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BEA Trident 2 'Ground Gripper' - 1/144 Airfix with modifications


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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

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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

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9 hours ago, Viking said:

BEA Trident 2 'Ground Gripper'

1/144 Airfix with modifications

 

t3a.jpg

 

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:

 

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With something else, my recently completed Airfix Comet 4B

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These are the main improvements:

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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.

t9.jpg

 

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:

 

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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 

 

 

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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.

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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

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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

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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. 

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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-

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