The Wooksta: Not a Spitfire Blog

[The Wooksta!]

"Viva el Presidente!"

Quick post, basically showing off the Vanquish.  Mine is the colourful one at the bottom. Again photographed in the garden on an A2 cutting mat.
What you can't see is that the port u/c leg is goushed and consequenly she's propped up with something.  It is fixable.

[The Wooksta!]

"Then what are you looking in the cellar for?"

I am well happy, I was lucky to find the drawings in the folder for the naval two seater Hawker P1121- I'd blown them up but I'd forgotten about it. It had stalled due to a larger fin and I thought I didn't have the drawings. So, I spent an hour or so modifying a Lightning fin with plastic card, superglue and filler and now have something close.  A quick bath in some rubber and I have something to work with.  Another one a tad closer to completion.

Spent much of the weekend and the last few days spraying and masking.  The DH 117 looks quite different and hopefully the planned decal will fit. I'll dry run it wth a stunt one in card. 
This rest of the weekend should be decalling but that may depend on how quick I can get a few others masked and sprayed. The Vanquish is top of the priority lst for decals but I really want the 559 masked or the final colour.

I did have second thoughts about one of the P.1121s. I was having issues with paint and considered a grey scheme. But I was too wedded to a late 60s and I'll keep the grey scheme for later. Either way, it'll be 16 sqn.  The 234 sqn one could be ready soon as it doesn't need to much masking.

Finally got round to doing something with my Flattenning. Some bits have been glued, the nose is being worked on after some splicers have gone in. Just need to find the shock cones. It will be ready for Telford, but I've yet to decide on a scheme or squadron user.

There's a few surprises in store, but they will be unveiled at a later date.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[The Wooksta!]

"Five past eleven and it's still raining."

Haven't done much bar getting a rough cockpit together for the Flattening, although a good chunk of the rear fuselage is glued together and filled, so there is a lot of sanding in the near future.  I found a TSR2 white metal instrument panel and coaming, so that'll be pressed into service.  If nothing else, it'll add some weight.
There's a few things that are still unclear, mainly the position of the nosegear and the main gear bays, both need cutting out. The latter are in the fuselage, as there would be space.

The other thing was to do dig out some resin add ons from the loft plus the unfinished Supermarine Type 535. Doesn't need much done - rework one of the tailplanes, glue them in and prime.  It's going PRU Blue with one of the test units.
Also cut out some wing fences for a pair of Swifts. Again, one is a PR one, as I'd found a serial allocated for one, whilst the other... Not telling. 

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[The Wooksta!]

"God! That was quick!"

Got a lot sprayed over the last few days but got very sick of doing all the masking. Didn't help when the tape lifted the paint in a few areas on certain items. I think I can respray without too much masking.
Very happy with some, especially the P.1121 as the Aluminium underside positively gleams. I did have a rethink on one of the Lightnings, which has gone grey with a twist with a different user.

I've gone down a different rabbit hole, reviving several stalled Swifts. Initially, other than adding some reason intakes and exhausts, I was doing very little with the Testors kit. But I found the Magna distructions and used the templates for the wing fences to upgrade the kit further. The new fences really do the trick, so a few others are getting the same treatment.
I also got some primer on a Magna FR5 that is going to be an FB4 instead, and whilst I'd like to finish it in 1 TWU markings at Brady, 79 (Shadow) Sqn could be much more subtle. Whilst scouring the Hunter books for possible schemes, I did find an interesting F1 with a training unit with a rather notable user, so the T-Tail Hunter that's stalled all end up in those markings. I need to find an undercarriage for that one too.

I've got further with the two seat 1121.  The resin fin looks okay, although some of the plastic card had delaminated and the mould rubber had picked up on it. An Su15 nosecone with a splice is a good fit for the radome, so the requisite surgery has been done and some P38 will be deployed to finish it off and get the shapes right.
I'll have to magic up some kind of maingears wih reshaped sprues as I don't have any spare. Nose gear? Well, a Buccaneer one is close enough.

The P6 has the fin on and one wing but still needs a lot of sanding. Once I'm happy, I'll get the other one on. The area around the canopy is sorted, with P38 used to blend It all in.

I've yet to start moulding the P.1067, but the fuselage has had some work done and I can start looking at some of the smaller bits.

