Metropolitan Police Bumble Bee

NARSES2 · April 05, 2021, 06:07:36 AM

Quote from: Army of One on April 05, 2021, 03:56:56 AM
Op Bumblebee was the name given by the Met to the crackdown on burglary and burglars.....

Ah, this will have other uses

Quote from: NARSES2 on April 04, 2021, 05:58:37 AM

I'm going to devote tomorrow to sorting the cockpit etch out, which may take most of my modelling time.

And it has

NARSES2 · April 06, 2021, 06:43:28 AM

Gave up yesterday when the carpet monster got a bit to greedy. Manage to find 2 out of 3 parts that it gobbled up, but still can't find the third, one of the exhausts. It will probably cough it up now I've cobbled up a couple of replacements.

The plastic is quite hard which means you can get sharp/clean separation from the sprue gates, but the layout of the sprues also means they can be a bit springy. Whence the small parts in particular having a tendency to fly off somewhere. Hopefully by cutting the sprues into more manageable portions I've solved with this.....touch wood.

Mossie · April 06, 2021, 12:58:25 PM

Place some blu-tac under the part, stops it pinging off. Makes it a little harder to cut but works.

NARSES2 · April 07, 2021, 06:10:50 AM

Quote from: Mossie on April 06, 2021, 12:58:25 PM
Place some blu-tac under the part, stops it pinging off. Makes it a little harder to cut but works.

NARSES2 · April 07, 2021, 06:20:55 AM

Progress, the cockpit tub slots into the fuselage and then the fuselage halves fit around it like a dream. I now have the wings and tail appendage (which I 'd assembled whilst waiting for paint to dry) to fit and I can get the primer out. Moving forward

If I have one criticism of this kit then it's the instructions. They are a little confusing in places, now most of that is probably down to the kit offering 6 options and each one is different when it comes to parts used. Best method is to pick your option and go through and highlight the instructions where it refers to that option. There's still a couple of areas which take a bit of figuring out, but nothing to drastic and nowhere near as messy as the recent Clear Prop Lagg 5's instructions that I've just built.

I suppose I've been spoilt by the instructions in my recent new tool Airfix builds which are extremely well laid out.

NARSES2 · April 08, 2021, 06:13:42 AM

Here's some shots of progress so far

Interior

Cockpit tub

Sub assemblies

PR19_Kit · April 08, 2021, 07:08:27 AM

A pretty ugly aeroplane, but an impressive kit.

kitbasher · April 08, 2021, 09:36:38 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 08, 2021, 07:08:27 AM
A pretty ugly aeroplane, but an impressive kit.

Indeed - this thread's making me want to invest in the Weekend edition!

PR19_Kit · April 08, 2021, 10:43:58 AM

What IS a Weekend Edition of a kit anyway?

kitbasher · April 08, 2021, 11:30:37 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 08, 2021, 10:43:58 AM
What IS a Weekend Edition of a kit anyway?

IIRC just the plastic - no Profipack resin or etch bells and whistles, and I think reduced decal options (in fact I think different decals with fewer choices).

buzzbomb · April 08, 2021, 02:54:10 PM

moving along nicely

zenrat · April 09, 2021, 04:31:03 AM

So what's the section behind the cockpit with the small window?
A holding cell? Is this prisoner transport?

NARSES2 · April 09, 2021, 05:41:56 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on April 08, 2021, 09:36:38 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 08, 2021, 07:08:27 AM
A pretty ugly aeroplane, but an impressive kit.

Indeed - this thread's making me want to invest in the Weekend edition!

It's a very impressive kit and very much a labour of love on Eduards part one feels. Mind you mines now sulking. Ugly ? How dare you sir ! Robust and workmanlike certainly, but ugly ? Never

Quote from: kitbasher on April 08, 2021, 11:30:37 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 08, 2021, 10:43:58 AM
What IS a Weekend Edition of a kit anyway?

IIRC just the plastic - no Profipack resin or etch bells and whistles, and I think reduced decal options (in fact I think different decals with fewer choices).

Yup the Weekend Edition would be a really nice relaxing build. Traditionally the Weekend version offered one markings choice, but the newer ones offer two I think.

NARSES2 · April 09, 2021, 05:48:01 AM

Quote from: zenrat on April 09, 2021, 04:31:03 AM
So what's the section behind the cockpit with the small window?
A holding cell? Is this prisoner transport?

I hadn't thought of that, stop giving me ideas

I'm actually not sure, but my first thought was that they were so the pilot or ground crew could check the hopper which holds the fertiliser/pesticide etc and see how much was in there. Then I thought "but if so why would you need one on either side ?" I need to do a little research.

Anyway I now have a complete airframe and hopefully I can get her primed this weekend, providing it's not to cold and windy out on the balcony.

NARSES2 · April 09, 2021, 05:58:09 AM

I've had a quick look on-line and can't find any explanation although seeing the way the thing is loaded with the fertiliser etc it may well be my first thoughts are correct ?

I've found details of a version which was configured to carry 3 passengers, but it dispenses with the hopper area completely and has quite a different fuselage. I've also found one of these passenger versions on floats.