What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

The builds in no particular order all in 1/72 scale;

Proteus II
Neptune fuselage, AC-119K wings,landing gear , twin boom and twin tails, double mamba rear engine, T-64 engines. Falcon APS-20 radome off Gannet AEW conversion.

Atlantic AEW
Revell Br1150 Atlantic, Heller E-2C Rotodome "Mad Hatter" mounted on top of vertical tail fin, solid nose, inflightrefueling probe-C-130J, two jet pods from Neptune kit.

XC-130 V/STOL
Italeri kit, with three bladed propellers-from Shin Meiwa PS-1. Swivel wings.

Vickers Valiant MR/ASW
BAe Nimrod parts, Harpoon ASW missiles in weapons bay. Revell Br.1150 sonobuoy launch tubes German Navy variant.

FRA-108 Rapier
Using FreightDog TSR2 parts, Palva cockpit.

Avro Carlton
Twin engine Shackleton. Using Neptune wings, engines and landing gear. Possible airliner/cargo.

KC-121
Constellation tanker, with two jet pods from Neptune kit. Engines to be changed. Hose and drogue pods from C-130 (David J Parkins FlightPath resin).

Shorts Sandhurst
Shin Meiwa kit as donor. New cockpit, possible alternative from Valiant kit.
Amphibious flying boat, AEW. Griffons from Shackleton.

Fairchild Flying Dragon
Fairchild AC-119 fuselage, wing-stubs and engines from Heller E-2C Hawkeye, rotor off MH-53E and tail boom rotor.

AModel Rutan 76 model
This would make a great flying drone. Manned/unmanned.

[McColm]

Atlantic AEW

In the Frog Shackleton kit, there's a stand that comes with it. I could adopt this as the radome, sort of Grumman E-1B "spoof with a roof".

Washing Frog parts, before sorting them out and pre-assembly. Need to replace decals.

[McColm]

Washed all parts, dried and commenced build. Problems when fitting the weapon bay doors as fuselage is slightly warped, gap in front nose under glazing. This part is missing.
Gone for the twin tail but might still use the Frog Neptune vertical tail and MAD boom.
The plan is to fit the Neptune wings making it a twin engine aircraft. I'll see if the Rotodome fits from the Heller Hawkeye kit.
I'll also see if the Shackleton wings can be fitted to the Connie to resemble the Starline.
Seven sets of propellers and six sets of engine cowlings. Made up the six sets. Will change over propellers of the mamba on the Proteus II.

Monday 15th
Work continues with sanding down those rivets. Found that parts from the Heller Grumman E-2C Hawkeye fit and building the two engines that will be fitted. On another topic of mine " Super Shackleton" I'm using that as a base. Air ducts have been fitted and the observation seat removed along with the tunel giving a flat nose.
Will put some pictures up on my FaceBook page later in the day. Search under: Steven James McColm

[McColm]

Had a look at the Revell Neptune wings against the fuselage of the Shackleton. Doable but I don't have the tools to hand. A revised plan to re-engine the Shackleton wings.
The Rotodome from the Hawkeye fits really well, so I'll use that along with the turboprops from the E-2C.
Vietnam colour scheme springs to mind either USAF or USNavy. The lumps and bumps from the AC-119K kit will be added, could get a new nose section and underwing pylons. I'll see if the Neptune wingtip pods fit, and spare refueling probe from the Italeri C-130J.

The "spoof with the roof" works well on the Atlantic, just need to buy some plasticard and paints. The dustbin radome from the Shackleton kit will be cut to size for the lumps & bumps.

Another idea forming in my mind is to use the Nimrod wings and nose from the Airfix kit. The Atlantic wings can be added to the Carlton or just use the RR Tynes.

[McColm]

I wonder if any Whiffer has used the David J Parkins LC-130F skis conversion set?
Since the time I built my air cushion landing system , I've always wanted to build an amphibious version of the C-130.
By utilizing the resin skis and eliminating the landing gear in the Italeri kit. May have to scratch build floats for the tail ramp and move or replace the engines. Jets on pods above the wings.
Floatation gear could stretch along the fuselage, something like the external fuel tanks found on the Chinook or a skirt from the Airfix 1/144 Hovercraft kit.
Other kits from the Parkins range could be used as well.

