jean Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Good evening, I will attempt to build a kit I have always wanted to add to my display case since 1976.... What took me so long... Anyway, here we are, with a box full of plastic, that the world's most famous Scottish Santa has kindly sent me... We all know Pat, aka @JOCKNEY and his legendary kindness. So I will try and do it justice. No pressure. And it will be mostly a kind of OOB, but not quite... Here are two photos of the box and sprues: Have a lot of fun, everyone! JR 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Watching this one. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 4 minutes ago, dogsbody said: Watching this one. Chris Me too Good luck JR, any problems it's all my fault ! Cheers Pat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 14 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Me too Good luck JR, any problems it's all my fault ! Cheers Pat Hi Pat, I wish it were that simple!!! That is not taking into account my six thumbs.. Cheers mate. JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Great subject choice JR. This may not be one of the better known British bombers but it's no less valid for that 1 hour ago, JOCKNEY said: Good luck JR, any problems it's all my fault ! Are we all allowed to use that excuse Pat? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 On board for this one. Enjoy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 9 minutes ago, Col. said: Are we all allowed to use that excuse Pat? Feel free, broad shoulders and skin like a Rhino 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Yes this should be interesting 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Yes! another one! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I have the bilek rebox in the stash so got another watcher 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 On 1/17/2022 at 6:29 PM, alt-92 said: Yes! another one! Hi, yes, there is something about the Hampden that sets it apart from any other WW2 bombers. I just love its shape. It must have been lonely flying such a plane on long missions... I will try to do it justice. And it will be fun. JR 40 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said: I have the bilek rebox in the stash so got another watcher Hi Stu, I did not know Bilek did Airfix rebox, rivets and all I imagine! Feel free to tag along. A word of warning: my first conscious act will be to remove every single rivet on the plastic. I am sure the kit will gain in elegance without those 'orrible warts! And if I cannot find a decent scale plan on the web, I won't even bother to re-scribe the panel lines. The model will look like a camouflaged baby's bum. Cheers. JR 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I remember doing this one when it was new. Good to see the Flying Suitcase again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Always liked the look of the Hampden, unfortunately never got around to it "back in the day" . Good luck Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 I recall the sheer excitement of going into the shop in 1968 and the unexpected surprise when the first boxes hit the shelf and there it was. A Hampden, just like I’d seen in some “Commando” style comic books. Who would have thought a model would appear in 1968 before the current proliferation of more types? Gleefully purchased and straight home to build in a weekend. My nostalgia recalls Airfix did an early RAF bombers kick around then? Stirling, Battle and Blenheim as I recall with Frog doing the Whitley. Looking forward to seeing what you do with the old girl. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Hi Jean, It is not a bad kit assuming it did not get battered in transit from Scotland. I built a more recent boxing 18 months ago in the Battle of Britain Anniversary GB and it came out like this. Far better than the one I built shortly after the kit came out and even the somewhat crude guns have come out not too bad. Best of luck with your build. Pete 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Hi everyone, Today saw a timid start of the Hampden. More a destructive start really, but that is part of the plan. First, this is what the kit looks like with the rivets: As mentioned earlier, I do not have the love of cheese graters that some Bmers flaunt in their build. A Me 109 E cheese grater comes to mind, brought into this world by no other than @JOCKNEY. So I gleefully destroyed all the hard work of the Airfix sculptor, and got the following: A much cleaner canvas in my book to either re-scribe the panel lines or leave the surface smooth. Either way much better for the decals to settle snuggly on the surface, etc. One glaring inaccuracy is the wing tip that is too rounded. It must be far more angular and there are two position lights at front and back of the wing tips. Not sure if I must add some plastic or remove some.... I suspect some plastic needs to be added... Last for today is the separate tail: same rivet removal treatment. In addition, Airfix have added some reinforcements above and below the horizontal surface. As I have not been able to see any such feature on all the photos I have looked at, I decided to remove them! The horizontal moving surface is too short by about 1.5 mm, which leads to a gap on both sides. I have added a band of plastic on either side