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A pair of Chipmunks - Airfix 1/48


Fishbed

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Well, I was only going to build one of Airfix's Chipmunks, a 6-AEF one based at Abingdon or Benson due to the local connection and the White Horse on the badge.  Whats not to like.

 

I was planning on using the markings in the Xtradecal set X48221 for the 6 AEF markings.  However, while looking at the decals the set of day-glow markings for an all grey plane just screamed out that it needed using.  One order later, and it was a double build.  WG431, of Glasgow & Strathclyde University Air Squadron and WB550, 'D' of 6 Air Experience Flight.  One from the '60's and one from the '90's.   

 

Lovely little kits.  Removed the locating pins on the wings as advised by other builds.  I used the Eduard space set on WB550 and the Kits World set for WG431 (one was 4 point, the other 5 point harnesses.)  I was going to re-scribe the early battery access hatches on WG431, but didn't, and didn't add the strengthening plate just behind the engine on WB550.  I did add the UHF aerial on WG431.

 

Its a shame someone does not make thinner engine access panels for this kit.  The ones provided are so over scale.

 

Other than that it was all fairly plain sailing.   I did try using the Humbrol 174 as advised in the instructions, but it looked to orange to me, so gave it a thin over-spray of 16.  Looks better to my eyes anyway.

 

On to the pics. 

 

* If you are wandering about the "jump, Jonny, Jump" watch the delightful video linked at the end 🙂

 

Tim

 

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Both beautiful builds Tim, but the 6 AEF especially appealed as I flew in WZ847/F of 6 AEF as a CCF cadet back in 1976/77.  It was also pure nostalgia to see the training film again which I can also recall. What a delight the Airfix Chippy is, I really must build one soon.

 

Mark

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Lovely jobs! I’ve got one to build as a 7 AEF in tribute to the hard working Chippies I had the fortune to take a few flights in from RAF Newton back in the 80s. Trouble is I’m not sure I’d do it justice, especially compared to these beauties you’ve built!

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Never flown one, but always thought the Chippy was one of the prettiest most aesthetically proportional trainers ever designed. Shame about the motor though. Have flown Austers with the Gipsy Major, and none of them ever felt like they were making their rated max. HP. Came very near to the opportunity to fly a privately owned 260HP Lycoming engined modifed Chipmunk once. But as aviation goes, things went awry on the day.

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Tim,

 

Both lovely builds Tim - I've also got  a 6AEF build (currently stalled). I flew with 6AEF whilst a cadet in the 80s. I also used to live in Uffington...

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

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What a beautifully executed scurry of Chipmunks (I had to look up the collective noun... thanks Google ;))

Fit and finish is delightful and the orange looks just right to me too!!!

As for that bloody safety video... the amount of times I sat through that in the late 1980's in the ready room for 8AEF at R.A.F. Shawbury (before 8AEF moved to Cosford)...   Happy times and great memories indeed!  Thanks for making me feel REALLY old.. ;) 


Bravo!!! :clap::clap:
 

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On 9/21/2022 at 3:42 PM, Fishbed said:

Its a shame someone does not make thinner engine access panels for this kit.  The ones provided are so over scale.

Two very neat builds. Probably too late for you, but Eduard's set 49-1225 includes photo-etched cowling panels for the Airfix kit.

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On 9/22/2022 at 9:03 AM, Dunny said:

Both lovely builds Tim - I've also got  a 6AEF build (currently stalled). I flew with 6AEF whilst a cadet in the 80s. I also used to live in Uffington...

I'm just down the road in Wantage, so know it well.

 

On 9/22/2022 at 9:26 AM, Russmeister 101 said:

What a beautifully executed scurry of Chipmunks (I had to look up the collective noun... thanks Google ;))

As for that bloody safety video... the amount of times I sat through that in the late 1980's in the ready room for 8AEF at R.A.F. Shawbury (before 8AEF moved to Cosford)...   Happy times and great memories indeed!  Thanks for making me feel REALLY old.. ;)

A scurry eh?  not sure then that nugget will be of use again 🙂 .  not much we can do about the age issue.

 

On 9/22/2022 at 4:37 PM, hopkp said:

Two very neat builds. Probably too late for you, but Eduard's set 49-1225 includes photo-etched cowling panels for the Airfix kit.

Oh, yes. tempting, but bending those to shape will be "fun".  could use the kit parts as a template.

 

On 9/23/2022 at 2:04 PM, John_W said:

I remember watching that video in my days as a Space Cadet.

I think secretly we all hoped we would get the chance to bail out, but never happened.

What amazes me is the lack of expression on the young lads face! doesn't seem a bit bothered by the entire experience.

 

Tim

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Very nice Chippies indeed. I'm another one who watched that video many times before donning bum chute, silver bonedome and stinky facemask for a Chippie flight. We used to think that Cdt John Andrews was pretty unlucky to have a forced landing and a bale-out...thanks for sharing it!

 

We even did a skit of the video at our ATC squadron's annual party, where I took the part of John Andrews and the pilot was played by my fellow cadet Dave. We even played the video earlier in the evening, so that the families would 'get it'. Happy days!

 

(Dave went on to be a 9 AEF Chippie pilot himself for a while after completing his METS course before becoming a highly-regarded RAF C-130 pilot and losing his life when he was shot down over Iraq. The best of men.)

 

Jon

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On 22/09/2022 at 09:26, Russmeister 101 said:

What a beautifully executed scurry of Chipmunks (I had to look up the collective noun... thanks Google ;))

Fit and finish is delightful and the orange looks just right to me too!!!

As for that bloody safety video... the amount of times I sat through that in the late 1980's in the ready room for 8AEF at R.A.F. Shawbury (before 8AEF moved to Cosford)...   Happy times and great memories indeed!  Thanks for making me feel REALLY old.. ;) 


Bravo!!! :clap::clap:
 


Small world, I also flew with 8 AEF at Shawbury in the late 80s too :) Abiding memory of my childhood is cr*ping myself at the “jump John, jump” bits wondering if I’d remember how to do everything!

 

Years later, full circle, I finished 17 years as an RAF pilot by volunteering as an 8 AEF pilot at Cosford flying Grob Tutors in my spare time. That was a massively rewarding experience and I always wondered if any of my cadets I flew would follow the path I trod too….

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9 minutes ago, Psychovadge said:


Small world, I also flew with 8 AEF at Shawbury in the late 80s too :) Abiding memory of my childhood is cr*ping myself at the “jump John, jump” bits wondering if I’d remember how to do everything!

 

Years later, full circle, I finished 17 years as an RAF pilot by volunteering as an 8 AEF pilot at Cosford flying Grob Tutors in my spare time. That was a massively rewarding experience and I always wondered if any of my cadets I flew would follow the path I trod too….

Wow!!  Really small!!  Which cadet Sqn were you with?

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Cool builds, sir.  I flew with 6 AEF once; I'll have to check my 3822 and see if it was in that airframe.  I can't believe it took Airfix so long to get around to a tidy 1/48 Chippy, but I'm really enjoying the plethora of builds that are showing up on BM.  Now, will Airfix make a 1/24 version?  I reckon there are enough of us who cut our teeth on Chippies to warrant it!

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