Thorvics'Blog

[Thorvic]

Ok I guess I can say I managed to make some progress this wet n dreary weekend. I managed to tidy up the scribing on the WG-11 and was able to paint and fit the cockpit as I had left this space empty and filled with foam whilst I did the major body modifications. I was then able to fit the canopy which is no easy feat as its composed of two Sea Knight canopies cut in such a way to match the widened fuselage. The rest of Sunday was spent blending the canopy into the airframe and now on with modifying the nose to a more pointed radar one.

Whilst it was curing I was able to crack on with a couple more helicopters finishing cockpits or painting interiors.

Will need to focus this week to get the WG-11 canopy and nose finished and start sorting out the details. Also crack on with the other builds with the aim of possibly doing a batch of spraying by the weekend, weather permitting (no I don't do it outside but I do vent out a window so not practical if its blowing a gale at the side of the house the workroom is on.

Still aiming for SMW on the builds but only 3 free weekends to do the bulk of the work so may need to prioritise builds to ensure ones are finished by this weekend as decaling and finishing off can take time

[Thorvic]

Picked up the re-issued Sword Seafire 17s from the neighbours last night and popped the box to verify the contents for the twin pack for the Wooksta & Narces2. Not bad they have actually revised the decal sheet to include two sets of stencils to allow two of the three options to be built using both kits. Just wish the model companies would focus a bit more on the front line squadrons that became the cutting edge of the fleet before being replaced by the Seafire 47 and then Sea Fury, instead we tend to get training units and reserve squadron markings.

Anyway yet another OPSR session on the WG-11 nose cone last night which I think is now there but came a cropper as it dawned on me yesterday at work when thinking of the bits I need to sort out to finish the model that a Naval ASW Helicopter would certainly have a door mounted winch, the trouble is these are always on the right side of the aircraft but drawing suggest the left side as does the artwork others had done. In studying the drawings that show the layout of the ASW equipment I have come to the conclusion that the door shown is actually on the right hand side but is shown to illustrate the door way in relation to the operators.
So it was out with the putty again and the scriber to create a door on the right side and to reduce the left hand door to a crew access door as the tail ramp was faired over so an alternative door would be needed.

So two steps forward and one back, but a bit more PSR on the doors, a fresh masking of the cockpit windows and then probably another primer coat to verify the PSR before I can start adding details and move forward with this build.

I foresee a lot of spraying this week and at the weekend but its a step forwards leaving a couple of weeks of decaling and final touches (he says hopefully !!!  )

[Thorvic]

Well a bit of a mixed bag weekend, I knew what I needed to do but it all took a little longer than I hoped for leading to a downgrade of expectations as blindingly obvious I cannot get all I want done by Glasgow and will have to defer yet more work to next week to stay on track for SMW. I did manage to clear the build detritus from the work bench, put away the build tools and configure for painting 

I did managed to get the WG-11 structurally complete and have managed to paint it and give it a sealing coat of vanish. Therefore I shall crack on with finish painting its rotor blades and do its torpedoes and then start on the decaling as this is the primary build and the one I really want top finish.

I do have a standard Sea King HAS5 which is also painted but requires a bit of detail painting doing before I can decal, but hopefully I may get it completed too.

The other one I had hoped to get done I managed to get to the first coat of yellow added to the top, but that needs a second coat, a varnish and masking before it gets it main RAF Blue Grey coat so this will now be sidelined to next week and will be ready for Telford in a few weeks time.

Got the edges of this Hurricane passing by tonight so will have to pull in the spray booth vent pipe and close the window, so no spraying tonight anyway, so probably a good night to decal 

[Thorvic]

Two steps forward, I back with the WG-11, was time to remove the masking last night, the windscreen looks OK, but the cabin windows leave a little to be desired, I should have probably re-masked them before the actual painting stage as they are not as clean due to them being masked during fuselage clean up process so lots of wet sanding detritus had got around the edges plus about 3 or 4 test primes. cleaned up the edges last night where the main paints had come off with the masking and gave them a refresh with future.

