The Wooksta: Not a Spitfire Blog

[kitbasher]

Yes but they can't find the reply thread!

[The Wooksta!]

"I think he'll get a shock when he feels this. We've run out of nails, so we'll have to start using the cutlery."

The Rapier is now together.  Couple of dabs of supergue to hold the wings in place and flood it with Plasticweld.  Tail surfaces are on, although the fin struggled for a bit.  It's going into the club later, so I'll hold off on the filler until I get back.
I'm happy enough with it, but it feels a bit anticlimatic, as it just looks like an early Lightning.  I know once it's got a coat or two of paint and it's decals and thus it's character it'll be a lot different but still...

The VG single seat Lightning is still fighting back, as I thought I'd fixed several problems only for said same problems to pop up again after another coat of Aluminium.  The wing root filling could and should have been a lot better.

Finally, the second Gannet P.8 has the fuselage together. It's looking pretty good, although a lot of sanding, filing and test fitting took place.  I've still to try and fix the wing twists and the belly tank and revised fin have yet to be fitted.  I'm leaving them off until I get all of the filling done .

More later.


Comments... If anyone is actually bothering to read this...

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[The Wooksta!]

""
The Rapier is now filled, I just need to sand it all back. The end of the tube, so it should cure quite quickly. The fin is still fighting, but that's on. Hopefully I can get it printed at the same time as the P8.

Speaking of which, that's had a good sanding but it'll need a coat of primer to show up just what needs fixing. It''s better to do it now before the wings go on.

I'm tempted with an export version - think the customers to that bought Lightning or were looking at it - Australia, Germany, India, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi.  India is the one I'm tempted with the most, as there's something quite Soviet, Sukhoi in particular, about the nose.  This is the one I'm thinking of:


Although on reflection, an export P6/1 would be a better option. Could really confuse people. Which is good.

The other thing that has me thinking is a VG version, if only for aerodynamic trials. I still have the mould for "The Shape" so something like a manufacturer's model - think that photo of the VG two seat Lightning.

Export Lightnings are still at the back of my head, particularly Luftwaffe which is frying out for Hartman's tulips around the intake. Indian and Italy being the other two that are straight rebadging, F1a and F6 respectively. The RAAF has been mentioned earlier and I've already done the Libyan one.

Kitbash wise, a tandem two seat Lightning is possible, now I have the requisite drawings. They're P1b, rather than Lightning, but I have some chopped Novo F6 fuselages that are likely to get binned that could be useful if I go for a developed version. Saudi or Kuwaiti markings?

Comments for those who can be added to reply go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[The Wooksta!]

"Blimey, that was quick!"

Well, the PR variant of the P1B is now together, thanks in part to work I did nearly 30 years ago!  It's the Airfix F3 kit and it was going to be detailed - resin, etch, white metal - and the cockpit was in, so it got closed up and filled. That's all sanded back, so the wings are now on and the yawning chasms at the roots are now filled. The fin is also on, after a few anxious moments trying to find it. I've yet to add the tip tanks or tailplanes but they'll go on in a day or so.

The P8 is coming on. Gave it a coat of primer which showed up all the flaws, so they're filled now with my super glue and baking soda combo and that'll get sanded back soon.

It looks good in the grey primer, but I've yet to choose the scheme I want. I really need to find the Lightning references.

There's a two seater in the offing too. Proper camo for that one, I think, probably one of the Javelin units, possibly 64 sqn as I like the unit markings and I have a few tucked away, ostensibly for Hornets and Meteors but I'm sure I can spare a set for the P8.

Comments go in t'other thread, link should be up thread.

[The Wooksta!]

"You didn't know I was going to do that, did you?"

That time of year, the same problem. I have a settled plan and then I add something to it at the last minute.

The prospect of getting the final element of the Saro rocket fighter trio made me dig out the AZ SR53 and the Freightdog SR177. The former has been described by a mate as hard to build, but the test fit so far seems to be fairly problem free. Yes, some flash and the usual fit issues of limited run kits, but nothing insurmountable - and the guy who said it was a poor fit also built a Merlin TSR2...

Anyway, I'm trying to think of a suitable name for it and Spectre seems to fit the bill. Camo may well be RAF Germany 1950s and that means something ex Sabre and I have decals for those.  I'm also thinking of pulling out the micey Polish copy of the Airfix kit - I snagged one for a quid a few years back, but that's more of a nostalgia build. Either way, I have usual zap I want to apply to it.

