Heston Napier racer (maybe...)

PR19_Kit · November 27, 2018, 08:32:42 AM

At Tophe's suggestion I dragged my Merlin Heston Napier kit out of The loft. It's second only to the Midget Mustang in flash terms, but then it IS a Merlin kit after all. Here's the various bits.

Most of it is injection moulded, the word 'moulded' being used in its WIDEST possible sense, with white metal prop, stick and pilot's seat. What it doesn't have is any sign of a canopy!

It should be pretty small, low and sleek, so a sawn down Speed Spitfire canopy might work, or another 1/144 F-16 canopy if I can find one. I'll see how it works out.

JPS scheme maybe?

Tophe · November 27, 2018, 09:12:58 AM

This will not be easy, but it's for sure very uncommon!

loupgarou · November 27, 2018, 10:25:47 AM

Gosh! What a crappy kit. Good luck with doing something "human" with it.
It's worse than the standard sow's ear category. I'd say premium boar's ear at least. Maybe even phacochoerus.
BTW, it seems to be missing the undercarriage legs too.

PR19_Kit · November 27, 2018, 11:44:59 AM

The main gear legs are those 'shapes' that are underneath the wing mouldings, they're on the other side of the doors. But I may replace them with piano wire, much stronger..........

kitbasher · November 27, 2018, 12:31:43 PM

what the word 'basic' was invented for!

the Merlin Meteor F.8 was quite good for its time, certainly better than their Vampire T.11.

major · November 27, 2018, 06:14:42 PM

Oh dear! You sure you didn't have an incident with a barrel of glue?

PR19_Kit · November 27, 2018, 11:01:38 PM

Quote from: major on November 27, 2018, 06:14:42 PM

Oh dear! You sure you didn't have an incident with a barrel of glue?

No, not this time, it's just a Merlin kit............

$:-\$

Dizzyfugu · November 28, 2018, 12:34:57 AM

Rather looks like "carving" than building that kit!

PR19_Kit · November 28, 2018, 02:01:06 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on November 28, 2018, 12:34:57 AM

Rather looks like "carving" than building that kit!

Certainly a LOT of filing and sanding involved before it's worth gluing anything.

I looked out a lot of pics of the RW aircraft and there's a LOT of vent cutting etc. to do. The radiator's in the belly, like a P-51, and it exhausts through the end of the fuselage each side of the rudder!