What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Formerly known as the 'Proteus', over the last few months this project has changed direction.
Originally based on the Lockheed Neptune with the wings, twin-tail boom and twin fins from the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar. The nose was fitted with a Double-Manta engine from a Gannet and two resin turboprop engines on each wing. The undercarriage landing gear is from the AeroClub Shackleton MK2 conversion set. The rear landing gear is from the FreightDog extended nose leg.
The nose wheelbay had a radome off the Gannet AEW vacform with the original kit version removed.
This has also been replaced with the parts from the Falcon Triple vacform EP-3A  and AP-7 conversion sets.
The scribbed lines on the weapons bay have been filled in. At the rear fuselage another Double-Mamba engine from another Gannet kit has been fitted. Air intakes and exhaust pipes to be fitted.
The six bladed propellers have been removed and so has the Hawk C-130 pods.

[McColm]

Been thinking of adding a pair of propfans to one of my 1/72 Martin SeaMaster kits. The photos and lined drawings in the Red Star volume 28 "Beriev's jet flying boats" indicate a contra-rotating layout of eight bladed propellers fitted to a horizontal airfoil supported by twin pylons.
If this was1/144 scale I'd utilize the engines from the Airfix hovercraft kit.
I think a raid in the spare parts bin is called for. The MAD boom is part of the T-tail.
Gone off the idea of an AEW version, although a Firebomer might be better.

[Dizzyfugu]

On ebay a Russian shop offers resin replacement engines for a Tu-95 in 1:144... just the engines' front end with contraprops, but it might be the ticket for a conversion?

[McColm]

Thanks

[Gondor]

On ebay a Russian shop offers resin replacement engines for a Tu-95 in 1:144... just the engines' front end with contraprops, but it might be the ticket for a conversion?

Any more information about that dizzy as I could be interested in a set

Gondor

[McColm]

This idea is based on the drawing of the twin-boomed AW.
651 twin engined Rolls-Royce Tyne proposal.
My plan is to use the fuselage from the Mach2 AW Argosy with the wings and twin-boom twin-find from the C-119 Flying Boxcar. The Tunes can be sourced from the Br.1150 Atlantic kit.
I'm using the wings on a Shackleton concept. Which will have shoulder mounted wings with the twin tail boom and twin fins.
Surprisingly the two kits almost compatible with each other.
As to the remaining parts of the Boxcar the Hiller X-18 springs to mind as the fuselage from the Chase YC-122C and two turboprop engines that were surplused from the Navy's cancelled VTOL fighter program ( Lockheed XFV-1 and Convair XFY-1 Pogo).
I'm sure that there is a resin kit of the X-18, possibly Anigrand.

[Dizzyfugu]

Any more information about that dizzy as I could be interested in a set

Gondor

It's a seller called "fencer_24" - no shop.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/m.html?ssPageName=&_ssn=fencer_24&rt=nc

The Tu-95 engines are currently not on sale (from a manufacturer called KOMPLEKT ZIP, check this: http://www.lindenhillimports.com/komplektzip.htm), but you might contact him?
IIRC, the sent went by less than EUR 15,- (plus p.p., but that was not too much) - a sound offer. Anyway, other conversion and detail sets are in the list.

Hope that helps?

[Gondor]

Any more information about that dizzy as I could be interested in a set

Gondor

It's a seller called "fencer_24" - no shop.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/m.html?ssPageName=&_ssn=fencer_24&rt=nc

The Tu-95 engines are currently not on sale (from a manufacturer called KOMPLEKT ZIP, check this: http://www.lindenhillimports.com/komplektzip.htm), but you might contact him?
IIRC, the sent went by less than EUR 15,- (plus p.p., but that was not too much) - a sound offer. Anyway, other conversion and detail sets are in the list.

Hope that helps?

It does indeed Dizzy

Gondor

[McColm]

The 1/72 Mach2 AW Argosy 102 BEA kit is compatible with the Italeri Fairchild C-119G.
(As you know I'm using the Argosy wings, main landing gear and engines on a Frog Avro Shackleton MR3, in a high shoulder concept.)
The Argos was a paper concept and there are some drawings. I'm not making an accurate model, the idea was a thought that I could have a go at.
As to the Wraith well that's changed as well. The double mamba engines replaced with turboprop engines from a C-130 kit. Three facing forward and one facing rearwards.Looks like some sort of Sneaky-Beaky aircraft that the USA military would have used by all four services during the Vietnam War and a long time afterwards.

