Bluesteel's SS Walrus ***FINISHED***

[bluesteel]

Secret Santa sent me a Walrus:



I like the Airfix Walrus, a great choice. Haven't built one of these since I was a kid. This should be fun

[ara398]

I haven't even got one in the stash!

Will be watching this closely...

Adrian

[Saxon]

Both colour options look appealing!

[bluesteel]

Both colour options look appealing!

Yes, it's a tough one. I like both scemes. But I think I'll build this one as the HMS Emperor variant

[bluesteel]

Made a start. Cleaning up the main parts and drilling a few hole for rigging. I'm pleasantly surprised there's not as much flash on it as I would expect for a kit of its vintage. It'll be mainlly OOB with crew figures on the spigots in the rear and front hatches, but I will do a little extra work in the main cockpit area, despite not being able to see much of it once the canopy is in place.



Now I need to do some research into Walrus cockpit layout and rigging...

[bluesteel]

Scratch built a basic cockpit for the Walrus, at least for the semi-visible areas:

[MerlinJones]

Julian...at some point in the future, you'll want an Airfix pilot and find your Spares Box lacking.
Remember that you entombed a chap inside the Walrus.

[bluesteel]

Julian...at some point in the future, you'll want an Airfix pilot and find your Spares Box lacking.
Remember that you entombed a chap inside the Walrus.

Yes, I might just be able to fish him out through the small windows I had to cut out for the Radio Op/Navs comparment

[Martin R]

Julian,

Nice interior work that should help bring this old kit to life! What'll you be doing in the gunner's position, I wonder?

regards,

Martin

[bluesteel]

Julian,

Nice interior work that should help bring this old kit to life! What'll you be doing in the gunner's position, I wonder?

regards,

Martin

Well here are the gunner positions. There's scant internal reference for these so I've used Classic Airframes 1:48th Walrus instructions and builds as a basis. It looks like there are no seats in either the fore or aft positions, perhaps the gunner kneels in the front one as there's not much vertical room to stand. There appears to be a fold up jump seat opposite the pilot. I've added a windlass in the nose, and gun magazines in nose and tail positions:

[PaulBradley]

Great start, Julian.

There's a useful thread (in French) about detailing the SMER kit here:

http://fighters.forumactif.com/t34165-s ... -1-48-smer;

Which includes a very useful photo of the interior of the front gunner's position, amongst others.

[bluesteel]

Great start, Julian.

There's a useful thread (in French) about detailing the SMER kit here:

http://fighters.forumactif.com/t34165-s ... -1-48-smer;

Which includes a very useful photo of the interior of the front gunner's position, amongst others.

Thanks Paul, that is indeed quite useful. It looks like it confirms I have it more-or-less as it should be, at least in as much detail as I want to go in 1/72nd! Now I have to work out the engine off-set angle and the rigging...

[bluesteel]

Interior now mostly painted. Crew to finishe off, then I can seal the fuselage:

[PaulBradley]

Nice! I do believe those side windows were openable - hingeing upwards, IIRC - so that could give a further opportunity to show off the interior. That way, your little man is not "wasted."

[JamesPerrin]

Lovely work Julian.