Auster J4 Archer 1/48 Scratchbuild (VH-AET - the pilotless one)

[ianwau]

On 30 August 1955 (nearly 66 years ago), an Auster J4 Archer at Bankstown Airport (Sydney, Australia) had engine trouble on landing and rolled to a stop. The (solo) pilot hopped out to swing the propeller but failed to set the brake and the throttle was a little too advanced...    The Auster duly took off (empty) and spent some hours circling Sydney with interceptions from scrambled RAAF Wirraway and RAAF Meteor failing - and eventually shot down by a RAN Sea Fury (piloted by RN pilots mumble mumble).

 

The recent Airfix 1/48 Sea Fury (Export Edition) features the incident on the box art. tells the story in the instruction sheet and includes the markings for the successful combatant!   However the featured Auster has not been kitted in 1/48 and conversion from other Auster models are rather extensive.   So let's scratchbuild one?

 

If you've been following the WIP build you'll have already watched the progress.   Anyway - it's now considered done (by my standards!)

 

 

 

 

 

And the underside - before completion (obviously)

 

And a bit of fun with a hapless chap (the ex-pilot). Suspect I'll get around to painting him - but figure painting is new to me.  Maybe post this photo again when I've learned the trade!

.

 

Oh, I do have the Airfix Sea Fury kit as well - although not sure what scheme I should choose for that?  Not?

Edited August 8, 2021 by ianwau
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[Toryu]

That is scratch-built? WOW!

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Absolutely superb in every single way well done! 👍👍👍

 

TT

[Alpha Delta 210]

Wow! Beautiful model and a story that I was not aware of!

[TheyJammedKenny!]

This is superb modeling!  Thanks for sharing it!

[Bertie McBoatface]

I like that a lot. A well scratched model. I don't know how you do it! Thank you.

[Spitfire31]

Master class modelling!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[bigbadbadge]

Great model , I enjoyed your thread immensely and am in awe of your skills.   Love the backround info too.  The pilot running after it diorama will be wonderful too.

Great work. 

Chris 

[k5054nz]

Beautiful work Ian, she's turned out fantastic!

[pacificmustang]

That is absolutely awesome tidy work

 

Bruce 

[wellsprop]

I've just stumbled across this, stunning! 

[Head in the clouds.]

Cracking job and some fine scratchbuilding. That must have been the easiest kill for the Sea Fury, that is also a great story.

[MartinWales]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:02 AM, ianwau said:

On 30 August 1955 (nearly 66 years ago), an Auster J4 Archer at Bankstown Airport (Sydney, Australia) had engine trouble on landing and rolled to a stop. The (solo) pilot hopped out to swing the propeller but failed to set the brake and the throttle was a little too advanced...    The Auster duly took off (empty) and spent some hours circling Sydney with interceptions from scrambled RAAF Wirraway and RAAF Meteor failing - and eventually shot down by a RAN Sea Fury (piloted by RN pilots mumble mumble).

 

The recent Airfix 1/48 Sea Fury (Export Edition) features the incident on the box art. tells the story in the instruction sheet and includes the markings for the successful combatant!   However the featured Auster has not been kitted in 1/48 and conversion from other Auster models are rather extensive.   So let's scratchbuild one?

 

If you've been following the WIP build you'll have already watched the progress.   Anyway - it's now considered done (by my standards!)

 

 

 

 

 

And the underside - before completion (obviously)

 

And a bit of fun with a hapless chap (the ex-pilot). Suspect I'll get around to painting him - but figure painting is new to me.  Maybe post this photo again when I've learned the trade!

.

 

Oh, I do have the Airfix Sea Fury kit as well - although not sure what scheme I should choose for that?  Not?

 

[MartinWales]

Hi,

 

A great model and an interesting history. I am building an open scale indoor Freeflight model of the J4. Do you have a three view of the J4? I can only find a J1 - there are minor differences. 
 

Martin

[ianwau]

9 hours ago, MartinWales said:

A great model and an interesting history. I am building an open scale indoor Freeflight model of the J4. Do you have a three view of the J4? I can only find a J1 - there are minor differences. 

Thanks Martin.  Just do a google search on Powakits Auster J4 - and you should come up with some basic plans.    Here's a PDF version I found (again) just now https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19968641&postcount=7152

 

[MartinWales]

Thanks. They are the most complete drawings I have seen. 
It is too late for me to change the livery of my competition model now, but VH-AET would be an ideal free-flight scale subject. No need to include a pilot and an interesting history. Blue and silver stand out well against grass - a bonus for retrieval. I have jigs and patterns for the J/4 now, and a spare (if heavy) fuselage and wing…. I could make another one. 
 

Martin