What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

There's an interesting article about the Mosquito night-fighter in FlyPast November 2015. Which got me thinking of adding the gun pack to the nose of the Airfix Bristol Super freighter. I have seen the resin aftermarket kits and the price is quite reasonable.
On my build I've glued the undercarriage struts to the underside of the fuselage. There's plenty of ground clearance which could be reduced if a bomb bay was scratch built from a raid of my spare parts bin.

Picked up a copy of the Airfix magazine Nov edition. Will read it tonight. Got the new Shackleton MR.2  test-shot build. Still can't see how the interior details through the windows. Perhaps I could get away with a pair of cargo doors.
Another possibility is a twin boom version with clamshell rear doors!

[McColm]

Just compared the Proteus with the Carlton and oddly enough a twin boom version could be built without drastically reducing the fuselage as the twin fins from the Flying Box Car are almost the same length as the Shackleton fuselage.

[Captain Canada]

I see on you FB page a few new(er) pics up. You should start a build thread, post some pics, and finish something !

[McColm]

Great minds think a like.
I should be able to finish the build on the stretched Airfix Fairey Rotodyne. I've used two kits (1 complete and the other had the cockpit and two windows each side of the fuselage used on the Sea Moose.).
I've used the large sponsors from a MH-53 Sea Dragon and will be mounting two of the jets from the B-47E above the wings.
Paint scheme, something that doesn't involve using cheat lines as aren't quite in line

[McColm]

The plan is to paint the nearly finished builds.
Definitely need some plastic storage bins that fit under the bed .
Another trip to RAF Hendon and pop into Hannants.
Whilst I can't rule out another visit to the Warner Bros London Studio tour, the Science Museum would be worth revisiting and HMS Belfast. I know that there are a few car showrooms around the central London area, the odd brochure would help with interior colours.
Managed to find a roommate to help me put some pics up on this site. Should be interesting!

[Captain Canada]

Hooray for room mates 

[McColm]

I'm pleased with the two AMT Ford Capri II 1/25 kits. The Matchbox/AMT has already been started but the other kit has two options Stock or Custom.
I'll build the Stock version and add the spare parts to the Matchbox version.
The spare set of twin headlights is to go on the Minicraft 1962 RR Silver Cloud II.
May even add the pair of side exhaust pipes as well!

Another large parcel arrived, inside the 1/72 Zvezda Mil Mi-26 Halo. Might be a first for me to build this straight from the box, change the decals. Possible western style ASW.

[McColm]

I apologize for bringing up old topics, but some of the ideas I think i can build.
Been working on the Carlton and reading through old WW2 recognition leaflets, came across a few float planes and had the thought of adding floats instead of the landing gear. Could work by adding nose weight and a float at the rear.
Inbetween this also working on two Rotodyne builds, one stretch and the other ASW with the external fuel tanks from the Chinook added to the fuselage. This works, but you do lose some of the windows depending on which set of fuel tanks you use.
  Sanded down the ERB-29 and started to fill the holes left by the machine gun turrets, can't see much internal detail through the new cockpit so this will be painted. I will test and see if the tip tanks from the EC-121 Constellation fit.
  The Mad Hatter has now got the hose and drogue fitted to the tail from the Valiant kit. (its where the MAD boom fits or ECM/rear radome should go). Still in the process of gluing seams together and filling in the gaps. Considering adding two large tail fins from an E-2 Hawkeye or A-10. Lost a few of the side fuselage windows due to sanding down filler/putty.

[McColm]

I must admit that adding the wheels/tyres to the twin turboprop enge Shackleton/Carlton has been a nightmare. But I think my idea of adding skis instead of the bog standard wheels/tyres has solved the problem.
Well they fitted skis to the Neptune and that worked.
Discovering milliput filler/putty has saved the day on the ERB-29 and Skylark twin rotor helicopter.