Still need to add the blade aerials, repaint the torpedoes and fit them. together with the rotor blades as they wont sit straight without being fixed. But its nearly there and should be ready for Glasgow on Saturday.

[Thorvic]

Well I managed to display the WG-11 at Glasgow at the weekend, its painted and decaled but I still need to add a few aerials between now and SMW. I had to push it as the artist whose doing the paintings for Admiralty and the Helicopter which has the WG-11 on the rear cover, was showing his paintings. Thus it was nice to put a model with a painting. Unfortunately I never got round to doing any photos as I had left my camera in my bag !  .

I didn't however get anything else finished so still with my back to the wall to crack on and complete 3 more helicopters for the show. However I did make progress on them in the last couple of days so I may make the deadline.

[Thorvic]

Kindly posted up by JayBee, from the Glasgow show on Saturday.

The Westland WG-11 Westonian HAS1, circa 1971.

[NARSES2]

Nice one mate

[Thorvic]

Cheers Chris,

I now want to do a another one but that will have wait till after SMW.

Must finish my other builds for the show first and sort them out for the display as the WG-11 is a bit tricky as I couldn't make the blades removable. Should hopefully have a nice display of Helicopters to coincide with the new PSP book due out at SMW.

Regarding SMW, I did a quick spreadsheet of what i'm after at the show, and that proved to be rather eye wateringly expensive when totted up  , trouble is that's the best place to get some of these items so will have to grin and bare it, although I may consolidate that down somewhat before then to try and make it less frightening.

[Thorvic]

Well that was a case of two steps forward, one back last night  . Tuesday night I didn't get to do anything build wise as too late by the time I was free and chilled out instead, but last night I was able to get a bit of decaling down, a bit of PSR and a bit of spraying and airbrushing. the painting went Ok, just a 2nd light coat required tonight to finish that off. The step back wards however was the forgetting to put the face mask on, so even with the extractor fan going I can still feel the tickle in my throat - my bad. I also realised that i'm down on Airbrush Cleaner so will need to source some more of that rather quickly (Should have had a look at Glasgow show !!!  ).

[DogfighterZen]

I started using a mask on every airbrush session because of severe headaches after i sprayed the models with floor polish for gloss coats...
Never had any problems with airbrushing Tamiya acrylics but i'm sure it wasn't a good thing for my lungs. Now, i always use the mask.

[Thorvic]

I generally do wear a mask but got distracted as had to clean airbrush properly before I used it as missed a bit after I used it last.

Aside from building for SMW I also need to consider what items I want in the way of kits, accessories, decals, tools & paints. Most stuff I can pick up on-line but some you can't and others crop up in the treasure trove of SMW, so handy to keep an eye open for. Then of course there are the new items released at SMW that will be popular. We already know of the AZ SR-53 done in cooperation with Freightdog and S&M models Canberra B2/T4. Mach2 may release a 72nd Britannia and no doubt others will have some interesting new items intended to tempt you to raid your wallet.

Thus a study of the SMW show guide to look up the traders, check their websites and then that torturous process of deciding if its to be a :-

• Must Have - a definite for the collection or not viable to get elsewhere
• Want - I want one, but can I wait or do I need to buy now
• Would Like - Would be nice but do I really want it now
• Oh there's a... - A rare item not readily found that would be nice in the stash
• Nice Bargain, BUT.... - Interesting model, but not really in my scope and do I really want it

Yes its a bit mental but SMW is a bit like a giant Candy Store for modellers, funds can disappear rapidly and can sometimes be misspent on items that you later regret (or sooner regret if you get a large box kit and discover no physical room for it in the car home !!!).

Anyway a bit of forward planning is not a bad thing and can help manage the finances, especially with the Airfix Phantom likely to come out in December rather than October .

