BA overthink the 'Retro' thing - DONE!

[PR19_Kit]

I didn't follow Airfix's instructions to assemble both wings halves first as I had to blank off the piston engine cowlings before assembling the wing, and doing it their way would have made that very difficult. As a result I've already got the lower wing glued into the fuselage all on its own, which means I had to select whether to glue the struts into the top or bottom wing first. I decided to go for the bottom wing as gravity would help out a bit, in theory.

So far I've got maybe 3/4 of them in place, the rear two centre ones having to be jigged with Blue Tak or they'd just fall over sideways!



You may notice the starboard forward stut is missing its outer leg, it was short moulded and only about 4 mm long, so I chopped it right off and I'll scratch a replacement. Currently they're all sitting there drying off before I try and glue on the upper wing, and I bet that won't be much fun!

Oddly the forward struts lean forward, while the rearward ones are vertical, but Airfix don't mention that in the instructions. 

[buzzbomb]

Getting to the good bits now.

Oddly the forward struts lean forward, while the rearward ones are vertical, but Airfix don't mention that in the instructions. 

Compared with the instructions booklets these days the Kits of that era the instructions could sometimes be classed as "guidelines"
Although, even these modern instructions sometimes lead you to the den of Messrs Trial and Error.

[PR19_Kit]

Hmmm, I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that building even an OOB HP42 is impossible.

The struttery is so weak and so complex that getting them all lined up at the same time just doesn't work. So far I've managed to break all four of the main centre section struts while trying to assemble the wings, and their ends are so small that there's no glue area to re-attach them and still have enough strength to support the upper wing.

I'm going to have to re-think the whole idea I reckon.

[kerick]

You need a jig to hold both wings in the right position and then install the struts.

[PR19_Kit]

You need a jig to hold both wings in the right position and then install the struts.

Airfix actually give you one, of a fashion, to do just that, but it won't work if the lower wing is already glued in place, and mine is.

However the engineers at BA came up with a solution. 

They were worried that the extra thrust, maybe 200 times as much, from the Lycomings might give problems in keeping the upper wing attached, so they fitted a large single strut on the centre line and did away with Handley Page's original plethora of struts in the centre.



It did take five attempts to get the centre strut cut to the correct length  but it all fits now. The outer Warren struts will be fitted later as they're just TOO floppy as they are.

But it's all in one piece now, minus the wheels of course.

[Wardukw]

A simple but hugely effective result 👏   
Now that looks much better and I'd say what would have been done anyway..like ya said..a heap more power those wings would have to deal with ..the new centre spar would have been a must have 

[Steel Penguin]

Kit  that looks absolutely magic   

[frank2056]

Great solution! All those engines and pods give it a slightly more Aeroflot than BA look

[PR19_Kit]

Great solution! All those engines and pods give it a slightly more Aeroflot than BA look

It looks a bit like a Super Belphegor now. 

But wait till it's painted and got the decals on it................

[buzzbomb]

Fixed in a jiffy.  Great solution to the strut instability issue

[PR19_Kit]

Got all the parts on now, bar the wheels and that blasted missing windscreen.

I'm working on the windscreen though, some plastic packaging is due for a scalpel session later today hopefully, but that'll be after more priming and maybe some colour coats too. 

[Robomog]

Nice work around !   Looks good 

Mog
>^-.-^<

[kerick]

The paint and decals for this will make awesome! I'm looking forward to it.

[PR19_Kit]

It's fully primed now and I'm pretty pleased with it so far.

[PR19_Kit]

Also available in silver (Or NMF if you prefer....) 



It came out pretty well, I was a bit worried as silver isn't the easiest colour to lay on properly, but this one worked a treat. One of Halford's 'nameless' cans of silver, no idea what shade it really is, but it suits the 42 a treat.