Barry's Widgeon *Finished*

[Barry]

Can't have too many Widgeons, I guess. Had this one for a long while waiting for some after market decals.





The parts




Vac clear parts, resin engine fronts and mass balances...kit decal options





Many options for Widgeons operated by Tourist Air Travel, a New Zealand company operating back in the 50's.

[PaulBradley]

The more the merrier! Is the scheme overall white?

[Barry]

Yes, with red trim, but I'm not sure yet just which trim option it will be.

[Barry]

These 'short run' kits often have molding towers which must be removed .





A much more detailed IP than usual. The problem is that it goes all the way to he floor on the left side. No room for the pilots feet you see. I shortened it by half.





The IP looks worse here that it actually is, but the important thing to note is how sight of it is totally blocked by the control wheel. I don't think it will be visible in the end anyway though as the line of sight in through the cockpit side windows will be blocked by the engines

[MDT]

This looking nice Barry. Thought initially you might be in for an easier build than the Airfix option but looking at the wings and IP I'm wasn't so sure!

[Barry]

Right....The only improvements over the Airfix are correctly sized outer wing panels and sturdier landing gear parts, On the negative side are the use of vac clear parts (Even if the windscreen is a little more accurate) and really thick trailing edges requiring "flat sanding" like vacuforms.

[PaulBradley]

Yikes.

[Barry]

Aww..c'mon Paul, it's not that bad.

[PaulBradley]

Not AS bad, perhaps, but still not good! I presume it was one of their earlier efforts.

[Barry]

Release date was 1999

[MDT]

I bet there is a bit of price difference as well! Having seen your fine work first hand it'll still turn out a stunner.

[Barry]

Some malformation at the leading edge on one wing. Stuffed it with plastic and will add filler after this has thoroughly set.




Not using vac windows if I don't have to. Out with the window making kit....took about an hour to make and install 4 windows. I'm a little slow.




Kit props are just hilariously bad. In the middle: top blade as furnished, bottom blade is my attempt at carving. Also bad, but not as bad. So I dug out some blades and spinners from spares . Not yet finished, but already looking better.

[PaulBradley]

And I thought the Airfix props are bad.....

[Barry]

And you would be right Sahib, but guess what else: This morning I was looking a pics of Tourist Air Travel's Widgeons and.......wait for it............Aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! No spinners on their Ranger engined airplanes. The spinners appeared only after the planes were re-engined with Lycomings! So, I had to empty my trash can piece by piece to find the original prop hubs and glue the blades back on them (after first digging the blades out of the spinners).

[PaulBradley]

The Legendary Black Beast of Aaargh! Run away!