What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Been researching this and came to the conclusion that the RVHP 72122 is out of production with silly prices on that well known auction site. Sanger do the Be-12 1/72 vacform version.
AModel do the 1/144 kits, they also do the Be-200 in 1/144. You can get the Be-200 in 1/72 but that's out of my budget.
Revell do the Be-6 Madge and Deja do the Be-10 Mallow both in 1/72.
I've been toying with the idea of fitting a pair of turbojets to the Be-12.
This would be my first model made from vacform, although the Madge could be Whiffed to resemble the Be-12.

[McColm]

Gathering kits or spare/alternative parts to the builds planned for next year. Trying to budge no more than £30 per kit although broken or "spares/repairs" seem a barging when it comes to kitbashing.
Going to try my hand at vacform and build two giant hovercraft from the Airfix 1/144 Hoverspeed. Try and lengthen the deck space. Might need three kits for this. A rocket carrier, or shuttle carrier would work.

Vehicle wise "Honest John's garage" with showroom and forecourt.

The Soviet/Chinese versions of the B-29 and the EC-97 AEW, either 1/72 or 1/144.

[McColm]

Lockheed S-3 Viking is one of those aircraft that can be adapted to most Whiffs. Kits are available both new and secondhand.
However the Skywarrior is harder to find, the odd vacform does appear. An alternative could be the B-66 Destroyer, Revell kit in 1/72.
These would fit in the AEW topic, along side the Grumman E-1E. Mach2 or vacform conversion. Along with the AEW C-97, Shackleton with rotor dome, B-29/B-50 AEW projects. Mad Hatter and Phoenix.

The odd car kit, as well.

[PR19_Kit]

An alternative could be the B-66 Destroyer, Revell kit in 1/72.

IIRC it was an Italeri kit originally. Either that or there are two different moulds, I have two of the Italeri B-66s.

[McColm]

There are future releases of the 1/72 plastic Skywarrior and Trumpeter do the 1/48 scale version.

Sometimes I use the Blog to jot down random thoughts, otherwise I come away with pads full of ideas but have no idea what they refer to.
This may confuse some Whiffers as there is no set theme or link but I usually go back and link ideas together.Sometimes other Whiffers are on the same wavelength and have built their own version of a theme or topic. Which is  fine by me as no two builds are the same.

[Captain Canada]

Some Skywarriors would be nice to see.

[McColm]

The Bristol Freighter could carry three cars and 25 passengers, Airfix 1/72 kit no longer in production.
I tried but failed to stretch the fuselage, as I tried to create my own 1/72 Cavair .
There is a 1/144 kit available.
Cavair based on the DC-4 airliner.
This got me thinking of the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, not too sure if these were ever used as car transporters. The resin kit in 1/72 is available and there's a vacform kit as well. 1/200 kits on eBay.
The Argos had four Dart engines, I would have thought of upgrading to RR Tynes.
Maybe the C-119 Boxcar and C-160 could be kitbashed?
C-160 with twin tail booms and a second set of Tynes.
Worked on Project Phoenix using a C-130 and AC-119K kits, although I did make cam-shell rear doors and used the auxiliary turbojets placed above the wings.

If this fails there's the Blackburn Beverly!

[PR19_Kit]

The Heller DC6 combined with the cockpit from an Airfix Bristol Freighter might make a slightly longer Carvair?

[McColm]

Thanks Kit, I'll have a go. Heller do the 1/72 DC-6 kits, the Airfix Bristol Super Freighter is a bit of a rare beast, but a scratch built cockpit or one from a Wessex helicopter would do instead.

[sandiego89]

I mated an 1/144 Electra and a Carvair, which is a much cheaper way to go, here:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37285.0/highlight,carvair.html

I really need to do a refresh on this one- was never happy with my putty at the joints- but wanted to get it off the bench.  

-Dave

[McColm]

Pity its not in 1/72 scale although it did look good in 1/144.

[McColm]

Picked up a copy of Aeroplanemonthly February 2015 edition and had to take a second peak at the inside rear cover/last page as I thought that they were doing an article on the Lockheed Constellation. Turns out to be the Armstrong Whitworth Ensign on the Database  March issue.
I quickly Googled and read that the Ensign had been in service with the RAF but was scrapped due to bomber production.
Looks a lot like a C-69 Connie with a shoulder mounted wing and single tail fin. The engines are smaller than the American ones fitted to the Connie.
This has got me thinking that a few cuts with a razor saw behind the cockpit and at the rear, turn the fuselage section upside-down and add a few reinforcement tabs before gluing the new fuselage halves together. With the wing the wrong way round, this can be corrected so the undercarriage hangs down.
Possible bomber version to be built, transport/airliner and tanker. (AEW? wait and see.)
Could have given the Lockheed Constellation a worthy rival if developed further.

Further research needed, either Airfix or Heller 1/72 kits as donor models.
Welsh Models do the A.W. 27 Ensign in 1/144 with metal propellers, airline version.

[McColm]

Went up to Hamleys Toy Shop, Regents Street, London this afternoon. Haven't been in there for at least 20 years. They have a large range of Airfix kits and that's it. Sure every type of R/C model is there but no other kit manufactures.
Hopped on the tube to Hounslow Central and found an Early Learning Center with a small range of Revell kits at cheap prices. Obviously not selling that well, will wait until the sales start.
Some of the shops are starting to close up for the day.

Have a good Christmas where ever you are and be save on New Years Eve.

[Captain Canada]

I've got plans for a twin boom Constellation based transport. Probably be in 144th scale tho.

[McColm]

Anigrand do the Republic Rainbow which is closer to the Ensign. Just need to move the wings to shoulder height.
Been on Hannants website and I can afford to buy some 1/72 Anigrand kits, the X-18 tiltwing is a possible C-130 or C-160 Whiff.
Meanwhile the XF-108 Rapier has got me thinking in terms of an F-22 big wing bomber.

Thinking along the lines of a Hovercraft aircraft carrier. Three Hoverspeed Airfix 1/144 scale, end to end. Mega-stretch, engines mounted on pillars on the outside walls, flat deck for Harriers and helicopters. Ski-ramp a possibility. Four kits needed for fix wing aircraft.