Long haul OOB builds

[Bungle]

Since we are in this pandemic and I seem to have a lot of time on my hands I decided to explore the stash for something I could get my teeth into.

Even though I retire in less than three weeks I am still working , like so many others, from home. While the work is getting done it's not the same as being in the office and I am beginning to go a little stir crazy. I must be because I have decided on my next two builds, both of which will not be straight forward, I know from experience.  These two are likely to be OOB and not What-if in our normal sense of the word but I think, at least the first one, will be What-if I actually manage to finish it and the second What-if I don't end up screaming and hurling it against a wall. 

So for the first little darling, the worlds ugliest....



So ugly they named it twice, the Blackburn Blackburn

And for something to do other than sanding down the Blackburn parts....

Yes I know it a Unicraft, yes I know it likely to have as 'many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall' (thank you Mr Lennon)



Such a sweet little thing it can't be that bad can it?

If allowed I might post some WIP on here if that's ok with the mods.... 

[Wurgerman]

Rather you than me ! Best of luck !

Wurgerman

[PR19_Kit]

So ugly they named it twice, the Blackburn Blackburn

I couldn't agree more. 

And as for building one from a Contrail vacform, more strength to your elbow Bungle. 

[NARSES2]

I hope you get the Blackburn finished at least, it's always fascinated me and is one of those models that needs to be posed with a figure so you can get and idea of it's size. Oh it definitely needs a "sharks mouth (Whales mouth ?)" artwork by the way 

As for the Westland ? I can never get it into my brain it was intended for military use, let alone as a fighter. Just looks like a short haul airliner of the period to me.

[Bungle]

A quick update if I may. Working from home is having its benefits,. A 180 degree turn in the chair away from the computer screens linked to the office and I'm in front of mission control for the Blackburn Blackburn.

I'm cracking on at a faster pace than normal and yes I'm enjoying it. Haven't done anything with Westland kit but as you can see by the pictures below I got lucky and Unicraft had run out of air bubble holes ! Still a lot of cleaning up to do.

So the Blackburn Blackburn from Contrail. Not a lot of parts to be honest, two sheets of plastic mouldings, a pair of plastic undercarriage legs, a metal propeller and some plastic rod for the struts.



The instructions (exploded plan type) show a tail skid - whether that was white metal part or plastic I don't knowbut it isn't in the box. Likewise no transparencies, windscreen or windows - no matter. The kit is a BB Mk.II, the MK.I having the top wing attached to the fuselage, the MK.II had it above.

Pieces cut out



There is not a lot of detail on the fuselage and no provision/mention of the protruding exhausts either. The interior has only two seats and an instrument panel blank. The flooring comes in the form of templates which I will cut from some brown textured plasticard.



The whole fuselage is very filmsy so I will be strengthening this with balsa wood. You will also note I know my left from right but not my up from down 

The westland parts need a cleanup but are probably the best I've seen in a Unicraft kit ! So impressed I bought their Folland Fo.117 kit last night !

[Captain Canada]

This will be good ! Always liked these 'flying oddball' types. Looking forward to seeing more !

[NARSES2]

Are you sure that's a Unicraft kit ? Not only does it seem to lack air bubbles but the flash looks relatively easy to clean up (for Unicraft) as well 

I'll be interested in what the Folland is like in the box as I was tempted when I first saw it, but hadn't had quite enough to drink at the time 

[McColm]

This will be an interesting build 

[Bungle]

So I added a bit more balsa wood inside due to needing to drill the circular observation windows. Been caught out with this before, unsupported plastic tends to split when you are drilling big holes (well it has for me). Anyway that led to adding a bit more detail then the two seats supplied. White metal seats added from some Aeroclub spares I found the rest are all out of the spares box or bits of balsa.



Add a liberal spraying of primer..... and a little random colour

[NARSES2]

Been caught out with this before, unsupported plastic tends to split when you are drilling big holes (well it has for me).

Yup, that's why I tend to drill a series of holes working up from a very small bit to the size I finally want. Hadn't thought about using balsa or similar to support it, cheers 

[Bungle]

Go to say I'm enjoying this !

So gave the insides a bit of  a black and sepia washes to take the 'newness off' the interiors and then with baited breath put the fuselage halves together.....

Surprisingly it went together exceedingly easy ! Had to make a small adjustment to one of bulkheads which you can't see anyway but it all matched up and with a little filler just to smooth the joins we have an ugly little airframe !







Should say the wings and tailplane were even simpler to go together. Hats off to Contrail, I'm used to struggling with Rareplane vacuforms but this is a delight. I'm having second thoughts about ebaying my Blackburn Kangaroo. One of the downside of working from home is no bonus / overtime so model making or eating ?? decisions, decisions. I know what SWMBO would say.   

[PR19_Kit]

It may have been easy to built, but it's still the UGLIEST aeroplane I've ever set eyes on! 

But well done getting it built so well so far Bungle. 

[zenrat]

At this stage it's hard to tell what it is - an aircraft?  or...
...I have nothing else, but it doesn't look like an aircraft.


You've done well though.

[Bungle]

At this stage it's hard to tell what it is - an aircraft?  or...

In that case ... Can you see what it is yet



A few small gaps to fill but it's still going together ok.



Still an ugly beast though.



Got a lot of fiddly bits to create / fit today. The Contrail kit doesn't suggest the forward firing Vickers so I'm going to have bodge something there. Then there's a visit to one of the many, many spares box to come up with something for the rear Lewis gun.

[zenrat]

At this stage it's hard to tell what it is - an aircraft?  or...

In that case ... Can you see what it is yet ...

Yes!  It has wings and a tail and is amazingly ugly.  It's a Blackburn!