-borne. Not really a development of the SR 53 but a new design with the same configuration. The First Sea Lord (Mountbatten?) is reported to have said that had he been asked first he'd have cancelled the Buccaneer instead. Which doesn't seem to be the better choice to me, but these kind of comments tend to appear in works specialising in the cancelled type and taking a somewhat rose-tinted view of their prospects. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Got all the parts rubbed down and reinforcement in the key areas. Should get the various halves glued together tonight ready to be cleaned up tomorrow. Steve 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thats a cracking start for a Vacform. Looking forward to seeing this finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 Thanks Colin, I've got it all together now and ready for a squirt of primer. I want to do the refuelling probe extended so set in a section of half a tube. The kit represents the production RAF version, but the first prototype was going to be in RN configuration so I've added the fairing for the arrestor hook. Thanks for looking. Steve 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 On 3/19/2021 at 10:00 AM, Graham Boak said: Yes, carrier-borne. Not really a development of the SR 53 but a new design with the same configuration. The First Sea Lord (Mountbatten?) is reported to have said that had he been asked first he'd have cancelled the Buccaneer instead. Which doesn't seem to be the better choice to me, but these kind of comments tend to appear in works specialising in the cancelled type and taking a somewhat rose-tinted view of their prospects. Hi Graham, Mountbatten's judgement seems to have been a bit "iffy" at times. According to one book I have he ignored advice from Montgomery amongst others and insisted on pressing on with the Dieppe raid, which was hardly a glorious success!. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 Got it primed and a few issues sorted out, it's starting to come together now. Hope fully get some gloss white on it today. Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 The gloss white went on without any problems so then it was some nice easy masking for the Extra Dark Sea Grey. Also added the undercarriage, jetpipe, arrestor hook, missiles and refuelling probe. Just a bit of tidying up to do and a few decals. Steve 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Looking great already. I dont think the IFR system would have won many awards with the probe there. Turbulence from the nose combined with the pilot looking left and down would not have made it an easy process. Nice clear cockpit transparency! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 9, 2021 Author Share Posted April 9, 2021 Cheers Colin, the probe would have been better a bit further forward but I suppose once the basket was alongside the cockpit it would have just needed a small surge forwards to get hooked up for a couple of minutes of refuelling. Probably would have been a bit bumpy though. I was a bit worried about the transparency as it looked like it had yellowed a bit but with all the framing it seems ok. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Looks great Steve Always good to see such an unusual kit being built especially in vacform Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 Thanks Pat. It's a very easy kit to build and would be a good choice for a first vacform build, I bought it when it first came out so it was probably about time it finally escaped the stash. I finished it off yesterday and will take some pics today. Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Looks great! In profile it looks much beefier than the SR53 but your pic of it in white sure shows off the family resemblance. Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 ...and if the canopy does yellow, you can tell ‘em it had the TSR2 treatment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 Cheers Adrian, it is a bit bigger than the SR53 and looks a lot chunkier, the family features are definitely there though. Finished now; More photos in the gallery. Steve 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 On 4/7/2021 at 10:26 AM, Colin W said: Looking great already. I dont think the IFR system would have won many awards with the probe there. Turbulence from the nose combined with the pilot looking left and down would not have made it an easy process. Nice clear cockpit transparency! Colin Normal practice for RAF/FAA pilots would be to not look at the drogue; RAF tankers from the Victor K. Mk. 1 onwards had reference markings panted on the undersides to assist the receiver pilots to line up and they would follow these markings. Alternatively the would align the hose with a particular feature in their cockpit and keep the hose on that feature until contact was made. I’ve heard of one Lightning instructor who could consistently hit the basket even when sitting in the right hand seat of the trainer and completely unable to see the tip of the probe, but had “simply” flown the hose along a particular point on the windscreen arch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 I love the family portrait! A great model and setting for the photos, strange how it looks so much more futuristic than how the planes of today have actually turned out; I mean there's no doubt that this craft wants to do some damage but it's going to do it with a certain elegance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike N Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Another nice build, Steve. A perfect companion to the SR53 Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share Posted April 26, 2021 Thanks both. On 11/04/2021 at 09:49, Mjwomack said: I love the family portrait! A great model and setting for the photos, strange how it looks so much more futuristic than how the planes of today have actually turned out; I mean there's no doubt that this craft wants to do some damage but it's going to do it with a certain elegance. It does look a bit like something out of Thunderbirds, a real shame it didn't get to fly. 23 hours ago, Mike N said: Another nice build, Steve. A perfect companion to the SR53 Mike I've always wanted to do the SR177 to go with the SR53 so this GB was the perfect excuse to just get on with it! Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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