Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72 *Finished*

For those 'tween war aircraft -- January 1919 to August 1939 -- military or civilian. Any kit, any scale.
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AndrewR
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Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72 *Finished*

Post by AndrewR »

I have several Matchbox biplanes which would fit this GB, so I'll go with the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIa from Matchbox.

Image

This one comes with funky blue and yellow plastic - pity it's not a US aircraft.

Image

I think I'll probably build the all-silver 32 Sqn example, the lower of the two schemes illustrated on the back of the box. The decals seem to be in good shape, but I think a spray with a fixative is in order. This will be mostly OOB, although I may try and decorate the engine a little. As usual, the pilot will be used to hide the bare cockpit. :-D

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Andrew
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Jagewa »

:shock: Man, that looks better in the box art than the three view on the back.. that is the first time I've seen a side view of a Siskin. I'm sorry I have now.. where's the eye soap..

Shame the pilot doesn't hide the side of the thing... :ha:

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Jim
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by johnsan »

Yeah, it's a butt-ugly plane, but the kit is pretty nice. I have very fond memories of all the MB biplanes. I just wish their monoplanes had been as good.

Has anyone else ever done a Siskin?
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Stuart »

Though ugly the Siskin was apprently a very nice aircraft to fly and the first all metal framed aircraft in RAF service... God I sounded boring...

I'd be interested to see how this goes together as I've heard good things about these MB biplanes.
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by AndrewR »

johnsan wrote:Yeah, it's a butt-ugly plane, but the kit is pretty nice. I have very fond memories of all the MB biplanes. I just wish their monoplanes had been as good.

Has anyone else ever done a Siskin?
There's now a Silver Wings resin kit in 1/32 scale, released a couple of years ago. Otherwise, this is it!

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Andrew
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Molly-new »

Strange that Matchbox produced this in blue and yellow when it is not an option for the colour scheme's. I thought the idea of multi-coloured plastic kits was that you could build and play without the need to paint?
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by AndrewR »

Molly-new wrote:Strange that Matchbox produced this in blue and yellow when it is not an option for the colour scheme's. I thought the idea of multi-coloured plastic kits was that you could build and play without the need to paint?
The Gladiator was in red and white if I remember rightly :shock:
But the Boeing P12e has a dark olive fuselage and yellow wings so it is "correct".
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Jagewa »

Molly-new wrote:Strange that Matchbox produced this in blue and yellow when it is not an option for the colour scheme's. I thought the idea of multi-coloured plastic kits was that you could build and play without the need to paint?
In this kits case, I think they were hoping you'd be tripping on the colour and not notice how homely the plane is.. :lol:
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Chuck Finley »

It does fit the criteria and builds up well.
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by JamesPerrin »

Will look forward to seeing how you get on.
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by AndrewR »

Jagewa wrote::shock: Man, that looks better in the box art than the three view on the back.. that is the first time I've seen a side view of a Siskin. I'm sorry I have now.. where's the eye soap..

Shame the pilot doesn't hide the side of the thing... :ha:

Cheers
Jim
If someone had mentioned the word "cowling" to the designer it might have looked a little better :grin:
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by Jagewa »

AndrewR wrote:
Jagewa wrote::shock: Man, that looks better in the box art than the three view on the back.. that is the first time I've seen a side view of a Siskin. I'm sorry I have now.. where's the eye soap..

Shame the pilot doesn't hide the side of the thing... :ha:

Cheers
Jim
If someone had mentioned the word "cowling" to the designer it might have looked a little better :grin:
and french curves... :grin:
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by AndrewR »

Armstrong Whitworth were metalworkers, so nice straight lines for their metal framework would be a deliberate design decision, I'm sure.

Dark glasses on please!

Here's the sprue shot.

Image

Tasteful plastic colours. :omg

Looking at the engine, the exhaust system looks a bit simplified, and a wiring harness of some sort would make the engine a little "busier". Fiddling with bits of wire. Oh Joy :mrgreen:
The windscreen is tiny and far too thick (it would scale to 10 cm or so), so a bit of acetate will be substituted there.

Cheers

Andrew
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by JamesPerrin »

Now if it was a Boeing or Curtiss Siskin those colours would be most appropriate!
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Re: Andrew's A.W. Siskin - Matchbox 1/72

Post by AndrewR »

JamesPerrin wrote:Now if it was a Boeing or Curtiss Siskin those colours would be most appropriate!
Quite so, a very strange decision to go with those colours!

Fortunately Vallejo Panzergrau primer has excellent covering power :)

Cheers

Andrew
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