And then there's the SR177, which I'm calling the Thunderbolt as the type was to operate alongside the Lightning.  I'll let you work it out.

The kit of that looks complex and mine was a pre-production one with no decals or instructions, plus I'm sure one of the retraction jacks has gone for a walk.  Again, similar scheme and user as the SR53 as given the thirsty nature of the Gyron Junior somewhere with lots of airfields to recover to would be handy.

Of course I simply *have* to start them as only one of the planned quartet is yet assembled (need to scratch basic cockpits for the other three) and three of the kits for other planned builds have yet to arrive. I never seem to learn the lesson, do I?

And then there's the prospect of Italian Lightnings as BAC offered them to Italy around the same time as they were trying to sell them to the Saudis, so I go looking for Italian F104 markings only to find I might have some anyway. So a Hasegawa F6 can be used and possibly a Matchbox T55 too. Those are more long term plans.

I'm still very tempted with an Indian P8, although perhaps the P6/1 would be more apt, in the Thunderbirds scheme shown up thread. I thought someone had done a decal sheet but nothing turned upon a search, although a kit in that scheme is available - for the princely sum of 28 notes. Sex, travel and their mothers springs to mind. No matter, a sharkmouth should be easy enough to find - different aircraft or artist so it could look different - whilst I have Indian roundels anyway.

Still lots to do and my lack of focus is a problem.

Comments... Link up thread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Well, I did that actually."

As above, settled plan, add new stuff, namely the Ursus/Airfix SR.53 and a Hasegawa Lightning.

The latter is for the Italians, as I found the relevant Italian F104 decals in the decal box, albeit ESCI ones which look useable although I'll be testing one of the others to ensure that they don't disintegrate when merely threatened with water.  I still need to find a copy of the ESCI F104 distructions so I have a better idea of what decal goes where, even if the airframes are dissimilar.

I also found some possibly useable Heller F86 decals IF I decide to do a German Lightning.  I'm unsure if it would be one of the early ones or possibly an F6 export equivalent.

Consequently, I spent some time putting in a rough approximation of the cockpit interior with basic side walls as you see little under the canopy anyway. And having done that, the three early project Airfix ones were done too. The former is a medium grey colour but the early ones were black, which hides a multitude of sins. Hopefully I can get the three closed up today and the filler on.

I did make a similar start with the SR53, although by that time I was knackered and wanted to go to bed. At least the wings are together and have had some filler slathered on the tips around the wingtip launch rails.

That and the AZ one are going 2TAF, with ex-Sabre sqns. One will have PRU Blue undersides, t'other Aluminium.

Finally, I had to do some casting, so dragged out the mould for The Shape and cast a pair.  Not entirely decided how they'll be painted yet, but I do have some Novo Lightnings - actually, the last pair from that batch bought in the early nineties - which will do as the donor kits.

Comments... Link up thread.

[The Wooksta!]

"What about Jelly Botty? Where you have to eat 18 curries?"

The closed up Lightnings have had their fuselages sanded, although the P19 interceptor needs more work on the hole left by the belly tank. Again, I've went with plastic card planks with an overlay of super glue and baking soda. Two got the wings and tailfins on, plus the filler which is being left to cure overnight.  The developed tactical bomber version has its wing pylons in place and the bombs don't foul the missiles, so it'll get a pair of Red Tops.  One of the Phantom strike units for that one.

The Saro rocket fighters got their fuselages closed up and the sanding on the Ursus one has been done. The AZ one has been left, although it's looking good so far. I'm minded to call the SR53 the Cyclone, 177 being Thunderbolt and the 187 is definitely the Thunderbird. I'm wedded to the RAF Germany scheme, but the plan to go for 19 sqn is being rethought after finding a photo of an 11 sqn Lightning in the same scheme. Bearing in mind their unit badge is a diving bird, perhaps it's more apt.  Still waiting for the latter to arrive, but there's enough on the bench for the next week or so anyway.

The latest batch of stuff arrived from Alistair earlier, so I've spent some time cleaning up the AW.58 delta version.   It's a well designed kit and I'm looking forward to getting it together. It looks like a curious mix of Super Sabre and MiG 21, but I'm unsure if it'll be an in service aircraft or a research machine. I want to do the former, but don't want a camouflaged aircraft as I'd like something bright and I'm yet to choose a squadron.

The tandem P8 arrived too, and that's going camo. Probably 64 sqn, but it may have the smaller Lightning F1 fin. I'd like another pair as I still want a Navy aircraft and they would have insisted on a second crewman, plus one in a grey scheme.

