What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Thought of building my own Whiff version with a tail ramp.

[Captain Canada]

Love the idea of the Valiant whif, especially as a RB type.

[McColm]

Good idea.
Couldn't help but notice the March issue of Airfix Model World and Hatton's advert spread over two pages. Got me thinking back to "Inch Colm". I could use the Airfix 1/72 D-Day kits; Gun Emplacement and modify the Coastal Defence Fort (supposed to represent the Germans), along with the Sea Assault Gift Set  and Air Assault Gift Set. I'm sure there's others to be released or under the title 'vintage' sets that can be bought or altered.

[McColm]

Not been able to Whiff has its advantages as you can research your next build (s) and cross-reference other ideas.
One thing that has cropped up is recognizing your own builds. Sure in a competition or at an exhibition but online becomes difficult. The decals could spell out your initials or you could create your own logo. Something suttle.
Unless I win the European Lotto, the chances of me owning my own property are slim, so selling a few builds to supplement my income is one way to go.

[Captain Canada]

My Grandfather used his initials as the call leters on his last build, a 1/4 scale RC Hurricane.

[McColm]

The Imperial War Museum is free to enter and is open daily from 10am-6pm except for 24-26 December. Wheelchair friendly, with five floors, a tea room and cafe, toilets and book shop/gift shops.
Hanging from the ceiling is a Harrier GR5 and Spitfire. A V-2 rocket stands vertical, with the earliest German cruise missile hanging overhead V-1. Internal staircase painted in grey takes you up to the fourth floor and the back stairs go all the way to the fifth floor which was closed when I went there on Saturday.
Exhibits over hang the floors.
The fifth floor- History Makers
Fourth - Second World War, The Holocaust. Very moving exhibits, the survivors talking of the horrors that they faced. Interactive and educational.
Third floor- Galleries-Real World Whiffs, mostly parts leftover and a written description.
Second floor-Peace and Security 1945-2014.
First floor-more of  WWII, family at war and the turning points 1934-1945. Mini-submarines, cockpit of a Lancaster bomber, artillery pieces, models of floating tanks, Rolls Royce Merlin Engine.
Then the stairs back down to the ground floor to the heaviest pieces ie T34 Russian tank, remains of a car bomb, TV news LandRover.

[McColm]

There seems to be a lot of interest being paid to the Lockheed Ventura whether you prefer the Academy 1/72 Ventura II kit no.2105 or the 1/48 Revell/Monogram.
Personaly I'd never paid attention to this aircraft until I saw the artwork in the March issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling Vol 37 issue 01. There's also an article in Februarys Vol 14, ISS 02 Model Aircraft. With a detailed account of the Boulton Paul Type A MK VI Gun Turret.
There's a large scope for Whiffing although I think most of the ideas where turned into Real World Aircraft.
I need to do a bit of research first.

[Captain Canada]

Yes the Ventura has lots of scope for whiffing. A floatplane hull ?

[McColm]

Seems to me that the Venturas went on to be converted back to civvie aircraft or used for military transport/cargo.
Engines could be replaced, either larger - Connies or B-29/50. RR Darts or the turboprops from the Heritage Aviation Model Limited resin kits.
A new solid nose and plug for where the upper gun turret was installed.
A pair of RR Griffons wouldn't look out of place, side rectangle windows and airline decals. Private aircraft or water bomber.
A pair of floats and or V-shaped weapons bay-scoop.

[McColm]

Good idea. Got me thinking of a twin tailed Bristol Superfreighter. Or a night attack version with guns in the nose. Even a Freighter bomber. I do hope Airfix releases an upto date version as they seem to be revising some of their older kits. Perhaps the Rotodyne as well. I know Airfix and Revell read my blogs as they both have released the 1/72 Avro Shackleton MK2 AEW.
Revell read my plea for the Routemaster bus and the Fairway FX4 taxi. Still an updated or conversion set of the 1997 model would be just perfect.
Whilst your at it the C-124 in 1/72 scale and C-133 or 1/144 if they are too big for your range now that the C-54 is to be released.
The Carvair conversion in resin or vacform would be a welcomed change in 1/72 scale.
The Ford Capri MkI and MKII in 1/24 or the Triumph Stag. Even the Triumph 2000 in plastic.
But most of all the MGB in 1/24.

[McColm]

Yes the Ventura has lots of scope for whiffing. A floatplane hull ?

Further research into the Ventura leads to the PV-1 used by the USNavy and the PV-2 renamed Harpoon. In the ASW and attacks against enemy ships.
Apparently the civil versions had stretched fuselages and pointed noses.

[Captain Canada]

Neptune in 144th scale while we're talking about it. I do like these Freighter ideas tho.

[McColm]

Come mid March I shall be Whiffing again, deciding what kit I should build first is a real puzzler. Should stick to the 1/72 Sea Hurricane, still in its box. Perhaps get some floats, or work on an engine conversion. Perhaps both. Haven't given up on a two seater version.

The Mach2 Valiant did look good with the wings from the Airfix BAe Nimrod. So the next project will be using the Airfix kit and swapping over the wings and using the FlightPath RB-47H conversion kit.
The Nimrod with Vulcan wings works, this time I'll keep the Vulcan's engines and upgrade the exhaust pipes.
Wings from the Caravelle could work on the remaining parts of the Vulcan.
Depends on this years budget.

With MG cars being 90 years old, I've got a few vehicles that I'd like to rebadge or kitbash.

Thinking of Whiffing the Mach2 Caravelle as an AEW & C. Seen a conversion set of the ASP-125 in resin both in 1/144 and 1/72 on eBay. A change of engines or two underwing pylon mounted turbofans ie CFM if they fit. Possible stretch version or change of wing .

[sandiego89]

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Thinking of Whiffing the Mach2 Caravelle as an AEW & C. Seen a conversion set of the ASP-125 in resin both in 1/144 and 1/72 on eBay. A change of engines or two underwing pylon mounted turbofans ie CFM if they fit. Possible stretch version or change of wing .

Caravelle has great WHIF potential, and is way underrepreented here- agree a AEW would be a good fit.  I don't think modern CFM turbofans would work under the wing- the Caravelle is realy low slung- more so than a 737 or a 'Bus.

Would need taller gear, or better to leave the engines near the tail.

Image here (scroll down a bit) shows a worker hunched under a wing of a Caravelle about where a jet would go.  Shoulder height perhaps.  You can walk under a 737 wing at a similar point on the wing. 

http://famgus.se/Vykort/APC-EarlyJets.html   

[PR19_Kit]

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Thinking of Whiffing the Mach2 Caravelle as an AEW & C. Seen a conversion set of the ASP-125 in resin both in 1/144 and 1/72 on eBay. A change of engines or two underwing pylon mounted turbofans ie CFM if they fit. Possible stretch version or change of wing .

Caravelle has great WHIF potential, and is way underrepreented here- agree a AEW would be a good fit. 

That's 'cos the Mach 2 kit is pretty pricy and the Airfix 1/144 one isn't one of their best and hasn't been produced for ages.

IIRC there were plans to fit higher ratio turbo-fans to Sterling's Caravelles but they went bust before any conversions were actually done.

The sole Caravelle 10A was fitted with the aft fan GE engines, but I think that it was one of only two fan engine Caravelles.