+++ De Havilland Sea Vampire T22 x2 Finished +++

[825]

 

I decided that this year I would start to deal with an area in the stash known as the dust bowl where a number of almost completed kits and those needing some repair lie languishing simply accumulating dust. I've already finished an Aeroclub Fairey Flycatcher which will end up in the RFI section soon once I get the motivation for a photo shoot session. My next choice is this Airfix Vampire trainer which is one of two I started building as FAA Admiral's Barges. The second needs a bit more work as it needs some repairs to the undercarriage. This one has been built OOB apart from the colour scheme. The green is Humbrol Hu2 Emerald Green and the White from Citadel then a layer of gloss varnish. 

 

 

There's not too much work really needed. Once the dust is cleaned off, the undercarriage needs to be completed, the jet pipe inserted, the remainder of markings and stencils added, the canopy masked and painted and some varnish on to pull it all together. 

 

 

I have an Eduard mask for the canopy and I'll be using transfers left over from a CMR Sea Vampire kit that I completed in silver and red. A selection of stencils from the Airfix kit will also be used. 

 

 

An hour or so of cleaning with wet cotton buds has removed much of the dust and the main transfers added. The remainder of the underwing serials will need a little bit of work to cut up the sections on the undercarriage door. Airfix kindly do it on their transfer sheet but CMR just give the complete numbers. I've done it before, it's just painstaking but doable with careful measuring and a new sharp scalpel blade. 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Very nice indeed,  looking forward to seeing this, I have one in the stash to do as a T22 .  Looking great so far, the green shade looks great too. 

Chris

[Web99]

I got loads of stuff which is either half finished or nearly there too. It can be a right pain actually finishing stuff but I much prefer leaving it and coming back later on.
 

Really liking your vampire though it looks really good. 

[825]

Underside transfers on and the undercarriage fixed. I'll leave it all to firm up before moving on. 

 

[Back in the Saddle]

Lovely choice of scheme - I do like an Admiral’s Barge👍

[cngaero]

Nice build and a great choice of colours. I've always fancied doing one in that scheme myself. 

Thanks for sharing it. 

[825]

17 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Lovely choice of scheme - I do like an Admiral’s Barge👍

 

7 hours ago, cngaero said:

Nice build and a great choice of colours. I've always fancied doing one in that scheme myself. 

Thanks for sharing it. 

 

There were at least two Vampires in Admiral's Barge livery, this one based at Lee on Solent in 1963 and a Blue/White one based at Yeovilton later on in the 60's. I think there's a photograph somewhere with both of them at an Airshow or Open Day. 

 

Now sitting on its undercarriage and the canopy masked. A coat of black on as the interior colour, and then the Emerald Green on. 

 

 

This pot of paint is about 20 years old and I painted the Vampire with it at least 5 years ago maybe longer. I was worried it would have dried up but once stirred it was fine. The canopy will take a couple of coats as it's over black. 

 

[Back in the Saddle]

31 minutes ago, 825 said:

There were at least two Vampires in Admiral's Barge livery, this one based at Lee on Solent in 1963 and a Blue/White one based at Yeovilton later on in the 60's. I think there's a photograph somewhere with both of them at an Airshow or Open Day. 

 

There is a photo of each of these Vampires on page 29 of Adrian Balch’s book “de Havilland Twin Booms” - the blue one was XG775.

 

I would be happy to post a photo, but I think that would infringe copyright...

[825]

51 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said:

There is a photo of each of these Vampires on page 29 of Adrian Balch’s book “de Havilland Twin Booms” - the blue one was XG775.

 

I would be happy to post a photo, but I think that would infringe copyright...

Thanks Matt, but I wouldn't want to get you into trouble. XG775 is on the stocks as well and here's how it looked when I pulled it out of the dust bowl. 

 

 

This one will need a bit a bit more work as the main undercarriage is broken, one snapped off and the other seriously bent. This is one of the problems with the way Airfix have engineered the kit. The main undercarriage legs are fished into place before the booms are fitted. It makes a strong join but they are prone to being knocked off by the clumsy. I have a set of Scale Aircraft Conversions replacements but as they're straight replacements for Airfix's plastic working out how to remove the remnants and insert the new will take a bit of time. 

 

[AMB]

5 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

There is a photo of each of these Vampires on page 29 of Adrian Balch’s book “de Havilland Twin Booms” - the blue one was XG775.

