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British Airways 757-236 G-BIKW "Pause to Remember" now G-CPET 2010 end of service retro Negus livery


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I think it's time to build another airliner.

 

In the late 1990s BA painted a small number of its aircraft with a Poppy scheme to coincide with Remembrance Day; usually this had a poppy and "Pause to Remember" applied to the fuselage but G-BIKW was (as far as I know) unique as the poppy was applied to a plain white tailfin (this was after its "Ndebele" World tails had been removed but before the current "Chatham" livery was fully applied).

 

Here is a link to the scheme

 

So, to be built from the Zvezda kit (which has the correct Rolls Royce engines) with 26 Decals.  Unlike some other Zvezda airliners this kit has no option for dropped flaps or slats, so should be a relatively quick and straightforward project.

 

20221102_151449(0)

 

It will probably be another week or so before I get started as there are still two F-15E to finish.

 

Mike

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Nice choice Mike. I hate being the bearer of bad news but I don't think the Zvezda kit has the right engines for G-BIKW - KW had RB211-535C's, the RR engines in the kit are '535E4's, which have a different nacelle shape - it's noticeably different at the rear of the nacelle. Your model and your choice of course, ignore me and go ahead if you want! I think there's an aftermarket engine available - I think the manufacturer is called Druz144, he's in Russia though so no idea how easy it is to get hold of them, but the photos I've seen look very good.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/5/2022 at 8:59 AM, zebra said:

Nice choice Mike. I hate being the bearer of bad news but I don't think the Zvezda kit has the right engines for G-BIKW - KW had RB211-535C's, the RR engines in the kit are '535E4's, which have a different nacelle shape - it's noticeably different at the rear of the nacelle. Your model and your choice of course, ignore me and go ahead if you want! I think there's an aftermarket engine available - I think the manufacturer is called Druz144, he's in Russia though so no idea how easy it is to get hold of them, but the photos I've seen look very good.

Thanks

 

I had noted when buying the kit that G-BIKW had the 535C engines and the kit the 535E4 but hadn't realised how different the rear sections were - easy to see by googling some photos of BA 757s.

 

I'll have to look into the Druz144 products but in the meantime can obviously continue with the rest of the build - I could also change the airframe and do G-CPET in the 2010 retro "Negus" scheme which it wore to mark the withdrawal of the type from service with BA.

 

Mike

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A start has been made:

20221115_140726

 

As usual the kit clear windows have been glued inside the fuselage and then filler applied to the outside; if you're not an aircraft modeller this might seem strange but it allows any windows that are in the kit moulding but not present on the actual airframe being modelled to "disappear" and eventually the remaining windows will be from decals.

 

Zvezda include decals for an Icelandair 757 which has sharklets on the wingtips but the sprue also includes parts for the original wings as fitted to G-BIKW.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Firstly a photo update:

 

20221130_111623

 

Fuselage and wings now in primer, though at this stage the wing assembly is just a press fit into the fuselage.  I'm keeping them separate at the moment to ease the painting stage.

 

Secondly those engines; I don't think I could contemplate building "Poppy" with the later RB211 (in the kit) rather than the early version that it carried.  The Druz ones look superb but cost €30 inc postage and I don't know if they can currently be sent from Russia, so this will have to become a later engined version.  If @Col. and @Corsairfoxfouruncle don't object I'm going to do it as in the retro Negus livery that it carried in its last month of service with BA during October 2010 - although many of BA's 757 were delivered in that livery G-CEPT wasn't so I think that qualifies as a "Special Scheme".

 

If I then purchase a set of Braz engines I can (at some later date) build "Poppy" from a Minicraft kit that is lurking in the cupboard.

 

Mike

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6 hours ago, FortyEighter said:

Firstly a photo update:

 

20221130_111623

 

Fuselage and wings now in primer, though at this stage the wing assembly is just a press fit into the fuselage.  I'm keeping them separate at the moment to ease the painting stage.

 

Secondly those engines; I don't think I could contemplate building "Poppy" with the later RB211 (in the kit) rather than the early version that it carried.  The Druz ones look superb but cost €30 inc postage and I don't know if they can currently be sent from Russia, so this will have to become a later engined version.  If @Col. and @Corsairfoxfouruncle don't object I'm going to do it as in the retro Negus livery that it carried in its last month of service with BA during October 2010 - although many of BA's 757 were delivered in that livery G-CEPT wasn't so I think that qualifies as a "Special Scheme".

 

If I then purchase a set of Braz engines I can (at some later date) build "Poppy" from a Minicraft kit that is lurking in the cupboard.

 

Mike

Im not super familiar with airlines in general. Though if it was not delivered in said scheme and only wore it for its very last month of service. I would think that qualified but in the end it is @Col.’s decision. 

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8 hours ago, FortyEighter said:

...I'm going to do it as in the retro Negus livery that it carried in its last month of service with BA during October 2010 - although many of BA's 757 were delivered in that livery G-CEPT wasn't so I think that qualifies as a "Special Scheme".