and that should solve the problem. The last niggle comes from the vertical moving surfaces. Airfix has made them as if metal-covered. Photos show them being fabric-covered. So some very thin stretched sprue will represent the ribs below the fabric. Here is a photo of the tail's components, in order to highlight the above comments: All in all this is a fun kit that screams at being given some TLC. In my book it deserves it. Have fun! JR 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Here's the Riveting 109 you mentioned It's for extra grip to stop you dropping it Great stuff, JR, you are making these twin engined builds look easy Cheers Pat 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 13 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Here's the Riveting 109 you mentioned It's for extra grip to stop you dropping it Great stuff, JR, you are making these twin engined builds look easy Cheers Pat Hi Pat, I have a couple of kits full of rivets that I use for shaving when I am out of razors. Your 109 is scary! But you have hands hardened by the Scottish weather and they don't chaff easily, unlike my peachy skinned fingers. And as far as making twin engine builds look easy... It's like when you go skying. It's easy to show off at the foot of the slopes, putting your skis on and taking poses. What matters is what you look like at the top of a sub-vertical black slope... You may change your tune about my proficiency then... But I am having a lot of fun and too many builds on the go... Cheers mate. JR 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 (edited) Hi Jean, Yes the Hampden and of course Pat's 109 had rivets, but nowhere near as many as my old Frog Shackleton. Remember this from 2019 and my first GB? I sanded them down but did not completely remove them as rescribing that would take me months and probably drive me (even more) insane. Anyway, one of its nicknames was "10000 rivets flying in formation" so I did need to show them a bit. Pete Edited January 23, 2022 by PeterB 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Great choice Jean,as I'm sitting this GB out I can follow some of the other trials and tribulations for a change,now this is a kit I have never seen or built before probably only one of the very few Airfix kit's I can say that about! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 7 hours ago, PeterB said: Hi Jean, Yes the Hampden and of course Pat's 109 had rivets, but nowhere near as many as my old Frog Shackleton. Remember this from 2019 and my first GB? I sanded them down but did not completely remove them as rescribing that would take me months and probably drive me (even more) insane. Anyway, one of its nicknames was "10000 rivets flying in formation" so I did need to show them a bit. Pete Hi Pete, I guess rivets were fashionable in a distant past. I am thinking of building a small shrine where, before sanding a kit mercilessly, I will go and light a candle for the peace of mind and the soul of the poor sod who had to drill thousands of rivets on a kit. I am just allergic to the damn things. But well done with your Shackleton! JR 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Never mind about blooming rivets, have you glued anything together yet ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 12 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Never mind about blooming rivets, have you glued anything together yet ? YES I HAVE!!! The pilot's floor onto the downstairs floor (I am not sure how the lift fits between these two floors...) and a couple of little bits in the tail. It is starting to look like a Hampden!!!!!! JR 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 30, 2022 Author Share Posted January 30, 2022 Hi everyone, the Hampden is moving slowly forward (this seems to be the usual speed for me). I am starting at the periphery of the build, rather than the usual cockpit, etc. At the end, it all has to be done. The wheels look pretty nice and I am slowly getting there with the tail. On a Hampden the tail wheel is semi retractable, so I had to make a recess for this to happen. The fit of the vertical fins on the underneath s atrocious, so CA and talcum powder to the rescue. It looks much more presentable that way. All is left is to glue tin strips of stretched sprue, as all the movable surfaces are fabric-covered. More work, but this details is quite visible on photos. I did mention that I was going to lavish as much TLC as I could on this beautiful Hampden. I have to start prioritising my builds and the first one will be the Etendard in the KUTA GB, as this ends the soonest. Then the Hampden, and last the FW 190 in the Matchbox GB. Tough choices! Anyway, here is a photo to show you the huge amount of work done... Have fun! JR 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 Hi, It has been a very long time since I did any work on a GB kit. Yesterday I resumed work on the Hampden. I decided to re-scribe the kit, and as I do not have plans for the beast, I am using photos. A lot more time consuming, believe me. Anyway, the right wing is done, and I just need to do some last tidying up of the panel lines and more importantly re-shape the wingtips, not angular enough on the kit. Here is a pic of the upper right wing. Have fun! JR 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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