Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

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vacant
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Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by vacant »

I once bought a Martin Baker MB2 by accident. I misread the 2 for a 5. That’s what can happen when one buys on impulse from cardboard boxes in the dark recesses under dealers’ tables at model shows. ‘Should ‘ve gone to Specsavers’ (other opticians are available).

The MB2 was a vacform and a pretty awful one at that. It was so bad that the shape could have been almost anything. Needless to say, I built it anyway. But since then, I have been on the lookout for an MB5. I found one in my usual haunt, i.e. in a cardboard box on the floor at the 2017 Telford show, so I splashed out the £1.50 that the dealer was asking for it. There are times when ‘is that the death on price?’ seems inappropriate and this was one of them.

The Martin Baker MB5 seems to be one of those iconic ‘failures’ of the British aviation industry. Only one was built (the replica in the USA does not count). It performed well, but it just seems to have missed the proverbial boat in terms of being at the right place at the right time. Eric Brown said it was ‘outstanding’. That’s enough proof of its quality for me. Has anyone attempted to build a model of every aircraft in which ‘Winkle’ Brown flew? The problem seems to have been that the jet age had arrived – its contra-rotating props and a piston engine were yesterday’s technology for a fighter, though the Wyvern did have some success.

The Airframe vacform kit is, like the MB2, quite dreadful, but only if you are looking for everything to be done for you. The basic shapes for wings and fuselage are provided, but that’s all. There is no surface detail on any of the shapes. Another problem is that the plastic is rather thin, made worse by the fact that since it is long out of production, the plastic has to be cut with extra care to avoid splits.

I scribed some panel lines on the wings and fuselage using the kit’s basic plans as a guide. The cockpit was scratch built as nothing was provided. The undercarriage was also scratch built with wheels coming from the spares box. The canopy was old and yellowed so I had to mould a new one in clear plastic card.

I used enamel paint for the green and acrylics for the grey and yellow. The green is probably too light a shade. It seems to look fine in the photos but under bright light, some very suspect lumpy areas are all too evident. I really should remove the paint, sand it down and start all over again. I just can’t face it.

Decals came from spare bits, cobbled together as best I could. Any inaccurate markings are due to compromises I had to make. The prototype ‘P’, for example, is not exactly as on the aircraft.

My curiosity about the MB5 is now satisfied and life can move on.


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The Great Auk
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by The Great Auk »

That's an excellent result from what sounds like an incredibly challenging kit!

MB-5s are certainly unusual and one doesn't see them built up often. I most enjoyed yours even if it's not totally accurate.

The Great Auk
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DavidWomby
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by DavidWomby »

Well done, Vacant. There are easier kits of the MB5 available but that has turned out really well.

David

PS - yes, I've built the AirFrame MB2 and do understand.
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iggie
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by iggie »

That's an excellent build of what sounds like a crappy kit!
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by celt »

Well tidy again vacant,you truly are a master at vacforms.
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by Lone Modeller »

I echo what the others have written. Once again you have turned out a silk purse from a sow's ear.
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

Very nice as always, Vacant. Pretty nifty looking aircraft. I am a sucker for contraprop driven birds.
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MarkyM607
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by MarkyM607 »

Very nice. I think my M.B.5 is the Pegasus models one. Quite good actually. :grin:
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by ShaunW »

Another great vacform build, Vacant and yet another silk purse from a sow's ear. To my eyes though, the MB5 isn't an object of beauty although I suppose it does have a certain brutal charm! The Wyvern did have a degree of success but was that not a turboprop design and perhaps possessing better performance?
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vacant
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by vacant »

Yes, the Wyvern engine was a turboprop - my sloppy wording.
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Tarkas
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by Tarkas »

vacant wrote:Has anyone attempted to build a model of every aircraft in which ‘Winkle’ Brown flew?
Wot, all 487 -- and that's just the different types, not counting variants, marks, etc. That'd be one heck of a collection. Unless you mean every individual aircraft he flew in, in which case I'm going somewhere else; that would run to thousands of aircraft, and I doubt your grandkids would be able to finish them all.

I still say someone should have found another 13 types for Winkle to make up a full 500. Don't think anyone else will ever be able to beat his figure.
The problem seems to have been that the jet age had arrived – its contra-rotating props and a piston engine were yesterday’s technology for a fighter, though the Wyvern did have some success.
Pretty much; it was also that what was already available before the jets was more than adequate, and the expense and time needed to put the MB5 into production couldn't really be justified. Not unlike the CA-15 Kangaroo -- brilliant aircraft, but too late, so that it was both out-dated and not needed by the time it would have gone into service.

Nice model, though.
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by Stamford »

Is it just me or does it look like a Mustang thats been on the pies!
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FAAMAN
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by FAAMAN »

So nicely done, you are a magician versed in the dark art of vac forms Vacant :grin: :grin:
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by DazDaMan »

Very smart!
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Re: Martin Baker MB5; Airframe 1/72 vacform

Post by skypirate »

Very well done, as usual!
I have just seen the recent AZ model kit and it made me realise what a big aeroplane this is, relatively.
It would be nice to see a picture of it alongside a P-51 in the same scale.

Cheers,

David
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