VV's Biggles aircraft collection

[TheChronicOne]

Very nice!

[zenrat]

 

[VickersVandal]

I built this for the Biggles Forum 2020/21 interwar group build. It represents the flying boat used by the villains ("Silas and Co.") in Biggles and the Cruise of the Condor - my favourite of the Biggles stories. I built it per the original edition illustration that shows the climactic scene where our heroes are attacked over the jungle by the villains in this flying boat, armed with a machine gun. With no weaponry in their kit, Algy uses the first thing to hand - a 2 gallon oil drum. I will leave you to read the book to discover the conclusion to this particular air combat  :mrgreen:

I already built Biggles' "Condor" amphibian some time back so now I intend to put them both together in a diorama.

http://www.biggles.info/Details/02/Illustrations/236.jpg

I used the Esoteric vacform Douglas PD-1

The tail section on this is different to the PD-1 as I was basing it off the illustrations. I reshaped the fin and scratchbuilt a new tailplane from card. I also merged the two cockpit cut-outs into one.



I made a small tripod for mounting the MG.















Here it is with the Condor and a close-up of the condor showing Algy in the act of heaving the oil can. I am planning to print up a backdrop and set them up in a diorama as per the illustration (yes, including mid-air oli can) but that will take a fair bit of work. For now, Biggles-cabinet display will have to suffice.

[zenrat]

Jolly good work old chap.

Cruise of the Condor is also one of my favourites.

[Rheged]

Jolly good work old chap.

Cruise of the Condor is also one of my favourites.

Agreed!  I have a copy of Cruise of the Condor somewhere.  I really must find it and re read it.

[VickersVandal]

You really must 

[stevehed]

Two impressive builds. Nice rigging too.

[McColm]

Wow 

[VickersVandal]

Next completion: The Grumman Widgeon used in Biggles Delivers the Goods to fly out and set up a secret airstrip on the edge of Japanese territory and from there use Liberators to sneak out rubber for war supplies from under the nose of the enemy.

It's the horrible old Airfix kit. A fair bit of massaging and scratchbuilding needed.
ID number is fictional and arbitrary and the scheme is basically just the FAA markings.

Build thread here: https://bigglesforum.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1985

[zenrat]

Biggles Delivers the Goods is not one I have in my collection.

Nice build from a bad kit.

[NARSES2]

Nice build from a bad kit.

My thoughts exactly except I'd substitute awful for bad.

I'm afraid I've never really been into Biggles. I enjoyed the WWI books when I was at school, but never got into the post war adventures. Doesn't stop me enjoying the models though 

[PR19_Kit]

I'm impressed you got the main landing gear to hold the airframe! 

I've built two Widgeons in my time and both collapsed soon after being finished.

[VickersVandal]

Thanks chaps. Yes, "horriffic" is more the term I'd use....

I'm impressed you got the main landing gear to hold the airframe! 

I've built two Widgeons in my time and both collapsed soon after being finished.

I discarded the kit u/c altogether and scratchbuilt one from rod.

[PR19_Kit]

GOOD thinking there. 

[zenrat]

I'm afraid I've never really been into Biggles. I enjoyed the WWI books when I was at school...:

They would have been current affairs then...