Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 - PTO

[81-er]

Yes, another one for this GB, but with a twist. I’ll be building this one as if it actually made it into service in the Pacific, in FAA dark slate grey & extra dark sea grey over sky camouflage (I ran it past Col to check it was ok to enter it in the GB). I’ll leave it up to you all to decide for yourselves if this is because Saunders-Roe got through the development quicker than they did in reality, or if the war dragged on a bit longer.

 

I’m starting with the “what if” boxing of the kit, though I’ll actually be using some decals for a FAA Hellcat in 1945:

 

 

I’ll not post sprue shots as those have already been covered, plus it can’t have been started before the GB as it wasn’t released yet I’ll be referring to @Jb65rams and @Sabrejet threads for build tips as I go. As they both point out, there’s some hefty ejector pin marks in some odd places. That includes these two that pretty much obliterate part of the alignment features for the intake: 

 

 

 

They were pretty easily dealt with though, with some semblance of the alignment features restored:

 

 

 

I don’t want to bash this kit too hard, as it is the best option out there for the SR.A/1 (unless you really fancy wrestling the Planet Models resin kit). What I will say is you’ll have to deal with plenty of those ejector marks in some very oddly chosen locations, far more flash than you’d expect on a brand new tooling, and very few location features. Having said that, I’m enjoying this one and I suspect there may be more in my future.

 

Moving on, a selection of interior parts got painted:

 

 

Some detailing has happened, as well as the 3d printed decals applied:

 

 

 

They’re not bad, but I think I’d be inclined to paint the IP and use instrument decals if I tackle this kit again.

 

Canopy sections have had a nice dip in Aqua Gloss:

 

 

The stick has been painted, with a red dot added for a firing button:

 

 

The engine intakes have been added to the bulkhead. The bulkhead is painted in Alclad duraluminium and is in reality significantly darker than the intakes, which are painted in their aluminium and have had a wash of black to highlight the blades:

 

 

The seat is in progress. I’ve attached the 3d printed pads and belts. The main lap belts didn’t want to stay stuck to the seat base, so I’ve left them stuck to the outsides while the glue dried and will get them to stick to the base next session:

 

 

I’ve started assembling the undercarriage bays. Note for anyone else building this kit, don’t do what I did and just spray the inside of the wing panels because you have leftover paint in the airbrush, assemble the bays first as you’ll end up having to repaint them otherwise:

 

 

As moulded, the nose panel has the gun ports blanked over. I’ve made a start on drilling these out, with a little more tidying to come:

 

 

The float parts have been removed from the sprues and the panels for the legs to attach to glued in:

 

 

They look far rougher there than I realised! I’m currently debating replacing the kit legs with brass tube, partly as I think it’ll look better generally, but also because it would give me an opportunity to mount the legs to the floats after painting, which isn’t an option with the kit legs.

 

I’ve cleaned up the ejector pin marks inside the exhausts. I’ve not bothered making them perfect as the rear piece of the engines will sit between them and the end of the exhaust rendering them invisible, I just needed enough off to get that part in:

 

 

Not a lot left on the sprue now!

 

 

I’m not intending to use the beaching gear. I’ve got plans to make a water base for this in the future, just not within the time frame of this GB. I’ll probably just make a stand of some kind for it, as Jb65rams did with his build.

 

James

[Col.]

Nice start James.

As for a story behind its arrival in service - I'd say the war against Japan dragged on a little longer and merged into a conflict over the new identity of an emerging Korea  

[81-er]

I like that one, Col

 

James

[Jb65rams]

Nice Start. Needs a bit of work but is an enjoyable build.

Look forward to seeing how she looks in camouflage.

[81-er]

Same here. I'm currently toying around with the layout, somewhat of a cross between the patterns used on Hellcats, Corsairs, and Catalinas. I did debate going for a dark earth/foliage green over azure scheme I've seen some Aussie aircraft in, but I've not seen a flying boat in that scheme. So sticking with the semi-realistic FAA colours.

 

James

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome with a good option, it is a unique looking creature isn't it. 

[81-er]

It is. I have a bit of a thing for unusual aircraft, and flying boats/float planes. So this really is right up my alley

 

James

[Ngantek]

Lovely work so far. My thought was also to build this kit as it was designed to be used, in an extended island hopping war in the Pacific. I was thinking of going with a more simple low demarcation (waterline level perhaps?) EDSG over sky, as was becoming phased in over the TSS pattern towards the end of and in the years after the war. I guess with  BPF style 'barred' centreless roundels. I really like your idea of TSS though, it should look fantastic.

