Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Hi All, Whilst my Sunderland build is still chuntering along, I fancied a bit of light relief after marathon sanding and scribing sessions (I also thought it would be polite to give @AliGauld a bit of clear air, as our builds appear to be converging to alarmingly similar stages, and he started first!). Anyways, I've had ICM's lovely Gladiator Mk.II sitting in the stash for at least a couple of months, so I thought I'd run both builds in parallel (what could possibly go wrong?!). Here's the box art: This is my first ICM kit, and initial impressions are certainly favourable. A nice sturdy box, and some jolly nice artwork to boot! Here's the sprue shots: Detail and quality look to be superb. Here's the decals, which also look lovely: I've got a couple of extras for this build - Yahu instrument panel and Eduard harness: I also had some of these sent over from the UK after I'd seen them used to great effect on other builds: I've also invested in a set of Montex masks, which allow for 2 schemes: Now I'd had my heart set on a DE/DG/LE/LG colour scheme, and was surprised when the Montex scheme showed up as DE/DG over B/W, and looked... well, rather dull! Nevertheless, I started to do a little due diligence on the scheme, N5581 of 615 Sqn RAF, which Montex have based at RAF Kenley in August 1939. A quick trawl of t'internet has the same aircraft: This time based at RAF Ford in the same month - hmmmm. Imagine my further confusion when searching on 615 (County of Surrey) Sqn (as noted in the above pic), there appears a completely different squadron code ('KW' as opposed to 'RR'), with one of the box schemes being the former based at St Inglevert (Northern France) in April 1940. Without digging into the history of 615, I am guessing that they vacated St Inglevert in a hurry in May 1940, and presumably remustered in England shortly after? Anyway, here's the box scheme of the France-based aircraft: It does have the 4-colour upper camo, which ticks a box - some rather fetching red hubs too 🤩. Also, I did find this: So, the top scheme is the Montex one, the second is the box scheme (although this time in December 1939), and 3 & 4 are also strong contenders for unusual camo!! Here's a photo I found of the bottom aircraft, which is in standard DFS colours of DG/OG over MSG. Here's a photo I found of said aircraft: I haven't seen a Gladiator modelled in that scheme before, so some marks for originality! I now don't know whether I'm Arthur or Martha as far as the schemes go, so I think I'll just go and throw some primer around and not worry about it for now! Thanks for looking, Roger 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Nice choice Roger, I built a couple of the ICM Gladiators and I don't recall any problems building them at all, so hopefully you'll find it the same Cheers, Stew 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 1 minute ago, Stew Dapple said: Nice choice Roger, I built a couple of the ICM Gladiators and I don't recall any problems building them at all, so hopefully you'll find it the same Cheers, Stew Thanks Stew, I remember well both of your lovely builds - as inspiration you may consider yourself at least partly responsible for this build! Cheers, Roger 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Looking forward to this Roger, I have got one of these and a Sea Gladiator from ICM in the stash to do. I just managed to remove the serial and code letters from my 72nd build Sea Gladiator so I can do the aircraft I want to do now I have the decals . Looking forward to watch this progress and which scheme you do. Let me know if you need any reference photos. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 22 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Looking forward to this Roger, I have got one of these and a Sea Gladiator from ICM in the stash to do. I just managed to remove the serial and code letters from my 72nd build Sea Gladiator so I can do the aircraft I want to do now I have the decals . Looking forward to watch this progress and which scheme you do. Let me know if you need any reference photos. Chris Thanks very much Chris - pleased to hear you've now got the ability to complete the Sea Glad! I think I've got the measure of the interior, but am struggling to find photos of my scheme options (other than the DFS) option shown above. Looking forward to this one! Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 3 minutes ago, Dunny said: Thanks very much Chris - pleased to hear you've now got the ability to complete the Sea Glad! I think I've got the measure of the interior, but am struggling to find photos of my scheme options (other than the DFS) option shown above. Looking forward to this one! Cheers, Roger Thanks fella, just waiting for my clear decal paper to arrive as I need the same code and serial numbers 3 times over. Then I can scan in the decals I have to make, we'll fingers crossed. I will take a look at what I have in the books for the schemes . Looking forward to this. Exciting Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 14 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: I will take a look at what I have in the books for the schemes . Thanks Chris - I think I'm leaning towards N2308 KW*T of 615 (County of Surrey) Sqn. According to the blurb this a/c shot down an He111 in December 1939 - the only claim of a Gladiator in the French campaign. Be interested to know who the pilot was too - after my figure painting in my last Spit build I'm half tempted to add a pilot figure (Tamiya Spit leftover), Cheers, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 37 minutes ago, Dunny said: Thanks Chris - I think I'm leaning towards N2308 KW*T of 615 (County of Surrey) Sqn. According to the blurb this a/c shot down an He111 in December 1939 - the only claim of a Gladiator in the French campaign. Be interested to know who the pilot was too - after my figure painting in my last Spit build I'm half tempted to add a pilot figure (Tamiya Spit leftover), Cheers, Roger Hi Roger that is tge subject of one of the lovely Airfix 72nd scale kit, you might be surprised to know I have a few in the stash to convert into the Malta Sea Gladiator N5520. I will see what the paint instructions are as Airfix are usually good with this. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 You’ve really piqued my interest with this one, so I shall follow and enjoy watching it come together! I don’t envy you with the dilemma of choosing a suitable scheme - there’s too many strong contenders…😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 25 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said: I don’t envy you with the dilemma of choosing a suitable scheme - there’s too many strong contenders…😁 Welcome aboard! It's definitely rich territory, but I'm definitely veering towards the early war 4 colour pattern... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.au Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Nice. This one is in the back of my mind for a one-day project. I look forward to seeing how you go with it Roger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 38 minutes ago, mark.au said: Nice. This one is in the back of my mind for a one-day project. I look forward to seeing how you go with it Roger. Cheers Mark - it's definitely a rich seam in terms of early war schemes, and the ICM kit looks like a beauty. The juices are definitely flowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I flipping love Gladiators so I will follow. Nice choice on the Battle of France scheme, hope you can pin down the colours and codes to your satisfaction! I seem to remember that quite a lot of squadron codes were changed around the outbreak of war as a security measure, hence the shift from RR to KW during the latter half of 1939. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 28 minutes ago, Vulcanicity said: I flipping love Gladiators so I will follow. Nice choice on the Battle of France scheme, hope you can pin down the colours and codes to your satisfaction! I seem to remember that quite a lot of squadron codes were changed around the outbreak of war as a security measure, hence the shift from RR to KW during the latter half of 1939. Welcome aboard! I welcome advice on the scheme, but the 4 colour is still a fave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGauld Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I'll be watching this one carefully as I have the Sea Gladiator version of this kit. Don't feel you have to stop the Sunderland on my account if you want to plough on with it then please do. Looking forward to this though. Cheers, Alistair 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Sooo, back in CCizing !! Well done Man, multi builds is the way to wisdom.... I don't think that there still was Gladiator Sqdn in France in May 1940.... Hurricanes, Battles (What's left of it) and Blenheims.... I'll follow if you don't mind it.... and Catch up with your Sunderland.... Sincerely. CC 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 5 hours ago, corsaircorp said: Sooo, back in CCizing !! Well done Man, multi builds is the way to wisdom.... I don't think that there still was Gladiator Sqdn in France in May 1940.... Hurricanes, Battles (What's left of it) and Blenheims.... I'll follow if you don't mind it.... and Catch up with your Sunderland.... Sincerely. CC Great to have you aboard CC - bienvenue! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Hi Roger, I think I’ll sit in on this one too, if I may?. I built the Roden 1/48 Sea Gladiator a few years back. A bit of a mojo sapper but I got it done. Hope yours goes much better than mine.. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 9 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Hi Roger, I think I’ll sit in on this one too, if I may?. I built the Roden 1/48 Sea Gladiator a few years back. A bit of a mojo sapper but I got it done. Hope yours goes much better than mine.. Always welcome aboard GB! Other's builds of this kit appear to have had good outcomes, so I am always hopeful! Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 Hi All, I made a proper start on the Glad today, as I had a cheeky day off work (yay!). Although I'd thrown some primer around a couple of weeks ago, there really wasn't much to show for it. The first painting operation was simulating the doped linen colour in the rear fuselage (not sure if it'll be seen, but just in case!). So here's the linen colour mist-coated with some red-brown: Next I sprayed all of the interior grey-green components - here's the fuselage halves after unmasking: Looks quite smart? The very first assembly step calls for the insertion of the 2 fuselage-mounted machine guns. After painting and weathering them I decided to be hyper-organised, and prime and paint the external portions of the ports, so I could subsequently mask over before painting the main camouflage. However, on closer inspection the AK Interactives Light Earth I'd sourced looked, well, far too LIGHT! Here it is: That didn't look right to my eye. The Light Green (Mr Hobby RLM82), on the other hand, looked about 'right' to me. For the LE I therefore decided to go with a home brew of 50:50 Dark Earth: Mid-Stone. Here's the result for both colours: I've shown with the AK LE just to show how 'off' it looks - I'm pretty happy with both colours so will stick with that combo. Here's the port MG in position: Here's a final couple of shots showing the barrels in position: Not displeased with that. Also, whilst I was spraying the MGs I also painted all of the turret components for my Sunderland, so that is technically progressing too!! Thanks for looking, Roger 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGauld Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 Nice progress Roger, All looking excellent. How are you finding the 3rd gen acrylics, I'm tempted to try them? Cheers, Alistair 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 1 minute ago, AliGauld said: Nice progress Roger, All looking excellent. How are you finding the 3rd gen acrylics, I'm tempted to ty them? Cheers, Alistair Thanks very much Alistair. To be honest I've been a bit underwhelmed with 3rd Gen. I gave up on their Aluminium and the LE looks way off to me, so that's 100% failure rate so far! Cheers, Roger 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGauld Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 3 minutes ago, Dunny said: Thanks very much Alistair. To be honest I've been a bit underwhelmed with 3rd Gen. I gave up on their Aluminium and the LE looks way off to me, so that's 100% failure rate so far! Cheers, Roger Thanks for that, I'll maybe give it a wee while for them to improve them. Cheers, Alistair 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 Good start, I don’t normally build biplanes but I’m very tempted by this one. Looking forward to more. John. 🇺🇦 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 9 minutes ago, Biggles87 said: Good start, I don’t normally build biplanes but I’m very tempted by this one. Looking forward to more. John. 🇺🇦 Thanks for the kind words John - I'm very impressed with the level of detail and engineering so far, Cheers, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now