So there's a lot going on, with plenty at the decalling stage and more coming through.  Not everything will be going to Telford, but getting some of the other stuff means fewer stalled projects kicking about.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

[kerick]

Just how many builds do you have going on here? I would love to see one of these glorious inventions in living color! I'm looking forward to seeing pics.

[The Wooksta!]

No offence, but can you use the comments thread please?  Link above.

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Cornflakes."

Spent much of the weekend filling and sanding, with a bit of priming and spraying to break the monotony. 

One thing fighting back is the P.6 scratchbodge. The fin has been on and off about six times. It's on now, pinned, and it's not coming off. Tad more sanding, on with the tailplanes and I can get spraying. I did the relevant tests with a mule and the pants won't react with each other.

I finally managed to get the Vanquish decalled and some of the smaller bits painted. Coat of varnish and the u/c doors and it's done.  It went into the club on Monday, to some positive comments. Still want an Avro 730 to go with it.

Then  I spent the next few days decalling other things, some of which have been stalled for some time, the FRADU Swift being a case in point. Some are looking really good, others less so.

Apart from some niggles with the three Lightnings (the fins being too far forward as I didn't take into account the piece on the Airfix fin that is part of the spine and also the decals on the wraparound one silvering - they're coming off) and a booboo on the Testors Swifts (the wing fences look fab, by would like better further outboard in the correct position), I'm relatively happy.  The decals on the Sea Vixen didn't quite come out as I'd hoped, but look a bit more toned down which somehow suits it better.

Some of the choices are changing as I go. Anything for the F.155 builds has to be checked, as the spec was for a Javelin replacement and not a da fighter, so anything chosen has to be a Javelin sqn. So the P.12 Canberra ended up 11 Sqn, the Vickers 559 with 60 Sqn as I had the decals to hand, whilst the DH 117 went with 43 Sqn. They didn't have Javelins IIRC but they did get Phantoms and I had a rather spectacular decal to use. It worked perfectly and it looks awesome.

Took yesterday off as I was getting a bit sick of decalling, especially Lightning wing walk lines, and also because some of what I was wanting to use had already gone. Markings which were to have been applied to a Swift had been used, in one case twenty years back, and not replaced. Having looked online, Modeldecal 57 is now like gold dust but I did find the 48th scale version of a 72nd Mosquito sheet, for which I've been searching the last 18 months for.  Still, a request has been added to Uncle Frank who may have one tucked away.

The Vanquish is likely to get varnished tonight, along with a few others, for it's first public outing, at Scale Scotland in Edinburgh tomorrow.  Hopefully, it'll get there in one piece.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118
For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Do you want to bet on it? I'll put down a fiver."

Scale Scotland was interesting but after you'd been round twice, t got rapidly more boring, so I do some prep work on a pair of Swifts, an Airfix and an Xtrakit. One will end up in 1970s training colours, the other probably 8 Sqn.

The Vanquish drew a fair bit of attention, but no one noticed the lack of undercarriage doors.

Next thing to get some attention is an FD3, the older PLA one that Alistair did. Proper camo for that one, and there's 5 sqn markings for it. There's another of his models that's due for similar treatment and it may make Telford.

Back to decalling tomorrow.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118
For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"'I'm afraid I couldn't find any needles, so we'll have to use 6-inch nails."

The FD3 was scribed yesterday and looks much better. Coat of primer and I can get spraying. I did hold some hope that I could sort out some undercarriage wells, but the PLA material it's printed from is harder than diamond.  Loathe working with it.

Finally got the tail on the early Hunter. Well, the fin anyway. Also got the side mounted airbrakes scribed in.  Think the fin is a tad anaemic, mainly as it's really for the P.1067, but once the paint is on it should look okay. I hope.

Have decalled the Navy Swift after locating - completely by accident - the Modeldecal sheet I was looking for.  Looks better than I thought t would, although there are a few niggles that are too late to fix. I may do another in a later scheme but with an Airfix or Xtrakit one. 
I seem to be falling in the Swift rabbit hole, as I did some more work on the started Xtrakit one and it just needs the cockpit painted and I can get it closed up. The Magna F7 has the wings attached and the filler applied. A lot of sanding awaits.
I'm going with 74 sqn, as I have a memory of Mike McEvoy building a Pegasus one and he said that they had been he intended user had the fighter been any actual use.  Besides, I have a pair in NMF and would like one in camo.

So the carousel continues, but further forward than previous years. Which has got to be good.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118
For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Four kings, two queens, and an ace."

