1/72 Airfix Avro Vulcan **NEW TOOL**

[Back in the Saddle]

The filling and sanding sequence continues, but first I had to fix a self-inflicted problem. Some carelessness with sandpaper resulted in a scratched bomb aimer's window:

 

 

This was gently polished out again until it was repaired:

 

 

I also applied some ppp around the base of the canopy, as this area had a large gap. I also added filler to any other areas still needing it:

 

 

Sanding awaits and then hopefully a final coat of primer.

 

 

[Terry1954]

Great progress Matt! 

 

2 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

This was gently polished out again until it was repaired:

 

Been there, done that! 🤣 You have indeed polished that one out superbly, well done.

 

This one is going to look amazing with paint.

 

Terry

[Adam Poultney]

Looks like you rescued that clear part just fine

[David H]

The multiple rounds of priming and sanding are tedious but the end result is worth it.

 

-d-

[Back in the Saddle]

On 15/03/2022 at 20:57, Terry1954 said:

Been there, done that! 🤣 You have indeed polished that one out superbly, well done.

 

This one is going to look amazing with paint.

Thanks Terry - I'm glad its not just me! 😁

 

I'm hoping the effort will be worth it...!

 

On 15/03/2022 at 21:24, Adam Poultney said:

Looks like you rescued that clear part just fine

Cheers Adam. Polishing cloths to the rescue!

 

On 15/03/2022 at 23:03, David H said:

The multiple rounds of priming and sanding are tedious but the end result is worth it.

Thanks David. Each session improves things and it's now nearing the end of this stage:

 

 

Let's see if the primer reveals any more areas needing attention...🤞

 

 

 

[Paulaero]

It looks like you are finally beating this one into submission mate , but really you shouldn't haver to for a brand new flagship release.

 

As others have said QC is badly letting Airfix down, my kit had a whole sprue missing which is a fair amount of plastic !!

[David H]

It does look like its cleaning up nicely. I actually find sanding out seams and primers kind of fun.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

You're doing a cracking job here, but nobody is ever going to confuse it with a Tamiya, Flyhawk or GWH product are they? This looks like one of the weakest mainstream kits to have been released within the last few years from an engineering/fit point of view.

[Andy350]

Great progress.  Looking forward to the next stage.

[Back in the Saddle]

On 29/03/2022 at 20:07, Paulaero said:

It looks like you are finally beating this one into submission mate , but really you shouldn't haver to for a brand new flagship release.

 

As others have said QC is badly letting Airfix down, my kit had a whole sprue missing which is a fair amount of plastic !!

Hi Paul. It wasn't quite the build I was expecting! I've heard a few other horror stories concerning missing sprues and short shot pieces - it's really not up to scratch in that respect...

 

On 30/03/2022 at 06:04, David H said:

It does look like its cleaning up nicely. I actually find sanding out seams and primers kind of fun.

Thanks David. The fun element was starting to wear a little thin, hence the lack of progress and sporadic updates. At least that stage is now in the past!

 

On 30/03/2022 at 09:11, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

You're doing a cracking job here, but nobody is ever going to confuse it with a Tamiya, Flyhawk or GWH product are they? This looks like one of the weakest mainstream kits to have been released within the last few years from an engineering/fit point of view.

Cheers Jamie. That's a pretty accurate summary!

 

On 30/03/2022 at 10:10, Andy350 said:

Great progress.  Looking forward to the next stage.

Thanks Andy, looking forward to seeing yours progress too.👍

 

I've made some headway over the past couple of days... The filling/sanding/priming sequence is now complete and the model is as smooth and blended as it's going to be. Here's the underside:

 

 

It's all looking a little bare at the moment, but this sprue will help:

 

 

The first oil pipe was fitted into position, then I realised the exhausts needed attaching first... The perils of losing continuity on a build!

