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My Next Adventure - An Eastern Express 1/72 E.E. Canberra B(I)8


Brigbeale

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Ok, stop laughing.

Following the Meteor’s restoration, which is now complete and taken residency with other FAA models in the cabinet, it was the turn of a new build. 
There was only one choice really - the Canberra.

Yes I know, there’s better manufactured kits out there (Airfix etc), but I bought this a short while ago from that auction website after getting outbid on other kits. This one was cheaper and it was a buy-it-now - which I put in my watch list and got an offer to make it cheaper still.

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The kit is a direct descendant of the Frog offering from 1973 but there was a previous offering from 1955. Let’s just say the moulds were verily light on the detail - probably through use/cleaning. The pilot’s seat/cockpit area look like they're a plywood mock-up. It needs an ejector seat and some more detailing. Some CAD (cardboard aided design) may be needed.

What panel lines there are, are only just visible - but that just means there’s not that much so sand back for re-scribing - which in itself should be fun😱.

All of the kit parts are there apart from one clear part which is a nose side window. I should be able to fabricate a replacement out of some clear packaging (where’s that doughnut box?)

I found on Scalemates that Revell did the same kit at one stage so I downloaded an printed a set of clearer instructions - come to think of it, the pale green plastic does remind me of earlier Revell kits. I might see if can get some decals off them……

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These look very much like a Shackleton MR3 wheel

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It’s barely out of the box and there’s fit issues already.

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Nothing some tape and a good application of TET/Mr Cement won’t fix.

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The kit detail

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Edited by Brigbeale
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I built this when it was released by NOVO and remember even then that it was little more than an outline. Panel lines were very fine raised lines, wheel hub and engine front end detail were less than stellar.

 

Apparently it’s outline is accurate though I recall one IPMS modeller commenting at the time that the fuselage was too fat? Anyway, he ended up grafting the nose onto an Airfix B.(I)6

 

Trevor

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4 hours ago, Hook said:

Nice progress! I may have some spare Airfix decals, let me know if these could be helpful.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

Thanks for the offer. I’ve read that XM260, the serial which the kit provides, is a fictitious number. 
I’ve found XM264 and XM265 which both have the sharks mouth on the nose, and I’ve also found XM263 which doesn’t. Hmmm….

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1 hour ago, John_W said:

Is that the current incarnation of the original Frog mould? Think I built that around 40 years ago now...

I’ve just looked at the Scalemates page and it appears to be from the early 2000’s. Around 2012, it appears in Ark Models liveried boxes using the same image - but in 2018, the Ark Models box reverts back to the Novo image - all according to Scalemates.

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Work started on the Canberra tonight although it may not show up very well in the photos.

I rescribed both lower main wings and one upper wing before I ran out of time.
To highlight the lines a bit better, I brushed some of my ‘weathering powder - a cheap eyeshadow pack from Poundland - across the raised panel lines.
The lower halves were done first. Straight lines were easy over the flat surfaces as I used a metal straight edge and my Tamiya scribing tool.tape was placed over the nacelles to make 3 lines across which I did with a pin in a pin vice.

The newly scribed lines were then sanded to remove any traces of the old raised panel lines while avoiding as best I could, some other raised detail. Eg fuel caps, aces holes etc.

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To enhance the cockpit a bit, I purchased a Pavla Martin Baker Mk2 Ejection Seat. 

vYZfoSo.jpg

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I'll watch this project shape up with interest!  This IS the old FROG kit, but the fit of the original is, unsurprisingly, much better.  The panel detail on the FROG kit is also quite subtle, so you're not missing much.  I like that you're re-scribing the panel lines, something I mean to do on my upcoming project to convert the B.(I).8 into a PR.7 using a vacform nose.  This will require lots of nose weight, and 25g won't be sufficient.  @canberra kid approves of this message--and the kit you're using. 

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@Brigbeale A good choice! Not the most modern Canberra kit around but still the most accurate mainstream 1/72 kit out there, the 'new' Airfix kit though more detailed isn't quite as good, the best option is to cross kit the two using the undercarriage seat and other detail parts form the Airfix 8 to embellish the FROG airframe. The resin seat you have, though not overly accurate is a big improvement over the kit offering. The main and nose wheels could do with replacing too. If you need any parts let me know. 

