What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Sunday 10th December 2017
Didn't do much today in the way of Whiffing.
Glued the two auxiliary turbojets from a 1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed Neptune to the Avro Musketeer P-45 and then picked up the 1/72 Boeing B-17G to paint the underside and fuselage mat black. In some areas the original silver paint has come through and on other surfaces a sort of crazing. Which means that I don't have to weather it.

[McColm]

Monday 11th December 2017

Work continues on the Avro Musketeer, I'm using the tip tanks from a Heller/Airfix Lockheed Constellation instead of those supplied in the Revell Avro Shackleton MR.3. I've also glued on the engine exhaust pipes and forward gun fittings from the Airfix MR.2 kit.
I'll be using liquid weight in the nose to stop this from being a tail sitter.

The paint scheme hasn't been successful on the B-17G, so I will give it a good wash tomorrow.

[McColm]

Saturday 16th December 2017

Do you ever pick up one of your started builds and say to yourself that's not right. The answer falls into place when you are leaving for work?
For me it's the 1/72 de Havilland/Martin ex SeaMaster known as the Majestic.
With the front section grafted on from the Airfix HS/BAe Nimrod.
I got out my dividers and have found that the front section would look better lowered on to the hull of the SeaMaster. I can add weight in the gaps surrounding the two parts

[McColm]

Sunday 17th December 2017

Time to reflect on builds started this year.
The 1/72 Mach2 Sud Caravelle, having bought two kits this year. I can't get them to fit. I did try using parts from the Airfix HS/BAe Nimrod but even when plastic card is used in the cockpit the gaps and ill-fitting parts end up in the bin.
The Super Frelon however is a better fit and with the Chinese operating an updated version there's room for improvement.
Also binned is the 1/72 Anigrand Martin SeaMaster, I was a little bit too ambitious with this build, the Mach2 kit is turning out to be a better buy with the leftover parts from the Airfix HS/BAe Nimrod. It is no way finished.
Binned is the 1/72 Mach2 AW Argosy with AC-119G/K parts for a twin engined gunship. This might be built using the same kit but with the Rolls-Royce Tyne engines.
The Avro Shackleton based builds using the Revell MR.3 kit. The Shackleteer is in the toy cabinet of my nephew in Cornwall, the Carlton AEW is also down in Cornwall but resides on top of a wardrobe in the spare room of my sister.
I haven't given up on an all jet powered Shackleton. As the Musketeer seems be the missing link.
Avro Celestial, still PSR. Too much two parts filler/puty used. So plenty of wet and dry paper needed .
The Mystic, no work done. Found polystyrene base to use.
Eric the Viking/ Warrior Class flying boat.
Experimenting with the landing gear, going to use the Airfix HS Nimrod set.
de Havilland Condor, total rebuild . Now using the Heller 1/72 Boeing E-3A/C with parts from the B-52D for engines.
HS Sentinel still needs tidying up.
DC-6D and Constellation flying boat, work in progress.
Boeing PB-1V AEW is in the PSR stage, the Shorts Stirling now has the parts for the cargo version plus a set of floats.
The Wellington awaits it's aerial and stand to be built.
Then there's another Mach2 build the
WB-57F. Oddly the new nose looks similar to that of the Canberra all- weather fighter. I haven't added the two booster jets but created an upper cabin for passengers or crew. I'll have a look for a clear canopy and landing gear.
The Grumman C-4 Wolfhound , a kitbash idea.
1/48 F/A-18 V/STOL, nothing to report.
There's an emphasis to finish the larger builds as this can open up more space on the bench and empty a few storage boxes of spare parts.

[McColm]

Monday 18th December 2017

There's a lot of ideas on this forum, which I will no doubt try out myself.
The use of Handley Page Victor wings and the Flying Wing are two separate ideas but what would happen if you were to combine the two?
I have both kits in 1/72 scale and although my AMT X/YB-35 isn't the same as the X/YB-49 it will be jet powered with the Revell HP Victor wings which seem to fit.
Well the gunship idea wasn't working.
Maybe I could rework the Shinmeiwa flying boat into the turbo powered Constellation.
Only time will tell.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new Year,
Steven

[TheChronicOne]

Same to ya, brotha!!! 

[McColm]

Thanks,
From the remains of the Shinmeiwa and Nimrod another kitbashing idea is in the pipeline.
The Nimrod fuselage sits on top of the Shinmeiwa, no wings or weapons bay, I even cut off the Nimrod vertical tail fin as I'm going to use the Shinmeiwa one instead. Wings and engines are to be decided but as I'm not going to use the ones from the B-47, I'll have to see if they fit.
Part 2
The above plan hasn't worked but the open fuselage from the Airfix kit minus the cockpit and tail ends sit perfectly on the lower fuselage of the Shinmeiwa. The forward and rear tail cones are from a recycled Cammett BAe Nimrod AEW.3. This set has been recycled 4 times and been cut down to fit so many times that they have almost lost their shape. The wing box  section from the Shinmeiwa and the T-tail fin have also been Superglued in place. I'll be using the canopy from the Airfix Avro Vulcan and the landing gear from the Airfix HS Nimrod.
Nose weight will be added inside the glazed canopy and the Shinmeiwa wings used. I might replace the engines with a set from Oz Mods or Attack Squadron.
The name Argus seems appropriate.