 

Though truth is I doubt I'll get around to it for years! Looking forward to seeing this progress!

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Ooooooo love the scheme on this unusual and lovely looking machine.  

Great start

Chris

[Col.]

Might be worth having a look at the various flying boats in service during the war to see how quickly their paintwork became chipped and weathered  

[81-er]

12 hours ago, Ngantek said:

Lovely work so far. My thought was also to build this kit as it was designed to be used, in an extended island hopping war in the Pacific. I was thinking of going with a more simple low demarcation (waterline level perhaps?) EDSG over sky, as was becoming phased in over the TSS pattern towards the end of and in the years after the war. I guess with  BPF style 'barred' centreless roundels. I really like your idea of TSS though, it should look fantastic.

 

Though truth is I doubt I'll get around to it for years! Looking forward to seeing this progress!

Thank you. I like your idea on the scheme there too

 

12 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Ooooooo love the scheme on this unusual and lovely looking machine.  

Great start

Chris

Thanks Chris

 

3 hours ago, Col. said:

Might be worth having a look at the various flying boats in service during the war to see how quickly their paintwork became chipped and weathered  

Waaaay ahead of you there, Col. I've been looking at pictures of those, as well fighters in the PTO, to formulate some ideas on the wear & tear. I fancy having a go at the hairspray chipping method, so I've bought a big can of it as I've got a 1/48 Lightning on the go as well

 

James

[81-er]

Time to update on the progress. The cockpit is now buttoned up:

 

 

 

 

 

A bit of a tricky operation without any positive location features, but taping it together bit by bit before applying glue worked nicely.

 

The exhaust nozzles are now assembled and installed in the fuselage, and the process of fairing them in has begun:

 

 

For anyone else thinking of building this kit, I’d very much recommend ignoring the kit sequence of works and installing the exhausts before closing up the fuselage. There was an awful lot of trimming & sanding needed to get them to fit, and I also found that having access from both sides assisted greatly in getting them positioned before applying the glue.

 

That lot done meant the only thing stopping me closing the fuselage was the intake ducting. The kit provides this PE grille for the intake:

 

 

That looked a little too flat for my liking. In reality these bars had an aerodynamic shape to them, but given how tiny they are I figured I could get away with round brass rod, going for 0.5mm for the thicker central bar and 0.3mm for the rest. Holes drilled, I did a dry fit to check it looked ok:

 

 

Superglue was used to keep them in place before cutting the rod to length:

 

 

And finally after primer and a coat of Alclad Duraluminium to match the rest of the ducting:

 

 

Next steps now will be gluing that to the rear of the intake, and getting it all into the fuselage.

 

James

[Ngantek]

That grille has come out really nicely. An excellent upgrade! Good luck buttoning it all up. Have you decided where to put the top/bottom demarcation?

[81-er]

Thank you  It's currently sat with all the internals and some tabs to (hopefully) make it easier to go together glued to the starboard fuselage half, I got slightly distracted by my P-38 build while I was waiting for those to dry. As for the demarcation, I'm thinking of having just the bottom of the hull and the bottom of the wings in sky, with the camo coming all the way down the vertical sides. Like some of the earlier Sunderlands.

 

James

[Thom216]

Nice work on the grill. Top notch. And definitely one odd looking boat. Plane,

[81-er]

Thanks Thom. And yes, yes it really is. That's part of why I like it though

 

James

[Thom216]

2 hours ago, 81-er said:

Thanks Thom. And yes, yes it really is. That's part of why I like it though

 

James

Sometimes, the oddest are the prettiest.

[bigbadbadge]

Nice job  on the intake, great idea.

Chris .

[81-er]

Current state of the build:

 

 

I haven't quite got as far as joining the fuselage halves, but it's close (excuse the bits of P-38 in the background)

 

James

[Col.]

Seeing how little space the cockpit takes up within the fuselage half makes me realise how big the machine was.

[81-er]

It realy is a big 'un, only 1m shorter than an He-111. It's the same length as those 1/48 P-38 booms in the background.

 

James

[bigbadbadge]

Good grief, didn't realise it was that big. Coming on well

Chris

[81-er]

Thanks Chris. Maybe I should paint it in yellow and orange dayglow stripes, then stencil "wide load" on the back? 🤣

 

James