Shackletons over the South Atlantic

[Nick]

Argentina's air forces have been operators of Avro aircraft for many years. Starting with the 504K trainer and the Anson, the Argentine pilots took on the mighty Avro Lancaster and Lincoln in 1948. These served for nearly 20 years against rebellions and deterring Chilean forces.

The Argentine Navy was looking for a suitable aircraft for maritime patrols, anti-submarine warfare and Air-Sea Rescue. Following advice from the Air Force they looked to the UK. A sales team from Manchester and a crew from the RAF demonstrated the versatile Avro Shackleton and an order was placed in 1955 for 24 MR.2 versions.

The Avro Shackleton would go on to fame and infamy over 30 years of patrolling the South Atlantic....

******************

For this build I'll be using the venerable FROG Shackleton MR.2 kit. I did see the modern Revell kits for £30 in Hannants - tempting but is it worth it?

Blackbird Decals 'Argentine Avro' sheet has the suitable light blue roundels, this I bought last week and it looks very tidy if a little limited in choice. I will need some generic bomber type markings to dress her up a little more, possibly from a Lancaster kit.

I still need to research FAA and COAN colour schemes to see if I need lots of Argentine Spanish wording down the sides. That's Fuerza Aérea Argentina and Comando de Aviación Naval if you didn't know.

[The Wooksta!]

The Frog is an MR3 with nose gear and it really shows its age, with working features and Clydesdale rivets. Fit isn't good either. The AEW3 I did a few years ago put me off the Frog kit for life.

I have the Revell new tool MR3 but I *really* dislike the Revell kits and much prefer the Airfix MR2, whilst I found I couldn't use the Revell 3 for what I wanted either.

What you wallet saves, your hairline and stress bank will lose. Pay the cost and get the easier build.

Edit: Apparently The Works are flogging the Airfix Shatipuss at a reasonable price.

[McColm]

The Airfix kits have problems as well especially when gluing the fuselage together. In some kits there's a few gaps and the left wing doesn't align properly. I think some of the earlier kits suffered from wrapping.
I would leave out the interior details apart from the cockpit as they won't be seen.
The new Revell Mk3 isn't compatible with the Airfix kit as it is a bit bigger. If you can get hold of the AeroClub Avro Shackleton AEW.2 conversion set and use it with the old Frog/Novo/Revell  MR.3 then you will have a better model.

[kitbasher]

Edit: Apparently The Works are flogging the Airfix Shatipuss at a reasonable price.

Not online, they're not.  Maybe just a few selected stores.

[Nick]

Hmm.... Maybe I will bite the bullet and fork out for a modern kit. Will still build the old one so I can say I've done it!

[The Wooksta!]

The Airfix kits have problems as well especially when gluing the fuselage together. In some kits there's a few gaps and the left wing doesn't align properly. I think some of the earlier kits suffered from wrapping.
I would leave out the interior details apart from the cockpit as they won't be seen.
The new Revell Mk3 isn't compatible with the Airfix kit as it is a bit bigger. If you can get hold of the AeroClub Avro Shackleton AEW.2 conversion set and use it with the old Frog/Novo/Revell  MR.3 then you will have a better model.

Except with the latter you have to a: find a long unavailable conversion that goes for stupid money on ebay due to the magic name Aeroclub (which many Etards thinks equals Payout and price accordingly) and then b: fit to a 50+ year old tooling and you then have to remove all of the surface detail and rescribe IN ADDITION to fighting the kit's inbuilt poor fit and 60s gimmicks, not to mention sink holes and flash?  No, sorry, your view is quite simply wrong if not deluded.

Yes, the Airfix kit has given some modellers problems, but I didn't have any with those I've built.  And even if the internal detail can't be seen, the bulkheads assist in aligning the fuselage properly.  Conversely, the Revell AEW2 was a horrible build that languishes unfinished in a box gathering dust.  The few others I've were bought (cheaply) strictly as wing donors for Tudors.

Nick, it's up to you.  Spend a few bob extra on either the Airfix MR2 or the Revell MR3.  Leave the Frog/Spawn kit for collectors, masochists and the insane.

Edit: Apparently The Works are flogging the Airfix Shatipuss at a reasonable price.

Not online, they're not.  Maybe just a few selected stores.

That may be the case.  The few stores in the north east (and I've only checked the one in Eldon Square) had sod all kits anyway.

[Martin H]

Hmm.... Maybe I will bite the bullet and fork out for a modern kit. Will still build the old one so I can say I've done it!

At least with the airfix kit you have the chance to install the mid upper turret and the nose guns................which might add to the back story if your supplying early mk-2's.

[McColm]

There's enough aftermarket kits to correct the errors or make improvements to whatever model you  decide to buy.

[Nick]

The Frog is an MR3 with nose gear and it really shows its age, with working features and Clydesdale rivets. Fit isn't good either. The AEW3 I did a few years ago put me off the Frog kit for life.

I have the Revell new tool MR3 but I *really* dislike the Revell kits and much prefer the Airfix MR2, whilst I found I couldn't use the Revell 3 for what I wanted either.

What you wallet saves, your hairline and stress bank will lose. Pay the cost and get the easier build.

Edit: Apparently The Works are flogging the Airfix Shatipuss at a reasonable price.

At least with the airfix kit you have the chance to install the mid upper turret and the nose guns................which might add to the back story if your supplying early mk-2's.

Thanks for the advice Lee. Today I did a quick detour into Harlow town centre and The Works had an Airfix AEW.2 Shackleton. Which was nice. 

I can make this fit my storyline. If it goes well I might do an MR version to go alongside. One might be naval, the other air force. We shall see.

Looking in the box and all I can say is Crivens!
There's a lot of plastic, a lot of options and a 20 page manual plus 2 A3 sheets for painting and decal placement. 
I have the choice of seats with or without pilots, bomb bays open or closed, flaps up or down, landing gear down or inflight....

[The Wooksta!]

Wondering if the one in Wallsend has any kits...

Eldon Square definitely doesn't.

[Nick]

Wondering if the one in Wallsend has any kits...

Eldon Square definitely doesn't.

If you really want one I can pop back in and get the other one they had. Hand it over when we meet again in August or at Telford.

[The Wooksta!]

Thanks, Nick.  I'll let you know.

[NARSES2]

I checked Croydon's The Works yesterday just in case. I was going to txt you Nick if they had any but they didn't.

[Rheged]

I checked Croydon's The Works yesterday just in case. I was going to txt you Nick if they had any but they didn't.

No sign of them in Hereford either.

[McColm]

King Kit and Hannants sell them.