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

[NARSES2]

I've started to get the transfers on the Wyvren - thanks again Geoff 

The Tornado is now looking like an aeroplane. Went together fairly well, even the interior although you won't see it when she is closed up. The kit has a strange selection on the etch sheet including the undercarriage bracing struts  Why these have been done in flat etched brass is beyond me. I'll replace them with ones made from plastic rod. The main undercarriage is white metal so that's ok  I used some cheap super glue on the main construction - £1 store, 5 small bottles for guess what £1  ). Worked very well so can recommend it.

I've been toying with doing this in the scheme which has one wing underside in black. Not sure I can shoehorn her into late 1940, early 41 though ? Will probably do her in the mid 1941 scheme, brown/green/sky with pale blue spinner and tail band. Hurricane squadron markings. The back story will be that the Vulture engine didn't cause any problems in development (that will take some believing) and therefore she went into production as a stopgap until the Typhoon came on stream. She makes a nice missing link in the Hawker story, Typhoonish but with the belly radiator (the kit is of the first prototype before they went to the chin radiator)

[Thorvic]

Glad to hear those 'transfers' are working out ok 

With the Tornado how about assignig to tbe med as a stopgap ?

[kitbasher]

If it's chin radiator Tornado then why not apply the black and white ident strips worn by the very early Typhoons?  I'm sure the recognition issues would have applied equally to the Tornado..

[The Wooksta!]

The Vulture was apparently fine for Tornado but it was problematical for Manchester due to endurance missions.  Few hours over France for Tornado?  Fine.  12 hour missions over Berlin?  Cooked engines.

[NARSES2]

If it's chin radiator Tornado then why not apply the black and white ident strips worn by the very early Typhoons?  I'm sure the recognition issues would have applied equally to the Tornado..

It's the original prototype with the belly radiator. Line her up with the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest and you really will be able to see the family tree.

[NARSES2]

With the Tornado how about assignig to tbe med as a stopgap ?

Could do but I think I'll stick with UK based as I quite like the scheme I've found on the Hurricane. The sky blue spinner and tail band look good 

[kitnut617]

If it's chin radiator Tornado then why not apply the black and white ident strips worn by the very early Typhoons?  I'm sure the recognition issues would have applied equally to the Tornado..

It's the original prototype with the belly radiator. Line her up with the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest and you really will be able to see the family tree.

Is that the LF Models kit Chris ?

[NARSES2]

If it's chin radiator Tornado then why not apply the black and white ident strips worn by the very early Typhoons?  I'm sure the recognition issues would have applied equally to the Tornado..

It's the original prototype with the belly radiator. Line her up with the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest and you really will be able to see the family tree.

Is that the LF Models kit Chris ?

Yes it is mate. It's gone together quite well as well  Obviously a fair bit of psr, but nothing drastic. the wings will need Mr Surfacer because of the pin holes but other then that nothing ill to report. Transfer sheet only has 4 roundels and serials. The roundels are the blue/red ones but in what I would describe as pre-war colours so wifs in themselves 

[kitnut617]

Is that the LF Models kit Chris ?

Yes it is mate. It's gone together quite well as well  Obviously a fair bit of psr, but nothing drastic. the wings will need Mr Surfacer because of the pin holes but other then that nothing ill to report. Transfer sheet only has 4 roundels and serials. The roundels are the blue/red ones but in what I would describe as pre-war colours so wifs in themselves 

I've got one of those in the stash along with the 'beard' radiator version (I think that is made by another manufacturer though  )

[NARSES2]

Is that the LF Models kit Chris ?

Yes it is mate. It's gone together quite well as well  Obviously a fair bit of psr, but nothing drastic. the wings will need Mr Surfacer because of the pin holes but other then that nothing ill to report. Transfer sheet only has 4 roundels and serials. The roundels are the blue/red ones but in what I would describe as pre-war colours so wifs in themselves 

I've got one of those in the stash along with the 'beard' radiator version (I think that is made by another manufacturer though  )

I've not seen the "beard" radiator kit. You really could show the Hurricane to Tempest development with that

[NARSES2]

Right psr continues on the M 20 and the Tornado whilst the transfers are gradually going on the Wyvren. The Airfix ones (thanks Geoff  ) went on a treat but the Trumpeter ones are playing silly buggers with me. Nothing serious but they are thin so tend to curl up on themselves and then they are not the best in the world at staying where they are put, thus the process is a fairly slow one. Hoping to get the M 20 and Tornado primed over the weekend.

The 2 WWI guns are getting there  I'm working on the peripheries at the moment, mainly the loading tackle for the 15". Some beautiful fine casting here and then some parts are just......... I've found the £1 Store super glue seems to work best with the resin they have used. The main problem is the instructions. Some quite crudely hand drawn ones with numbered parts that don't refer to the parts in the kit because they don't have numbers  You definitely need some reference materials for most of the smaller parts and some of the larger ones. Luckily enough there are loads of pictures out there and I have a few books, but there is always one area you can't find a decent picture for 

For relaxation during all this resin bashing I've started on the Tamiya Mosquito  . She will be real world

[kitnut617]

I've got one of those in the stash along with the 'beard' radiator version (I think that is made by another manufacturer though  )

I've not seen the "beard" radiator kit. You really could show the Hurricane to Tempest development with that

It's bugging me now because I can't remember who makes it Chris, It's buried in one of the stash boxes at the moment but I'll see if I can find it and take a couple of pics of it.  I've got the Centaurus Tornado too somewhere ---  I think that's a Maintrack conversion.

[NARSES2]

It's bugging me now because I can't remember who makes it Chris, It's buried in one of the stash boxes at the moment but I'll see if I can find it and take a couple of pics of it.  I've got the Centaurus Tornado too somewhere ---  I think that's a Maintrack conversion.

I know the feeling, I can't rest until I find the things once I think about them 

The Centaurus Tornado is quite a thuggish looking beast, nice but you wouldn't want to meet it in a dark alley after a couple of pints 

[NARSES2]

The Miles is probably ready for her paintwork whereas the Tornado needs more psr. Now if you'd asked me before hand I would have said it would have been the other way around, shows what I know.

The Tornado looks like it's got a rash at the moment, covered in small dabs of filler to try and cure it's pin hole problem.

The Wyvren has had her transfers finished so I now need to fix the wings over the next couple of days.

The Mosquito, what can I say ? Every modeller should build a Tamiya kit every now and then just to remind yourself of how kits can be tooled, it's a sheer pleasure. Thankyou  Mr Tamiya

[NARSES2]

Found a bit I'd missed on the Miles so she has some more filler on her.

Wyvren has had her varnish, done her in satin as I think that suits the period a little better ? Just needs the wings sorting in the folded position and her armament fitted.

I've just about finished the WWI guns paraphernalia, lifting gear for the shell etc.

Getting on with the Mosquito's various sub assemblies. I think she is one of those kits that will suddenly "come together" ? Wish Tamiya had done a 1/72 Beaufighter