 

I would be happy to post a photo, but I think that would infringe copyright...

Go ahead, no problem with that.

[Back in the Saddle]

@AMB Thank you. Great book by the way, it has some excellent photos.👍

 

For reference, here are the two Admiral's Barge aircraft - starting with the subject of this build XA160:

 

 

And XG775:

 

 

Hope these are useful to you.

[825]

Thanks Matt @Back in the Saddle for these two pictures, they are excellent. It's helpful as they show that XA160 is in a matt or semi gloss finish, while XG775 is certainly a high gloss finish. Perhaps its weathering but they do have different finishes. 

 

I've almost finished XA160, with the Airfix stencils on, though there not that prominent on these aircraft. The green is certainly too bright and I'll be toning it down with a layer of satin varnish. I note that both have a blade antenna on the rear of the canopy fairing so I might add something from a strip of plastic card. 

 

 

 

As well as the varnish, I've noticed one of the numbers on one of the undercarriage doors has split up and so I'll use apiece of spare transfer to fix that. Then this one will be done. I can then turn my attention to finishing off XG775. 

 

 

 

[825]

A first coat of satin varnish, and a blade antenna added. 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Nice

[Lewis95]

This is pretty much a carbon copy of the first model I made when returning to the hobby. XA160 painted with Citadel White and Humbrol Emerald. Albeit, I did make mine wheels up and mounted it on a coat hangar. I left mine gloss in the end as I prefer that look for display purposes (satin/gloss) 

[825]

This one is finished now. I could have added a bit more varnish to finish but I'm quite happy with it as it is. 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Looks very nice indeed.  Like this a lot. 

Great work 

Chris

[825]

On 6/27/2021 at 11:32 PM, bigbadbadge said:

Looks very nice indeed.  Like this a lot. 

Great work 

Chris

Thank so Chris. I hadn't realised it was 6 months ago I finished XA160, I have been doing bits and pieces on XG775 but thought it was time to get her over the finish line. 

 

I literally gouged out the undercarriage legs legs and then replaced them with those from SAC. 

 

 

A lot of dust removal and some touching up of the paint with Humbrol 15, which may be a little dark but looks good. 

 

 

The canopy has been masked and painted. 

 

 

There's some stencils to go on the underside and I have lost the CMR page from the instructions so I will have to find some reference material so I can cut up the serials around the undercarriage bay and doors. Once that's done some the undercarriage on, along with the jet pipe and a blade aerial and she'll be done. And there's a balance weight on the tailplane to be replaced. 

[bigbadbadge]

Good to see this one back on,  looking good  and your first for 2022 yearbook. 

 

Chris

[825]

On 1/3/2022 at 8:43 AM, bigbadbadge said:

Hood to see this one back on,  looking good  and your first for 2022 yearbook. 

 

Chris

Thanks Chris, though I think the Sopwith Dolphin or Bristol Scout that are also both on the bench might be be first. 

[825]

It took a wee bit time and care but I've got the final numbers onto the underside and undercarriage doors. 

 

 

Now the wheels and undercarriage doors on. One of the counter balances of the elevator has gone missing and will have to be replaced. 

 

 

Just a bit of touching up and tidying up to go before some gloss varnish to finish. 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Looking good 825, great job on those codes.

Chris

[825]

On 1/9/2022 at 4:18 PM, bigbadbadge said:

Looking good 825, great job on those codes.

Chris

Thanks Chris. 

 

Finished apart from a coat or two of gloss varnish and will be ready for the RFI pages. 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Oooooo lovely looks great.  I want to build mine now, but have 4 builds on at the mo so will wait a bit.

Wonderful work 

Chris 

[825]

On 1/14/2022 at 12:41 PM, bigbadbadge said:

Oooooo lovely looks great.  I want to build mine now, but have 4 builds on at the mo so will wait a bit.

Wonderful work 

Chris 

It is a nice build Chris, and pretty straightforward. I made it more complicated than need be by leaving them alone for too long as well a different set of colour schemes. If I'd done them OOB Airfix give you all the serials nicely cut up. 

 

I've replaced the elevator balance with a bit of rod and some plastic cement and added the blade aerial. A lot of photographs show the nose hatch latches painted in white, and looks quite characteristic. I used 2mm slices of white transfer strip. And now finished off with a couple of coats of Kleer. Just the masking to be removed and this one's done as well.