1/72nd RAF Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1. Mach2 kit. Finished

[Mr T]

Well, it is British and it is big. My entry for this group build is Mach2s' exquisite kit of the AW Argosy C.1, aka the 'Whistling Wheelbarrow'. The Argosy was originally developed as a commercial freight carrier. It was initially hampered by the use of a converted Shackleton wing that added needless weight. It became an RAF transport almost by default when it was realised that there was an upcoming shortfall in airlift capacity and although even at that stage the RAF was casting covetous eyes at the Hercules, the government was not going to buy any in the face of a very powerful manufacturing lobby. As it happened, the Argosy had a fairly successful, if somewhat short career, with the RAF as a transport, it had  another short career with 115 Sqn checking flight aids and then  an abortive career as a trainer,  It had virtually disappeared from RAF service by the late 1970's

The Mach2 kit looks to be one of their better ones. There is less flash than on some kits, and the surface detail is good. The transparencies, aren't particularly transparent, but look as if they will polish up. The instructions are brief, and this kit is not for the faint-hearted. I have built the York and so at least know what I am letting myself in for.  I have an aftermarket set for the undercarriage, but I am not sure about the main wheels.

There is a decal sheet, that I have forgotten to photograph. It has the basics and may be useable

[Graham T]

I had NO IDEA this kit existed!

[PeterB]

28 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I had NO IDEA this kit existed!

Neither had I - don't suppose anybody ever did a Belfast?

 

Pete

[JosephLalor]

1 hour ago, PeterB said:

Neither had I - don't suppose anybody ever did a Belfast?

 

Pete

Magna and Welsh Models did 1/72 resin and 1/144 vacform kits respectively.  I think Anigrand might have had a 1/144 resin kit.

[Mike N]

I love the Argosy, and have fond memories of regularly being taken to the one at East Midlands Airport many years ago.

 

What scheme are you going to finish it in? The one you show in the instructions looks very smart, but camo looks good on it too.

 

Mike 

[Mr T]

5 hours ago, Graham T said:

I had NO IDEA this kit existed!

 

4 hours ago, PeterB said:

Neither had I - don't suppose anybody ever did a Belfast?

 

Pete

You both must have had your being sensible filters switched on when this kit has been mentioned. It first appeared in 2016. Magna did a resin Argosy as well. More expensive than the Mach2 one at the time of release (about £70-80 as I recall, and it must have been about 2000). It is going to be fun. The props are the seperate blade that fits into a spinner variety so beloved of short run manufacturers. I can understand why they do it, but it doesn't make it any easier to put them together. Am I a modelling god? No, but probably a glutton for punishment. 

[Mr T]

2 hours ago, Mike N said:

I love the Argosy, and have fond memories of regularly being taken to the one at East Midlands Airport many years ago.

 

What scheme are you going to finish it in? The one you show in the instructions looks very smart, but camo looks good on it too.

 

Mike 

I am thinking of the kit scheme. The Light Aircraft Grey and White looks nice and suits the type and is possibly less hassle than the camouflage finish, although I do not like White very much. The instructions are in error as the RAF Argosies were Aluminium painted, not natural metal. The only ones I ever saw were in white and grey/silver scheme. 

[PeterB]

Actually it seems Magna also did a Belfast once upon a time. As to the props I agree - the DIY blade ones can be a real pain though I built something once where they were engineered so that the fit was perfect and they virtually aligned themselves - blowed if I can remember what it was.

 

Pete

Edited March 2, 2022 by PeterB

[Rob S]

Telford 2005. 

 

Magna Models Belfast just been released. 

 

100 Pound. 

 

AUD = 0.32 p. 

 

3 on the Table. 1 I believe allocated to SAM. 1 in the hands of a Bloke in a wheelchair. 1 left. 

 

I was going to buy the last one as was travelling through Cairns every month and seeing the last flying example pretty regularly. 

 

Graeme says : 

“How are you going to get that Home safely?”.  

 

Reality check as it also meant less or no room for other acquisitions. 

 

End result - sadly walk away. 

 

[Rob S]

Postscript. 

 

Hannants Lowestoft a couple of days later. 