There was also some bits for a standard P8, as I have some already and there was enough for a full fuselage and I can always use a gash Novo Lightning wing.  Need to decide on another scheme, but does mean a second grey one is possible. LTF with a blue fin or a camo aircraft with the commemorative for the departure from Leuchars?

Speaking of Lightning schemes, I dug out my Lightning references but I'm still torn as to which scheme I want for the one on the bench now. The 5 sqn aircraft with the red fin is *VERY* tempting but possibly too sexy.

It's a good time to be a whiffer with an RAF bent as Alistair seems to be filling that niche very well. The design quality is good, the print quality improving rapidly and service is faultless - Isle of Arran to the Toon in a day?  Hannah's have never managed that.  Long may this continue and he has my support 100%, although my wallet is very afeared right now.

Comments go in t'other thread. Toodles.

[The Wooksta!]

"Brilliant! Let's fill it in!"

I did have a wall of text update ready to go a few days back, but technical issues meant I lost it and my memory is getting worse. I blame the Citalopram...

Anyway, progress on a variety of fronts. The bulk of the main construction is done, the filling done and sanded off.  And then I decide to add another Lightning to the mix, albeit a flying one.

You see, I've long wanted to do a delta Lightning - apparently one was drawn up - and the best wing to use is a TSR2 wing, as the span is about the same and it has the same 60 degree sweep as the Lightning. Now I didn't want to chop up an Airfix one, so dug out a resin one cast for something else last year. I'm not going to carve out the wheel well bays, as it's too much like hard word, so just scribed them in.

The plan was to use one of the redundant Novo fuselages but then I remembered that I still had a couple of older Hasegawa ones so the detail would be finer. I needed a set of wings for another P.8, so it seemed like a case of killing two birds in the bush.

The P8s are coming along. The fuselage of the second Gannet kit is largely finished, I just have to sand some filler off around the IFR probe housing. I decided to do something different from my earlier intention, as I didn't have enough spare Matchbox probes and as I'd found a drawing of what appeared to be an F2 with a fuselage mounted retractable IFR probe, a drawing dated 1958, then it seemed more and more likely that the P.8 would have got one. So I cast a pair of Tornado ones and cut them down, one to mount on the P.8 and the other to mould.

I've yet to sort out the wings - they need the flaps and ailerons scribed in - so a coat of primer once that's done and on they go.  I've finally decided on the Dark Grey scheme for this one, with the higher of the two demarcation lines.

The tandem two seater is all cleaned up and ready to go together, and like the other one it's getting a few resin extras.  I dug out some pylons for additional underwing tanks or lethality.

Alistair had kindly added some spare P.8 bits with the last order, enough to make a complete fuselage one I dug out the cockpit section I already had, so all I needed was a set of wings, hence digging out the Hasegawa Lightning. That one is definitely going in the greys, albeit the lighter of the schemes, and will be getting the fetching red wing leading edges and fin of a 5 sqn aircraft.

I'd dug out my admittedly meagre Lightning references for schemes and then went digging for the SAMI data file, only to discover a Dick Ward book on Lightning squadrons that is going for daft money on eBay. Found some very nice schemes in there, one of which  I'd like to apply to an early P.8 with the Lightning F1 fin.

The AW58 is going together reasonably well, although I'm still undecided on a squadron. Pretty sure I'm settled on Firestreaks and drop tanks under the wings, although I don't think the scab on ADEN cannon would be good for the sleek lines. Pretty settled on camo over Aluminium, as I've something in mind that could look pretty good. I'll have a look through the Hunter decals to find something suitable.

The Saro trio are coming on nicely too. The Ursus one just needs a tad sanding round the nose, the AZ one needs the filler sanded off and the Freightdog one needs a bit of rebuild work on the wingtip. The latter two still need the tailplanes, which I'd left off for easier sanding. The 177 I'm doing in camo, but again, I've yet to settle on a user.

I've finally decided on a user for the SR187 when it arrives, although the scheme is still Dark Green over Aluminium. I have part of a story in my head for it too.

And that's where we is with everything.

Comments go elsewhere.  Simples.

[The Wooksta!]

"That's absolutely brilliant! You can't get any cleaner than that!"

The two P8s that arrived last week have their fuselages together and the first lot of yer actual basic sanding has been done, so out with the primer tomorrow before the weather turns and I can start with the filler.  Superglue and baking soda will be deployed again.

