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Airfix 1/48th DH Chipmunk


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Hi all,

Recently finished this new kit from Airfix and it's in the colours of 5 AEF which was my local AEF based at Cambridge Airport up until the mid 90's.

Had a few fit issues with the wing to fuselage joints and the known droopy wings which I overcame with some careful tweaking and hot water.

Extras I used were the Kits World seatbelts but I used the Airfix decals for the IP's. Xtradecal part 1 sheet for the decals and some lead wire for the brake lines.

Painted with MRP's, lightly weathered with W&N oils and finished with Alclad light sheen cote.

 

Thanks for looking. 

gazza l

 

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DSC_1313 DSC_1315

 

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Gazza - that's beautiful! Far better than I could ever build, so please take these comments as being positive:

 

1. With the black/white prop and spinner scheme, the prop blade face tips were not yellow.

2. On every colour photo of an RAF Chipmunk that I have, the tailwheel assembly is black.

 

That's an error in the kit and decal instructions and does not detract, for an instant, from your superb model.

 

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1 hour ago, Rod Blievers said:

Gazza - that's beautiful! Far better than I could ever build, so please take these comments as being positive:

 

1. With the black/white prop and spinner scheme, the prop blade face tips were not yellow.

2. On every colour photo of an RAF Chipmunk that I have, the tailwheel assembly is black.

 

That's an error in the kit and decal instructions and does not detract, for an instant, from your superb model.

 

I think we need to point out the decals and markings are for a restored variant, including a few spelling mistakes on the real restored aircraft!

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It really was intended as gentle/helpful "nit pick"!

 

I wasn't aware that XD48221's depiction of WZ872 was based on a restoration, the instructions certainly don't indicate this. Here's WZ872 "back in the day" - notice the black tailwheel assembly:

 

51645652639_1547fa6bea_k.jpgWB652 & WZ 872 5AEF Cambs War Mem Crown 871.47 by Rod Blievers, on Flickr

 

Quote

including a few spelling mistakes

I'm intrigued. When the 1:1 WG478 came back from it's repaint, all four of these stencils were spelled "DIHEDERAL"! In truth nobody commented, nor did I notice, for several years then a sharp-eyed friend pick up on this clanger!

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3 hours ago, IV(AC)Plumb said:

That's beautiful, I'm looking to doing the same with WP914 from 6 AEF, again my first flight in the ATC in 1979.

 

Bit cheeky but do you have any spare decals from the xtradecal sheet?

I'm after the 6 ( VI) AEF green shields?

 

Steve

Thanks Steve.

I'll have a look tomorrow for the decals when I go out in the workshop, you're welcome to them.

 

3 hours ago, Rod Blievers said:

Gazza - that's beautiful! Far better than I could ever build, so please take these comments as being positive:

 

1. With the black/white prop and spinner scheme, the prop blade face tips were not yellow.

2. On every colour photo of an RAF Chipmunk that I have, the tailwheel assembly is black.

 

That's an error in the kit and decal instructions and does not detract, for an instant, from your superb model.

 

Cheers Rod.

Thanks for the info, I might even rectify the mistakes when I get a minute.

Lovely photo of WZ872 over the American cemetery, I wish I had seen it before the build... I can see I have also misplaced a few of the decals!

 

Thanks everyone.

gazza l

 

 

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Great model of a 5AEF aircraft.  I wonder when they started putting the unit badge on the fuselage side and a huge code letter on the rudder?  Certainly after my time as a staff cadet at 5AEF, 1972-78.  We got the red/white/grey finished Chippies about 1973-4 iirc (before that it was a different set of aircraft in grey/dayglo); one of those we received then was WB652, as in @Rod Blievers' superb photo of the Madingley Cemetery, but WZ872 appeared after my time. 

 

 

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11 hours ago, MikeC said:

Great model of a 5AEF aircraft.  I wonder when they started putting the unit badge on the fuselage side and a huge code letter on the rudder?  Certainly after my time as a staff cadet at 5AEF, 1972-78.  We got the red/white/grey finished Chippies about 1973-4 iirc (before that it was a different set of aircraft in grey/dayglo); one of those we received then was WB652, as in @Rod Blievers' superb photo of the Madingley Cemetery, but WZ872 appeared after my time. 

 

 

 

Thanks Mike.

I'm not sure when the large rudder codes first appeared, it  just says 1970's on the decal placement sheet. I don't remember them being on the rudders in the 80's though. 

 

7 hours ago, Paul J said:

Another well made Chipmunk. Good to see that there has been very little evidence of the  dreaded ' drooping ' wings so far.

Thanks very much Paul.

There certainly was a lot of wing droop, I tried inserting some wing spars but they didn't work so I had to straightened them in hot water and a lot of tweaking. Shame really on a modern kit!

 

 

 

 

 

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