alhenderson Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Morning All, May I present the Airfix Shackleton MR.2 built as phase 2 WR964 of 204 sqn at RAF Ballykelly in the mid 1960s. Work in progress is here if anyone's interested: Would like to thank everyone that followed along and offered advice and support along the way. It felt like a long old slog but looking back it was actually around 8 months, and I had a break somewhere in the middle to make a Buffalo, so actually not all that bad. This is the biggest kit I have made since restarting the hobby a few years ago, and I did struggle at times. Mainly with the painting. If ever a kit needed an airbrush, this was it. Had a right time with getting 'stuff' in my gloss varnish, hence spoiling the finish a bit. That said, I'm pretty happy with the result, I've even managed to shoe horn it onto a shelf so don't have to store it with the wings off somewhere. I've learnt a bunch of new stuff along the way too, which has been fun. Some highlights being the use of chocolate ball foil wrappers for masking canopies, pledge floor polish as a gloss coat, Krystal Klear for windows and realisation that sanding sticks can be used in a non-destructive manner - e.g. for removing washes. The foil on the canopies was a lot harder to remove than I anticipated - might go back to tape next time, but cover the whole canopy and then cut round the frames with a fresh knife. The kit is not naturally a phase 2 machine - DSG scheme they offer is for a Phase 3 in 1972. Hence, you can leave off some of the details that are specific to that phase. I think there are also more fundamental differences, such as window placements, but I elected early on not to get involved in such things - all the better for my sanity. So this is a phase 2 in spirit more than in excruciating detail 🙂 I used Humbrol 164 DGS (tried the Tamiya equivalent but it was too light) and Vallejo white for the top - multiple thinned coats. Weathering was with Flory wash and some AK weathering pencils to do some rusty bits here and there. I've not gone all in with the weathering, deciding to err on the side of caution as I usually do, I think she looks suitably grubby but hopefully haven't overdone it. Decals are a mixture of the kit ones, yellow wing walkway marks from a Revell kit (Airfix only supply red ones for an overseas based machine) someone kindly supplied and the Xtradecal markings for the serial and squadron. The Revell decals were not that great - you can tell they're fairly old, but they did a job. Final satin coat was Tamiya rattle can which went on really nicely. It did interact with one of the underwing serials, and I think took off part of one of the nose codes. Need to be cautious with it, I think, and spray from a distance. Anyway, on with some pictures. Thanks for looking! Al. 70 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza l Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Very nicely done, I like the subtle weathering... looks like a well used Shack. gazza l 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Superb model and finish - well done! Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 That’s an absolute stunner! Beautiful aircraft, beautifully finished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby No Mac Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 I think you've done the old girl proud, a triumph for perseverance. Nice work. I'd love to build a Shack one day, but as you say, maybe not until I've learnt the dark art of airbrushing... or Halfords start flogging DSG in rattle cans! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 13, 2021 Author Share Posted September 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Bobby No Mac said: I think you've done the old girl proud, a triumph for perseverance. Nice work. I'd love to build a Shack one day, but as you say, maybe not until I've learnt the dark art of airbrushing... or Halfords start flogging DSG in rattle cans! To be fair, I was doing OK with the painting until I got to the gloss coat, then life got tricky. Once I discovered Pledge it was a lot easier 🙂 Sometimes you've got to just dive right in! Al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingo Ritz Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallyho Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Terrific job and a fantastic aircraft! I think the weathering is particularly good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Excellent job on the old 'Growler'! I'm finishing up a book on the Shackleton right now, doing drawings for the various 'Phase' modifications and it can be a bit tricky. This certainly looks like a Phase II to me! Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Gruntfuttock Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 That's a cracker, well done and anyone who is willing to shoot their models at such close range deserves a pat on the back as I am strictly a 'one metre rule modeller'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 This is a really sharp-looking Shack, and really captures the look of the real thing. Some of us like these big aircraft! Do more of them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Very nicely done Al. I don't think that I've ever seen the Old Grey Lady looking any better than this. I really like the subtle weathering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 No wonder you're happy with the result! It looks fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMLeonov Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Al, amazing work on your Shackleton. The weathering looks just right to my eye, and I commend your neat work on the spinners and all those prop blades. Thanks for sharing.. Pyradus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Poultney Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 I have the Revell one in the stash, I can't wait to build it, but I've got so many projects I want to do and no space to build them all any time soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 14, 2021 Author Share Posted September 14, 2021 8 hours ago, Pyradus said: Al, amazing work on your Shackleton. The weathering looks just right to my eye, and I commend your neat work on the spinners and all those prop blades. Thanks for sharing.. Pyradus. Thanks, I decided using the decals would be cheating 🙂 Subsequently discovered that the prop tips probably should be yellow rather then red/white but hey ho - red and white looks nice. 12 hours ago, Horatio Gruntfuttock said: That's a cracker, well done and anyone who is willing to shoot their models at such close range deserves a pat on the back as I am strictly a 'one metre rule modeller'. Yeah, there's nowhere to hide at the closer range! There are warts there for all to see, but also some nice details so worth it in the end. 13 hours ago, Learstang said: Excellent job on the old 'Growler'! I'm finishing up a book on the Shackleton right now, doing drawings for the various 'Phase' modifications and it can be a bit tricky. This certainly looks like a Phase II to me! Regards, Jason Tricky's not the word! I had several books on Shacks and it proved quite hard to nail down what exactly the external differences were between the phases. I had a bunch of pictures to work from but it soon became apparent that whoever labelled them was as confused about the phases as everyone else 🤣 There's a WIP thread from @Vulcanicity I think which goes into more detail about the phases - including moving windows etc 😬 Thanks for all the kind words everyone - I'm truly humbled! Al. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEXANTOMCAT Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Top work fella, the weathering looks spot on! TT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Yes Al. One thing I've learned whilst doing this book is that the Phase modifications were not quite as straightforward as it had seemed (and been presented in some books). Hopefully, after reading my book, people will understand the exact modifications, and sequence, and probably still be thoroughly confused! And I believe you're correct about the mislabelling of some Shackleton photographs. Best Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 14, 2021 Author Share Posted September 14, 2021 1 minute ago, Learstang said: Yes Al. One thing I've learned whilst doing this book is that the Phase modifications were not quite as straightforward as it had seemed (and been presented in some books). Hopefully, after reading my book, people will understand the exact modifications, and sequence, and probably still be thoroughly confused! And I believe you're correct about the mislabelling of some Shackleton photographs. Best Regards, Jason This sounds like a book I would be very much interested in! When's it due out? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 I didn't mean to take over your thread for my shameless self-promotion, but the book is being finished up now, so hopefully sometime next year, maybe by summer, more likely by fall it should be available. I not only go over the Shackleton's development (including a fairly detailed look at the Phase modifications) and service, I review the various models out there, including the newish Airfix and Revell kits. Buy it! Sure to become a classic! Best Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 14, 2021 Author Share Posted September 14, 2021 Thanks @Learstang something to keep an eye out for! 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham T Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Nice job!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 What the others have said! You have done the ol' gal proud! Can't have too many Shack RFI's around here, if you ask me! Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted September 14, 2021 Share Posted September 14, 2021 Brilliant job Al, glad to see yours finished! Predictably you have beaten me to it but it also looks top notch! Weathering looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 15, 2021 Author Share Posted September 15, 2021 8 hours ago, Vulcanicity said: Brilliant job Al, glad to see yours finished! Predictably you have beaten me to it but it also looks top notch! Weathering looks great Thanks 👍 looking forward to seeing yours finished! Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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