I made a bit of a faux pas with regard to the second single seater and the fuselage isn't aligned as perfectly as perhaps it should be, but the wing hides some of it and the area rule may hide the rest, but the initial plan for a more interesting scheme will have to be shelved in favour of camouflage.  I'm also minded with the Lightning F1 fin too, although doesn't seem right on a camouflaged machine unless it's an airfield decoy.  Not sure if anything has done anything like that with a whiff.  I mean, I've seen a TSR2 done as a wreck on a scrap dump, but never an airfield decoy.

The only reason I'm minded with the rounded F1 fin is so I've some kind of evolution in the aircraft I've got on the go - the test print is an early one, the one in build is late - I slightly modded the canopy with careful scraping and sanding to remove the framing and enlarge the vision for the pilot for a later aircraft - and that has the square fin.  So has "The Shape" and the two seater will get one too. Perhaps I should get another few? TBH, no perhaps about it, I will be anyway. I know I can get them cleaned up and together relatively quickly, and if a round fin aircraft goes in Aluminium, it's a quick job with a Halfords rattle can.

I do have some kind of Plan^TM for the P.8, by which I mean where it fits into history.  Development means it runs alongside but a few years behind OTL Lightning, so the squadrons that got F1, F1A and F2 are fine, and then OTL's Lightning F3 is replaced by the P8, so all the squadrons that flew F3 and F6 Lightnings, in all the the schemes worn, now have P8s, right down to the serial codes, so any Lightning decal sheet for F3/F6 is also applicable to P8.  Make sense?  Tough if it doesn't.  My models, my timeline.

Cleaning up the AZ SR.53 had me thinking about other possibilities for it as a fast cheap aircraft for light strike - Gnat style slipper tanks, SNEB pods outboard, Firestreaks for self defence and a centreline cannon pod.  Ideal for export to India and it's about the same size and power as the Ajeet.  What's the Hindi word for Cyclone or Spectre? Maybe I should add a cheap Polish snide copy of the old Airfix SR53 to the Telford shopping list?

I'm thinking about one of the pair underway as an RAuxAF aircraft, with penny packets of three aircraft issued to each squadron as point defence interceptors.  Naturally, 607 Sqn would fly a few from RAF Acklington.

As for the SR177, I've finally decided on a scheme and user for it.  I have the decals (I think...) and it was staring me in the face for the last few days. Saying nowt else as I have to do some playing with Photoshop first.

The delta Lightning is coming on too. The cockpit is left as is, a gaping void albeit painted a light grey, whilst the kit seat is painted and just needs gluing in place.  Pilot was painted by a mate who's good at figures (as I am definitely not), so I can have it together in a few days.  Still unsure a scheme for this one as there's way too many nice Lightning schemes and I have too many aircraft going in DSG/DG/Aluminium.

Whilst digging for bits, I discovered a box of Sea Vixen wreckage, so stripped out what I needed for a stalled build that's for that HMS Eagle in the Falklands scenario I outlined last year - I found the Batman decals t'other day and it's a dead easy scheme of overall Extra Dark Sea Grey.  Not essential to the builds, but would be nice to advance it nonetheless.

Lots to do, but the bulk of the assembly is done.  I hope.  Painting comes next and this is the start of the problems...

Comments for those who can be arsed to reply go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[The Wooksta!]

"It's probably a consignment of very hard drugs!"

Awaited with awaited breath, a parcel containing the SR187 is barely two sleeps away, so I've been frantically trying to get through the build que so I can get right on with it when it arrives.

Naturally, the many Lightnings seem to be in the way, the Italian F6 equivalent getting it's airframe largely together. I've tried to get the airbrakes for them all cleaned up, but no matter which kit they're for, they are always a pain to get right. Matchbox wisely didn't bother.  I got two sorted before I lost the will to live.

The recently assembled P8s and the AW58 got primed which show up some cavernous gaps on the former, so the super glue was again deployed. It'll cure overnight and I can sand it back tomorrow.  The AW58 wasn't too bad, a few bits here and there that are now fixed and a conformal belly tank - half a Hunter FGA9 ferry tank - is now on and the filler is curing. Hopefully I can get the wings on tomorrow and another round of filling can commence.

Did a modicum of work on the Ursus SR53 and that is now good enough for the first primer coat.

TBH, I could and should have done more, but others things elsewhere are having effects. Besides which, I want to limit what I'm actually working on to ensure the week before Telford is as stress free as possible - heartily sick of scrabbling round trying to finish stuff the day before I go. And whilst I say that every year and the same thing happens yet again, this year I'm determined it will be different.

