The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma. Enough hints?

Kitaholic wrote:Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma. Enough hints?

No! Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma

Stuart wrote:

Kitaholic wrote:Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma, Puma. Enough hints?

No! Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma Puma

PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Does that help?

Could you say that again I missed it.

Are you talking to me??
Can I assume (if you are), you want me to build the Puma?...

Have you got a Puma? Never even noticed

Build the Airfix Puma?!?!? wot, the one where the nose glazing never fits?, jeez, I'd never advise anybody to do that! nay, lad, build yon Tamiya Sea Harrier instead - them Japanese know a thing about making a kit fit together you know. When I was your age, them Japanese kits were all t'rage for those wot could afford 'em, eeeh, aye, I could tell thi' some tales blather, blather, bore, bore, yawn, yawn, etc, etc.

ShaunW wrote:Build the Airfix Puma?!?!? wot, the one where the nose glazing never fits?, jeez, I'd never advise anybody to do that! nay, lad, build yon Tamiya Sea Harrier instead - them Japanese know a thing about making a kit fit together you know. When I was your age, them Japanese kits were all t'rage for those wot could afford 'em, eeeh, aye, I could tell thi' some tales blather, blather, bore, bore, yawn, yawn, etc, etc.

l (Actually I don't hear good things about the Tamiya SHAR kit - Which REALLY makes me want to build one! ).

In all fairness, don't let us choose for you - go with what you feel like building the most. I often fine that's more likely to get it finished.

You'll all be pleased to know (I hope) I've started the 1/24 Harrier and have splashed some paint onto the cockpit. I've decided to stop fretting over the lack of details and am going to build the blooming thing OOB (with resin intakes and seat) - otherwise it'll never get built.

I've not had a chance to take pictures yet, I've alas been too busy sorting out the paperwork for my new job (blooming security clearance) - thankfuly I've finished it today

Cheers

Stuart

Hopefully Mark will realise that I'm not being serious, Stuart

Yes, swiftly moving on to the more serious issue of the VTOL SB - I started the decals on my Shar this morning. They looked a bit suspect on the sheet but, being one who tries not to judge a book by its covers, I gave them a try. Oh dear. Firstly, all of the decals "feature" a white decal film backing, which I was rather hoping would clear once dipped in water and applied to the model. Dream on, the first roundel that I tried on the model ended up with a pants looking white border to it I carefully trimmed off the whiteness and then the decal began to break up. I trimmed the excess white film off next roundel first before dipping it into the water and that too began to split. I gave up at that point. The Shar is, I'm sorry to say, therefore back on the Shelf of Shame until I can source some replacement decals. Unfortunately my boxing of the kit comes from a less than good period in Airfix's history in the late 80's/early 90's when the decals were known to be of variable quality and that has been at the back of my mind during the build. Thankfully this SB is scheduled for a year!!

Shame about those decals, Shaun. I'd offer some if I could but I only have 1/72.

Some progress on the P.1127. Fuselage closed up (I think I may redo cockpit in a paler grey) and seams filled (one half of the fuselage is a bit bigger than the other all round) and battleship-sized rivets sanded down everywhere (not totally eliminated - just shrunk).



The wing halves were sanded down to improve the fit to roots. They now fit along the lower root and I will sand down top to fit upper root once glued into place (they are just posed there, not glued yet).



I also have been fettling the canopy a bit as it stands a bit too high.

David

Great work, David, this build is moving along at a fair old rate of knots. I'm miffed about the Sea Harrier decals but all being well I'll be able to source some alternatives.

Right ummm, I was going for the Harrier GR.9 or the Tamiya Shar but now I'm confused!!
I'll have a think (dangerous ground I know!!) over the weekend. About time I gave the Puma some bench space though....
Thanks ShaunW, now I have no idea where you stand on the Tamiya Sea Harrier!!!!

Kitaholic wrote:Have you got a Puma? Never even noticed

(Maybe I have, maybe I haven't!!!).

MarkyM607 wrote:Right ummm, I was going for the Harrier GR.9 or the Tamiya Shar but now I'm confused!!
I'll have a think (dangerous ground I know!!) over the weekend. About time I gave the Puma some bench space though....
Thanks ShaunW, now I have no idea where you stand on the Tamiya Sea Harrier!!!!

Kitaholic wrote:Have you got a Puma? Never even noticed

(Maybe I have, maybe I haven't!!!).

Both the GR.9 or the SHAR would be good to see.

David - That's coming along nicely!

Mark, I'm just having a laugh, we don't get a great deal of banter on here these days and I'm sorry if my brand of humour caused confusion. As Stuart has pointed out, build what you want to, not what the rabble of the forum might try to persuade you to

I've never built the Tamiya Sea Harrier and although it is an old kit it's Tamiya and therefore I would expect it to assemble reasonably well. I have built far more of Tamiya's military vehicle range than I have their aircraft but I did build one of their 1/48th Zeros a few years ago that dates from a similar period to the SHAR and I don't recall any problems with it. I have built the Airfix Puma and I and others I have subsequently seen build it, experienced a degree of difficulty in getting the glazing to fit - nothing insurmountable mind and nothing that would put me off building the kit again.

The wings are on after some juggling to get the anhedral looking right. The top joins are sanded down now. The extended tail was too big a diameter to fit well, so I used a piece of the kit's sprue which happened to be just right. Once I have sanded down that join and added the nosecone, this will be ready for priming. I have trimmed off about 1mm from the nose to make the nosecone fit better.



I build my models usually 'in flight' as I hate painting wheels, etc. but since this is a VTOL aircraft, I have decided it really should be displayed in vertical flight. So I have cut out the flaps and will have to do the undercart.

David