Skypirate's Hideaway

Show us a view of your workbench / work in progress and build reports too.
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Narayan wrote:How is the Jag coming along?
Narayan
Jag has taken a back seat. I am stuck on the undercarriage - to dress or not to dress?

I have cut plastic on a Matchbox Victor! Hooley Dooley! A Big model!

Others in progress - 1 FM-2 Wildcat and 2 Martlet VIs - all 1/72 Hobby Boss.

Image

The Wildcat in Atlantic scheme:

Image

One Martlet will be all gloss sea blue as seen above. The other will be the Slate Grey/EDSG scheme. I am trying the blu-tack method of masking again. It was quite easy for the Atlantic scheme. Some touching up required.

Image

In a moment of confusion I applied the EDSG first. Normally I would apply the Slate Grey first.
Still not convince about this method of masking. Now I have to cover the appropriate spaces with masking tape. Seems awfully labour intensive. I suppose the proof is in the pudding.

Same for my 2nd FROG Firefly:

Image

This method defeated me on the Jaguar wrap-around camo.

Wish me luck!

David
User avatar
Dirkpitt289
NUMA's Auto Mechanic
Posts: 8722
Joined: May 2nd, 2011, 1:55 am
Location: New jersey USA
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

Nice work going on here. I love the Wildcat in the Atlantic scheme. I'm going to be building an Avenger for the Anti-Shipping GB in the same scheme. I look forward to seeing how the others turn out.
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

So the blu-tack masking turned out quite satisfactorily. Some touching up is necessary here and there.
Three Wildcats:

Image

...and Firefly

Image

The weak point is the masking solution I used (instead of cutting up bits of masking tape). Got to get it off a.s.a.p or it doesn't come off. (I lost a 1/72 Hustler that way. Maybe it will be a rebuild project one-day. If the paint stripper can get the old masking solution off. I suppose I have nothing to lose there)

cheers,

David.
User avatar
IrishAir
Active Participant
Posts: 516
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:02 am
Location: Cork, Ireland

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by IrishAir »

Camo looks good, gotta love the Martlet.

Cheers,
Paul
There's always room for improvement...... and I got plenty of space to fill
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Many distractions, slow progress, long absence. Sorry about that.

Three Wildcats are nearly done. This was the state a week or so ago:

Image

I did a whole lot of decalling, including the 2nd FROG Firefly (not photographed this time). A lot more decals have gone on the 1/48 Jaguar since this photo.

Image

I am still fussing about trying to work out how to dress up the undercarriage with brake lines - I haven't tried that before and my superglue skills are shaky.

Also, in order to spur on the release of a new 1/72 DH Venom kit, I started a bit of kit bashing with the FROG Vampire and a Novo Sea Venom:

Image

It is not a completely straightforward conversion because the two fuselages are of differing diameter (larger engine in the Venom).

Image

I am also recovering an old Airfix 1/144 Boeing 707 in BOAC colours. I botched the silver finish many months ago, and gave it up; but I was encouraged to take another look. The old decals shattered in many places, and I am waiting for the opportunity to buy some Humbrol H104 Oxford Blue which may be good match for BOAC blue. This will look like a 1960s model - there is no hiding the ancient decal film.

I have also de-sprued the main parts of the Matchbox Victor, but not touched it since.

This is enough to keep me busy! Thanks for looking,

cheers,

David
User avatar
Ural
Active Participant
Posts: 542
Joined: May 4th, 2011, 8:10 pm
Location: Montevideo-Uruguay

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Ural »

VERY IMPRESIVE WORK HERE!

I really like a lot the three Martlet´s! AND the JAguar!

What you think about the Hobby Boss Wildcat?

Best regards

Henry
User avatar
Dirkpitt289
NUMA's Auto Mechanic
Posts: 8722
Joined: May 2nd, 2011, 1:55 am
Location: New jersey USA
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

Great things happening here. Hard to place one over the other. It comforts me that I'm not the only one all over the place with different builds. :ha: :ha:
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Ural wrote:What you think about the Hobby Boss Wildcat?
The Hobby Boss Wildcat has very acceptable level of detail. I had a go at three at the same time because of the minimum parts and a nice Techmod after-market decal sheet. The undercarriage is a bit simplified, but you get open and closed canopies and two decal options for the FM-2 kit. There are also extra underwing holes (for auxiliary tanks?) that I did not bother to fill in (they are not all the way through). I painted a representation of the instrument panel that can be seen through the thin, very-clear canopy, and I added seat-belts. Kit decals are fine too. (Quality control was a bit odd! I had three of the same kit shipped together - all factory sealed - one had a totally different cowling! I did that one in the US markings). The fuselage is not as portly as the Academy kit that I built some years ago. But it looks fine. All in all, recommended!

Thanks for the kind words!

cheers,

David
User avatar
Softscience
Staring out the window
Posts: 7380
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:34 pm
Location: Maryland, near Washington DC

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Softscience »

Lovely wildcats David.