Comments go elsewhere, link up thread. Toodles!

[The Wooksta!]

"I thought it looked a bit on the tentative side, so I souped it up a bit."

The bulk of the sanding on the P8s and the AW58 is now done, although the single seat P8 lost a chunk of an undercarriage door, which will be fixed with plastic card, superglue and baking soda. I did get the fin on the two seater, but I'm still torn as to which fin the single seater is getting. Until I can get another one, I'm minded to put it on hold.

The AW58 has its wings on and the first round of PSR has been done. Not sure if I'll add the underwing pylons before or after I do that. It's getting a pair of Fire streaks, rather than the Fireflashes supplied, for two reasons. Firstly, despite the quality, I simply don't like the Fireflash missile, it looks clunky. Secondly, it was a beam riding weapon and the aircraft as designed couldn't carry a decent sized radar. Firestreak, being IR guided, was a fire and forget weapon. I'm also dubious about the teeny canopy, which would have to have been changed for a fighter derivative, but it's as the drawing, so I can live with it.

Lightnings. Got the filler on the Italian one, whilst I think I've finally got to where I want to be with the P19 interceptor.  At least I can get the fin on.  I'm hoping to get the fuselage for the delta one closed up tomorrow.

So, more sanding beckons...

Comments - you should know where they go by now.

[The Wooksta!]

"No, it's only got two seats."

Well, the two P8s are now resplendent with their belly tanks and the two seater has the IFR fairing. The single seater will have to wait until I either cast another or I get the mould done. I need to do that soon as there's some blisters I need to cast also.

The wings for the single seater are also cleaned up and ready to go on - I've yet to tackle the rescribing on the wings of the other two. I dislike scribing at the best of times.

I've been buying up various Modeldecal sheets, of various types, largely for the P8s. There's a good scheme, albeit in greys, applied to a phantom for the squadron's 70th anniversary. I'd like to use it, and whilst I think the spine marking would fit, I'm not so sure of the tail. It would look rather spectacular though. TBH, I'm minded more for the second line shadow sqns attached to 226 OCU, although those are all in Aluminium.  As Gondor is thinking about 60 Maintenance Unit, that's now off limits.

All the various amounts of filler are sanded back, so the AZ SR53 is now ready to prime. I also tackled the SR177, fixing the wing and getting tailplane on. There was a mis-shapen rear fuselage but the application of super glue and baking soda sorted that out.  Tad more sanding and that's ready to prime.   The Italian Lightning is ready to prime.

I've done some work on the Rapier too, fitting the airbrakes and skimming over them with filler as the drawings don't show them. I've got the canopy sorted out - Uncle Frank let me have a dig in his canopy box and I found something that looks bang on and the fit is nigh on perfect too. Well, I think.

All the Lightnings bar two are at a similar stage - a few bits to go on, a modicum of sanding and then off to the paint shop. The only oddities are the P19 interceptor, which needs pylons and tailplanes, and the delta, but the fuselage is together now and once the sanding is done it's on with the wing.

So, the construction is just about done, another week perhaps and I can start spraying.  I might get the whole Plan^TM done for Telford.

Comments go elsewhere, link up thread.  Toodles!

[The Wooksta!]

"2.999 recurring....."

No more sleeps, the SR.187 is here, according to the postal secretary, delivered on a sunday no less. What's happening to the world - the mail NEVER delivers on a sunday and generally does as little as possible.  It'll snow tomorrow.

Haven't had a chance to check it over yet, but I really cannot wait.  The others in the trio are nearly ready to prime, just needing their drop tank pylons.

Supposedly - had on, there's an explanation - it was to be the last of everything to be built, everything else in this year's (admittedly revised) Plan^TM was largely together and needing a modicum of tweaking and sanding before I could start priming.  Indeed, a few are already primed and need a final tweak before I can start spraying  the P.1083 for example, along with the Supermarine Type 545.  However...

The parcel from Freightdog arrived with Cranberry drop tanks and they do fit the PR9.  I already have the P12 conversion and a PR9 that's together and had a belly gunpack added.  I've seen a drawing of the P12 with a gunpack, tiptanks and underwing Red Tops.  You see where I'm going?  Initially, I wanted to do it in the fetching MSG over PRU Blue scheme but proper fighter colours will have to suffice.  And then there's the thorny question of a squadron.  Maybe one of the Javelin or Meteor units rather than a Canberra squadron?