 

 

The exhausts were quickly filled and sanded to hide the seams, before getting attached. This was followed by the four oil pipes and the various scoops:

 

 

Much better! The ECM plates were also assembled but these will be left off until the end of the build, as they are painted a different colour to the rest of the underside:

 

 

The bomb bay doors look straight-forward (although a dry fit shows they are a smidge too long to fit into the bomb bay):

 

 

I have decided use some artistic license and pose the model with slightly drooping control surfaces. Perhaps not accurate on a service aircraft, but more representative of a museum exhibit. Consequently a bit more filler was needed to tidy up another joint that wouldn't ordinarily be seen:

 

 

The inboard control surfaces are attached (shown in the fourth photo in this update, my images are a little out of sequence!). I now just need to build and attach the ailerons:

 

 

It was nice to be able to enjoy this build again after a tedious few months dealing with badly fitting pieces! Hopefully the next update will be much sooner...

 

[Adam Poultney]

Glad to see an update on this again. I think the droop is fine, I added a slight droop on mine and I don't think I need I remind anyone of my dedication, obsession even, with making my Vulcans accurate.

 

Looking forward to the next update.

[TallBlondJohn]

1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said:

 

 

 

 

Interesting drop tanks... or maybe long range cruise missiles?

[The Spadgent]

Great to catch up with this. She looks pretty big!😯 I’m really surprised by the amount of warped and out of whack pieces for a new kit. You’re doing a fine job however. 😀

 

Johnny

[Biggles87]

You’re certainly winning even if it has become more time consuming than one would expect from a modern kit.

I know that Airfix engineering has never been up to Tamiya standards but they seem to be going backwards judging from some of their recent releases. I do hope the new Buccaneer will not be a disappointment.

 

John

 

🇺🇦

[Back in the Saddle]

On 11/05/2022 at 20:59, Adam Poultney said:

Glad to see an update on this again. I think the droop is fine, I added a slight droop on mine and I don't think I need I remind anyone of my dedication, obsession even, with making my Vulcans accurate.

Thanks Adam.👍 If it meets with your approval I know it must be along the right lines!😄

 

On 11/05/2022 at 22:43, TallBlondJohn said:

Interesting drop tanks... or maybe long range cruise missiles?

 

Now there's an idea! Unfortunately they're just a couple of 727's which are being used as mules for homemade decals - that thread is here and shows the process of how I make custom decals for my airliner builds.

 

On 11/05/2022 at 22:51, The Spadgent said:

Great to catch up with this. She looks pretty big!😯 I’m really surprised by the amount of warped and out of whack pieces for a new kit. You’re doing a fine job however. 😀

Cheers Johnny. It was not the kit I expected (two new gripes are about to be be unleashed below...) but with some effort it builds into a good looking model. I just didn't expect the amount of effort that was actually required! 😁

 

6 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

You’re certainly winning even if it has become more time consuming than one would expect from a modern kit.

I know that Airfix engineering has never been up to Tamiya standards but they seem to be going backwards judging from some of their recent releases. I do hope the new Buccaneer will not be a disappointment.

Thank you John. The time expenditure was certainly higher than I anticipated... And it continues - like you, I hope the Buccaneer is produced to a higher standard. I certainly won't be rushing to buy one, I'll wait to hear what people say about it first!

 

All the flying surfaces are now attached. I would have posted a picture, but I've packed the model away for a few days as there's building work in the house and I thought it would be safer out of the way... Photo next time, I promise!

I did keep one sprue out though, as I need something to occupy my spare time and I thought the undercarriage would be a good place to work on next. Here's the sprue:

 

 

I had a minor worry when I noticed the corner pieces were missing, until I realised they had been built into the wheel bays months ago! 

 

Here's some detail showing the quality of the wheels:

 

 

The hubs are great, with crisp detail. But it's a shame about the huge seam around every single wheel...

 

Another close up of the strut pieces, one of which is short shot:

 

 

All fixable, but another example of the less than perfect quality of this kit... Maybe I was naive expecting a "shake 'n' bake" model?

 

 

 

[The Spadgent]

For a new tool it’s a bit lack lustre for sure. The wheels are indeed sub par. Are there any treads? The short shot is a tough one but maybe QC could have been better. You could email Airfix and they will send you a new bit but it WILL take time. But at least they do come through in the end. A few wafts with a sanding stick and a bit of plasticard and you’ll be sorted but I understand your frustrations.  Such is the way of our hobby. 🤩

[Adam Poultney]

On the theme of the subpar landing gear, I wouldn't say it's the most accurate part of the kit. 

