What's on the workbench!

[PR19_Kit]

Crayford on the other hand beat the main UK car manufactures on the convertible or 3/5 door estate (as the word hatchback, wasn't in use at the time). I never knew you could buy a Austin 1800 5 door or the Morris equivialant. I know that there are diecast models of the Wolseley Six, based on the Austin 1800. Different rear light cluster, grill and wood veneer trim. Leather seats weren't an option at the time, but the Woseley did have a top speed of 120mph and was the fastest of the three. The Austrailians had a Ute version.
As to the Land Lobster, the Austin 3 L. This also comes in a diecast model, but I haven't seen the estate advertised. There was a V8 Wolseley version built but this never made it onto the sales forecourt of any dealer, but the garage at BL as it kept breaking down!!
There are no 1/24 or 1/25 plastic kits of the Austin Princess. I've got a 1/43 kit that I've started to create a fifth door and there are plenty of diecast models.
This now begs the question could the Rover V8 engine have fitted into the the '1800 series' or  Austin Princess?
As the ride qualtity of the Austin 3 Litre straight six was on the boarderline of the Rolls Royce, would the 4 litre engine from RR have been the better choice of engine. Austin were to rebadge this the Rover, however sales were poor and the 3L engine drank petrol at an alarming rate. Hence the V8 alternitive and then there is the front grill, maybe they could have copied Bentley and got the appeal of Ministers or the Daimler buyer. Well several Police forces bought it and an ambulance version built.

Crayford were always on the case when it came to making odd-ball versions of stock vehicles. IIRC their 1800 hatchback used the rear window frame welded to the boot lid as the rear door and looked almost standard from the side view. I think they used some of the Maxi design for the strengthening beam above the door opening. as the hinge points look almost identical.

Darned if I know why the Wolsely should have been that fast, the engine/transmission was exactly the same as the 1800. The Austin was quite quick, and on my last day with Pressed Steel Fisher I drove one round the MIRA high speed track at 110 mph with four of us aboard, just because I could.  

As for an estate Austin 3 Litre (ADO61), there never was one, at least not a BL catalogued model anyway, but Crayford made a few but no-one seems to know how many. For some reason they used the rear door from the 1100 estate, and not the Maxi door.

Doubtfull if the Rover 3.5 V8 would have gone into an 1800, they'd have needed a totally new transmission as the engine was mounted transversly, plus there just wasn't enough room fore and aft for the width of the V8. Unlike the V8 MGB where they didn't need a new transmission and there was LOADS of room.

The V8 may well have fitted into the ADO61 but then they would have been in competition with the same division of the company that made the engine! Marketing was everything in those days, and the various divisions were not meant to compete with each other.

Lots more on the 3 Litre and its variations here :-

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/category/the-cars/austin-3-litre/

[McColm]

Thanks Kit.

[McColm]

I've been going through my recent buys and I must say that my wish list is almost complete. Okay there with still be the odd purchase, when building 'Inch McColm' but my spending will be down to a minimum.
As I've mentioned before I'm working down in Erith for a month, covering a fellow worker whilst he is on holiday, I'll keep you posted on any progress made on my current builds and take loads of photos to download.
Take care of yourselves,
Steven

[McColm]

Last weekend saw the London Underground close 7 tube lines and most of the south east rail network. Getting to work was a nightmare, 4 hours! On the plus side I caught the number 99 bus to Woolwich and then caught the Docklands Light Railway to the Bank Station, wow!! I've just got to take a ride on the cable car crossing and getting up close and personal to London City Airport, which gave me another idea for 'InchMcColm'.
This weekend is no better, the buses weren't stopping at Victoria Station due to the march up town and you've guessed it most of the tube network isn't running either.
Well its one way to loose weight with all that walking. Got three days off midweek, to tinker. Then back on the crazy shift

[NARSES2]

I've just got to take a ride on the cable car crossing and getting up close and personal to London City Airport,

Did the cable car across the river in the summer - very good  As for LCA it always looks like the back end of a cow with the Abyssinian doodad's to me, especially viewed from the DLA. Quite nice inside however.

Don't even get me started on Tube and Rail weekend "essential engineering works" getting to Twickenham for Rugby the other Sunday was nigh on impossible 

[McColm]

This crossing opened on the 28th June 2012. The nearest tube station is North Greenwich and is within walking distance from the O2 areana, on the other side of the river Thames the Royal Victoria Docks DLR next to the ExCel Centre. Cost per single fare is £4.30 or £3.20 with your Oyster card.

I've read somewhere that the Chinese are planning to build a MagLev line in Scotland, I hope they name it 'The flying Scotsman'.

[McColm]

All in 1/72 scale
The Lockheed turbo Neptune has had decals from the Airfix Liberator applied, just needs the propellors from a Quickboost Hamilton kit to be added and the glazing painted black.

