Tommy's Hudson I

[Tommy]

After a month of overtime at work, I am ready to get back into building kits again and will do the Airfix Lockheed Hudson Mk.I with the kit markings for No 2 Squadron RAAF.



Tommy

[theconfidencestoat]

Hot !

[PaulBradley]

Excellent! Welcome back to the fold, Tommy, and thanks for joining the GB!

[Tommy]

Thank you! I'll do my best.

Here are the parts, decals, and the boxart (which happens to have the RAAF version on it).







I am going to use some Aeroclub propellers since I feel the Airfix propellers are a little bulky.

Tommy

[Old_Tonto]

Great choice. Looking forward to seeing this one built.

[Tommy]

Thank you!

I started off by first removing all of the parts I would not need for the model and putting them in the spares box. This included the props, crew members (except the turret gunner - I'll need him!), and a few other parts.

I have built this kit twice before and so I am quite familiar with it. I cleaned and assembled the engines and the scoops that go on top. The cockpit parts had some sink marks in them so I filled those problems and will sand them later. The fuselage is dry fitted. I have glued the horizontal platform that the gun turret sits on to one of the fuselage sides. The turret is dry fitted to the platform so that the platform will dry in the correct position. I had to modify the disk/pin part that holds the lower part of the turret in place. I just cut off the disk part and now I can remove an replace the turret as I need to during assembly. In the end, the turret will just be glued in place facing aft.



Tommy

[Dirkpitt289]

Nice choice Tommy. I've been toying with the idea of building one of these myself... with a twist of course.

[Softscience]

Need the gunner? Is this one of those "ring for hands" type setups that some Airfix bombers had?

[Jagewa]

Tommy, I'm going to be building one of these real soon, as well, so I'll be enjoying following your build along here.

Cheers
Jim

[Tommy]

Need the gunner? Is this one of those "ring for hands" type setups that some Airfix bombers had?

That is exactly right. No other way to support the turret guns except for scratch building something.

[Tommy]

Nice choice Tommy. I've been toying with the idea of building one of these myself... with a twist of course.

You've got me wondering what the "twist" is. I hope you give it a go so we can all see what you have in mind.

[Tommy]

Tommy, I'm going to be building one of these real soon, as well, so I'll be enjoying following your build along here.

Cheers
Jim

Thanks Jim!

I made a lot of progress today (got up at 7 AM and was full of energy ).

I have most of the parts cleaned up and some are ready for painting.

The picture below shows the turret assembled. I'll just paint it all black and then install the turret dome. Then I'll mask the dome and paint it black and then set it aside until the model is done. At that point I'll install it.



The next picture shows the modification I made for the main landing gear. This kit is just like the SM79 in that you have to trap the landing gear leg in the nacelle and thus avoid damaging it during construction. I just added some styrene in the nacelle and drilled a hole in it to accept the modified landing gear leg. Now I can install the landing gear when ever I please. Also shown are the Aeroclub propellers with the Airfix propeller shafts attached to them. I can now fit them easily to the engines.



The last picture show the wings and tail parts assembled. I'll need to sand them when they are dry. The fuselage interior is ready for masking and painting. I had a hard time fitting the cockpit bulkheads and floor. Those parts needed to be trimmed here and there and some styrene filler was used in a few places. I also filled the hole that the control stick goes in cause it seems to far away from the pilot's seat and way to close to the control panel. I just drilled a new hole for it that is in a reasonably good position now.




Tommy

[Dirkpitt289]

Nice choice Tommy. I've been toying with the idea of building one of these myself... with a twist of course.

You've got me wondering what the "twist" is. I hope you give it a go so we can all see what you have in mind.

JerseyCon is coming up at the end of this month and I'm hoping to scout one out there. We will see what happens.