Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[rickshaw]

Very nicely done, Chris.  The Fw187 and the Welkin are both particularly well done.   

[NARSES2]

1 step forwards and 2 back with the Wildcat  

This is not a kit for younger or indeed inexperienced modellers that's for sure. The undercarriage as I've mentioned is exceptionally fiddly and requires accurate cutting from the sprue, cleaning up and alignment before committing the glue. This then attaches to the cockpit tub via the forward bulkhead and if you don't get everything lined up and in particular perpendicular it will just not fit nor allow the fuselage to close. Guess how I know ?  

The only way I could sort this out and it was all my fault, was to cut the forward bulkhead/undercarriage off and install that and the cockpit as separate entities. It's still not 100% right but at least I can close the fuselage now.

For my next build  (when the FAA version comes out) I will install  the cockpit tub first and use that to ensure the forward bulkhead lines up and is perpendicular which will mean the fuselage closes up ok. From the way the parts are designed that looks to be the most sensible approach.

Oh and on top of that I haven't got the camouflage colours, thought I had but haven't.

Hers some pics of the cockpit/bulkhead/undercarriage before my surgery

[DogfighterZen]

That does look a bit complicated... But the cockpit looks good though!

[NARSES2]

Right after the drama of the undercarriage/cockpit tub it's been plain sailing 

Rest of the fit is very good and nice and quick. The tail planes are in one piece and simply push and click into their housing, no glue needed. The separate rudder is a lot more positive a fit then some recent Airfix kits, they could be a problem to keep in place whilst gluing, and the wings are a great fit. Again you could leave them unglued if you wanted as the fit is nice and tight with no need for putty at the seams at all.

I've always intended to build this with one wing folded. Well I nearly changed my mind last night as I couldn't work the wing fold out. Anyway figuring I was tired I looked at it in the fresh light of day and cracked it. It's quite simple actually you just have to have a very close look at the instruction diagrams. It could be more positive but will glue ok. Indeed as I'm not likely to get much more done before next week, busy weekend, I've applied Maskol so that a) I don't paint over the joining areas and b) I remember where they are 

After getting the e-mail from Airfix telling you of the restock I've used my Flying Hours to order another Beaufighter and another Wildcat. Why the Wildcat ? Well firstly I want to see if my undercarriage fix works and secondly I suddenly thought of a Finnish one instead of the Buffalos they had.

[NARSES2]

Well here's a pic of the Wildcat showing her basically finished in so far as construction goes.

Since this was taken she has had paint applied to both her uppers and lowers. Can't decide on which option in the box ; USN or USMC ? ay go with the USN option as it has the red dot in the markings and the striped tail

[zenrat]

I second the stripy tail & the red dot.
I thought the ones in the pics in AMW looked v.good like that.

[NARSES2]

Yup the stripey tail wins  

Busy social week so progress will be bits and pieces, but have started with the transfers

[NARSES2]

Well the Wildcat has had her transfers completed, indeed she is very close to completion. Matt varnish, lights, fiddly bits and then fit the folded wing and touch any necessary bits up 

Transfers behaved very well. There are a fair few stencils although not so many that you go "oh booger it" and throw them out  and they are all perfectly legible, used the lot. It's nice that they have included the propeller stencils as they are very noticeable on the real thing. So you get the verbage plus the makers logo on each prop, so 6 transfers in all.

[NARSES2]

Some work ; The Wildcat is ready for her matt coat.

The 137 has had her interiors done and can have the fuselage closed up. The fit is excellent and the fuselage join will probably need a mere smear of PPP whilst the wing/fuselage joint looks to be spot on. I did drill the mating holes out a tad but it is good. As an example of the casting the seat has a slot moulded for the seatbelts to pass through to their anchor point. It came open ! No flash whatsoever. Now yes they may have cleaned it but it just shows the general high level of the kit. The etch brass is probably the thinnest I've seen and indeed blows away if you just breath at it - ask how I know 

Also started on my Airfix Kate. Did the surgery necessary for a folded wing.

Decided to call it a day after that, getting tired. You know you are tired when the de-bonder comes out....twice 

[NARSES2]

Finally got some work done post Telford. It always takes me an age so just over a week is not bad at all, some years I don't get anything done until the new year.

The F4F has had her wing hung and is now just a few licks of paint away from completion. The 137 did need filler but only because I buggered the fuselage join up  I said in a previous post I was getting tired last time I worked on her and in all honesty I should of packed up an hour earlier, still live and learn.

So hopefully get some more work done on the 137 and the Kate over the weekend. Once the F4F is finished I'll start another one which will be a wif as I want to see if it's possible to avoid the headache that is Airfix's way of assembling the cockpit/undercarriage.

[NARSES2]

Well the F4F was finished this morning and she looks quite nice, I'll post a couple of pics in during the week. Nice kit and goes together easily once you get past the undercarriage/cockpit assembly and that Grumman wing fold, although once you get your head round it the kit deals with this quite easily. The open canopy option is worth mentioning. You get a closed canopy and separate windscreen/canopy sections in the kit and the separate rear canopy clicks into place beautifully 

Got the 137 fuselage sanded so can get on with it tomorrow together with the Kate and my second F4F

[NARSES2]

Here's a couple of shots of the F4F as promised. In the meantime I got started on my He 100

[Captain Canada]

Tha Wildcat looks good Chris ! Sure does look like a lot of fiddly bits in there tho...and thanks for the heads up.

[NARSES2]

It's the undercarriage Capt, the wingfold is surprisingly easy once you look at it for a while and work it out, sturdy to 

As said my second kit will be built slightly differently so I'll report back. Hopefully well before the Martlet is out

[NARSES2]

Some progress with the interior of the He 100 which I know will disappear once the fuselage is joined, but I know it's there as they say 

I struggle to make progress this time of year ; post Telford and pre Christmas but I'll keep tinkering. I did however find an old notebook whilst looking for something else and it's got a load of idea's for potential wif's in it  Also got a draft for a newsletter article, or rather draft notes