DONE @p.3 +++ 1:72 Cunliffe-Owen Marlin SR.2 of the Royal Navy, Korean War

Dizzyfugu · July 18, 2018, 12:35:57 AM

#4 is about to commence, and now we are coming to a late WWII/post war design - inspired by Admiralty Specification O.5/43 as a replacement for the carrier-based Fairey Barracuda in the torpedo/dive bomber role. This led to the stillborn Fairey Spearfish, but there were contenders from other British manufacturers, among them Cunliffe-Owen. Details about this proposal remain obscure, but that does not prevent me from filling this gap with a personal interpretation, and the conversion of an appropriate kit.

Stay tuned.

NARSES2 · July 18, 2018, 12:56:13 AM

You're into this GB a bit aren't you Dizzy ?

I'm really looking forward to this one as the "FAA 1946" is one of my favourite wiffing periods.

Knightflyer · July 18, 2018, 01:56:34 AM

The rest of us had better get a move on, otherwise this Group Build will become an individual event!

At the present rate he's going, just how many can Dizzy turn out by the end of September?

PR19_Kit · July 18, 2018, 02:09:31 AM

Quote from: Knightflyer on July 18, 2018, 01:56:34 AM

At the present rate he's going, just how many can Dizzy turn out by the end of September?

20? Maybe 30?

Dizzyfugu · July 18, 2018, 05:01:28 AM

Well, the Battle of Britain GB yielded 10 models, but I do not expect that many this time. I am just "working down" my ideas for this GB, and these are - so far - all very compact projects, in my comfort zone, and I can pump these out in a week. Not intentionally, it's just the personal flow!

This one is already one size bigger and might take a bit longer to materialize, and there's a heavy mod/kitbash project lurking on the list, too.

Tophe · July 18, 2018, 10:27:43 PM

I hope it will be a twin-boomer like the Cunliffe-Owen OA-1...

$:-\$

Dizzyfugu · July 18, 2018, 11:52:44 PM

No, unfortunately not. It's rather a travesty project - this here is the inspirational artwork:

Looks so natural and sexy!

I am going to convert a Fujimi B7A2, but with some mods, e .g. a Centaurus engine and a five blade prop and a machine gun barbette like the Spearfish, and with additional Korean War ID stripes.

Here's the other inspirational source, the Fairey Spearfish (w/o its dorsal gun barbette):

NARSES2 · July 19, 2018, 06:32:23 AM

Looking forward to it even more now

Knightflyer · July 19, 2018, 10:41:25 AM

Anticipating factor climbing rapidly already

Dizzyfugu · July 20, 2018, 12:59:56 AM

As per usual, progress is fast - I have already attached the wings to the closed fuselage. Engine swap turned out to be more tricky than expected, but I was able to find a... robust solution.

I was also able to integrate the planned gun barbette behind the cockpit (actually a chin turret from an Airfix B-17G), and it is even movable!

Knightflyer · July 20, 2018, 01:01:13 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on July 20, 2018, 12:59:56 AM
I was also able to integrate the planned gun barbette behind the cockpit (actually a chin turret from an Airfix B-17G), and it is even movable!

Now you're just showing off!

Dizzyfugu · July 20, 2018, 01:47:26 AM

Ah, no - I just have a plan, and miraculously it seems to work!

PR19_Kit · July 20, 2018, 02:02:50 AM

A 'robust solution'?

Thoughts of a monster white metal engine so that you need a TAIL weight!

Dizzyfugu · July 20, 2018, 02:06:20 AM

Well, it's not exactly the solution, but there's some truth behind the idea.

Dizzyfugu · July 23, 2018, 12:14:23 AM

Again, some slower progress, due to a prolonged, local heatwave and urgent projects at work. So far I am happy that I finished the radial engine Spitfire and I can now focus my attention of the Marlin.

Did some detail work last weekend, e.g. the single piece canopy was cut into five parts for potential open display, I added a radar pod under the port wing and searched the spares box for different main wheels. The tail wheel was also changed - the original, fixed installation now features a bigger wheel (IIRC, a front wheel from a PZL Iskra trainer) and it received covers, as if retractable.

As ordnance, the Marlin will receive the OOB torpedo (looks very similar to a British 18" torpedo), and I plan to hang eight 3" missiles under the outer wings, left over from the recent Sea Hawk trainer project.

Yesterday I came so far that basic painting (EDSG/SKY, high waterline, just as in the CG artwork above) could commence.