1/72 Blackburn Skua Special Hobby

[Derek D.]

When this  topic was offered prior to the Bunfight I excited as I have a number of 1/72 options in the stash. Unfortunately the dates turned out to be the worst option for me. I've family home from Aus, including my 8 month old grandson,  for the month for my wife's 60th, heading off to Spain and then a cruise for most of September so to complete something and do it justice will be difficult.

 

I really want to support the GB so I could go with a relatively low part count option. I wanted to build a few initially, Special Hobby Barracuda, MPM Albacore, SH Skua, possibly  Airfix Buccaneer!.

I've chosen to give the Skua a go and take it from there ....

 

Its a 2009 tooling from Special Hobby. It comes on 3 sprues and a clear sprue. Also included is a resin engine and some PE for the cockpit. 

Markings options are for two Scharnhorst attack machines.

Ill chose which to go with later, thought the only difference is the seriel number.

The instructions came with 2 x page 5/6, no page 2/3 but Scalemates is my friend as this is the entire interior assembly.

 

Get started as soon as I can

 

Derek

 

 

 

 

[Old Man]

Good kit, Derek, and  a great choice!

 

James

[LorenSharp]

NO worries Derek. This will be an awesome build. All the time in the world to complete. Now remember introduce your Grandson to the fun of aircraft. Never can start too young you know.. He can learn to build later.

[Grey Beema]

Good call, love a Skua..

 

This might prove useful..

 

https://dingeraviation.net/skuaroc/modelling_the_blackburn_skua.htm

 

 

[Mr T]

Not a bad kit, I seem to recall that the only problem I had with it was getting the undercarriage set up. I think Heather Kay might have put one recently in her 1940s build series

[Derek D.]

A lot of mixed media on this kit, not a huge fan of etch and small resin at this scale. Unlike an eduard kit, the etch and resin are the only options. Give me a moulded console and my gel pens over a tiny etch and film combo any day. Ate a lot of time on a low part count kit, not least because of the vague instructions. The great thing about Special Hobby is the subject matter they offer and  their most recent kits are really excellent.  They deo however, constantly repackage older kits with some new parts and decal options, many of which have a short run feel and are a different challenge, one I'm up for because of the subjects. However unlike Airfix who now identify vintage kits form new toolings, SH package all kits the same and charge the same premium as the newer kits. Scalemates is again your friend when buying SH.

 

 

 

Cockpit is assembled onto one side first, with some vague anchoring points. Was concerned it wouldn't fit when buttoned up after some recent issues with the Special Hobbies Boomerang and their Vindicator last year. Nice detailed cockpits that won't fit the space between the fuselage halves and resulted in being butchered to fit. A little problem with the forward bulkhead, which I repaired.

 

Couldn't leave it for the night without buttoning it up....no join points molded into the fuselage which is normal for SH kits of this vintage, seems to be OK.

 

 

 

[Derek D.]

got some bench time yesterday and got the wing things on. Separate wheel wells went in OK. Attachment of lower wing to fuselage required a little scraping and sanding and I still got a snug fit. The seams between the upper wings and the lower wings required both clamping and filling of the leading edges. 

Also made multiple attempts to attach the resin engine into the cowling, correctly aligned..... unlike all those YouTube experts, who drop superglue with total control from a cocktail stick to achieve perfect instant adhesion...., I spend my time ensuring my fingers don't stick to the part or to each other or to the cocktail stick, with copious amounts of acetone on standby to prevent a visit to A&E. Decided to leave it for another day as my frustration built to just under throw it against a wall status!

 

Looking forward to getting some paint on this. Will likely prime the underneath with both black and white primer per the original under colours and apply the sky blue over this to get an over paint effect.

 

Derek

 

 

 

An inspection this morning shows more filing is needed

 

 

[Derek D.]

Finally got the engine to sit in the cowling. Not without bending the etch triangle. Also had to do some surgery to get the characteristic Skua intakes into place. Further surgery needed to get the cowling aligned correctly on the fuselage.

 

Then it was time for some paint. Wheel wells masked with white tack., I went with Vallejo grey primer for most of the kit, applying Vallejo black and white primer. respectively to the lower wings.

 

 

 

Vallejo Sky grey was then applied to the fuselage sides and tail. Hard to tell the difference. Grey was topped up next day and then masked for application of underwing and top base coat.

 

 

The instructions call out a black and white underside for a Scharnhorst attach aircraft. From what I've read it is likely that the Sky Blue instruction had already been undertaken and many of the Ark Royal aircraft were painted Sky Blue under surfaces. The blue was a home mix of blue and white so not likely very consistent. I have used Vallejo deep sky blue with white at around 50/50.

 

 

Underside masked and Dark Slate Grey applied as the base. AK 3rd Gen Acryllic used here. These spray so well when used with the AK 3rd Gen thinner. While I wont chuck out every Vallejo Model Air, All new acquisitions will be the AK. Will leave overnight before applying the EDSG camo.

 

 

Thanks for looking

 

Derek

 

 

[Derek D.]

All sausaged up for an extra DSG camo layer. 

 

I want some light weathering on the Grey layer so I apply a thin dark sea grey layer, then a thinned extra DSG through an AK Interactive Mottle mask from a height, then I lighten up the DSG with some white and more thinner and apply through the mask, finally doing a thin spray of the brightened DSG from a height. This is also AK Interactive 3rd Gen. Air series.

 

Leave it for a half hour and unmask carefully.

The mottle effect will blend in more overnight. I will lightly rub with a 1500 sanding sponge to knock the edge off.

 

 

A couple of touch ups required after removing all the masking but overall happy that most of the lines held. BTW the canopy is only temporarily fixed to protect cockpit.

I'll clean the lines  and leaks next, before applying a gloss coat.

 

 

derek

 

 

 

 

[JOCKNEY]

Great stuff Derek

The Skua is definitely one I've got on the list for the future, although I'll be opting for the ancient cheaper Novo one 😉

Cheers Pat 

[Torbjorn]

Always liked the ungainly appearance of this machine. I almost bought this when it was on discount - glad to see it in action. It seems to have gotten together rather painlessly by the results.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Torbjorn

[Old Man]

You got it looking great, Derek. That's one of the few 'odd' schemes actually has some backing.

 

Sorry to hear the kit fought you so hard, but you seem to have come out on top.

 

 

James

[Derek D.]

3 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Great stuff Derek

The Skua is definitely one I've got on the list for the future, although I'll be opting for the ancient cheaper Novo one 😉

Cheers Pat 

Built the Novo last year, it's an easy fun build, lacking in detail obviously, but I'm off the view that if a kit resembles the subject, I'm happy. I'm more concerned with the finish and markings than with the build and kit accuracy. 

 

Derek 

 

[Derek D.]

Time has been at a premium but.

Nose copper coat, glossed , decaled,  glossed. Want to finish before I leave next week for a couple of months, though I may start another while away. Decision on how much weathering to apply after current gloss drys.