 

Bought two Welsh 1:144 vacuforms of the Belfast and they posted them for us. 

 

[Colin W]

I just finished a Mach 2 Thor missile in the Ground Attack Group Build. Absolutely terrible kit so good luck with this.

[Adam Poultney]

A Mach2? You're brave!

[Mr T]

Made a bit of a start, i.e. cleaned up three propeller blades. Misaligned moulds, so probably a bit thinner than they should be. Only thirteen left to do. Anyone knows of any RR Dart sized four bladed props?

[PeterB]

4 hours ago, Mr T said:

Made a bit of a start, i.e. cleaned up three propeller blades. Misaligned moulds, so probably a bit thinner than they should be. Only thirteen left to do. Anyone knows of any RR Dart sized four bladed props?

Aeroclub did a set Ref P001 for the HS 748 and Argosy - 4 x Rotol Dart 4 blade 14' dia RH but I suspect they will be hard to find these days. The only other 1/72 kit that I can think of is the Airfix Fokker F-27 Friendship but you would need to find a couple of those as donors - mine went in the bin years ago unfortunately.

 

Good luck.

 

Pete

[cardiff guy]

Good luck with this one, it'll fight you all the way but well worth it when finished.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by cardiff guy

[Adam Poultney]

These aircraft are rather huge! Certainly a good fit for this group build. I'm very glad that a good number of these have survived into preservation, here are three I've photographed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike N]

It's a great looking plane, a shame more weren't built and they didn't enjoy a longer life in RAF service.

 

Looking forward to seeing this build progress. I was tempted by the kit, but not sure I want one that much to attempt the Mach 2 offering.

 

Mike 

[tonyot]

The Beverley crews used to call it the `Crisp Carrier' due to its comparatively small payload,..... there were other names too, as you`ve alluded to...... 

 

Good luck with the model, I`ve built the Magna Models kit (sorry,.... I may have beEn the bloke in a wheelchair that you mentioned Rob S) and I found the vanes around the back of the flightdeck to be the worst part,..... very fiddly and easily broken off. 

 

If you need any interior views of the crgo area I have some,..... just let me know,

 

Cheers

          Tony

[Rob S]

2 hours ago, tonyot said:

I`ve built the Magna Models kit (sorry,.... I may have beEn the bloke in a wheelchair that you mentioned Rob S) 

 

 

Really!  

 

Pleased to meet you. 

 

Did you hear Graeme’s reality check?  

 

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Rob S said:

 

Really!  

 

Pleased to meet you. 

 

Did you hear Graeme’s reality check?  

 

And you mate,.... no I didn`t, sorry.  I`ve built it anyway, done it in camouflage,.... I`ll post a piccy sometime.

[Mr T]

Thanks for the offer of pics Tony, but the doors on this one are staying shut as it will be enough for me to build it as is without adding a lot of interior detail. If you have decent cockpit info, that would  be helpful. 

Not much done on this as still finishing off a couple of other group builds and a bit busier around the house with Mrs T being ill. She is getting better and it now like trying to deal with a bored toddler with chicken pox as she is still potentially infectious. 

 

[ed-209]

Iv been building mine for a while now on and off its the windows that are putting me off now it seems I will have to sand each to fit unless any one knows of a product like humbrol clear that fills big windows any way good luck with yours it's not that bad will be following 

[Mr T]

When I built the Mach2 York, I ended up doing fitting each window. I did this at before the fuselage was together as it was easier to do it that way Humbrol Clear or similar down work well with curved fuselages. I don't think any Mach2 kit is easy. 

[ed-209]

After I red your colon  I looked at mine all that's left to put together is fuselage and props 

The fuselage Half's are difrent sizes and the plastic is different thicknesses this also could prove tricky 

 

[Mr T]

21 hours ago, ed-209 said:

After I red your colon  I looked at mine all that's left to put together is fuselage and props 

The fuselage Half's are difrent sizes and the plastic is different thicknesses this also could prove tricky 

 

I think autocorrect had a field day with your post, or are do you do colonoscopies for a living. 

Thanks for the tip, mismatched fuselage halves seem to be about right for a Mach2 kit. The York was slightly out, but one half was really banana shaped.