What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Thanks Guys,  they should be finished just in time for the 2022 Whifferies plus a few more.

[TheChronicOne]

Good to see some pics!

[McColm]

Friday 18th December 2020

The Revell 1/72 Breguet Br1150 Atlantic ATL1, project name Oceanic now has the wings from the Airfix HS/BAe Nimrod MR.1/MR.2.
Whereas the 1/72 Airbus Beverley now has an upper deck, made out of scrap vacform and the wings from the Revell Airbus A400M Atlas.
I found a pair of 1/72 Monogram B-36 Peacemaker wings which I removed the inner engines making them four for turning and four for burning,  the propellers from the Revell Atlas fit. I will use them for the vacform Convair RB/B-36D when it arrives.
The wings from the Heller 1/72 Mirage IVP fit the Airfix Tornado F.3 rather well, it could be the missing link between the Tornado and the Typhoon.
So there's about 20 builds to complete, 2021 might be the year that I get these finished. The next phase will definitely include a few car builds but some sort of 00 gauge layout even if it is just a test track that fits under the bed, probably a second radius curve. We shall see.

[McColm]

Thursday 24th December 2020

I have glued the Airfix H.S./BAe Nimrod wings to the Revell Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic ATL1 kit, which has used all my modelling clamps.
PSR work has begun on the 1/72 Northrop-Convair Valency (ex-flying wing with additional parts). I have managed to fit parts of the Airfix Avro Shackleton AEW.2 control centre/radar screens into the space behind the cockpit and found a piece of clear plastic that fills the gap,  sort of glass roof. Similar to the promotion film made by Northrop for the jet flying wing commercial airline.
The 1/72 Heller DC-6B/Southern Star continues with PSR and will get the propellers from the Airfix Avro Shackleton AEW.2 whilst the 'Shack with the stack ' will get the contra-rotating propellers from the AMT/ERTL Northrop X/YB-35 Flying Wing. This will look good in period USNavy decals.
The Mach2 Martin WB-57F which now has the Rolls-Royce Tyne engines will also get the remaining four propellers,  as the other two sets have one blade snapped off.

Seasonal greetings,  stay safe and take care.

[McColm]

Saturday 26th December 2020

The Italeri middle section of the 1/72 B-52G fits inside the bomb bay of the 1/72 Revell/Monogram Convair RB-36H. It's my version of the Convair YB-60 with the nose and rear radomes from the Cammett BAe Nimrod AEW.3 conversion set. The tail will also get the B-52 parts. I know that I should have put the B-52 landing gear in first before gluing the wing section but I have found this to be a bit frustrating for me. The B-36 landing gear along with the out rigger gear should suffice.
The 1/72 EB-35, now has an operations room made from the Revell Avro Shackleton AEW.2. Cut down to size, it means rearranging the cockpit canopy but I have found a clear vacform moulding that fits. If I make the fuselage windows a bit larger I can see the interior detail.
Although today is Boxing day,  Monday will be the bank holiday in the UK. It was so peaceful at work,  I was watching the CCTV monitor seeing keen D.I.Y.ers pulling up to Wicks and Screwfix in Erith but finding them shut. Most of Woolwich feels like a ghost town even the DLR was closed. The high winds have started from Storm Bella. I'll see some of the damage tomorrow when I am back at work.

[McColm]

Monday 28th December 2020

It's a bank holiday Monday,  although Saturday was Boxing day and I hope that I get paid double time for it. Anyway back to the builds.
The 1/72 Heller DC-6B Southern Star has the M61 rotary cannon taken from the Italeri B-52G Stratofortress fitted to the nose. This is now beginning to look like the Maritime Sea Serpent MR.1.
Whilst the 1/72 Revell/Monogram RB-36H model is slowly being kitbashed into an AEW platform. The T-tail from the Revell Airbus A400M Atlas is glued in place and the engines from the Italeri B-52G are also glued in place. The B-52G wing spar area will be blended into the shape of the B-36 and I will cut out the wheel wells for the main landing gear. A third set will be used to prevent a tail sitter. At the moment it's looking like a round peg in a square hole but I think that a few lumps and bumps should be able to hide this.
Perhaps the Boeing B-59 is doable after all,  B-52 kitbashed with the B-2 stealth bomber,  it's a good job most of my stash is a lot smaller in size.

[McColm]

Tuesday 29th December 2020

For those of you that have the idea of shortening the 1/72 Revell/Monogram Convair RB-36H Peacemaker kit this can be achieved by removing the wing section. I discovered this whilst inserting the wings from the 1/72 Italeri Boeing
B-52G , I managed to find the piece of plastic tube from the Contrail vacform B-36D kit and cut it to size. This doubles up for the bomb bays and stiffened the fuselage. For some reason I had to reglue both engines on the right wing. There's loads of PSR to do.
My local Wilko branch is closing down,  so the nearest one is in North Greenwich. It reminds me of Woolworths in many ways. It's a shame as they sold Gorilla glue and wet & dry sand paper,  plus bedding and sweets.
I have been watching Professor Simon on YouTube,  I'm learning new things about RAF Machrihanish,  it's supposed to be closed but the MOD are still spending loads of money keeping the infrastructure running.  Nicknamed 'Britain's  Area 51'. I know and I thought Pitreave Castle was weird. They sealed the entrances and built a housing estate on the grounds.
I'm still finding kits that I had forgotten about mostly 1/24 or 1/25 cars, so they will need sorting out after I complete some of my builds,  I need to invest in some shelves.

