Gondor's various TSR2 Builds

[Gondor]

After Glasgow 2010 I have decided to get a move on and actually try and finish a few kits and related projects, the Recon TSR2 is one of them. I had pre painted the interior and undercarriage but had yet to attach any parts together before attending the Glasgow show. So being an awkward so and so I didn't start with the cockpit, instead I started with the tail.



This shows my solution to the problem of securing the fin of the TSR2 yet having it removable for transportation. The fin I am using is the Odds & Ordnance item. I simply found some plastic tubing that had a slightly smaller hole than the diameter of the pin extending from the base of the fin. I simply and carefully reduced the diameter of the pin untill it became a very snug fit into the tube which was then attached to the underside of the rear decking. I have glued a couple of pieces of right angled plastic rod to help keep the tubing vertical which means that part of the fuselage will have to be cut away to allow the decking to fit properly, but no pain no gain as they say.

Gondor

[Gondor]

As I said above, I have pre painted some of the parts, so no complaints that there is already paint and that it's the wrong colour!



There are some more fiddler parts to be added still. Work will slow down over the next week, Badminton on a Monday after work means I have very little time for modelling when I get home and this week also sees my LMC meeting so no work on Thursday evening either, at least work has progressed.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Slight bump to this topic, just under thirteen years    I wonder if that's a record 

The basic fuselage is complete and the wing has been put together but will only be installed once the fuselage has been sorted out. I finished fixing the broken undercarriage leg today which is what got me doing more work on build. Decided to add a little bit more filler around the intakes and main undercarriage doors as they only fit where they touch 
I think when I have finished the build I will try a technique I have read about which uses pencil to mark out panel lines, only going to happen for the gear bay doors and the auxiliary intakes on the main engine intakes though.



Gondor

[Pellson]

Slight bump to this topic, just under thirteen years    I wonder if that's a record 

Yay!!! There can never be too many TSR's! 

[Rick Lowe]

Slight bump to this topic, just under thirteen years    I wonder if that's a record 

Gondor

I finished my Mustang 1A and Dart Mustang after allowing them to mature for about 20 years in a box... 

Feels good to just get on with things though, and not have to deal with their accusing looks any longer! 

[Gondor]

I have decided to change the title to this thread seeing that in total I have bought ten Airfix 1/72 TSR.2's, of various types, completed one and so far started another two. So I thought it better to just save trying to find where each is and simply change this short thread into a potentially much longer thread.

So the ten TSR.2's are listed below

Indian Air Force Strength is Victory Completed
TSR.2 RAF 13 Squadron Reconnaissance. In Progress
TSR.2 RAF Maritime Strike 2xT.V. Martel & 1 X Radar Martel missiles or two if I can find a way to fit the TV Pod other than on a wing pylon. In Progress
TSR.2 XR220, second prototype "Rotate".
TSR.2 RAF Blue Water
TSR.2 Still sealed. Possible RAF Conventional Strike
"Stratos4" TSR.2MS RAF Trainer version
"Stratos4" TSR.2MS RAF Nuclear Strike
"Stratos4" TSR.2MS Two different boxings, each to be as per the box markings.

Not everything is fully decided. Squadrons operating each aircraft are listed where I have made up my mind about them as is the role of each aircraft to be depicted. The load out of each may vary dependant on what parts I have and what is available.

Gondor

[Gondor]

The second of the in progress builds is the Maritime strike aircraft which also had an undercariage repair to be made, which still needs to be done. The undercarriage repair for this aircraft is a little more awkward as the pin for the bogie broke off on the Starboard leg. This has led me to decide to give the aircraft the individual letter code of "F" regardless of which squadron ends up operating it. 

Compared to the Reconnaissance aircraft, the fit of this TSR.2 is much better. I did find when checking it over that one of the main undercarriage doors needed part of one side reattached but other than that the main undercarriage doors are great. The forward undercariage doors have a gap that looks big enough to drive a bus through, but that's common with this kit.

Gondor

[Pellson]

:
Compared to the Reconnaissance aircraft, the fit of this TSR.2 is much better. I did find when checking it over that one of the main undercarriage doors needed part of one side reattached but other than that the main undercarriage doors are great. The forward undercariage doors have a gap that looks big enough to drive a bus through, but that's common with this kit.

Are the TSR.2 kits individually different? From Airfix? And here I was, thinking a mainstream manufacturer will heed to a certain standard, also when abominable.. 

[PR19_Kit]

It's not their best kit, but you can do things with it.

[Mossie]

I've got two kits and both look like they'll fit differently.  One has a warped cockpit frame one side.

It was from the end of the Humbrol era, so not quite the Airfix we know now.  That being said, my Sea Harrier FRS.1 from the earlier Hornby era fit quite badly, especially the intakes but I've never heard of any issues in reviews.

[Gondor]

:
Compared to the Reconnaissance aircraft, the fit of this TSR.2 is much better. I did find when checking it over that one of the main undercarriage doors needed part of one side reattached but other than that the main undercarriage doors are great. The forward undercariage doors have a gap that looks big enough to drive a bus through, but that's common with this kit.

Are the TSR.2 kits individually different? From Airfix? And here I was, thinking a mainstream manufacturer will need to a certain standard, also when abominable.. 

Not really, a lot of it is probably down to me being ham fisted when building them. As Kit said, it's not Airfix's best kit and everyone learns from a previous build so I suspect that is what's happened here.

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

My solitary Airfix build (I have 13 more tucked away has stalled twice.  At least it has decals and varnish now.

Found it a hateful build. The thirty odd resin ones I did were far less work.

[Pellson]

Hmm.. I have two. One original and one manga version. It seems they will be somewhat challenging projects.

[Thorvic]

Strewth guys, don't forget we campaigned here  from 2003 to 2005 to get Airfix to do a TSR2 kit which came out in 2006, At the time they had not done a new 72nd kit for years, and were giving drivel like footballers etc.
The TSR2 kit was their first new kit in 72nd and was post Heller split so the work was contracted out to China, and as a result the kit was a bit of an experiment with new designers. tool makers and prodcuuction plant. So the kit didnt have the in-house team with the hardware resources they have now. Thus there are fit issues and some odd construction solutions that were intended to retain detail to avoid seam splits, but sadly whilst a good idea the fit tolrances were a bit lax, so you still end up with gap seams to fix.

 

[McColm]

Wow! That's one of the reasons why I decided to kitbash my Airfix 1/72 model, there's a few concepts of a V/STOL version but not as radical as what I'm trying to build. The side-by-side seating just got a bit out of hand, although the chin engine air intake does add character to the model.
Good luck with your builds.