Adam Poultney Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 I've finished my Whitley for the Unarmed Group Build now so back to this GB. I originally planned to do a Welsh Models Valiant but realised it was more than I could handle so I'm going with the easy option of improving and repainting a diecast Valiant. I think a well built Welsh Models kit is the best option in 1/144 for a Valiant shaped object, the Mikromir one resembles a Valiant but it's not accurate at all. The corgi diecast is miles ahead of this one but it's expensive so this is the third best option, and I hope it can be made into something halfway decent. The upper wing half is the only metal part but the rest is made from some sort of plastic that doesn't seem to react to plastic glue. I'm unsure what scheme I want to do. I might just put camouflage back on it but painted better, but I also like the idea of a silver PR valiant with the red parts wingtips and tail 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said: so I'm going with the easy option And I want to assure you that these words will never be quoted back to you😉 1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said: some sort of plastic that doesn't seem to react to plastic glue In my memory this contours up the old Novo plastic of the 70s! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 14 hours ago, Mjwomack said: And I want to assure you that these words will never be quoted back to you😉 I hope you won't need to.... So naturally I am thinking about WZ380 as the scheme for this one. At least it's not a polished aluminium prototype.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Continuing the list of things that keep me awake at night; even at 1:144 that's got to be a pretty serious lump of die cast metal that you're working with. Will you be doing anything with the undercarriage or the cockpit? Die cast models often seem let down by the u\c I assume that accuracy has to be traded for strength though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 8 hours ago, Mjwomack said: Continuing the list of things that keep me awake at night; even at 1:144 that's got to be a pretty serious lump of die cast metal that you're working with. Will you be doing anything with the undercarriage or the cockpit? Die cast models often seem let down by the u\c I assume that accuracy has to be traded for strength though. It's really quite a heavy wing, I have the stand for it and plan to keep it on the stand most of the time, but u did previously test it on its plastic great and it can hold it just fine. It actually looks and feels quite strong, the main gear at least. The nose gear I have less confidence in, but I could probably take the metal gear from my Welsh Models kit if it isn't strong enough once I've added the nose weight needed to keep this from tailsitting when it's not on the stand. For the cockpit, I plan on just painting the canopy and using a decal for the windows, I'm going to print serials for this anyway. The part is clear plastic, but the clear panel layout is entirely wrong and I don't know how consistent I can get it between areas that were always clear and areas which were painted over. Big landing gear with triangles, pretty strong It has the very same wrong details as the Airfix kit on the main gear door.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 A plain paper mockup of the canopy decal. My printer is playing up a bit so the quality isn't the best but I should have that sorted by the time I get around to printing the decals. I've started stripping paint as you can see, it's a little stubbirn but will come off with IPA. I'm not too bothered about getting it all off because it'll just be primed in black anyway. As long as it's smoothed down it should be fine 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 (edited) I'll call the upper surface of the wing stripped at that Edited May 5, 2021 by Adam Poultney 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelKrypton Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Of the three V bombers the Valiant was always my favourite. The Vulcan was pretty cool and I got to see one in Goose many years ago. In fact XL361 is still on display there right beside Vulcan road. I always though the Victor was very futuristic looking and thought it quite fitting as an experimental aeroplane in the movie Iron Maiden. I will have to keep my eye open for another Welsh models 1/144 Valiant. Had one years ago but traded to someone who at the time wanted it more than I. cheers, Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 5 minutes ago, GrahamCC said: Of the three V bombers the Valiant was always my favourite. The Vulcan was pretty cool and I got to see one in Goose many years ago. In fact XL361 is still on display there right beside Vulcan road. I always though the Victor was very futuristic looking and thought it quite fitting as an experimental aeroplane in the movie Iron Maiden. I will have to keep my eye open for another Welsh models 1/144 Valiant. Had one years ago but traded to someone who at the time wanted it more than I. cheers, Graham I'd love to go and see XL361 one day, I visited Canada in 2019, but the wrong side for goose bay. Victor still looks futuristic today... but it's now firmly a museum peice with only a handful left. Quite a sad state now, not enough were preserved (considering 19 vulcans are still around) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 Why is it that when I don't want to remove paint a tiny bit of glue on my finger will strip it back to bare plastic but when I'm trying to remove it, it takes forever 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 Annoyingly the only decal sheet I can find with the correct white outlined fin flash is unavailable right now. I can't print white on my own decals, if I can't get this one (and ideally a set of roundels from the same sheet so the colours match) that might be the end of the idea of painting the model in silver and red. I could try to paint them but that's going to be pretty awkward to do in 1/144. Backup plan is a pretty standard white one then. I have put up a wanted thread on the relevant forum section, hopefully someone can help.... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 Canopy stripped, sanded down (it will be painted) and glued in place. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 On three underside, I've glued the plates which go over where the screws go in place. This will be held together like with glue like a proper model. Really they just need sanding down to be smooth 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 Looking like I won't be able to get the decals for a silver valiant... Plan B then, a white one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 (edited) So here's what I've made for plan B so far. Obviously the canopy decal which I made already, then just adapted my Vulcan roundels and fin flashes for a Valiant, made some 90Sqn markings (don't look too closely!) and did a ton of serials. A few of the Ds are the wrong font but that's why I print on plain paper first. It's fixed now (I actually only noticed when pasting in the image into this post). And yes, decals for six aircraft does imply that I might repaint more of these.... At 20 quid per model it's not bad at all especially compared to similar sized kits especially of the other V Bombers. It only took about half an hour to design these so if I decide to do something else i can very quickly just change the file before I print the actual decals Edited May 10, 2021 by Adam Poultney 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Hi Adam, You mentioned a problem with white outlined fin flashes - could you just cut a piece of white decal slightly bigger than the red/white/blue one and put it on before the main fin flash? Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 On 11/05/2021 at 18:07, PeterB said: Hi Adam, You mentioned a problem with white outlined fin flashes - could you just cut a piece of white decal slightly bigger than the red/white/blue one and put it on before the main fin flash? Pete that would work but it'd be easier just to paint it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 I've sealed up the fuselage and added a fair bit of noise weight. The model is a tailsitter as it comes from the box and the CoG is very far back. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Is this still the Valiant? I could be very confused because it happens a lot but it looks like Koncordski to me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 Just now, Mjwomack said: Is this still the Valiant? I could be very confused because it happens a lot but it looks like Koncordski to me 😂 there are Tu144 instructions on my desk as I'm building one for the Unarmed GB, you had me thinking I'd put in the wrong photos there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 I'm impressed that a die-cast model can be a tail-sitter but I suppose there's no reason why not really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 Hopefully going to get back to this soon, going to get some decals printed for it soon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted August 1, 2021 Author Share Posted August 1, 2021 Well I missed the deadline... New thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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