On the main gear, there is a fairly prominent feature entirely missing. My new tool Vulcan has the ones off my old tool.

 

 

 

They also molded that red support in place, but it wouldn't be on any Vulcan ready to fly. It's easy enough to remove however so it's not a major issue.

 

 

Got plenty more landing gear reference images if you want any

 

[Markh-75]

10 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Thanks Adam.👍 If it meets with your approval I know it must be along the right lines!😄

 

 

Now there's an idea! Unfortunately they're just a couple of 727's which are being used as mules for homemade decals - that thread is here and shows the process of how I make custom decals for my airliner builds.

 

Cheers Johnny. It was not the kit I expected (two new gripes are about to be be unleashed below...) but with some effort it builds into a good looking model. I just didn't expect the amount of effort that was actually required! 😁

 

Thank you John. The time expenditure was certainly higher than I anticipated... And it continues - like you, I hope the Buccaneer is produced to a higher standard. I certainly won't be rushing to buy one, I'll wait to hear what people say about it first!

 

All the flying surfaces are now attached. I would have posted a picture, but I've packed the model away for a few days as there's building work in the house and I thought it would be safer out of the way... Photo next time, I promise!

I did keep one sprue out though, as I need something to occupy my spare time and I thought the undercarriage would be a good place to work on next. Here's the sprue:

 

 

I had a minor worry when I noticed the corner pieces were missing, until I realised they had been built into the wheel bays months ago! 

 

Here's some detail showing the quality of the wheels:

 

 

The hubs are great, with crisp detail. But it's a shame about the huge seam around every single wheel...

 

Another close up of the strut pieces, one of which is short shot:

 

 

All fixable, but another example of the less than perfect quality of this kit... Maybe I was naive expecting a "shake 'n' bake" model?

 

 

 

Blimey, they do look rough, I built a Vulcan years back and the landing gear was far better than this; I definitely agree with you on the landing gear!

[Killingholme]

Does the box lid say "Experience Level: You've successfully also constructed our TSR2 and Concorde..."?

[Paulaero]

18 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Thanks Adam.👍 If it meets with your approval I know it must be along the right lines!😄

 

 

Now there's an idea! Unfortunately they're just a couple of 727's which are being used as mules for homemade decals - that thread is here and shows the process of how I make custom decals for my airliner builds.

 

Cheers Johnny. It was not the kit I expected (two new gripes are about to be be unleashed below...) but with some effort it builds into a good looking model. I just didn't expect the amount of effort that was actually required! 😁

 

Thank you John. The time expenditure was certainly higher than I anticipated... And it continues - like you, I hope the Buccaneer is produced to a higher standard. I certainly won't be rushing to buy one, I'll wait to hear what people say about it first!

 

All the flying surfaces are now attached. I would have posted a picture, but I've packed the model away for a few days as there's building work in the house and I thought it would be safer out of the way... Photo next time, I promise!

I did keep one sprue out though, as I need something to occupy my spare time and I thought the undercarriage would be a good place to work on next. Here's the sprue:

 

 

I had a minor worry when I noticed the corner pieces were missing, until I realised they had been built into the wheel bays months ago! 

 

Here's some detail showing the quality of the wheels:

 

 

The hubs are great, with crisp detail. But it's a shame about the huge seam around every single wheel...

 

Another close up of the strut pieces, one of which is short shot:

 

 

All fixable, but another example of the less than perfect quality of this kit... Maybe I was naive expecting a "shake 'n' bake" model?

 

 

 

My main leg was exactly the same and as you say the seams on the tyre's isn't good, to think I was going to put the set of Mastercasters wheels I have on the bay .......

[Back in the Saddle]

Six months since my last update! I can only assume my mojo for this build took a hit - I can't imagine why...😆

 

However, inspired by @Lord Riot's build, I have finally returned to this one and am genuinely looking forward to it once again following the break.