[McColm]

In this December's issue of Air Forces Monthly there seem to of had a sneak preview on my current builds. Page 7 'Exercise Joint Warrior 12-2' the real world helicopter in question is a USNavy Sikorsky MH-60R, (I'm using parts from the Airfix Sea Lynx on my navy Sea Hawk).
Page 8 a sole Cobra Ball training aircraft with 4 x CFM-56 engines. I'm using the Heller RC-135V/W kit. The cheek pouches are going on another BAe Nimrod project.
Page 30. The fifth ShinMaywa US-2 is now in service with the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force. My PS-1 is still in the box.

There is an interesting article on Germany's military helicopters page 58. My Airfix HH-53 will be stretched as the parts from a MH-53 have been used on a Rotor Dyne project, the camshell doors have been replaced by a ramp (the rear section of the MH-53 kit!!)

Then there is the article on China's Sea Dragons (naval aircraft). The Chinese Navy have been busy copying the Brits. They loved the Jaguar so they built their own version (JH-7A) and powered it by copies of the Rolls-Royce spey MK 202 engines, they bought a few of these engines when the fleet were scrapped back in the 1980s. That's not all, the radar from the Nimrod AEW with a bit of help from the Swedes has gone on to be included in a handfull of Y-8W 'Balance Beam' AEW&C aircraft. (I've used an Airfix F-27 instead for the base) and is also used on the Y-8J, based on the Antonov An-12 Cub. ( mine is based on a Dassault Atlantic fuselage with a pair of BAe Nimrod wings, the large radome is from a David J Parkins resin kit).

I've got a Flanker in my stash, so I just need to get some decals in the new year!

[McColm]

I picked up a copy of 'Scale Auto' , not my usual magazine but I was impressed on the coverage of 1/25 scale model cars. Okay, it's an American magazine covering most of the muscle cars. There are two articles on the AMT 1965 Chevy Impala, page 40 shows the convertible which I'll use for inspiration on my Dodge Charger 'General Lee' metal top convertible.
The other is the AMT 1965 Chevelle Superwagon, which I have converted into a three door panel wagon/van. Basically filling in the back doors and adding plastikard for the rear windows. Although it does say 1966 on the box and I've glued the hood/bonnet shut.
I'll use the engine in the Dodge Charger from the AMT kit as this has more detail than the old Airfix one and add side chrome exhuast pipes.
The three door European Ford Capri has has new wings fitted, front and rear. This is looking similar to the Tickford version, whereas the five door version is getting a detailed interior using my spare parts bin.

Decals are being applied to the Griffon Powered twin tail Connie to represent cargo doors. I've found two tiger faces that I could copy onto the AWACS turbo-prop Connie.
It seems that a major redesign of my stretched  Airfix Rotordyne is in order as this has developed a slight bend in the fuselage where the two halves were joined. This will be rectified by the adding of side tanks from a MH-47 Chinook, which I just purchased. I've got an idea for the two rotors, but that can wait until this lot gets finished.

[McColm]

To me Whiffing is finding the right parts to go on my builds. Take the two Rotordyne builds;
One has used the HH-54 Skycrane as a basis and the parts from the Revell Rotordyne added, with extended wings from the Airfix rotordyne kit. Making the total aircraft engines four instead of the usual two. Its' cargo is the Revell Rotordyne without the main rotor or rear stabilisers.

Whilst the two CH-47E kits have been glued together, the rotor heads cut off and the Airfix main rotor glued on. I've abandoned the wing stub and gone for two jet engines from a B-66 Destroyer kit, with the stabilisers from the Airfix kit.

[NARSES2]

One has used the HH-54 Skycrane as a basis and the parts from the Revell Rotordyne added, with extended wings from the Airfix rotordyne kit. Making the total aircraft engines four instead of the usual two. Its' cargo is the Revell Rotordyne without the main rotor or rear stabilisers.

That's interesting. The Revell kit is not quite 1/72 ? Therefore Big Brother has to get Little Brother out of trouble again !!! 

[McColm]

The Revell kit is 1/64 scale.

[PR19_Kit]

The Revell kit is 1/64 scale.

That would make it larger than the Airfix 1/72 scale kit and it's actually smaller........... 

[McColm]

ooops,
I'll have to check again.
It's 1/78 scale.

[McColm]

Hi,
Work has gone a bit daft. I was expecting a four day week throughout April so I could spend a day or two finishing off builds. Instead I'll have to wait until May, not all bad. As I can spend a Saturday up in Coventry Airport snapping away at a Avro Shackleton MR.2 WR963 but that will have to wait until there is good weather.
A few ideas of adding the Canberra wings to a B-17 and swapping them round.