What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Whilst the Lancaster AEW build has got my attention, I'm drawn to a RR Griffon version or adding the wings from the Matchbox PK-605 Handley Page Heyford.
Been reading the topic page 'Blackburn Beverley'. Two kits in 1/72 scale ; Magna Models resin and white metal parts, very expensive. Or Sanger-Contrail vacform for half the price of the resin kit.
The real world proposal of the RR Tyne engine is feasible, but Kits' idea of the Airfix Nimrod wing is more doable.
Whilst on the Sanger website page their Ilyushin ll-76 Mainstay or as it is now called Beriev A50.
The vacformed kit has parts for the tanker and freighter versions.
The is a plastic kit model of the freighter but that is triple figures.
Just going to have to practice building vacformed kits or conversions.
However the Airbus Atlas, fitted with turbo fans and over-fuselage rotodome from a Heller E-3A. The lumps and bumps can come from the Falcon vacform EP-3 Orion conversion set.

Got a box big enough to house my builds for the Hendon Show.

[kitbasher]

Why would you want to add the wings off a Matchbox Heyford?

Adding Airfix or Revell Rotodyne engines and main rotor to a Heyford - now that would make more sense! 

[McColm]

I'll build both, Thanks.

[McColm]

Thanks for the tips on straightening the Shackleton fuselage, might send this into the Airfix magazine feature on page 98, under  'Hearings'.
Been dry testing to see if I can lengthen the Shackleton and turn the MkIII back into a Tiger Force heavy bomber. By adding a turret in the nose and at the rear. An upper turret is marked out in the fuselage sections.
Must get on with my other builds such as the helicopters as I can make a start on a helipad for Project InchMcColm. Dapol models sell the dockyard crane and dummy trains. I can use these parts on my clock work train set, before rigging up the electric set. The plan is to build modules 2 x 4 feet. Instead of one whole board. Two separate levels to maximize the space in oo scale.

[McColm]

The Shackleteer has a new nose covered with a very thin piece of plasticard. The nose wheel will be repositioned at the rear. A radome taken from the Halifax bomber is glued in its place.

Cleaned up the 1/48 Mustang MkI and 1/72 Spitfire not too sure which mark, will look it up on Friday.
Neptune falling apart, superglue to the rescue.

Note to self check out display cases.

[McColm]

In between cleaning up the models for the show, I started another kitbash and finally found that if you cut the engines off the Airfix Vulcan wings they will line up with the fuselage of the Airfix BAe Nimrod after a little bit of tweaking.The new T-tail is from the PlayFix 1/100 Trident.
Seen some artwork on the Google page of AEW Concepts and using that as a guide. The engines could go at the back on pods or over the wings. I'll buy a metal undercarriage legs.
Haven't decided what it will be yet.

The Neptune has contra rotating propellers.

[McColm]

That's it no more kits, got all I want for now. Perhaps another Airfix Valiant or 'spares or repairs'.
Just decals and resin interiors.
The plan is to finish the C-97 and B-29/50 projects,whilst drying finish off helicopter/Rotodyne builds. Easier to carry to and from shows.
Didn't see many American aircraft builds at Hendon,aiming to change that. Next time bring a packed lunch and soft drink. Spending money and a note book.
Italeri HC-130J US Coast Guard arrived this morning on the hunt for dayglo orange decals. A visit to the local art shop to get some enamel paints.

[NARSES2]

That's it no more kits, got all I want for now. Perhaps another Airfix Valiant or 'spares or repairs'.

We've all said that at some point, never works 

[McColm]

That's spooky, my kitbash looks like the Real World Avro Atlantic proposal. I've seen on Google images Whiffers from this site building such a plane.
Posted a few pictures on FaceBook about the Hendon Show.

[McColm]

Got my Avro Lancaster B.II this morning and its going on the shelf. Just gathering the parts to go with it. Yes the resin nose from the Lancastrian gives it that go faster look and change the engines to Griffons. If the reccy pack from the Valiant set fits ,it will be housed in the bomb bay. The rear resin nose cone that can go on as well. Might change the rear tail fins for the Shackleton and landing gear.
Haven't worked out a colour scheme.
I know another Whiffer has done something similar.