The Xtrakit Swift is largely together and I'm settled  on 79 sqn for it.  Should be enough to confuse the unwary. I'll have to get those CLBS carriers moulded, and I'm not sure quite which scheme to go for. I like the Type Ds but the later roundels and Light Aircraft Grey may have more impact.

The Magna one has had a sanding, sorting out the dodgy step at the root. I'll know more after it's had some primer. 

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"I don't know why you bother ever."

Two completed Swifts and the near finished FDM made it into the club to widespread apathy.


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"You can't clean the toilet, Neil. It'll lose all its character."

The carrousel moves around.

I'd put a part of stalled Hawker P.1081s in the Plan and I'd moved round to them. They'd been out to one side as I couldn't find the instructions which had a template for the wing fences (see request elsewhere). But then I had a genius idea.  The early Swifts had wing fences before the F4 and FR5 went to leading edge dogteeth. So why not have the P.1081 do the same thing?

The results are interesting and the next with the Hunter tailfin looks decidedly different. The F2 is going 607 sqn whilst the later one gets a PRU Blue underside for RAF Germany.

I finally go round to some scribing on the P6 and P8 T Bird. The latter also got a coat of paint and I've decided on the late greys, although I've yet to decide on a squadron. 63 is a front runner.
The P6 needs more work around the canopy but that should have some paint on it by the end of the week.

Finally, the P.106 Demon is closer to being moulded, with a operational interior nearly done.  I should be pouring rubber on friday with a test cast on Sunday.  Really looking forward to it.


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"Well, of course you hate it, Neil, it's not finished yet!"

I now have the majority of the moulds for the P.1067, although no cover as yet. It needs a two piece mould as I want the cockpit tub, nose gear bay and splitter plate all as one piece so it just drops in.  I'll also have to sort out an instrument panel and coaming but that can be chopped out of a Revell one that's destined to be a two seater.

Why a kit?  It never started that way, but I'd put enough effort into the bits that cloning them and then working on the resultant casts. Anyway, I should definitely have one or possibly two done by Telford.

Seems to have been a Hawker weekend, as I've finally got the wings on the naval P.1121 as well as getting a radar equipped P.1083 assembled with the Revell kit as a basis. It'll get a pair of Firestreaks at some point.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"It's funny, but being ill makes me lose my usual tolerant and easy-going approach to communal living."

Having a cold is not helping matters. Dust from sanding and paint fumes setting off coughing bouts is frustrating but having a cuppa to hand is a bonus.  Last three at the paint stage, one being the last minute addition of an Avro Arrow. The exhausts needed some reworking and some other tweaks elsewhere have helped somewhat too.  I need to find some better wheels. Lightning ones may well do the trick but Airfix Hunter ones may be better as I have a mould for those.
I say three, but I decided a quick finish of one of Alistair's FDM printed things could be slotted in as I have a simple Aluminium scheme in mind. Well, unless I complicate matters with a blue fin and spine. It was to have been a simple rescribe and mount on a stick, but  decided on an undercarriage at the last minute. Hunter should do the trick as there's several Matchbox ones I can strip out. I've already nicked the pylons for other things.

Also frustrating are the paint issues wth Xtracrylix with the paint in the translucent bottles. Odd marbling effects and weird holes. Can't explain it. Have they changed their supplier or the recipe? Either way, I am most vexed and someone at Hannants will be on the receiving end of my wrath at Telford, I can tell you. 
I have a third or less of a bottle of Dark Sea Grey in the old bottles and three still to paint. The crap stuff I can and have use as undercoat, keeping the good stuff for a final coat. A temporary fix for now which doesn't fix the problem.

The weekend should be spent decalling, with varnishing and final assembly next week. Fingers crossed the essential Telford builds will all be done by next Sunday, so I can just relax but no doubt things will stretch.  I really hope not...


I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

"We never did watch the video."

The plan was whittled down as time got shorter, as usual, but I did get all the key ones finished.

The undercarriage of the Vickers is a bit flimsy, so it's unlikely to get another day out and I've yet to put the wheels on the Arrow as the undercarriage collapsed. Still, what was on display looked very good indeed, even if I do hate the Canberra with a passion.

Photos below.

What's next? Apart from the BAe P.1214, I have no plans other than to finish what was abandoned in haste.  But I've plenty of time before the next show. Perhaps a Victor or two...



I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and can also be arsed to reply, go here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35118

For more information, please reread.