Chris Jephcott Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) So... I think it's time that I started to do my research on this kit. I expect it to be a terror and to have a nightmare in making it. However, I equally have some ideas as to how I'm going to go about doing it. First things first though, does anybody have a copy of the SAM Magazine article on how to build the damned thing? I hope to collect the kit from my parents house in the next week or so, and then the work can start in earnest. Just for a comparison, I will be starting this build with one of these: - I will attempt to show how this bottle is drained as the build goes on, by drawing lines on it with a marker pen. So it will become evident as to where the problem spots are!!! Anyway... time for tips and hints! Please help! Chris Edited January 25, 2012 by Chris Jephcott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moofles Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 cannot wait to see this one started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Pretty weak if you ask me...using modelling as an excuse to drink Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 lol, looking forwards to your build, keep us updated with plenty of pics......although I'm suspecting many will be out of focus and missing the model completely as you progress your problem meter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avro683 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I have one in the stash and have to say that I think the bottle is a very good place to Start! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Ah, so you're an Islay man... Laphroaig's a tiny bit peaty for my taste, I prefer the Highland and Speyside malts. However: ten out of ten for choosing a decent single malt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 cannot wait to see this one started. The Halifax or the single Malt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynicaljohnny Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Pretty weak if you ask me...using modelling as an excuse to drink Andy What about using drink as an excuse to model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibag-Phil Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Hi Been a long tome and I'll finish her one day. Loads of pics etc here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=halifax http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air...=61940&st=0 Cheers phil Edited October 4, 2011 by Halibag-Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitfire Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Here's a pretty good build of the kit. Cheers Den http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...c=11830&hl= It turned out very well http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...c=13973&hl= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 What about using drink as an excuse to model? Quite acceptable in my book - plus there is no discernable difference in quality whether I drink or not Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moofles Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 i find after the second or third beer/spirit my modelling goes downhill big time. Really looking forward to seeing this one progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 For that kit i think you might need two bottles Chris! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) In that case, I've just called one off Standby from the shelf! However, I've been reading my way through the build threads and think it might be doable. The main problem area seems to be the way things join together and a lot needs padding out and being sanded down in order to make things fit. The engines look horrific, and so I'm probably going to look at resin replacements for these - not that too much will be viewable, I've just got a horrible feeling that some of the cylinders will have gone missing somewhere along the line. The wings and wing shape looks a bit wrong and a bit too far on the leading edge - I will attempt to remedy this. The resin that was provided for the cockpit is broken into several pieces and will need a good, old fashioned sort out before I can even think of otherwise. Vacform canopies have never been my strong point - so I fully expect to mess them up several times. The landing gear struts - well, they are awful and bent to beyond reasonable use. I might try and scratchbuild these. The guns on my kit look nothing like they should do - in fact, most of them look like bent pieces of metal with holes in them Also, the Decals provided are really quite poor. So... here's my thoughts so far: AFTERMARKET: 4 times Hercules engines to be sourced from Hannants or alternative. Decals Machine guns DO IT YOURSELF: Lining up the cowlings and seams Straightening the fuselage Sanding down the wing edges Undercarriage support legs Fitting the cockpit and nose sidewalls - apparently, these fit awfully and will need a lot of work to make a good representation. SCRATCHBUILD: Interior detail. Possibility for escape hatch to be opened? - if so, some photos from inside a Halifax will need to be sourced, so I can make the detail. DRINK: 2 Bottles of finest single malt Scotch. I'm going to nip over and collect the kit from my parents house later on today, so I can start to have a think about for all these bits and bobs. Whereby I'm confused is that on the build thread from spitfire - there is talk about the bay behind the cockpit not having a seat in it, and instead being full of oxygen bottles, with a fold down seat located on the opposite wall. Does anyone have access to any photos at all? many thanks, Chris Edited October 5, 2011 by Chris Jephcott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibag-Phil Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hi Did you bother to look at my reply? Guess that full interior and over 150 reference pics aint what you were after. Halibag Phil Out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hi Phil, I have looked but have been a bit busy looking after an elderly relative and sorting out a major falling out with a woman today. However, genuinely, I really appreciate the thread - it's a stunning build and really really useful to me. I'm so sorry I didn't achknowledge it earlier on... It will prove to be very useful for me. The same goes for anyone else who has offered the photos and the help so far! I do very much appreciate it... Sorry about that! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewfl290 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Chris That scotch ain't going to last long.....have you tried Lagavulin Special Reserve, generally around 56.something%.....or jet fuel? Seriously though I have one of these and will follow your build with interest, I also have the Hampden. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 So the kit has arrived at the flat today... And I'm a little bit worried. I will be posting photos in a bit. I think there's a lot of resin replacement things that I need to purchase - and the white metal guns in the kit... Oh dear! This looks like a large amount of work. Photos to come soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 FM Halifax = hard work Halibag Phil = Modelling god Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) Indeed - I will be using Halibag Phil as a very good reference on this kit. Now I have the kit, I'm in a better position to see exactly how his work relates to what needs to be done to the kit. And I think it's going to be very useful to compare and contrast what he's done against what I think needs to be done. I'm actually going through the build thread now for his kit, and making keen notes. It is a stunning build, and one that is going to be incredibly interesting to relate to. I'm thinking I might scratchbuild the interior detail - I've tried lining up the interior walls of the nose and there is no way that it will ever fit. But the pieces of supplied plastic are quite basic and should be easy enough to replicate with stretched sprue and some Evergreen. And some guitar string too if needed. I've just taken the photos - I'll get them posted up as soon as I've got my camera lead from the cupboard! Chris Edited November 3, 2011 by Chris Jephcott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Well here we go... with a sense of fear and adventure, I have looked inside the box. So here are the photos, and it goes to show the scale of the project that I'm currently taking on. There's a lot of (not very well formed!) plastic in there... First of all, a box overview: The kit decals, these are probably going to be replaced with some aftermarket ones: Instructions - please note that all parts are not actually numbered, so it's a bit of a best guess really: The overview of all the sprues: A bag of resin, some of it broken - I think I'll source 4 Hercules engines from Neo-omega for this task: Lots of white metal: A few vacform canopies - including three for the tail turret. I suspect someone knew I was going to have a go at this kit, hence why I got 3 of that particular part!!: I think these are supposed to be guns. If anyone has a better idea, please, answers on a postcard: So... here's just an example of the first problem. Flash (ahh ahh!). Everywhere... All over the place. All over the fuselage. In places it shouldn't be. First challenge will be to remove all of it!!: So on that note, it's time to throw the kit into the bath, along with some washing up liquid and some warm water. And run away... Obviously, as we'd think, construction starts with the cockpit area. From reading other accounts of the builds, the easiest course of action is going to be to attach the resin cockpit walls directly to the side of the fuselage. I'll also aim to assemble the cockpit area and through dry fitting and patience, I'll be able to build the ribs and formers out of styrene strip and stretched sprue. I'll intend also to continue this for the full length of the fuselage - as shown in Halibag-Phil's build. I'll then go through my spares box and attempt to identify any useful bits and bobs that could come in handy for this. This has the potential to be a really long project. One last shot of the box, complete with "Liquid calmer" - a single malt from Scapa!: Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Flashy! Gun barrels - go and look at Master's website... they do all sorts of barrels and should be able to hook you up How're those clear parts? I'd love a Halibag, but have held off getting the FM kit because of the horrendous stories... which I don't doubt having seen a few of them online Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) Actually Mike, on initial inspection, I thought it would be a lot worse than it actually appears. However, I'm yet to try and fit things together and see how they go. The fuselage would appear to be straight, but from reading around, there's a few problems with that too. The engine nacelles appear to be "interesting too". I was once given a piece of advice on this kit - treat it like a vacform. And I haven't made on those before either. So I'm armed with plastic card and a very big sanding device - and I'm not afraid to use them!!! I'm going to have a look at the Master's now and see what I can find. One other option is to use the Paragon Lancaster gun set for the turrets and use a neo-omega Vickers K gun for the nose. Equally though, somewhere I'll have to get 4 Hercules engines from. My best thought (because it's the cheapest option!), might be to use HLJ and source 4 Beaufighter engines and cowlings... just another thought! And you know you want to have a go at it too, don't you, Mike?! Edited November 3, 2011 by Chris Jephcott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 And you know you want to have a go at it too, don't you, Mike?! Damn silly question! Of course I do I was once given a piece of advice on this kit - treat it like a vacform. And I haven't made on those before either. I'd heard that and I've made about half a dozen vacforms so far, so box it up and send it to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) Actually Mike, on initial inspection, I thought it would be a lot worse than it actually appears. However, I'm yet to try and fit things together and see how they go. The fuselage would appear to be straight, but from reading around, there's a few problems with that too.The engine nacelles appear to be "interesting too". I was once given a piece of advice on this kit - treat it like a vacform. And I haven't made on those before either. So I'm armed with plastic card and a very big sanding device - and I'm not afraid to use them!!! I'm going to have a look at the Master's now and see what I can find. One other option is to use the Paragon Lancaster gun set for the turrets and use a neo-omega Vickers K gun for the nose. Equally though, somewhere I'll have to get 4 Hercules engines from. My best thought (because it's the cheapest option!), might be to use HLJ and source 4 Beaufighter engines and cowlings... just another thought! And you know you want to have a go at it too, don't you, Mike?! hi Chris I'd treat like eating an elephant..... lots of small portions! here's is a very detailed build, with lots of practical problem solving! I've read it few times. http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/start-fin...back-12187.html One suggestion, from having dealt with kits with legendary bad fit, and from a FM Hampden build, and the one I link too, try dry fit tape assembly of the whole airframe and not worry about detail, so checking the fit of the nacelles and integral glazing, like canopy and nose glazing, to see if it can be made too fit, I got some good dryfitting results on the supposedly awful Modelcraft F-82 and Ark Hurricane by an extended clean up sand scrape test fit repeat session. Don't even show it glue until you done this Hopefully it will get to the point of actually being a kit by doing this....or nearly a kit.. I'd do this before worrying about/splashing out for new engines and gun barrels, I think the FM resin is OK,maybe the best of the parts supplied, so try out the existing engines. On the build I link the guy had problems with a twisted fuselage, another one to look for. as for vacforms, from the master , VACFORM MODELLING, a new approach? by John W.Adams. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...c=28882&hl= get some tee-al and sticky pads, it really does work! Finally, I doubt there is much in the way of aftermarket decals specifically for this, but Xtradecal do sheets of generic 48" red code letters if you are aiming to do a specific machine. HTH T PS or if it puts you off I'll buy it.... Edited November 3, 2011 by Troy Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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