1/72 Airfix TSR.2 in BAC Eagle GR.1 Guise

[scautomoton]

So just in time for the end of the year I've managed to finally get this one over the line. Finished! It's finally finished!! (cue slightly unhinged laughter).

So this was actually the first kit I started upon my return to the hobby in October 2023. Yes, I know, I'm stupid, I should have started with something a tad easier. But, well, yeah. Suffice to say I learned A LOT getting this one done. Not least to not do another TSR.2 for some time (second kit in stash firmly relocated to back of pile).

For a long time I wan't sure what scheme to do this one in. There are many excellent builds online, many of which I shamelessly copied. In the end I decided I preferred an in-service scheme, so have gone with 617 Squadron in full CAS loading. I took technical inspiration from both TSR2 Britain's Lost Bomber by Damian Burke and Lost Tomorrows of an Eagle by Paul Lucas since I wanted it to be a feasible load. I used Tornado stencils on the camo surfaces, and low viz TSR.2 stencils on the light grey underside since I couldn't find the Model Alliance decal set (wrong perhaps but so what, its my WhatIf!) After so long it got to the point where I have foregone some of the more excruciating bits (brake lines etc) simply because I just wanted it finished. I somehow managed to twist the nose when I glued it together, and the electronics bay door and canopies are slightly on the cock, never mind. Plus there's all the ubiquitous marking and damage to the paintwork whilst handling it when assembling all the fiddly bits, and the fact that the Alclad Klear stayed tacky for a good few weeks attracting dust and fingerprints..... Memo to self, apply matt coating last of all.

So in terms of work to improve this poor, poor effort by Airfix (and actually some of the CMK stuff isn't that great either):

- 10g of lead
- Addition of intake to fin since Airfix omitted this
- Reshaping of dorsal area where forward fuselage meets wing to eliminate the odd hump/dip/wibble
- lots of sanding and rescribing of rear lower fuselage
- lots of filler, pretty much everywhere to sort out horrendous joints, gaps and poor engineering
- bonker plates removed
- judicious butchery of undercarriage to get the main landing gear splay somewhere near correct, it'll do
- ALL the resin aftermarket bits apart from control surfaces since they're like hen's teeth
- A few in-service likely additions/corrections - ventral fins for Mach 2 stability, refuelling probe, "bulb" pitot from a Jaguar, refuelling probe (It was too late for the translating inlet shroud by the time I decided on all these)
- full CAS loadout of 6x 1000lb bombs internally on a 3d printed TER, 8x BL755 on inner pylons using Tornado Twin Stores Carriers attached to Jaguar Twin Stores Carriers, 4x MATRA 155 launchers on outer pylons using Tornado Twin Stores Carriers
- I printed my own SNEBS because a) I wanted the nozzles to show and, b) have you ever tried painting the resin ones with the frangible nosecone?! Hateful!

Kit - Airfix 1/72 Meteor Sweeper boxing
Extras - Air-Graphics Tornado Twin Stores Carriers; Flightpath Jaguar GR.1 metal Twin Stores Carriers; Master Jaguar GR.1 pitot; Freightdog refuelling probe; Quickboost F-14A ventral fins; CMK Interior (but not canopies), Electronics bay, Bomb bay & doors, Inlets, Exhaust innards, air brakes; SAC metal undercarriage; resin wheels from somewhere (I forget); Reskit BL755 cluster bombs, 1000lb bombs; 3d printed ladders from Ebay; various Tornado GR.1 decals raided for stencils, Xtradecal X72059 617 Sqn markings, C-130 red/yellow stripe decals for wing walk areas
3d Print - MATRA 155 SNEB launchers, weapon pylons, internal bomb TER (not that you can see them)
Vac Forming - none for this one
Scratchbuilt - cooling duct on tail fin, some of the hydraulic rams holding various doors etc open, metal pin in the aerial under the nose since the damned thing kept snapping off!
Primer - Mr Surfacer 500 and 1200 grey
Paint - Alclad II Aluminium, Dull Aluminium, Chrome for Plastic, Stainless Steel, Gunmetal; Tamiya X-1 Black, XF-1 Flat Black, X-11 Chrome Silver, XF-54 Dark Sea Grey, XF-81 Dark Green 2 (RAF), XF-83 Medium Dea Grey 2 (RAF),  ; Mr Gunze Aqeous 8 Silver, 21 Off White, 52 Olive Drab, 61 IJN Gray Mitsubishi, 77 Tyre Black, 89 Metallic Green, 91 Clear Yellow, 92 Clear Orange, 302 Green FS34092 , 309 Green FS34079, 338 Light Gray
Weathering - sludge wash from Mr Gunze 77 Tyre Black; Tamiya Weathering Master Burnt Blue, Burnt Red, Oil Stain, Silver, Gunmetal, Soot; Ammo MIG Line Wash Blue/Black, Storm Grey, Medium Tan
Varnish/Finish - Alclad Klear Flat, Klear Satin; Intermediate Gauzy Agent, Gloss Coat Gauzy Agent; Lashings of Micro Set!

Now before the righteous among us comment that the various doors are only open in the museums for display purposes, hear me out. I'm in the early stages of designing the Short PD-17 at the moment, and when its finished the TSR-2 will perch atop it in a diorama setting with an army of Techs swarming all over it.

Anyway, too much waffle, lets get to the good stuff. Dancing girls I mean pictures!

[scautomoton]

[chrisonord]

    

[kitbasher]

Excellent model - great end to your modelling year.    

[DogfighterZen]

I'd say that's a damn good comeback build! Very nice work indeed!   

[Gondor]

That is just..........

I take it that you scratched built the underwing pylons yourself?

Gondor

[Steel Penguin]

big        here as well, a very fine and fierce looking Eagle

[Thorvic]

That is just..........

I take it that you scratched built the underwing pylons yourself?

Gondor

Even better Stuart has created and printed them in 3D

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235146380-172-tsr2-wing-pylons/

[Thorvic]

Loverly build Stuart, nice to see one with all the add-ons and your asdditions really  do enhance it.   

[buzzbomb]

Works for me.. terrific rendition of the Aircraft, really neat details added in.  

[kerick]

Lots of boom boom there!
Excellent work!

[Dizzyfugu]

Very nice. 

[Wardukw]

Damn nice build 👌 👍 😎

[Gondor]

That is just..........

I take it that you scratched built the underwing pylons yourself?

Gondor

Even better Stuart has created and printed them in 3D

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235146380-172-tsr2-wing-pylons/

No idea how I missed that! I have been using Jaguar underwing pylons so far as a "later" design.

Gondor

[Beermonster58]

The 1/72.Airfix TSR. 2 is a truly horrible kit and, my utmost respects go to anyone who can produce such a masterpiece from it.

I actually bought  6 and, started two but, they gave so much grief that only 1 got completed.. The other remained unwanted, unfinished and unloved for 2 years before I broke it up for parts to use on other projects.

I sold the other 4 unbuilt kits and swore I'd never touch another of the 1/72 kits again!

 Now, I know it won't ever happen but, if Airfix produced a brand new kit tk their current standards with the options shown included, I might buy THAT 😊