[McColm]

Thursday 21st December 2017

A parcel arrived today with the Trumpeter 1/144 Ilyushin IL-78 Midas inside.
My first thought is to convert it into the Beriev A-50, Baghdad/Adnan or the Xi'an KJ-2000 as flown by China, India, Iraq and Russia.
So why not do a Westernized  version, I've got a Revell 1/144 Boeing E-3A/C Sentry in the stash and  spare fuselage could be used as a KE-3A two point tanker.
I'll have a look on S + M Models for something suitable for the Vickers Sentinel.
Another parcel arrived 20 minutes after the first one, from AlleyCat Models. Inside the box is the parts to convert the Airfix 1/72 Avro Shackleton MR.2 kit into the Shackleton T4, although you could put for the Shackleton MR.1 with or without the upper gun turret.
The nose and radome are moulded in clear resin with the tail fairing, tail wheel, well blank, nose internals, radar scanner and various scoops in grey resin. There's a paint scheme and photos of where to cut on the fuselage/finished article.
Been flicking through my copy of Scale Aircraft Modeling Volume 12 Number 9 June 1990 edition for alternative paint schemes and reference photos/line drawings.
AlleyCat T4 comes in the extra sea grey, gloss white and dayglo orange, which came in as standard in 1956, before that medium sea grey upper fuselage and gloss white, although WB854/B-S had medium sea grey fins.
There are options for the radome to be painted white or dark sea grey. I think further research should be done so you can select a T4 or MR.1 of your choice.

[McColm]

Christmas Eve 2017

Just got in from work and had a rummage in one of my small cardboard boxes of spare parts. I came across a tear drop radome in vacform and the vertical resin tail fin of a BAe Nimrod AEW. The two seem to fit together and I will be using this on the Majestic.
Been on line and checking out other people's builds of the Mach2 Atlantic. The kit is becoming a rare beast . I would have thought Revell would have produced the Atlantique or released the Atlantic as the aircraft is due for retirement soon.
I came across Muroc Models in the January edition of Scale Aircraft Modeling. The RB-49 is the subject matter and this can be found on the Britmodeler forum. They supply the resin conversion sets for models in the Edwards Airbase testing site. I think that they are mentioned in the kits topic as well.
Back to whiffing on Tuesday.

[63cpe]

Had to share this pic with you.....maybe seen this before, maybe not...reminded me of your projects.

6403025c5e812df844a6dc91b0f3e52f by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

David

[McColm]

Had to share this pic with you.....maybe seen this before, maybe not...reminded me of your projects.

6403025c5e812df844a6dc91b0f3e52f by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

David

Great minds think alike, I bought the 1/72 Contrail  VC 10 for that same purpose. Thanks for the picture.
That reminds me I must finish off the Mystic and Domino. They both have the FASS antenna arrangement.
Further research suggests that both Avro and Hawker Siddeley championed the Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic as a replacement for the Avro Shackleton. The Air Staff weren't happy with the transit times and insisted on a jet powered aircraft. 3 and 4 engined variants were proposed. Even a multi-engine set up similar to the Lockheed Neptune using the Rolls-Royce Tynes with turbofans.
It was HS that proposed a AEW version which got the approval of the French Navy as a customer. I'd like to think that they would have marketed the AN/APS-20 radar with either a pair of Tynes or Trents.
Which is this model I'm building.

[McColm]

Boxing Day 2017

The gluing together the fuselage sections of any Mach2 kit is always apprehensive.
Likewise on the Atlantic. 99% lines up on and it's just that bit in the front that doesn't. Fortunately there are no major gaps which is very pleasing on the eye.
The vertical tail fin is glued in place, a couple of gaps and the wings have also been glued. The 1/48 turbofans from the Lockheed S-3B Viking. The rest of the model was a complete wreck.
I'll leave this to dry over night as I'm working tomorrow.

[McColm]

I think that I might have stumbled on to a mega kitbashing option for the Y/XB-35 flying wing and mix-match of spare parts.
Well it's got the Shinmeiwa hull with a BAe Nimrod on top. The tail fin is from the PS-1 and the main landing gear is off the Nimrod.
The top section of the B-35 sits on the upper fuselage very well whilst the lower half would be cut to fit. Thinking of using the B-52 engines.

[McColm]

2018 seems as though it will be a bumper year for me to finish all those started builds.
Plus I have now run out of space on the work bench.

[McColm]

Saturday 30th December 2017

I've managed to break the nose landing leg of the 1/72 Mach2 Breguet Atlantic. It does look good with the two new 1/48 TF33 turbofans instead of the Rolls-Royce Tynes.
I might rescribe the weapons bay and add a cargo door to both sides of the fuselage.
I have found another kit on line and I will be digging out the Revell kits. The airliner/cargo version and a four engined MPA.
The Avro Musketeer has had it's two turbojets removed. Reverts back to the twin engined Avro Shackleton AEW.3
Whereas the Avro Carlton will be built and  the MR.1.
The Northrop YC-35 flying wing airliner is still on track , as I have managed to acquire enough seats. The wings from the Revell HP Victor fit and so do those from the Airfix Avro Vulcan.
Got a few waterline builds to finish.

Wishing you all a happy new year