[McColm]

Just seen the roster for June, three weeks of six twelve hour shifts. Got Saturday as a rest day.
Time to get my paints out and photo etched interiors.
Back to the internet cafe on Tuesday for a couple hours as it costs too much money on pay as to go without broadband.
Seen a few Whiffs on eBay, must change my password.

[McColm]

Interesting that the River Thames has brought back the cruise liners up by Docklands opposite the ExCel Center. That's given me an idea of having a fighter squadron based at London City Airport.
They are introducing coinless buses soon so its the Oyster Card.
Hendon could be my showcase for new builds although some of these are quite large and won't fit on the table, I did notice that there was plenty of room behind the table where the bags were kept.
Having a bit of a tidy up and decided to finish one build at a time.

[McColm]

With the tragic events involving Search and Rescue these last few days, I can't help thinking of Whiffing my own Lockheed Nimrod MRA. Taking the 1/72 P-3C kit and adding RR Tyne engines, replacing the sonobuoy launch tubes with a rear weapons bay to carry Search & Rescue gear. ESM pods from the Airfix Nimrod and ECM fairing for the vertical tail fin. Two drill holes in the rear fuselage for sonobuoy launchers. Inflight refueling probe above the fuselage.
I started another Orion with BAe Nimrod wings some time ago, using the fuselage mated to the wings of the Airfix Vulcan and T-tail off a Playfix Trident. The engines from another Playfix kit IL-62 (VC-10 look-a-like). The Vulcan undercarriage is more sturdy than the Nimrod. Flipped the weapons bay over so that it is arched making it deeper.
The rest of the VC-10 look-a-like will get the Nimrod AEW3 treatment, either T33s or CFM engines. Concluding the Mad Hatter series of builds. (Different fixed wing AEW & C builds).

Another bank holiday and yes it is raining, recalling the days of a bottle of cola and a bag of square crisps eating them on the back seat of the car. Those were the days before the internet was thought of.

[McColm]

Just been adding parts from an 1/72 ESCI ERTL 9083 CV-22A Osprey to the Connie Francis build. The sponsors wheels and front landing gear. Moved to the back to avoid a tail sitter. Changing mat back paint scheme to a grey pattern to show off the windows and door details.

EC-97 AEW& C uses the original landing gear with the engines off the Revell P-3C Orion kit. Rumaged through my spares bin but couldn't find anything to hide the gap. Used some plasticard and will cut to shape.
Well that's it for the next three weeks, I need a holiday after that.

[McColm]

The big tidying up has started, with four boxes. One for Nimrod parts, Shackleton parts, B-29/50 & C-97, plus odds & ends.
The recycling bin is almost full of cardboard. A nice pile of decals is forming. Paints are in an old ice cream container.
Got my builds in progress lined up on the bench. The Heller detailing on the Constellation has disappeared due to the many layers of paint, its a good job the Valiant and Noratlas come with alternative canopies.
The DC-6 Super Cloudmaster looks good with the Connie undercarriage and Warning Star bulges. The engines from the C-97 are a good fit. May need to fit smaller propellers or cut them down a bit.
The Shorts Warrior (amphibious Sunderland, triple fin tail) has lost a C-130 wheel. The nail grinder is slowly shaping the filler applied blending the Sunderland fuselage and C-130 undercarriage together, along with the bulbous resin nose off the Nimrod AEW3.
The EC-97 AEW&C  needs some nose weight or a clear plastic rod fixed in the underneath fuselage in line with the main undercarriage to stop it tail sitting. This will help in the painting, might add the stand from the E-2C Hawkeye kit, then the primer. Not too sure how much of the cockpit can be seen through the glazing. Might add some crew.
The Welsh Harp Sea Monster has taken a battering, but I have the technology to rebuild her. Well I've got the parts.
My first attempt on the Shackleteer hasn't gone to plan. But as I have another two Shackleton fuselages in the stash and another Privateer to play with.
I thought I had bought all the kits I needed, not so. I'll need a 1/48 Me 262 to use the engines for the jet Shackleton and the 1/72 Canadair  CL-415 Water Bomber.