[McColm]

The sanding and raiding the spares bin, has come up with some off the wall results, some already discussed on other topics. The Airfix Superfreighter looks good with the rotor stack off the Rotodyne. For the bomb bay I've used the baggage holder from the vacform Varsity kit.
  The AeroClub Shackleton MR2/AEW resin/vacform and white metal set arrived today. The bomb bay sits rather well on the jet powered Shackleton. If turned the other way the dust-bin radome can be cut away and the MR3 nose landing gear kept in place, may use the resin wing from the kit to round off the wing tips.
  The stretched Rotodyne or Skylark as I call it has the two rotor stacks off the MH-47 with the two engines from the MH-53. The air filters are from the Chinook. For reasons unknown to me the roof slopes from right to left. I'll try and solve this by adding the transmission tunnel.
The Airfix Ka-25 hormone arrived and once assembled will be used as a base for the other Rotodyne.
The ERB-29 is making headway along with the Mad Hatter, thinking of using a colour scheme similar to the one worn by the Valiant tanker version.
I'm slowly working my way towards the paint stage,just have to find the nearest Halfords for some rattle cans.
Next Tuesday I'm at the RAF Museum Hendon with a few of my room mates and will check out the B-24 Liberator amongst the other exhibits on display.

[McColm]

What if the Air Staff had selected the P-3 Orion as a platform for it's AEW ?
I have tried fitting the FASS to a 1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed P-3 Orion and the rear tail cone does fit rather well, can't say the same to the front.
However the Rotodome from the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye fits , as it does on the Airfix BAe Nimrod and the B-29/50, C-97.
Disappointed that it didn't fit the Atlantic.
Could always try one on the VC-10.

If S&M models did a 1/72 AEW range I should be in a position to finish most of my builds.
Must read up about mould casting in resin.
I wasn't expecting to see a lot through the clear canopy of a Shackleton, but it's amazing how much there is without my thumbprint.
With the removal of the forward observation window giving the flat nose appearance gives the Shackleton better lines. The jet powered Shackleton now looks plausible. Must look out for Dan Air decals.

Sourcing a few TR7 brouchers for interior details.
Got an idea for one of the Ford Capris to be a five door by scribing the rear seat doors. Handles hidden in the rear glass framework.
As for the Tyrrell six wheeler, always thought of a road car version. I know other manufactures had similar six wheel layouts.

[Captain Canada]

Open your pic on FB. Right click on it. Scroll down to Properties and click on that. Highlight and copy the url. Come here, click on the icon below the slanted I, and then paste the url in between there.

There's some pics on my FaceBook page.
First one is the 1/72 Airfix Bristol Superfreighter with the luggage bay from a vacform Varsity used as a weapons bay. Gunship layout is from a 1/72 AC-119G and the stack is from the Airfix Rotodyne. Rotors and tail stabilizers/fins to be fitted. Vertical tail will be chopped down to size. Griffon engines off the Revell Shackleton MR3. Vipers jet exhaust over the wings.

left-hand-side
1/72 Revell Avro Shackleton MR3 with MR2 weapons bay, twin J57 jet engines off the B-47E and rounded wing tips MR2 resin.

Right-hand-side
Another Airfix Bristol Superfreighter, made a hash of the cockpit so I added the front half of the Rotodyne. RR Tyne turboprop engines from the Atlantic ATL1, hull is from a seaplane, upper radome is part of the stand for the Frog Shackleton. Tail is from the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. everything else is scratch-built.

[McColm]

Thank you,
Two small words that mean a lot.
Thanks again.

[Captain Canada]

I like the SuperFreighter. Lots of bells and whistles on that one ! Hopefully you keep going and get them done. The Jet Shak looks good as well.

[McColm]

The Gunship has a twin tail arrangement, vertical tail fin cut off. A longer shaft for the Rotodyne rotors otherwise they will hit the tail fins..
Went to RAF museum Hendon for the day. The WW1 exhibit looks good. A few minor changes in the Bomber Hall and Battle of Britain Hall. The food is good but a little expensive. Still impressive for another visit sometime soon.