Martin Baker MB5B Monsoon PR3 build thread

[PR19_Kit]

Now it's starting to look like an aeroplane. 

The pic's not the best but it was a 'quick and dirty' job in some pretty poor light. It was a real pain getting the decals placed properly, and they're different on each side too because of the camera port on the port side.

As far as I can see the RAF hardly ever had the port in the middle of a roundel or a code letter, I only know of one instance and that was deliberate.

Oh yes, I've got all the small white metal parts primed now, except two of them seem to be missing. 

There's only one of the inner main gear doors, and I figure a PR aircraft would need all the speed it can get so I intend to fit them on the PR3, and the pitot head has vanished. It's only about 2 mm long so I guess I can make one from fuse wire or something close.

[PR19_Kit]

It's getting there, all the fiddly little bits of painting are done, exhausts, cockpit upper deck under the canopy, wheel wells, nav. lights etc. The landing gear is installed (and what a drama THAT is!) the props and wheels are painted and the canopy's been coated in Kleer.

I guess we're down to what's called 'Final Assembly' now, and that's mainly putting the wheels and canopy on. I just HATE the last bit, but the Skybirds vacform seems to fit better than the AZ one.

And after all that I'll satin varnish it.

[TheChronicOne]

Get your varnish on,  . . . . . and stop being a tease.    . ..   

[PR19_Kit]

The canopy's glueing on as I write, but my Vallejo Satin Varnish has turned into a circular white brick that slides up and down inside the bottle............

That's the SECOND time I've had that happen with Vallejo paints, and good as they are, they're pricy and I'm not spending good money on a product that I can only use 1/3 or a 1/2 of at most. 

Somewhere I have some Humbrol Satin Varnish, but it'll take some finding I bet.

[PR19_Kit]

I've found something about modelling that I hate even more than PSR sessions.....

It's masking up vacform canopies! 

Because they hardly ever have clearly defined frame lines you have to guess where they are, and then trim the masking tape to suit the imaginary lines. Doing this for the Monsoon in the small hours of this morning took me AGES, and I've cut clean through the canopy in one place, but luckily you can't see it.

It's also a real pain getting them to fit properly and the Monsoon's has a gap at the front and the rear, but I'll try a few more coats of paint to fill the gaps.

I was hoping to get a coat of satin varnish on the model today, but even though I found two pots of Humbrol Satin Cote and one of Matte Coat, they're all like glue. So much so that my motorised paint stirrer grabbed hold of the glob in the bottom of one bottle of Satin Cote and spun the whole bottle round like a spinning top!! 

Needless to say the LHS I closed on Wednesdays so this job has come to a halt until the morning.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............

[PR19_Kit]

As it won't look much different when I've satin varnished it, here's the finished MB5B Monsoon PR3 in the colours of the PRDU at RAF Benson in late 1946.







The centre pic is a failed test of a different technique which I won't be using again  but it's the only one I have of the starboard side at the moment.

I've used the inner main gear doors as used on the prototype in its early days as I figure the PR3 would need as little drag as possible. One is the only white metal one I had and the other is a styrene copy.

[kerick]

Looks the part now with the canopy and prop installed. Awesome job!

[TheChronicOne]

"The centre pic is a failed test of a different technique which I won't be using again ..."

I was going to say the middle pic looks a bit weird...  lol   


Damn, I love it... that is such a beautiful color and she looks great. You'll have to provide some more pics!  I know you put a lot of work into this and we want to see it all! I know that intake bit was a chore for sure but from what I can see it turned out great along with the rest of it.

MOST glorious!! 

[The Wooksta!]

I'd build a support crate for that thing to keep it off it's u/c when it's not actually on display at a show.  Nowt too fancy - just some shaped polystyrene blocks and cocktail sticks should do.

[Librarian]

Worked out beautifully...looks gorgeous in her PRU blue colours. Lovely finish. Just wish a mainstream 1/48 kit would appear.

[kitnut617]

Well done Kit, love it 

[PR19_Kit]

STILL no satin varnish.....

I may just leave it as it is, fully glossed as if it was just out of the MU after Heavy Exam.

More pics later today hopefully.

[NARSES2]

Come out well mate

[PR19_Kit]

A whole bunch of pics of the Monsoon but taken outside this time, and showing some the bits in close-up.









The white metal main gear, which is very prone to bending right down at the root. The bent wire pitot head is just in view too.




The white metal tailwheel is just as bendy as the mains. I'm sure it'll snap off before long.






The scratchbuilt radiator scoop, I must have been mad....

[JayBee]

The scratchbuilt radiator scoop, I must have been mad....

"Been mad" no Kit, you continue to be mad.
Apart from that she looks fantastic, and the canopy looks to be better than the AZ one (even with the stab wound which I can not see  )

Jim