And then I find a Lightning box with a part scratchbodged English Electric P6.  Geoff (Thorvic) had passed it to me many years back with the intention of me finishing it to mould and cast as a conversion, but for one thing I'd bolloxed the wing roots, then I couldn't figure out the best way to cast it, before I finally lost interest and it went back in the box.  Fast forward to now, with the prospect of a 3D printed one from Alistair, I may have another look at it with an eye on finishing it. 

And then my brain starts going as I'd dug out an Su-7 fuselage which I'd bought around the same time as the above to try and do it myself, only to drop the idea when I saw the area ruling.  But then I got thinking about alternate engines and the drawings are of the proposed aircraft rather than what might have been developed.  So, say EE revised the rear fuselage of the P6 with area rule after wind tunnel tests with the P8?  Perhaps they decided to shoehorn in an Olympus as an alternative to the Rolls Royce RB106 Thames?  And having done so, it gets the kinked, cambered wing from the Lightning - which was ready by 1957 but it was EIGHT YEARS before Lightning got it - along with a few other upgrades, such as a belly tank, wingtip missiles, fuselage mounted IFR probe and the big fin.

TBH, the Su-7 fuselage does need considerable surgery and sanding, but it is possible as I've seen it done.  And I have a bit more time on my hands than I'd envisaged (long story), so a day or two could see a rough airframe together.  But do I do it?

One way or another, I have to make a decision on the latter soon.  I have a final week of construction, as spraying MUST start next weekend.

Comments go elsewhere, link up below.  Toodles!
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118.345

[The Wooksta!]

"Here we are, situations vacant, pages seven to thirteen."

I have it! It is fecking massive! And this is a two seat fighter? Neither the Americans or the Russians attempted anything this insane!

I am of course referring to the SR.187, or the Thunderbird FAW.1.  It's a highly impressive bit of printing, with huge parts surrounded by the scaffolding that supports it in the tank.  Looks quite daunting, but it comes away easy enough, especially with clippers.
Alistair had warned me about the pilot being hidden amongst the scaffolding around the tail, but I'd forgotten and had to scramble around to find it. After two attempts, I gave up and decided to scratch one and then it turns up. Typical.

There's a thread elsewhere that'll detail the build, but no doubt you'll get the trials and tribulations here too.

Right, now I need to take some photos.

Comments elsewhere as usual. Link up thread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Cleaned it, Michael, cleaned it."

Well, I spent much of yesterday doing all the clean up of the SR.187 airframe.  File, sand, test fit, repeat.  Ad bleeding nausem.  Some parts were easy - ish - but some could defeat others.  The main u/c insert had some serious flash that needed removal and the fuselage centre section to which it goes was nearly as bad.  Nature of the medium, sadly, but sanding it all down took a great deal of time.  If and when I get another - and I'm seriously thinking about a late 11 Sqn one in the greys with a black fin and spine - it's out with the power tools.  Possibly the drill and the hedgetrimmers, if not a chainsaw.

Anyway, it's all taped up and looks bloody impressive and it is BIG!  Almost makes a TSR2 look small - it's the same length but doesn't have the bulk.  Hopefully I'll get the fuselage glued together later and I can start the filling with superglue and baking soda, leaving teh sanding for another day so I can get on with construction of one or two other items.

One of which is Alistair's Miles 52, which I'd got but left to one side before realising I needed it for the display.  It cleans up easily and construction doesn't look to be difficult.  It's a huge improvement over his older ABS printed version.

The other is the EE P.6 I mentioned a few posts back.  I've taped it up and it looks okay, although it'll need a cockpit interior - either a Hunter tub as I have a spare having gone looking (which also gave me a bang seat for the Ursus SR.53), or a Pavla Lightning one intended for the Hasegawa/Frog/Novo/Revell kit.  Undecided if it'll get the F1 or F3 Lightning fin, but it could get the belly tank, before the thorny questions of squadron and scheme need to be considered.

Thoughts have turned from the SR.187 to what the RAF would use as lead in trainers for the type.  Some sort of two seat trainer would be necessary for the main OCU but other types would also be needed.  I have considered another AZ SR.53, and begrudgingly considered their two seater, but also the idea of RAF requesting a limited run of Fairey Delta II to train pilots in the use of the droop snoot.  One in Aluminium and red, similar to the Lightning T5 flown by the Empire Test Pilots School, would look very fetching.  And I have a genuine Frog one with no intended use that I got very cheap. 

Comments go elsewhere, link up below.  Toodles!
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118.345