[McColm]

Saturday 2nd January 2021

I started work on a new site near Selco builders merchant, Charlton  (posh end of Woolwich) next to  Stonebridge Industrial Estate. I got to watch buses all day and prevent gypsies from moving on the land. A welfare suite was provided in the form of a portakabin with chemical toilet and diesel generator,  the upgrade version of the one at Tower Hamlets and Colnbrook. Painted in NATO green paint but it is warm and cosy inside. No wifi but I got to watch loads of videos that I downloaded. It's a tough life being a security officer,  which got me thinking is there a 'Boris Bus ' kit available or could I modify the Revell 1/24 Routemaster? Unlike the 1/24 Austin FX-4 London black cab which varies in price depending upon which kit you choose Japanese or German one. I know that I can squeeze a V8 into the engine bay and make it into a two door coupe. The blacked out windows hide a multitude of sins,and the next time I build this I must remember to get the tyres that fit first.
On the Blackburn Beverley front,  I need to get a better vacform kit and extend the fuselage around the loading bay further along the boom. It shouldn't interfere with the twin tail fins and the Contrail Convair RB/B-36D would benefit from the Tradewind front loading ramp,  although the nose wheel will need to be relocated and I will have a go at adding the engines to the leading edge of the wings.
The 1/72 Convair E-60 Peacehaven is coming along slowly,  I'm tempted to use the B-52 wings, tail  fins, landing gear and engines on the vacform VC10 fuselage,  a whiff B-52 passenger airliner. I think it would work. Just in time for the 2023 whatifs awards.

[McColm]

Monday 4th January 2021

Yes folks I am a member of the 'Saturday Club '. Thanks to Covid 19, I get to work Saturdays,  which is good in some ways as I don't get in contact with many people. Friends of mine have had the virus and yes it isn't very nice. It knocks you for six and drains your energy so they say.
My creative side is starting to show and I will be able to finish most of my started builds,  that's if I don't get too distracted and start any new builds. Although the wings from the 1/72 Testors Northrop B-2 Spirit do fit the vacform Vickers VC10 fuselage better than the Italeri B-52G wings. This isn't the best kit,  it lacks detailing which makes it ideal for kitbashing.
I have a pile of builds waiting painting which I will start tomorrow,  the only drawback to the larger builds is where to put them. At the moment two are perched on top of my wardrobe. Japanese cubism at it's finest.
I have taken up cooking again and have learnt how not to burn the onions,  plenty of stews are on the menu. I'm also catching up on my reading,  preferring paper to electronic pages. Meditation and reiki really helps me to stay focused.
Stay safe and take care 😷🇬🇧

[McColm]

Wednesday 6th January 2021

Just working on the 1/72 Northrop Stingray MR.1,  which is a combination of the donor X/YB-35 Flying Wing  with the middle section of the upper Testors B-2 Spirit and parts from the spares boxes.
The rudders from the YB-49 are now glued to the upper fuselage,  on the wingtips are the ESM pods from the Revell Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic ATL1.
(I have run out of filler/puty,  supplies are due to arrive over the weekend. )
The underneath is still a bit of a mess!

Meanwhile the 1/72 Heller DC-6B donor still has the engines from the Airfix Avro Shackleton AEW. 2 and the radome is glued underneath the nose due to the nose landing gear which keeps snapping off every time I move it. The rear tail guns from the Italeri B-52G really give the Sea Serpent MR.1
character. The sonorbouy launch tubes from the Revell Breguet Br.1150 are glued on at the rear of the kit. I think that if I built this again I would fit this piece flush with the fuselage as it's a very good fit.

[TheChronicOne]

Ahh yes the snapping nose gear. May as well just leave it off until you're done. 

[McColm]

Ahh yes the snapping nose gear. May as well just leave it off until you're done. 

Or buy the white metal landing gear, some are available in brass as well.

[TheChronicOne]

Yeah there ya go!! Excellent idea.    I forget about that sometimes. I did manage to buy some for by big 707 though.    Boy, even after the build process is done the metal gear are so handy. Some of my models have had the gear repaired MORE times after they are finished and on display than when they were being built. 

[McColm]

Yeah there ya go!! Excellent idea.    I forget about that sometimes. I did manage to buy some for by big 707 though.    Boy, even after the build process is done the metal gear are so handy. Some of my models have had the gear repaired MORE times after they are finished and on display than when they were being built. 

If only someone did metal rotor blades for helicopters or resin blades. They have a tendency to snap off as well,  the alternative is to display the helicopter in the stowed position.

[McColm]

Thursday 7th January 2021

My 1/72 Martin Marina twin turbofaned amphibious flying boat has undergone surgery. It's the second completed build and the first aircraft that I finished using the Mach2 kit as the donor. There's ESM pods on the wingtips and a pair of TF33 engines from the Heller Boeing E-3A/C AWACS kit,  the exhausts are from the Monogram B-36 Peacemaker jet pods,  the sponsors are from the MH-53E and I think the wheels are cut down from a C-130 main landing gear tyres. I think over the years many different layers of paint have been applied the last one is NATO green with the cockpit canopy painted silver.
I have added the T-tail from a 1/144 ZVEZDA  Ekranoplan  A-90 Orljonok and the M.A.D. boom from the 1/72 Revell Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic ATL1. Where the contra-rotating propellers would be located,  I snapped off the propellers and glued the remaining part to cover the hole,  so it now looks like the Marina has three jet engines; one in the tail and the other two under each wing.
I've found the Tamiya extra thin cement and there's a quarter of it left, I used my own brush to apply it. Which works out better for me. Which means that I can start on the Revell Ekranoplan A-90 kit provided that all the pieces are there. If not then a kitbash of an almost straight from the box minus the engines and T-tail parts supplied by a 1/144 B-52G.