 

If I then purchase a set of Braz engines I can (at some later date) build "Poppy" from a Minicraft kit that is lurking in the cupboard.

That seems fair enough to me Mike. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Engines, engines....

 

20221212_113909

 

Work in progress on power plants while waiting for it to be warm enough to use a rattle can outdoors:

 

On the bottom row a pair of the later RR engines from the Zvezda 757 kit for G-CPET

 

Above them a pair of the earlier RR engines (Braz) to be used on a Minicraft kit to make "Poppy".  Not the best as the front section's cross section doesn't match that of the rears, they are wider but narrower vertically!  As you can see initial fettling has taken place.

 

The top two sets of engines are teasers for another two BA aircraft - both of which are in progress and will feature "World Tails" (Cockerel of Lowicz and Delft Blue Daybreak).

 

Mike

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Hello Mike, you are doing great progress on your 757: always nice to see civil planes in model forums.

The last image is the most interesting: I too planned to build a 757 with the early RR engines and was vaguely aware of the Braz resins, but seeing them in the flesh is not overly encouraging...

Do you think this variant could be obtained cutting back a late RR as provided by Zvezda or it is too different? I know there is the Druz144 option but they cost more than the base kit!

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5 hours ago, Whirly said:

Hello Mike, you are doing great progress on your 757: always nice to see civil planes in model forums.

The last image is the most interesting: I too planned to build a 757 with the early RR engines and was vaguely aware of the Braz resins, but seeing them in the flesh is not overly encouraging...

Do you think this variant could be obtained cutting back a late RR as provided by Zvezda or it is too different? I know there is the Druz144 option but they cost more than the base kit!

Hi Whirly,

 

I too wondered about cutting the rear off the kit engines but two issues;  firstly I couldn't find any suitable exhaust sections in my spares box and also the pylons would need modifying to add the flared support for the cones.

 

I've had a couple more goes at the resin ones and they are looking a bit better but still some more work needed.

 

Mike

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12 hours ago, FortyEighter said:

Engines, engines....

The top two sets of engines are teasers for another two BA aircraft - both of which are in progress and will feature "World Tails" (Cockerel of Lowicz and Delft Blue Daybreak).

Mike

Two of the nicest schemes in my opinion so I'm looking forward to this Mike.

 

Chris.

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  • FortyEighter changed the title to British Airways 757-236 G-BIKW "Pause to Remember" now G-CPET 2010 end of service retro Negus livery

After poor weather (too wet or too windy to spray outdoors) in the latter half of December the last week has given me the opportunity to get on with the main painting:

 

20230109_144257

 

I've just had a go at tidying the blue / white border round the nose and under the tail but still need to have another attempt to hide some places where paint crept under the tape but probably best to leave that until tomorrow to ensure that what was done today has hardened.

 

Engines, undercarriage and gear doors are all painted, so hopefully this will make next Sunday's deadline.  I've just noticed that this has been extended to 29th Jan, so no excuse for not getting it finished by then!

 

Mike

Edited by FortyEighter
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6 hours ago, FortyEighter said:

 I've just noticed that this has been extended to 29th Jan, so no excuse for not getting it finished by then!

That's the spirit Mike :D 

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Having tidied up the paintwork (mainly by careful scraping but also some touching up with a fine brush) a start has been made on the decals:

 

20230117_143027

 

The livery sheet was printed by S&M Models (designed for the Minicraft kit?) and the fin decal is too wide, despite using a brand new blade to trim the excess off the rudder I didn't get a clean edge.  Also the top obviously didn't attach properly as it has also peeled.  I can either buy the new sheet (released today from @26Decals and sized for the Zvezda kit) or mask off and spray the red / blue on the fin - on my Tristar I certainly painted the main red section.

 

I've also noticed a "wobble" in the centre section of windows so will have another go at that area (plenty of Boeing spare windows in the left overs box) before tackling the starboard side.

 

Still hoping to be on schedule for 29th.

 

Mike

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18 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Your eyes are better than mine the windows look straight to me. 

It's from the fourth to seventh windows of the large central set of windows.

 

I checked them with a straight edge when applying but perhaps I caught that section with my finger?

 

The fin has been cleaned up and another light coat of white sprayed on; masking for the top section of red is easy and the blue / red flashes underneath are at 30o to the top red so shouldn't be too hard to set with a protractor and / or set square (famous last words!) 

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22 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I think I can kind if see it. Honestly I would never have found them without a good description of where to look. 

 

Then well spotted but it does stand out when viewed side on.

 

The red sections of the fin have been sprayed today, blue tomorrow or Saturday.

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Getting close:

 

20230125_152207

 

Antennae need painting but decalling is just about finished (nose gear doors still to be done).

 

To be honest the fin paintwork needs a small amount of very minor touch up work but it's hard to see in a photo.  I also need to reinstate the fin leading edge bare metal strip.

 

Everything else is ready to attach but won't have any modelling time until Saturday

 

Mike

 

 

 

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