I found that an easy fix for the simplified UC is to add the hump between the extended legs, and hollow out a few of the spaces between the struts which are most visible. All of this can be done in a single dedicated model session (maybe more for you since you're doing 3 at once). Baring that, you can also choose to pose your models on diorama bases, preventing anyone from getting a good luck underneath.
shangos70
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4418
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:14 am
Location: Doncaster, Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire.

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by shangos70 »

Great work going on , blutak is my prefered method of masking as i can't get tight enough free hand spraying .I did the Victor for last years Telford display , its not a bad kit for its age . Just take your time and it will look great .
User avatar
JamesPerrin
Looks like his avatar
Posts: 13619
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:09 pm
Location: W. Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by JamesPerrin »

The wildcats are coming along nicely but I'm very excited to see you cut and shunting the Frog kit's into a single seat Venom. Are you working from the SAM article?
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
User avatar
splash
Senior Service Rotorhead
Posts: 13828
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:02 am
Location: Somerset England

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by splash »

I love the Jag it looks great with the red spine, and will watch with interest how the Venom comes along.

Regards
Splash
My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

JamesPerrin wrote:Are you working from the SAM article?
Hi James,

yes, I have a poor photocopy of the SAM article (pictures not clear) and also an earlier, similar article from PAM News No.14 (Jul-Sep 1976). Please don't get too excited; you can gauge my rate of progress from past projects! You can see these two kits are not a match made in heaven. There's going to be a lot of filling and sanding and cussing, for sure!

Unusual how all the Matchbox Victor raised panel lines are double lines. Maybe I can scribe between them and then sand down the raised lines.

cheers,

David
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Hello all, some progress to report.

Some time ago I attempted to make something of an old Airfix Boeing 707, that I came into, partly built. It is an early issue with original BOAC decals. After I glued on the engine pods I spent a great deal of time filling and sanding in preparation for an aluminium spray coat. Then a rattle-can varnish to seal it on went awry (flow marks, etc) and I gave it up. I was about to give it away recently when I was inspired to attempt a rescue. So the white topsides were sprayed on and sealed with Pledge One-Go, and decals applied. Arrrgh! The ancient decals shattered around any kind of bend. I could not match the blue in the decals (navy blue, I guess). I hid the breaks with gloss sea blue (which is blue-black compared to navy blue), but this is not acceptable. Online reference suggested Humbrol H-104 Oxford Blue, and I got hold of some yesterday. That is even less of a match, so I am back where I started:

Image

The photo does not show the mismatched colours, or what passes for 'decal film' circa 1960! No chance of hiding the decal film. Cockpit windows are yet to be painted on (previous build ruined the transparency), and undercarriage is yet to go on, too.

On another front, I finally had a go at the 1/48 Airfix Jaguar undercarriage. This kit is truly a labour of love:

Image

I can see that mounting the undercarriage is no sure thing! What's the bet that as soon as I finish this dog's breakfast, a shiny new 1/48 Jaguar kit will appear on the shelves? Anyway, I have never attempted this before, so with much trepidation (I dislike working with superglue) I added some fuse wire thus:

Image

This is based on the article in World Model Aviation, May 2010, which shows just how much can be accomplished.
And so:

Image

Not too shabby, if I may say so myself, but that's as far as I go!
You will notice in the final picture that the ridiculous nosewheel leg piece that will take the weight of the nose has already broken, and reinforced with strips of etched brass. I wish I trusted superglue!

Next update, I should have some pics of the FROG Firefly taking on Hasegawa (ex-Mosquito) underwing rockets, modified to suit.

Having fun most of the time!

David
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

The Jaguar is inching along, but now starting to come together:

Image

The spine has been tidied up and is quite satisfactory. Since this photo was taken, I have been mounting the undercarriage. As expected (see earlier photo), the fit was very dodgy. I resorted to 5-minute epoxy to give myself a chance of straightening everything and after 20 minutes of fiddling I can leave it alone. However, the nosewheel leg snapped, but can be fixed with some judicious drilling and a bit of paperclip. I cobbled together a LGB using a British 1000 pounder and Hasegawa parts to give this 41 Sqn machine some bite. That also requires some straightening.

Strangely enough, at this point in my wrestles with the Jaguar, I had a perverse urge to promote the 1/48 Buccaneer kit to the workbench! We all know how satisfying that will be!

Anyway, I got a modelling boost when I snared one of the elusive Aeroclub Hunter T.7 conversions for the Matchbox kit. This has inspired me to start assembling that kit alongside one of the gorgeous Revell FGA.9 kits.

Image

I have no idea how well this conversion fits the Matchbox kit. Anyone tried it? A rough test fit suggested that the Aeroclub spine might be narrower than the Matchbox spine, requiring the receiving Matchbox 'channel' to be filled. I have not decided on a scheme. I have the decal sheet from apparently a Revell boxing of the T.7/F.58, but no instructions. Off the top of my head I fancy the wrap-around scheme on 12 Sqn Hunters.

Unfortunately the Venom conversion is presently in the too-hard basket, and the B707 awaiting a colour matching solution.

Thanks for looking,

David
Post Reply

Return to “Workbench Window”