[scooter]

There were some proposals floating around to put actual floats on a C-130 (CL-130).  But they never went past that. 

[McColm]

Thanks Scooter, could build a version of the proposed SC-130J Sea Hercules.
Got the Hasegawa P-3 Orion and the Airfix BAe Nimrod coming in the post, using the parts of the Shin Meiwa PS-1 flying boat. Will use the underwing weapons pods and extendable MAD boom. ESM wingtip pods. Change the nose.
Interesting kitbash.

[kitnut617]

Personally, I like this proposal, it even went through a number of scale model tests in the water tank done by the USN.



I've managed to find something I can use as a base for floats to do a 1/72 model of it

[McColm]

Go for it!

Got my hands on yet another 1/72 Hasegawa P-2H Neptune. This time the second Heller Hawkeye E-2C Rotodome will be fixed to the upper fuselage. The vertical tail fin reshaped , possible four turboprops. Depends on what's in the spare parts bin.

[McColm]

I should have been tired from working 11 straight day shifts (two weekends), but I couldn't get to sleep. So whilst playing around with the Griffon engines and the cowlings I managed to peel one cover off and pressed into the open part of the AC-119K engine opening. Out came the glue and bingo the Proteus II has engines. Did think of placing one in the front, but that would mean plugging the gap at the back.
Going out on hunt for plasticard, plastic rods and paint. There's an art shop in South Kensington, I'll try there or Hamleys Regent Street.
I would have thought that Woolwich would have an art shop, must check out Greenwich!

[McColm]

Hi Guys,
If you're surfing the net and come across FaceBook. Then check out my photos by searching under: Steven James McColm
There's three photos of the twin turboprop engined Shackleton with the Hawkeye Rotodome taped to the upper fuselage. The engines, propellers and wheels are from the Heller Grumman E-2C kit. The rear tail wheels are from the Frog Shackleton along with a cut down front landing gear leg. The nose glazing and observation seat have been removed to make a flattened nose. No need to add any weight as its now a tail sitter.
Wings and twin rudder have been cut to look square.

The other two pics are the Proteus II.Still got the interior to build and rear engine to fit.Undercarriage will be painted before fitting.

I hope you like them.

[Captain Canada]

There were some proposals floating around

Funny stuff Scooter 

[Captain Canada]

I don't know what's going on but I can't see the new pics

[McColm]

The Proteus II is now on its third design change and has become a tri-engine layout. The mamba engine being moved to the nose.
So its still got four piston engines but in a tri-motor format.
The fuselage and cockpit was glued together, fuselage glazing added before the two halves were joined. The Gannet AEW radome glued in place, slight gaps but will wait until morning when fully dry to sort out.
Will add the vacform exhaust pipes to the nose sides.
Filler and sanding plus a few questions to be answered as to why one half of the fuselage was a better fit than the other.
Back on nights until Monday morning. I hope to do some painting on the other two builds.
Went ahead with the Mad Hatter on the "Frantic Atlantic" . Looks good as if it was ment to have a radar dome fixed to the vertical tail fin. MAD boom removed. Will need plenty of weight in the nose and behind the cockpit where the dipping radar would have been fitted. Keeping the Atlantic with the RR Tynes and pair of auxiliary jet pods.

[McColm]

When the Jaguar XJ220 was launched, I promised myself I'd drive one. So far this hasn't happened, but the option of owning one is getting better and better.
Kit wise there's lots to choose from either the fiddly pop-up lights or the fixed headlights. The instructions are easy to follow.
That V6 twin turbo engine could be changed and the headlights. A convertible.
Possible two kits, kitbash engine moved to the front, second row of seats-4 door hatchback.
Different paint and decals: emergency services response vehicles or go back to the original spec.
This would need a donor kit.

Future whiff?