1/48 Canberra TT.18

[Lord Riot]

It’s been a while since I finished my last kit, the new Airfix Jag, with life happening and holidays, etc plus much procrastination (Meteor, Harrier, Buccaneer, another Vulcan?) for some reason I just decided on this Canberra!
 

I’ve had this Alley Cat conversion kit a while now, having bought it alongside one for a T.17 which I built a few years ago:

 

 

This time I’ll be attempting a TT.18, with the black and yellow striped undersides. Specifically I’ll be making it as WK118, which was actually one of over 70 Canberras built by Avro at Woodford. The nose section of the aircraft is now preserved at the excellent Avro Heritage Museum:

 

https://www.avroheritagemuseum.co.uk/english-electric-canberra-cockpit

 

Here’s the starting point, which we’re all pretty familiar with.

 

 

And the conversion kit, which may be less familiar.

 

 

 

I probably won’t use the canopy, or the wingtip tanks. There’s a few options for different target pods though.

 

 

@canberra kid any idea which of the above was most common for a mid to late 80s TT.18 of 100 squadron?
 

Markings will be similar to the green/grey option here, though I need to find the white code letters C-Q for the fuselage.

 

 

Alley Cat decal sheets. I’ll be using the 100 squadron markings and there are enough serial numbers for WK118.
 

May as well chuck in a nice front bang seat as well.

 

 

 

Any help, suggestions and thoughts most definitely welcome! I may be some time …

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Following!

 

If you need any cockpit pics I used to part own the cockpit of WH887 and a mate still does so can get you pics of anything you need including some of the Rushton fit equipment

 

TT

[Trumpton_Orbital]

Ooh! I'll pull up a chair for this one; I'd love to do the RN schemed airframe 🤤

 

Kind regards,

 

Paul.

[Lord Riot]

@TEXANTOMCAT that would be fantastic mate, thank you! 

[TEXANTOMCAT]

No probs- PM me when you get to the stage you need em! 

[canberra kid]

5 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

It’s been a while since I finished my last kit, the new Airfix Jag, with life happening and holidays, etc plus much procrastination (Meteor, Harrier, Buccaneer, another Vulcan?) for some reason I just decided on this Canberra!
 

I’ve had this Alley Cat conversion kit a while now, having bought it alongside one for a T.17 which I built a few years ago:

 

 

This time I’ll be attempting a TT.18, with the black and yellow striped undersides. Specifically I’ll be making it as WK118, which was actually one of over 70 Canberras built by Avro at Woodford. The nose section of the aircraft is now preserved at the excellent Avro Heritage Museum:

 

https://www.avroheritagemuseum.co.uk/english-electric-canberra-cockpit

 

Here’s the starting point, which we’re all pretty familiar with.

 

 

And the conversion kit, which may be less familiar.

 

 

 

I probably won’t use the canopy, or the wingtip tanks. There’s a few options for different target pods though.

 

 

@canberra kid any idea which of the above was most common for a mid to late 80s TT.18 of 100 squadron?
 

Markings will be similar to the green/grey option here, though I need to find the white code letters C-Q for the fuselage.

 

 

Alley Cat decal sheets. I’ll be using the 100 squadron markings and there are enough serial numbers for WK118.
 

May as well chuck in a nice front bang seat as well.

 

 

 

Any help, suggestions and thoughts most definitely welcome! I may be some time …

Nice choice of subject. The most common would be the Mk.3.

John

[Lord Riot]

I’ve made a start today, with the three seats painted up. The two kit ones aren’t too bad and certainly good enough to hide in the back section of the cockpit.

 

 

Part of the fun of this build will be adding some cockpit internals that will never be seen again once it’s all sealed up! The side instrument panel is just dry brushed silver.
 

 

[Gondor44]

Nice. I intend to build a TT.18 in 1/72 of 7 Squadron as they were based at RAF St.Mawgan when I was billited there. I also remember being called on to help look for a flare that was accidentally dropped from one of them.

 

Gondor

[canberra kid]

Just a  small correction, AVRO built 75 B.2's as did HP. All coverd in here

John

[Lord Riot]

A bit more work on the cockpit this afternoon. I’ve used some wire and spares for the tubes between the rear seats.