 

On 17/05/2022 at 07:04, The Spadgent said:

For a new tool it’s a bit lack lustre for sure. The wheels are indeed sub par. Are there any treads? The short shot is a tough one but maybe QC could have been better. You could email Airfix and they will send you a new bit but it WILL take time. But at least they do come through in the end. A few wafts with a sanding stick and a bit of plasticard and you’ll be sorted but I understand your frustrations.  Such is the way of our hobby. 🤩

Hi Johnny. No treads at all and if there were they would have been sanded away when fixing those seams! The short shot piece has been fixed (photo to follow) and work in general with the undercarriage has begun. I would estimate that the model is 95% complete and just needing a final push!

 

Thanks to @Adam Poultney for a fine set of reference photos, they will be very helpful.  

 

On 17/05/2022 at 23:56, Killingholme said:

Does the box lid say "Experience Level: You've successfully also constructed our TSR2 and Concorde..."?

 

Funnily enough, one is on the bench now (1/48 TSR-2, nearing completion) and the 1/72 Concorde is about to make an appearance in the current KUTA GB - something which should appeal to @neilg👍.  Both of these models also had their challenges!😆

 

On 18/05/2022 at 00:38, Paulaero said:

My main leg was exactly the same and as you say the seams on the tyre's isn't good, to think I was going to put the set of Mastercasters wheels I have on the bay .......

I hadn't realised the short shot strut was such a widespread issue...

 

I decided to persevere with the kit wheels, taking on one bogie at a time. The first set of wheels was removed, the seams addressed and then glued together:

 

 

A bit more sanding required, but I intend to leave a few minor score marks in the rubber plastic to help replicate the wear and tear on real tyres.

 

The wheels for the other bogie never made it off the sprue, getting cleaned up in situ. These, along with the nose gear wheels and other main gear wheels then received a coat of silver:

 

 

I started to hand paint the tyres then subsequently ordered some MRP paints to try, having read nothing but good comments about these on the forum:

 

 

I will mask the wheel hubs and spray with the tyre rubber to see how that turns out, before using the other bottles elsewhere on the kit!

 

I need to do some research about this paint before using it for the first time, to see if it needs thinning, etc. Any pointers much appreciated!😉

 

 

 

 

[Terry1954]

28 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Any pointers much appreciated!😉

 

MRP is brilliant IMHO Matt, and much of what I've used needs no thinning at all as long as its extremely well shaken, so that the sediment you see in the bottom is completely gone.

Best way to airbrush is very low psi, several light coats. Older bottles I have that seem to have thickened just a tad, can be thinned with their own thinner. There is even a "slow dry" thinner. I've not used that yet, but imagine it allows the paint to self level more, so as to give a good sheen. Others may know more about that.

 

HTH

 

Terry

 

PS Good to see this one back.

[Back in the Saddle]

On 18/11/2022 at 01:49, Terry1954 said:

PS Good to see this one back.

Sort of! 😆

 

I picked it up again this week, conscious that I've neglected it again recently:

 

 

Just looking at the wing surface is making me think I will be filling most of those lines! I need to do some research to see if any should remain, but my recollection of the Vulcan is that it had a much smoother finish than this!

 

It's fast approaching being a two year build and inspired by @Lord Riot's recent work on his model it's time to get motivated with this one again...!👍

[David H]

I'm probably sounding like a broken record here,  because i've articulated my philosophy on construction and panel lines before.

 

However, if it were me, i'd take this opportunity to troubleshoot and fix and remaining erroneous joints and seams.

Then, i would wet sand the whole shebang down, perhaps not completely to bare plastic, but close to it with Tamiya 1000 or 1500 grit sponges (it depends if you use enamels or acrylics).

Then apply another coat of primer if you feel it needs it, but otherwise go ahead with the application of the camo pattern.

 

Trying to Fill panel lines in, is time consuming as hell and doesn't guarantee better results. Wet sanding the surface before painting, does.

[Back in the Saddle]

Thanks David.👍

 

I had a quick go at reducing the trench line, by applying some PPP and spreading it over the surfaces:

 

 

It then was sanded back:

 

 

Not a very clear photo, but I'm now much happier with the surfaces. A blast of primer revealed a few areas needed more attention, so I hope to get these fixed over the next few days.