[NARSES2]

(or sooner regret if you get a large box kit and discover no physical room for it in the car home !!!).

I know one or two who've done that, it's even worse when you get it back to the hotel and realise you have to get it home on the train and tube 

I started my "to get" sheet a couple of weeks ago. Currently it's tools, paints and other accessories but undoubtedly one or twp kits will end up on it. Sensible approach. Mind you I'll get home and then spot something that I missed in a report somewhere 

[Thorvic]

managed to get two more Helicopters Painted and decaled at the weekend, still a few aerials to add but that's about all they need to finish them. I decided to put them to one side and press on with the next build as its more topical and one I need to finish for SMW. Only trouble was I ran out of some materials on Friday night doing the painting of one of the others so had to go to LHS to restock as pushing it to rely on the post with only two weeks left.
I managed to get the cabin sorted on the latest build as its going to have doors open unlike the WG11 so needed to add some ASW hardware to highlight its role, although you'll be hard pressed to actually see it, at least I know its there  . I should hopefully be able to press on with assembling the fuselage tonight, so hoping I can get the PSR done and canopy fitted and masked on Tuesday with a couple of days to clean up the build and be ready for spraying this week. Why the rush, well my spray booth vents using a open window in my workroom, whilst the temperature may be an issue with a cold snap, I just realised that its Bonfire night on Sunday, so chances of local bonfires and fireworks going off over the weekend so probably best to have the spraying done before then if possible or get smoked !.

Well its 11 days to be ready so hoping to get the builds finished this week as near as damn it, sort out and pack them at the weekend and be ready for a week on Thursday so I can pack the car on Friday.

Trying to refine my shopping list for SMW, Narses comment has made me think about tools and accessories as I know sort of what I am after kit wise and conversion sets wise as I keep to the Helicopter theme.

[Thorvic]

Mixed results last night as I discovered I had misplaced the instrument coaming for the current build. Managed to wing it but not impressed as probably lost an hour looking for it. Sod law says I will find it once the model is complete. Also kicking myself as I also forgot to take photos of the interior that I had actually detailed !!! DOH 

Anyway the fuselage is together, I can add the replacement instrument panel and fit the canopy tonight then bung up the openings to PSR the seams so hopefully can stay on track to have its primed at least by weekend with the idea of completing it during the weekend. (I Hope)

In some aspects I'm really looking forward to SMW, or rather the period after it running up-to Christmas, the build pressure is off then till next year, sure the Show will provide lots of inspiration and new kits to play with, in December we are possibly due the new Phantom, and there are a few builds I postponed because I knew I couldn't build all that I wanted to do so focused on the ones most likely to be done. The need to build for a the show is off and that means a chance to consolidate, sort out the new stuff, put away the display stuff till next year, clear off the work bench and get a weekend or two to yourselves, give the house a good old clear out and tidy up and get set for the Christmas Period. 

[Thorvic]

Just an observation but something I noticed when doing the helicopters is the complete lack of manufacturers and aftermarket people doing the ASW interior for ASW helicopters, Revell put it in their NH-90 and Hobbyboss in their Seahawk. However their Lynx releases are a bit mental as the RN HAS3 and MK8 kits are supposed to have Sea Skua but don't whilst the German MK88 does, but doesn't have the Dunking Sonar, the HAS2 is done as French and Dutch aircraft and is illustrated with a Door winch that's not provided.

In order to add Sonar to my latest build I had to rob a Cyber Hobby Sub Hunter sea king for the hardware, the Revell AEW2/HAS5 Sea king has radar and AEW consoles but no ASW gear bar the sonar itself. Even the Italeri Merlin HAS1 only has the consoles but leaves out the actual Sonar gear and winch together with the Sonar buoys.

Now unlike some kits many Helicopters do have large opening doors so it would be nice to have this hardware included or at least offered so we can show it off with doors open rather than forced to model closed up as the lack of interior becomes obvious