Avro Type 690 Leeds - the true story

[PR19_Kit]

One big advantage of this hot weather is the paint dries so fast it's not true! Sometimes before it's even reached the model! 

So the main painting of the Leeds is done, and here it is in all its finery, complete with the VAST amount of masking I've just had to cut off. 

Now it's time to print and apply the decals, then do the detail painting and add the landing gear.

[Rheged]

Four RR late model Tynes perhaps?   RTy.32  projected military use engine rated at 8,400 hp.    33,600hp should be sufficient for most purposes.   

An Avro Cullercoats, or perhaps post 1960 the Hawker Siddeley Hexham, the Folland Fenham or the  de Havilland Hebburn.

I did have a chucle at the last suggestion although I am really far to young to remember her   

Gondor

I suspect that you are thinking of OLIVIA de Havilland and Audrey Hepburn.   Both charming and decorative ladies.

I was thinking that aircraft with RR river named engines could be named for locations along that river.  RR Severns would give the Supermarine Shrewsbury, RR Spey giving the Avro Aviemore  and the RR Avon giving us the English Electric Evesham.  A game to play with an atlas whilst waiting for glue/paint to dry or when brassed off with a Mach Two fitting issue.

[PR19_Kit]

Or after the third hour of masking.................

Hmm, was there ever a RR Lyd? The Lyd runs right through the middle of Lydney en route to the Severn, but it's only about 6 ft wide, so maybe it'd only be suitable for a missile engine.

[Rheged]

Or after the third hour of masking.................

Hmm, was there ever a RR Lyd? The Lyd runs right through the middle of Lydney en route to the Severn, but it's only about 6 ft wide, so maybe it'd only be suitable for a missile engine.

Can't find the Rolls Royce Lyd  on their current listing, but in Whiffworld?.........   I'll have a think about this and possibly draw attention to some of the engines RR could have developed.   The Eden, Caldew, Wye, Helmsdale,  Isis ( a fancy version of the Thames) Towy, Bann , Nith or even Susquehanna or  Yukon from their American division.

[rickshaw]

Is lookin' good there, Kit. Following this with much interest.   

[Rick Lowe]

Looking good, Kit.

Yeah - masking...  I feel your pain.

[NARSES2]

One big advantage of this hot weather is the paint dries so fast it's not true! Sometimes before it's even reached the model! 

Oh my that does look smart 

I had a similar experience with paint drying faster then I could apply it this morning so I gave up. I swear some of the plastic is beginning to feel a tad tacky as well ?

[PR19_Kit]

What, you may ask, is this, and what has it to do with building obscure post-WWII Brit transports? Well, the Leeds' fuselage was derived from the York, and the York had its cabin windows all the same distance from the floor, which was curved, so the windows were anything BUT in a straight line.

So that gizmo is a jig to ensure that they're all the same distance from the floor of the model and the same distance apart. Here it is in use spacing the second porthole on the fuselage, together with my left knee and thumb................



Only 48 more portholes to go..... 

[scooter]

Only 48 more portholes to go..... 

Along with your sanity.   I hope you've got a nice, simple build planned after this.

[PR19_Kit]

Here's half the decals done anyway, just the port side, which is the more complex of the two.



Not 100% perfect, but not too bad, and it looks like the original 2010 plan anyway.

[NARSES2]

Once an engineer always a .........................................

I honestly don't know how you do it Kit. I honestly don't think I could even begin to contemplate it.

[Rheged]

Most impressive.

[jalles]

Wow, that looks fabulous 

[PR19_Kit]

Once an engineer always a .........................................

I honestly don't know how you do it Kit. I honestly don't think I could even begin to contemplate it.

Sometimes I don't know how I do it either. 

Getting those windows to the correct spacing was a real pain, even with the jig. Looking more closely at a York I found the rearmost set of portholes, aft of the trailing edge, do seem to be in a straight line, so I had to adjust my technique somewhat to suit, and you can just about see that in the pic.

If my Dad was still around I'd have phoned him to ask about York's floors............. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Uh, pretty!