RAE B.E.25 Firebird

[63cpe]

Ok, time to start the next project for this GB:

IMG_20180704_190856216 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Oh, is it supposed to be RAF only....okiedokie...let get crackin!
First add ancient looking british turrets to the Kalinin's rather ugly fuselage, which is sort of a whif in a box...It used to have fake turrets they're replaced by real fuctioning ones in the front and rear.

IMG_20180823_203045445 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

url=https://flic.kr/p/28ZSMnX][/url]IMG_20180823_193509328 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Then the canopy was changed to one from an PZL-37 including the deck behind canopy. This is going to be extended to fit the rearturret. The white piece in front in the picture below is the glazing for the bomb aimers office. It still has it's protective plastics over the transparencies. This piece will be glued in the frontal side of the fuselage. First the right fuselage halve than the left halve.


IMG_20180823_203027578 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
IMG_20180823_210311306 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Looks more complicating it really was...super glue and zap helped a lot to get it exactly where it needs to go. More soon!

Cheers,
David

[zenrat]

Turrets from the Airfix RAF rescue launch?

[63cpe]

Yes, they are!

[NARSES2]

Cockpit canopy certainly makes it look British 

[63cpe]

Wait till you've seen the engines! the radials will be replaced by merlins...

[zenrat]

I recognised the turrets as I have a couple in my parts boxes.  Very large but holding only one vickers K (?) machine gun.
Ideally suited to something like this...

...or a Heyford...

[63cpe]

@Zenrat. I especially liked the turrets when checking the sea launch kit ( I need the Hull for another project). Later I noticed they had only one very small gun which is perfect for a bomber in the mid thirties. While doing some research i noticed more RAF bombers in the mid thirties had little or no guns for defence. The turrets in the sealaunch seem to me quit luxurious as they roomy and have only one gun. The best compromise between: "Sure there is defence, but lets make it also a nice place to be as there is quite possibly noting to do for longer periods of time...".

The guns seems a K-gun to me..A slightly better representation is in the current Airfix Blenheim kit..

Cheers,
David

[63cpe]

This is how the fuselage looks when taped together.. I'm not glueing the fuselage shut yet as more detail needed in cockpit and bombaimer area.

IMG_20180825_104350972 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Cheers,
David

[PR19_Kit]

Those Whaleback turrets have a real 'vintage' look to them, and they suit the model perfectly! 

[TheChronicOne]

Niiiiice... that's one strange looking contraption!

[loupgarou]

You're making a strange contraption even more strange! Congratulations!

[Old Wombat]

It looks ... wrong ... but in the right way, for some strange reason.

[63cpe]

Ohhhh, this is going to look so weird and ugly.....! The influence of the LWS-6 Zubr is getting more apparent.

Now It's time for an update!
First the engines: they're from an Matchbox Halifax. I milled the radiators out and made new ones incl the small intake below the radiators. The external adjustments were new intakes on both sides (made from gunblisters from airfix B-25) and filled most of the sides to get a good joint to the lower wings.
IMG_20180904_095105399 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Now this is how it looks now with engines test fitted to the wings:
IMG_20180904_095536969 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
IMG_20180904_095547833 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

And with propellers in place:
IMG_20180904_101147372 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Now the upper deck still needs to be made. This is going to fill the area between the canopy and the rear turret.

Enjoy your modelling!
Cheers,
David

[Old Wombat]

I'm sticking with this ;

It looks ... wrong ... but in the right way, for some strange reason.

[kerick]

This is really starting to have an anime look to it! Carry on!