Moments of Zen

[zenrat]

There is something "right" about the Banshee.  Can't put it into words.
Looking forward to it.

[Old Wombat]

Next two'll be Grummans?

[DogfighterZen]

There is something "right" about the Banshee.  Can't put it into words.
Looking forward to it.

The Banshee -2 is my favorite version of the variants, the longer fuselage on the following -3/4 doesn't look as good to my eyes, although it had better performance.
Been looking at the schemes it wore and it's going to be a hard choice cause i like the dark blue, but i also like the scheme used on Canadian -3 jets.
In the real world, the Portuguese AF and navy kept the schemes that the aircraft came with so, to keep it closer to reality, it would be the Dark Blue...
I'll have to chose quickly cause i may have to either print or get aftermarket decals for it.

Next two'll be Grummans?

Good question... i do have the F7F Tigercat and F11F Tiger in there... as well as a F9F-8 Cougar and a Tomcat...

[zenrat]

This is a Hobbycraft -3.
RAN Banshee 8 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
I also have the MPC boxing of the Airfix -2 in the stash.

[DogfighterZen]

Yup, that's the scheme, Fred.
I think it would look good with the PoNA markings on it but they do look good on the the dark blue, just like in the RW. The Portuguese services didn't change the schemes their aircraft came with at the time and they only added the markings and stenciling in PT.
The Naval Aviation, which was the Portuguese navy's air arm, had the SB2C-5 Helldiver and kept it very simple...



By painting it blue, it would conform to what was the norm in the RW. Maybe some white bits can give it a nice difference... 

[NARSES2]

I've always liked the Banshee as well. I think it's because of the number of Korean War movies I watched as a kid. Wasn't William Holden a Banshee pilot in one of them ?

[TheChronicOne]

I have one ... one of the Hobbcraft ones, don't remember which. Anyone know why the nickname was the "Banjo?"   

Helldiver picture there damn near looks like a Dizzy build. 

[PR19_Kit]

Helldiver picture there damn near looks like a Dizzy build. 

Oh? You mean it isn't? 

[DogfighterZen]

Helldiver picture there damn near looks like a Dizzy build. 

Oh? You mean it isn't? 

The original is a black and white photo of a RW SB2C-5 of the Portuguese Naval Aviation, which was colorized.
But i agree, i've seen pics of Dizzy's builds that really look like that pic... Besides, couldn't be a Dizzyfugu build cause the Portuguese really had the Helldiver....

[DogfighterZen]

I've always liked the Banshee as well. I think it's because of the number of Korean War movies I watched as a kid. Wasn't William Holden a Banshee pilot in one of them ?

I don't remember watching any old movies with fighter jets but that's a nice theme for tonight... 
I've watched the aircraft scenes of the "The bridges at Toko-Ri", in which William Holden plays the pilot and the jets used were the F9F Panther.

[NARSES2]

I've watched the aircraft scenes of the "The bridges at Toko-Ri", in which William Holden plays the pilot and the jets used were the F9F Panther.

Ah, my error. Cheers 

[DogfighterZen]

I've also watched a few scenes of "Men of the fighting lady" and they also used Panthers on that movie. Some of these movies have a few nice aircraft scenes, i should watch more of them.

Today i made a start on the Banshee and the cockpit was almost ready... Read on and you'll understand... I thought, as the canopy was a bit on the thick side and a one piece deal, not much would be seen of the interior but i wanted to give it a bit more on the top area, where it would show.
Added a few bits like the ejection seat handle on top of the headrest and a bit of detail for a gunsight but still needed the reflector glass.



Why am i writing all this in the past tense? Well, cause tonight, after i finished working on it, when i was going to join the fuselage halves for a quick check with the canopy in place, i couldn't find it in the box...
Then i remembered that when i got to the shed this afternoon, i cleared out the kitchen table where i was working(because my bench is totally cluttered) and completely forgot that i had the Banshee's canopy protected from scratches, rolled up in a paper napkin... needless to say, i didn't remember that then and seems like i threw away the canopy inside the napkin into the trash bag and afterwards, took the bag out to the recycling isle so, unless a good soul that has a spare canopy they'd like to donate, this one is going back into the box until i find a canopy or something else to do to it. 
Stupid mistake!! I know that won't happen again cause from now on, i'll keep loose canopies inside clear plastic bags so i can see what's inside.

So, the Phantom is my only kit on the bench right now... guess i should make a start on that and think of what else is on the list... 

[PR19_Kit]

Agggghhh! That's terrible, and it's not worth buying another kit (even if it's possible) just for a canopy. 

Do Falcon do a vacform Banshee canopy in their range maybe?

[DogfighterZen]

Thank you, Kit!  After a careful look on the Falcon Models site, seems like the Banshee might make it after all, they have a set of 2 canopies for the Airfix kit so, looks like i'll be spending money... Might as well order a set for the other kit i have without a canopy, the Airfix 1/72 FW 190.

[zenrat]

Bugger!.  I bet you said something like "gosh I am really rather annoyed with myself".

Silver lining is that you immediately knew for sure it had gone and didn't spend fruitless time searching for it.