Lancfan's "clapp't aht aud nag" (Starfix kit) ***FINISHED***

[lancfan]

These new tool Airfix Mustangs are building up much quicker than I thought and will not last to the end of the GB so I have added this to my pile as a little light relief.


David.

[Chris]

The infamous Starfix kit.

[jssel]

That's the best looking F-16 I have ever seen!

Really though, it looks like the old Revell kit with removable cowlings.

Thanks for sharing David.

[Dirkpitt289]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Don't do it. PLEASE don't do it!!!!! Oh the nightmares are starting to flood back into my head. Oh dear.....

[lancfan]

Before I start anything more serious I thought it be fun to see just what I could make of the old Starfix kit, rummaging around I found issue one of 'Modelaid Quarterly' this rather useful magazine is sadly no longer with us but in those pre-resin days each issue came with cut-out paper cockpits, this issue contains 2 cockpits each for the Mustang, BAC Lightning & the RE.2001 and this seems to be the perfect opportunity to use one of them.


David.

[Gregers]

I'm looking forward to see what you do with this one David. Someone really ought to re pop those Modelaid mag cockpits. I used a couple when the mag was new out and they are useful.

All the best.

Greg

[lancfan]

Cheers Greg, have milled away the brackets for the crude interior fittings and have compared the fuselage to the Richard J. Caruana drawings in the magazine, and I have to state that it may be quite crude but although it is not perfect in outline the fuselage ain't that far out from these drawings. The main fault seems to be the cross section in that it is too fat in the middle so if it is slimmed down it should be doable as a passable Mustang.


The model as it now stands along with the cockpit cut out and a seat taken from a Frog Mustang II.


David.

[ShaunW]

I've never had the "pleasure" of building a Starfix kit but I've heard plenty about them! Interesting paper cockpit - I haven't heard of Modelaid Quarterly, seems like I may have missed a useful magazine.

[lancfan]

Have been quiet on this for a few days but this is the current state of play, although the kit is fairly close as regards outline the cross sections are rubbish and the fuselage needed to be thinned overall whilst other parts have had to be widened so this has been a veritable filler monster but it is somewhere near now and the wings can be assembled next.


David.

[Dirkpitt289]

I give you all the credit in the world for attempting this build.

[jssel]

Like the cockpit alot. David, the "Horse Whisperer".

[lancfan]

Thanks Dirk, Jeff, just finishing a GB build elesewhere but I am back again now. Got carried away on this and almost missed a picture stop, the first wing has had the flap cut off and all of the raised detail has been removed, the obtrusive stays across the wheelbay have been cut away and the wing is now in place on the fuselage, the second wing has been separated from its flap and is being readied for assembly and fitting complete the pair.

Both wings are here in place and a filler piece has been glued down to fill the gap in the windscreen coaming. Behind the model are two spare Frog tailplanes, the one on the right has been trimmed to fit this model.


David.

[lancfan]

Both wings and the Frog tailplanes complete the basic airframe, a curved piece of plastic card has been fitted into the rear lower fuselage to represent the cooling duct and the wing root has been milled out to clear the lowered flaps and (yet) more filler has been applied.


David.

[lancfan]

with the elevators in place along with a pair of spare Airfix flaps the airframe is almost ready for primer, all that remains to be done before that is to fit the radiator flap and a new pair of exhausts.

David.

[PaulBradley]

Cue Freddie Mercury - "She's a Filler Queen..."