Bristol F.188

[chrisonord]

After building  and successfully testing a super sonic test aircraft  Bristol , as a self funded  venture  built  another  version of the  T.188 and called it the F.188. This aircraft  was built  on the knowledge  gained from the  T.188 and used improved  materials  and avionics  to make it a viable  super sonic  interceptor.  Much like the English Electric lightning, the aircraft  suffered from  poor  range, but  it was plumbed for under wing  drop tanks from the start. The aircraft was  painted  and marked as an operational aircraft  in what was to be a lightning squadron, this ruffled  English Electric 's  feathers  a tad.
The kit is the  Olimp pro  Bristol T.188 in1/72 scale, and I was really looking forward to building it.  All the parts cleaned up ok after the long and laborious process of  cutting them from the casting blocks, which  I was pretty nervous about  having  bludgeon thumbs  etc. Some parts unfortunately disintegrated, mostly the air brakes, so they didn't get used. The engine fronts  didn't  fit the rest of the pods and needed  a lot of sanding  down to match up, as did the exhaust nozzles. The piece de resistance  however, was the terrible fitting  canopy. I didn't have  enough  fingers to hold it down and in shape, plus I had to use super glue on it as white glue  wouldn't  hold it. I cut the canopy, which  was quite  thick for a vacform, to the lines as best as I could and fine sanded the edges  the rest of the way, but it is , to me too big and doesn't fit properly.  Hence the weapons grade sore thumb  type of sticking out. I took it pictures  from a distance and from it better side too, as I really am not happy with it. Bugger.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DMp19KxRstBwLwvJ7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/u7NnkDjBKTbpdtHA9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/E5YUMj17bvvAwNqx6
Chris.

[PR19_Kit]

No matter Chris, it looks REA|LLY good in that scheme. 

I hope Bristol did something with the engines as the T.188's Gyron Juniors were woefully inadequate to get it up to the design speed.

And I know what you mean about the airbrakes, they are the most BIZARRE looking things ever! We've spent many an hour standing in front of them as the SIG stand at the Cosford Show was quite often directly in front of the 188.

[chrisonord]

I will one day  get to cosford and have a look at the T.188, it has fascinated me for a long time, and it  had to be developed further.  Glad you like it Kit, it has put me off my other  Olimp kit I have  to be honest  as it was a proper pain to build.
Chris

[Tophe]

Impressive!

[sideshowbob9]

I think it looks great! You could work the slightly proud canopy into the backstory - something like a cheap way to get an area-rule "bump" ahead of the engine nacelles and wings?

I agree that the 188 is fascinating. Clearly the exception to the rule: if it looks right, it flies right, cos it looks right.

I hope Bristol did something with the engines as the T.188's Gyron Juniors were woefully inadequate to get it up to the design speed.

I'd keep the Gyron Juniors (gotta love an underdog) but give them Pre-Compressor Cooling. Below is a NASA pdf for a PCC-equipped QF-4C for space access (interesting what-if in itself). It states the concept dates from as early as 1950! More than enough time for Bristol and de Havilland to play with.

https://nas.nasa.gov/assets/pdf/papers/Mehta_U_February2015.pdf  (Reference 21)

[PR19_Kit]

I'd keep the Gyron Juniors (gotta love an underdog) but give them Pre-Compressor Cooling. Below is a NASA pdf for a PCC-equipped QF-4C for space access (interesting what-if in itself). It states the concept dates from as early as 1950! More than enough time for Bristol and de Havilland to play with.

https://nas.nasa.gov/assets/pdf/papers/Mehta_U_February2015.pdf  (Reference 21)

VEEEERY interesting, that paper I mean. I've filed it in my RF-4X folder, which refers to a model I've been building for at least 25 years! 

[chrisonord]

I will have a  look at that link in a but, cheers. I took the pictures from the models  best side as the canopy on the other side is a proper mess. It's a shame  as I wanted it  to take  pride of  place.
Chris

[NARSES2]

Despite the problems you had with the build Chris that looks the part in that scheme and fits into that Farnborough Static Display you have set up there well 

Like others I've always been fascinated by the 188 and thought it was the absolute "bee's knees" when I was a nipper, as I got older however  . Once got lines at school for doodling one in an exercise book which if I remember correctly I'd depicted shooting down an Fw 190 with dotted lines for it's m.g. rounds  Normally would have got the slipper for something like that but Old Man Moir had served in the RAF during WWII. 

Only found that exercise book in a pile of other ancient stuff a year or so ago. Always been unable to throw the written/printed word away.

[Rheged]

  Normally would have got the slipper for something like that but Old Man Moir had served in the RAF during WWII. 

Only found that exercise book in a pile of other ancient stuff a year or so ago. Always been unable to throw the written/printed word away.

I quite agree with you that disposing of the written word is not easy..........But it's very useful when peoples' recollection of some instruction/agreement varies, and a cry goes up throughout the staffroom/office  "You kept your copy of the document, didn't you!"

As to teachers who were in the armed forces, you and I are of an age where that was normal. I can remember at my primary school:-

Mrs Little; former 2nd officer Wren, head of infants

Mr Scott; Former aircraftsman 2nd class , Banff Strike wing 

Tom Ferguson former Wing Commander, Desert Air Force and deputy head teacher.

You've got me started now on trying to remember where my teachers at Carlisle Grammar School served!  In order to avoid thread drift virus, I've opened a new thread for people to join in with this act of reminiscence/ remembrance.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?action=post;board=24.0

[PR19_Kit]

My first memory of the Bristol 188 come from before it was announced! 

While in my last year at school, 1961, I was doing the rounds of various aircraft manufacturers being interviewed and aptitude tested for Student Apprenticeships, and one of them was Bristol of course. (I actually did all of them, and picked the wrong one when they offered me the job, but that's another story...) After the morning's tests we were given a lunch break and two of us asked if we could have a look at the factory. When they said OK, off we went to look at the GINORMOUS Brabazon Hangers on the south side of the runway. We couldn't go in the main doors, which were open but barriered off, but we found a door to one side and went into a small hangar on one end of the Brab ones.

There inside was this very long, thin, pointy thing that looked like it had come out of a sci-fi film, and we were looking suitably amazed at it, after a walk right round the thing, when a voice shouted 'Oi, what are you two 'erberts doing in here?' The Supervisor of the hangar came round the corner and shooed us out of the place in double quick time, and I never did find out what it was until about a year later when it made its first flight. 

[The Rat]

two 'erberts

Oh, you just brought back memories of my Mum with that phrase! 

[PR19_Kit]

two 'erberts

Oh, you just brought back memories of my Mum with that phrase! 

It's very 50s and 60s. 

Who WAS Herbert anyway?

[Rheged]

Who was Herbert?  This is the best I can do for an answer, Kit:-

Oxford Dictionary of Slang (1998)

'erbert n British
A foolish person, a cheeky, unwashed child. For many years, in London working-class slang, Herbert or 'Erbert was used to refer to any otherwise unnamed man or boy. Gradually, probably by being used in phrases such as 'silly 'erbert', it came to have the more pejorative sense. There probably never was an eponymous Herbert; it was merely a common working-class name from the Edwardian era.

[PR19_Kit]

Always good to know these things, thanks very much.