Avro Avatar Mk III

[BlackOps]

Sequioa, it's coming along rather nicely  Looks pretty cool.

[Daryl J.]

It's so....so.....British! 


Daryl J.

[sotoolslinger]

Absolute beauty. You have got to put the cow graphic on it

[sequoiaranger]

...for the kind words and emoticons.

>You have got to put the cow graphic on it  <

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Too fitting, ain't it? I have some (old but servicable) clear decal paper and an inkjet computer. Can I make my own decals from that?? I have never done that. I bought the paper twenty years ago before I had a computer and about when I (temporarily, as you can now tell) stopped making models. I will certainly try it, but if you have some hints, I am udderly at your disposal.

I can make a digital graphic of several of the images on a frame, then print the frame on decal paper so I will have multiple images on one sheet (generally, my printer has only a few spots I can print to, but I can manipulate the Paint Shop Pro to add images for printing). Unfortunately, the printer cannot do "white" (a majority of the graphic).  Maybe I will have to make an oval of white behind it, or something like that.  Hmmm.

>It's so....so.....British!<

Blimey! Bloody true it is!  'Course, it is made largely from British components--Lancaster, Wellesley, Halifax, etc. (the Connie tail was chosen for its Lancaster-like look). And the "genius" that came up with the Defiant/Roc concept SURELY could conceive of this dowdy concoction to help save his job at the Air Ministry!  He might have even been promoted to head a new agency called the Ministry of DUFO--(dowdy, ugly, flying objects) where he would have a lot of hard work keeping up with the competition!

[kitbasher]

Mad - yet strangely compelling!  HG Wells meets Teddy Petter?   

[sequoiaranger]

My Avro Avatar is close to completion! I have the main paint on, all decals are on, including the "Mad Cow" graphic with home-made decals, and all I have left to do is:

glosscote over all decals and paint touchups,
dullcote entire model (probably twice),
hot-pin MG holes in wing (through red tape)
paint engine/inside cowl,
attach engine/propeller assembly,
make "strobe light" for rear opening,
paint landing gear and other details,
paint canopy framing,
"install" both turrets,
lightly weather,
blow on propeller and make engine noises!

[sotoolslinger]

Well.... hurry up 

[sequoiaranger]

I am proud of my new accomplishment, though it is not without its flaws. It is not "contest" quality, but certainly display and exhibition quality. Too many little things that I would not have allowed 15 years ago are accepted in the spirit of getting back into the hobby and ENJOYING doing it! I had a lot of on-the-job-retraining, new paint-mixing, some "DOH!!" moments, and glitches that were disappointing (most notably the lumpiness of the gloss coat, rendering too much touch-up work with the decals--and it shows), but overall I'm pleased with the effort.

So here it is.  There are 4 pics showing various angles.

[tanktastic43]

Well done. Good job. 

[Weaver]

It looks excellent - well done! 

[BlackOps]

This came out great  Best lookin' Kiwi Sheepherder I've seen all day   

I can't see any flaws that catch my attention, so it must be one of those only the builder can see things.

[bluedonkey99]

its great, except for the nose art... the bug would even be fine, except for that blocked out square behind it?

still, an exceptional and very plausible "whif" from the mid/late '30s

bd99

[pyro-manic]

The only thing I can possible say against it is the background of the nose art. Could have been cropped closer to the cow itself.

Absolutely fantastic piece of work. It does scream "British", and is gorgeous in an extremely ugly way. 

[sequoiaranger]

BlueDonkey/ Pyro:
>its great, except for the nose art... the bug would even be fine, except for that blocked out square behind it?<
>The only thing I can possible say against it is the background of the nose art. Could have been cropped closer to the cow itself.<

If I could do it all over again, I might have cut out the "blockiness" and cut a curvy white outline that followed the graphic more closely. The image is an angry cow, by the way, standing up, showing its udder (see graphic several posts before). The graphic was a home-made decal printed on white background (necessary), but you are right--it's a little too blocky. It was meant to be like a "poster", and I may even write "Mad......Cow" in the corners to take out some of the blockiness.

BlackOps:
>I can't see any flaws that catch my attention, so it must be one of those only the builder can see things.<

I understand the phenomena of the builder seeing flaws "invisible" to others, but in this case it's just the resolution/size of the picture that hides the flaws. Under scrutiny, they are there, trust me.  I still like it, though!

Weaver and Tank--Thanks.

[Ed S]

Brilliant idea and very well executed.  What's not to like with this one.

Ed