 

John   

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When Ray Rimmel did the British Bomber Collection in Scale Models many a long moon ago he attached the nose from the FROG kit to the rest of the Airfix B6. It looked pretty good and overcame most of the issues with both kits. 

For my part I've built the FROG or Novo boxing a few times and always liked the results. I remember building the South African version from the FROG kit and finishing it with a silver spray paint from Woolworths. I think it eventually ate the plastic but for a while it looked good 🙂

John 

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19 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

@canberra kid: which aftermarket wheels would you endorse?  Not that I want to steal this thread or anything....apologies in advance.

I have no problem. The information would be useful.

If anyone’s got a Canberra you want to show off just post a picture

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I’m going to see what I can do to this kit rather than swap parts from another brand.

Ive printed off a set of Airfix instructions as well to give me some guidance on the various parts which could do with some improvements. I can then hopefully design and 3D print them.

But first, I intend to finish re-scribing the remaining upper wing, elevators and fuselage (It’ll be good practice for the Revell re-pop of the Matchbox Victor K2 in my stash😖).

The wheels don’t actually look that bad. I’ve seen worse on newer kits. I might build the wheels up first to see what they turn out like. If they don’t come up to scratch I can get these instead.

Ut9pJnA.jpg

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I really appreciate a person that can rescribe panel lines.  Every time I've done it, it was a frustrating mess.  

 

Since you asked... I guess I'll be the first:  Here's a Canberra I finished a couple of years ago.  It is an Airfix kit purchased around 1992.  I made the Testors kit in high school and was horribly disappointed when the transparent decals went from bright red on the paper to very dark red on the aircraft.  Doubly disappointing since it was a bit of a dream build at the time.  Finally, after *ahem* several *ahem* years, I was able to do it right:

 

W0iHlz4.jpg

 

Can't wait to see how yours turns out!  Pretty great, I'll reckon. ;) 

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2 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

@canberra kid: which aftermarket wheels would you endorse?  Not that I want to steal this thread or anything....apologies in advance.

The set that Brian has posted a photo of the 'PR.9' wheel set are good late mod big wheel which will do for all/most Avon 109 Canberra's and some export Avon 1 Canberra's. 

John

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@Brigbeale Brian, if you want some reference take a look around my site, IPMS UK Canberra SIG, unfortunately it doesn't work on mobile devices but if you have a laptop or PC it will be fine. You'll find albums of wheels seats engines airframe Mk.'s cockpits and more  https://ipmscanberrasig.webs.com/apps/photos/

 

John

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A few of my Canberra's either all FROG or built using parts of the FROG kit.

First off, RB.57E FROG wings, Airfix fuselage, Italeri nose which is the only part of that kit which is really worth using. All re scribed.

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FROG pretty much out of the box

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Lastly, for comparison, the Airfix B(I)8

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John

 

 

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Tonight, I spent my time re-scribing the remaining upper wing which went well using my metal straight edge and the Tamiya scribing tool, and again some Gorilla tape was used over the nacelles to guide the pin vice in a stright(ish) line.

A tried fit of the upper and lower wings showed some minor adjustments need to be made later on.

I then re-scribed the tail-fin/rudder unit. Just one pass with the scribing tool was sufficient to engrave the panel lines whereas I did two passes on the wings.

 

The before..

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And the after…

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And with the fuselage halves taped together and sat with the rudder vertical where the light shows it off better. The metal square is the tool I use to get straight lines. It flexes enough to follow the curves. I have a narrower one to use on the fuselage.

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Speaking of the fuselage, the panel lines are light, in some places too light to the point they were non existent. I used a tip I gleaned off YouTube to mark the panel line ends with a pencil for a guide later on. Actually, as I think about it, the YouTuber was replacing raised panel lines and using a marker. With the two fuselage halves together, I was able to mark the where the panel lines ended and crossed. Also, the hatches/inspection panels were marked out.

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The panel lines under the nose are missing so some guess work is needed to reinstate them.

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