Bid for SMW2008 fame and fortune

[kitbasher]

Here's some bits and pieces from something I've just started on and that I'm thinking of entering into this year's Nationals.......

[Martin H]

u going for the mushroom model mag award?       nice one!

[kitbasher]

u going for the mushroom model mag award?       nice one!

Had a couple of 'Commendeds' in the past (before joining the SIG, I must add), so no harm in trying again!  I'm amazed that there's not more entries a) in that category, and b) I think it is the whiffing duty of all SIG members who can enter to enter!! 

[kitbasher]

'I Learnt About Modelling From That', or Some progress and frustration tonight.
Fitted an engine to a wing but things didn't quite go to plan.  The wing split when I tried to clamp the halves together, the root cause being the way the much deeper engine was fitted, which in turn splayed the host wing too far.  So after some hacking and refitting of the parts the wings are back together and the engine is on.

The bad news as far as that wing is concerned is that more filling and sanding than I would have liked will be needed, but the good news is I've learnt how better tackle the other wing.  Sadly, what it also means is that in order to avoid having very stalky main undercarriage (which I thought I would avoid when I measured up the donor kits and compared configurations of the two main donors), it's off with the host fuselage's wing roots so the wing can be mounted slightly higher up the fuselage to compensate.  Dontcha love this hobby??!! 

[kitbasher]

Some more post-hols progress.
The wing roots were cut off and the resultant holes filled.  One has been sanded down and the wing root repositioned slightly higher.


A couple of shots of the interior - more to do, however.


And work has started on the second wing.  Fairing in the Kittyhawk engine will be much easier and (hopefully) a neater job following the trials and tribulations of the first attempt.

[sotoolslinger]

It's cool but will you please identify the wings and fuselage. 

[nev]

b) I think it is the whiffing duty of all SIG members who can enter to enter!! 

We discussed this a little bit @ Coventry - maybe we're all just too modest to enter!

[kitbasher]

It's cool but will you please identify the wings and fuselage. 

Well, the wings are from a Matchbox Me 410, the engines as you know from Airfix Kittyhawks.  These are being used to represent Merlins.
The fuselage is not an Me 410's.  More to be revealed later.   

[kitbasher]

b) I think it is the whiffing duty of all SIG members who can enter to enter!! 

We discussed this a little bit @ Coventry - maybe we're all just too modest to enter!

From what I see on this forum, especially the UK show pics, there's plenty of stuff being produced by very talented and imaginative SIG members that really deserves to fly the SIG flag and compete. 

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

b) I think it is the whiffing duty of all SIG members who can enter to enter!! 

We discussed this a little bit @ Coventry - maybe we're all just too modest to enter!

I'm not ! - Looking forward to venting my spleen at the judges in November 

Ian the Pot-Hunter-Gatherer
tongue firmly rooted in cheek and not to be taken seriously at any time


Shouldnt that read Ian the Potty Gatherer now ? 

[Howard of Effingham]

is the fuselage a very redundant airfix 1/72 fairey battle, 

i think it is and we should be told later.... 

[kitbasher]

It's a fair cop, guv'ner.
Yes, it's a twin-engined Battle (although not a recycled kit - bought for the occasion, and a Bilek boxing), and this is the general layout.

In real life Marcel Lobelle (the Battle's designer) pressed the Air Ministry (unsuccessfully) to consider a twin-engined Battle rather than what they ended up with.  I recall seeing outline drawings of his concepts in a 1970s edition of Aircraft Illustrated (a quick Google suggests August 1974), and there's something in Air Britain's 'Battle File'.  I'm not claiming to represent any of these drawings, just applying a bit of imagination.
The 410's wings were opted for because I got a dirt cheap kit at SMW2007 and also needed one of the nacelles to make a model of the famous DB605A Spit (CJ+ZY).   Also they match the wing roots fairly well.  Kittyhawk #1 cost I think a quid and as there were a small number of Merlin P-40s that didn't seem to need much nose surgery (and Lancaster outer nacelles or even a Magna Beaufighter II were out of the question) I took the austerity route!  A radar antenna will be added to the nose, and it will be cannon-armed.  Not sure yet whether to have the cannons in the nose or in a gun tray nabbed from a Blenheim.
This is now #2 in the modelling pile and I hope I can get it done in time for SMW2008. Somehow I think timewise I may have bitten off more than I can chew, though!

[kitbasher]

I've a few Lancaster nacelles going begging if you want them...

Thanks for the offer, Lee, but with what's already fitted well and truly stuck into place I want to leave it as it is.
Made and fitted a radio unit and a radar console.  When dry the fuselage halves will go together and when they are dry I can return to sorting out the other wing root.
More pics soon, I hope.   

[ysi_maniac]

This looks promising bttb

[GTX]

Looking good!

Regards,

Greg