 

 

 

Main structure of the cockpit now built up. I’ll add the pilot’s seat later once it’s all fitted into the fuselage.

 

 

A bit of extra detail inside the fuselage too. I haven’t gone overboard as you really won’t see much once it’s closed up.

 

 

 

[stever219]

@Lord Riot looking very nice so far.

 

You might want to do a quick check, if you've not already done so, as some TT.18s had a window on the starboard side opposite that on the port side IIRC.

[canberra kid]

2 hours ago, stever219 said:

@Lord Riot looking very nice so far.

 

You might want to do a quick check, if you've not already done so, as some TT.18s had a window on the starboard side opposite that on the port side IIRC.

All TT.18's did Steve. A good spot there too. I missed that. 

John

Edited July 5 by canberra kid

[Lord Riot]

2 hours ago, stever219 said:

@Lord Riot looking very nice so far.

 

You might want to do a quick check, if you've not already done so, as some TT.18s had a window on the starboard side opposite that on the port side IIRC.

 

Thanks Steve! I actually hadn’t noticed that, so very much appreciated and now added before I closed up the fuselage halves.
 

 

 

 

The scratches will buff out.

[stever219]

1 hour ago, Lord Riot said:

 

Thanks Steve! I actually hadn’t noticed that, so very much appreciated and now added before I closed up the fuselage 

@Lord Riot you're welcome.  Like @canberra kid I've accumulated a lot of information (but nowhere near as much as he has) on one of Mr Petter's fine aeronautical creations.

 

I've just remembered, having seen your images, that the Airfix kit has an entirely spurious access panel on the starboard side just aft of the sloping pressure bulkhead panel line: maybe you can deal with that while you attend to the scratches round you lovely new window.

(On the B. Mk. 2 and its derivatives that panel's on the fuselage spine just abaft the nav's escape hatch.)

[canberra kid]

As @stever219 pointed out, there is much fictional or misplaced or missing panel detail on the kit, which can be a big job to fix, boy, do I know! Whilst we are at it, let's not forget the leading edge of the fin which extends too far forward, thankfully one of the easiest things to fix.

 

John

[bigbadbadge]

I know nothing of the type, but do love a TT, so willbtag along if okay. Great start . 

Chris

[speedy]

Great, I haven't seen one of these built in years. Watching along......

[heloman1]

I saw the box art and thought, YES a Navy cab! Then I saw you have chosen crab! A tad disappointed but however, I'll still follow your build. The Alley-Cats parts look very good.

 

Colin

[Lord Riot]

Plenty of nose weight added. I actually used a few 1p and 2p coins bound up with masking tape as they’re relatively heavy for their size, plus a couple of screws. I’ll probably just dry fit the bomb doors initially even through painting, then if necessary I can remove them and put more weight in.

 

 

The fuselage halves actually sealed up really well, impressive for such an old kit. 
 

 

[Lord Riot]

Back after a few days in beautiful sunny Norfolk, and had time this afternoon to do a bit more Canberra work. Just some filler along the fuselage join, and reapplying glue where it seemed to have more gaps. I’ll fill the join under the masking tape later.

 

 

 

 

 

[Lord Riot]

I’ve filled some of Airfix’s fictional panel lines, particularly the ‘door’ and the sloping bulkhead one which really should just be on the top of the fuselage around the crew windows. 
 

 

Masking tape to help score the new panel lines for what I assume is an escape hatch?
 

 

 

I’ll tidy it all up once the filler dries, which shouldn’t take long in this weather!

[Lord Riot]

@TEXANTOMCAT, @canberra kid would you happen to have any images of the inside of the crew door please?

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Drop me an email [email protected] Andy is up at SYAM this weekend  with 887 so should be able to take any pics you need !

Edited July 12 by TEXANTOMCAT

[stever219]

Indeed it is: it's jettisonable, either as part of the rear crew ejection sequence (no command ejection system on these jets!) or independently as a crash/ditching exit.

[canberra kid]

5 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

@TEXANTOMCAT, @canberra kid would you happen to have any images of the inside of the crew door please?

Here you go, being Canberra, there are veriations with what is fitted to the door but this gives an idea. The door handel is missing

 

John