[McColm]

The 1/72 Mach2 AW Argosy 102 BEA kit is compatible with the Italeri Fairchild C-119G.
(As you know I'm using the Argosy wings, main landing gear and engines on a Frog Avro Shackleton MR3, in a high shoulder concept.)
The Argos was a paper concept and there are some drawings. I'm not making an accurate model, the idea was a thought that I could have a go at.
As to the Wraith well that's changed as well. The double mamba engines replaced with turboprop engines from a C-130 kit. Three facing forward and one facing rearwards.Looks like some sort of Sneaky-Beaky aircraft that the USA military would have used by all four services during the Vietnam War and a long time afterwards.

I've made a mistake by gluing up the wrong halves of the boom on the Mach2 Argosy kit. The tail fins don't line up either but can be reworked. The undercarriage legs are fiddley, managed to break one leg.

[McColm]

Having now got my hands on Chris Gibson The Admiralty and AEW, the AW65 Argos now gets the AEW makeover. As the shape of the fuselage is very similar to the FASS antennae configuration if the Argosy series 100 kit from Mach2 is used as the donor.
There's another twin-boom twin-tail design the Vickers Supermarine Type 582. I can see 5-6 kits being kitbashed to achieve that design.
The Vickers Type 583 is more doable.

[McColm]

I received a copy of the book " American Secret Projects: Fighters, bombers and attack aircraft 1937-1945".
Loads of Whiffs to build. The North American NA-116 caught my attention so I've adapted the Shackateer. It still keeps the low wing but has the twin boom twin fins from the Italeri C-119C as the other set (G) is fitted to the Mach2 Argosy. The rear fuselage had to be cut to accommodate the resin Lancastain rear tail cone.
A little filler and the rear tail wheel to be fitted.

[McColm]

This idea is based on the drawing of the twin-boomed AW.
651 twin engined Rolls-Royce Tyne proposal.
My plan is to use the fuselage from the Mach2 AW Argosy with the wings and twin-boom twin-find from the C-119 Flying Boxcar. The Tunes can be sourced from the Br.1150 Atlantic kit.
I'm using the wings on a Shackleton concept. Which will have shoulder mounted wings with the twin tail boom and twin fins.
Surprisingly the two kits almost compatible with each other.
As to the remaining parts of the Boxcar the Hiller X-18 springs to mind as the fuselage from the Chase YC-122C and two turboprop engines that were surplused from the Navy's cancelled VTOL fighter program ( Lockheed XFV-1 and Convair XFY-1 Pogo).
I'm sure that there is a resin kit of the X-18, possibly Anigrand.

Part 2
There are gaps on the Mach2 Argosy between the fuselage and rear door section. The two halves don't mach either. Landing gear is from the Italeri kit and works well in the front nose well, the gaps filled but you can use scraps of plastic card. I haven't fitted any interior so a nose weight fed through the cockpit gap Will do before the canopy is painted black. The glazing fitted from the outside.
I've added a pair of Rolls-Royce Griffon engines, not a perfect fit but will do for me, had to chop the exhaust pipes as they wouldn't fit. Will go with the ones provided in the kit. Used 'Green Stuff' to fill all the gaps. The tail fins don't line up, both leaning towards the right.
The teardrop antenna as used on the Grumman  E-1B could be fitted as a rival design to that of Avro Type 748.
Not too sure if the Avro 748 could land on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier of the 1960's,or even an Argosy for that matter. Anything is possible in Whiffland, so I guess an arrestor hook is needed.This would be handy saves the Argos from being a tail-sitter. In-flight refuelling probe and pylons fitted under the wings.
Part3
I've gone for a pair of Rolls-Royce Tyne engines taken from the Revell Dassault Breguet Atlantic1 "MFG 3 Anniversary" kit. Machine guns are from the Italeri AC-119K along with the lumps and bumps.

[McColm]

With the change of shift at work and a new company that's taken over the contract, hours spent on builds will be restricted. I know that I'm not the fastest builder or the accurate in symmetric especially grafting fuselages or tail fins.
I'll sort the kits into; flying boats, AEW and helicopters. Keeping my vehicle collection and spare parts of lumps and bumps.
A list will follow in due course.

[McColm]

Just had an idea of using the metal main landing gear from the C-130 SAC kit.
Having tried using the landing gear from the Catalina, on a few kitbashed projects, this seems an easier option.