Popular Post Viking Posted January 29, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 29, 2022 BEA Trident 2 'Ground Gripper' 1/144 Airfix with modifications The Trident earned the name 'Ground Gripper' due to its long take off run, seeming reluctant to take off! The Trident 2 was a development of the Trident 1, with an increased wingspan but utilising the same fuselage with a different internal arrangement increasing the seating, and 1 door less on the starboard side. The Airfix kit has been around for 50-ish years now, with a few accuracy issues, which I have have attempted to rectify There is a new kit from Eastern Express, but at £60+ it is way too expensive for my tastes, and anyway I get a lot of pleasure from doing a bit of real modelling and improving things. The main things are, straightening the leading edge of the fin, adding the fuselage to wing fairing, reshaping the centre intake, and a first for me, adding the leading edge 'wing kink' There is more detail at the end of this post, but for now, on with the pictures. I chose G-AVFB as it is preserved at Duxford in these colours: With something else, my recently completed Airfix Comet 4B These are the main improvements: I have never attempted putting the wing 'Kink' before. It is tricky because it is only in the leading edge. The trailing edge remains straight. I scored each wing upper & lower part on the inside, and bent & sanded it to obtain the kink, which slopes down from fuselage to about 1/3rd of the way along, where the rest of the wing takes on some dihedral. It worked well and I'll definitely do it on my next Trident build. I used the 26 Decals BEA Red Square sheet, but had problems filttng the black nose decals. I struggled to get then to lay down around the compound curves of the nose, and they started to split as I endevoured to line them up. So I removed them and decided to mask and spray all the black, including the cheat lines along the sides. It worked well and I am pleased with the result. I did the black on the fin top at the same time. This is all paintwork with no decals yet applied: It was a lot of work, but very satisfying! Thanks for looking, John 70 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 The paintwork on this is outstanding, looks neater than decals! Amazing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Fantastic finish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouse808 Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Wow, amazing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Fantastic work & impressive adjustments to the old kit. Looks lovely next to the Comet. I often find that masking & painting gives better results than decals. Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex1978 Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 A superb work on improving the good old Airfix kit. That BEA livery is so classy Thank you also for the photos and call outs of the changes.Will come in handy when I get around starting on my Tridents. Thanks for sharing Alex 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodadriver Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Fantastic result John. It just shows what can be achieved with skill and determination. The wing "kink" is really well done - I'll probably pm you for more information when I get round to my own build, whenever that might be! Dave G 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Excellent result John. Not the easiest to bring up to a reasonable standard, but you have certainly made a huge difference to the basic Airfix kit. Chris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandoned Project Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Wow! Amazing master class of a model! Kudos. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einar Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 9 hours ago, Viking said: BEA Trident 2 'Ground Gripper' 1/144 Airfix with modifications The Trident earned the name 'Ground Gripper' due to its long take off run, seeming reluctant to take off! The Trident 2 was a development of the Trident 1, with an increased wingspan but utilising the same fuselage with a different internal arrangement increasing the seating, and 1 door less on the starboard side. The Airfix kit has been around for 50-ish years now, with a few accuracy issues, which I have have attempted to rectify There is a new kit from Eastern Express, but at £60+ it is way too expensive for my tastes, and anyway I get a lot of pleasure from doing a bit of real modelling and improving things. The main things are, straightening the leading edge of the fin, adding the fuselage to wing fairing, reshaping the centre intake, and a first for me, adding the leading edge 'wing kink' There is more detail at the end of this post, but for now, on with the pictures. I chose G-AVFB as it is preserved at Duxford in these colours: With something else, my recently completed Airfix Comet 4B These are the main improvements: I have never attempted putting the wing 'Kink' before. It is tricky because it is only in the leading edge. The trailing edge remains straight. I scored each wing upper & lower part on the inside, and bent & sanded it to obtain the kink, which slopes down from fuselage to about 1/3rd of the way along, where the rest of the wing takes on some dihedral. It worked well and I'll definitely do it on my next Trident build. I used the 26 Decals BEA Red Square sheet, but had problems filttng the black nose decals. I struggled to get then to lay down around the compound curves of the nose, and they started to split as I endevoured to line them up. So I removed them and decided to mask and spray all the black, including the cheat lines along the sides. It worked well and I am pleased with the result. I did the black on the fin top at the same time. This is all paintwork with no decals yet applied: It was a lot of work, but very satisfying! Thanks for looking, John You've done an absolutely amazing job👍👍I can just admire the end result. Chapeau!! Cheers Einar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza l Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Impressive work, very neat paintwork. gazza l 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Very well done, sir! Having done corrections to this kit myself I truly appreciate your efforts in making the things right, something that is not seen often. Great result! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesa Jussila Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Really nice build and paint work looks perfect. Thanks for sharing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig88 Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Absolutely lovely!! Miguel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 you make these look easy John, but having done several, I know that isn't the case. Superb finish though I expected nothing less going off your other stuff! Eastern Express are doing some great kits, but the prices are ridiculous for what are tiny kits which is a shame. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Super sharp paintwork to follow your skillful modication of the venerable Airfix kit. Your generosity in sharing the modifications is very much appreciated. Vincent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Very nice 2 ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted January 30, 2022 Author Share Posted January 30, 2022 Thanks for the kind comments chaps! Looking at the photos, both the Comet and Trident look a bit shiny as I took the photos in bright sunlight, which has imparted a higher shine than they have in real life. I think I'll shoot a light coat of satin varnish over them to knock it back a little. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Walter E Kurtz Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 John. This looks top draw! Really enjoyed your pics showing the modifications. I found them quite interesting. Really looks the business and your painting skills are superb. It's a brave thing to go down the road of not using the decals. You've nailed it and the livery looks contiguous and whole. Lovely model. Well done Sir! Regards, Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Congratulations on a fine model, this is memorie lane for me first aircraft kit i ever built ,i was in short trousers in 1960s it never turned out like yours but for an eager youngster it was excellent even with all the paint runs and off centre decals .Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Thats a really nice looking Trident John. Something i've always wondered about: Why does the tailplane droop when the aircraft is powered down? Did the plane not use a conventional nut and screw jack arrangement? Kind of thought that was the industry standard. -d- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 A lot of work needed to achieve this from that old thing. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Young Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Absolutely stunning Trident John - very well done!. Good to see the details of the modifications; I wasn't aware of the asymmetric fairings - learn something every day. Superb painting too - lovely model. Cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad-4N Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Man, some real He-Man level modelling going on. Super job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 That's an absolute stunner John, really excellent modelling! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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