Fighting the Beau

FROG model kits, any and all, to include re-pops.
Runs 1st to 30th September.
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Martin R
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Fighting the Beau

Post by Martin R »

In the past, I've built the Airfix 'classic' Beau on this forum, http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/12446/SuBeau-finished then backed it up with a Matchbox Beau and got it featured in Paul B's Classic Plastic column in SAMi (ta, Paul!). So, to make up the hat trick, I'm going to try to complete the FROG Beau for this GB. If I succeed, the three kits will be part of my contribution to this year's CBK SIG stand at Telford. However, I have been unable to complete anything for the last 3 months, so this may be optimistic.

I'll probably use some AM on this build, including Hercules engines, cowlings and props by Aeroclub, vac formed transparencies from Falcon (I think) and an IP by Yahu. There'll also be a small amount of scratch building to round things off.

As for colour schemes and versions, I'm thinking either a SEAC Mk X or a Mediterranean MK X. The latter would be slightly out of the oridinary, I'm thinking: EDSG, DSG and azure blue.

Pics to follow.
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lancfan
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by lancfan »

I've got to watch this build Martin, I really like the Beaufighter (and just hope we get a new Airfix one soon).


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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

lancfan wrote:I've got to watch this build Martin, I really like the Beaufighter (and just hope we get a new Airfix one soon).


David.
I'll try to make it interesting for you then, David!

My troika of classic Beaus is a nod to the Irish born Patron Saint of new releases, St O'Please.

regards,

Martin
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PaulBradley
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by PaulBradley »

Nice choice, Martin - I did this one in Aussie markings some years ago, and I remember it builds up a treat.
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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

So, here are some pics as promised. Firstly, the box top:
Image

Instructions and decals:
Image

Sprues:
Image

Transparencies:
Image

Comparison between kit engine / cowlings and Aeroclub replacements. I can see some 'beefing up' of the nacelles being required:
Image

Falcon vacform transparencies:
Image

I can't at the moment put my hands on the Yahu pre-painted IP, but I'll get back to you.

regards,

Martin
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Molly-new
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Molly-new »

Cool choice, it will be interesting to see how it shapes up against the other two classics.
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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

Molly-new wrote:Cool choice, it will be interesting to see how it shapes up against the other two classics.
Yes, I'll be keen to see that too.

It's the 1st, so I was determined to crack the box tonight and start - and so I did. I thought I'd begin with some of the jobs I hate. Firstly, scribing. It took me the best part of an hour to get the upper wing surfaces done. I have highlighted the result with pencil for clarity below:
Image

The outline of the Froggy Beau is pretty good in the main, but I noticed looking at the side profile, that the fuselage underside takes a bit of a concave profile aft of the wing trailing edge to the tailwheel position (which I've opened up, the better to fit within a Hasegawa Beau tailwheel). This makes the rear fuselage look a bit weedy. So, it was out with the filler to try and build up the underside profile. Yes, I know should have waited until I'd joined the kit halves but hopefully even if it cracks when I separate the fuse, I should still have a level to fill back to. Anyway, we'll see:
Image

Image

That's all for tonight. Tomorrow, some more scribing - followed by sanding, methinks!

regards,

Martin
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Stuart
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Stuart »

Off to a flying start :)
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lancfan
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by lancfan »

your build is coming along a treat Martin, I have always liked this kit, it does need better engines such as those from the Matchbox/Revell kit or the Aeroclub units that you are using and like all the classic kits it needs some level of cockpit detail but if Airfix do not deliver a new Beaufighter for next year a number of Frog kits and the odd MB/Revell kit will join my stash and I won't need one.


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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

Thanks, David.

Tonight, due to an errant camera memory card, I have no pics to show. Having said that, photos would have been quite boring as I haven't done very much!

I've sanded down the filler on the fuse underside. It looks fine, although it'll need another application once the fuse halves are joined for real. I managed to separate the fuse halves last night, before the filler was fully cured, with no damage, surprisingly enough.

I have also rescribed the (glued together) tailplanes and started mulling over what to do with the interior. I'm currently leaning towards using the kit floor as a basis for further detail.

As if sorting the fuselage underside and nacelle won't require enough filler, I'm also going to have a shot at increasing the size of the oil cooler intakes, which are a bit weedy. I'm thinking of grafting on sections of low drag bombs if I can find any in the spares box.

Tomorrow, rescribing wing undersides and playing around with styrene sheet and stuff to busy up the interior. I also really need to cut out and test fit the Falcon vacform transparencies to see if they fit. I have a bad feeling about the observer's cupola . . .

Awrabest.

Martin
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lancfan
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by lancfan »

Martin, there are a few cutaway Beaufighter fuselages on display and clear pictures of them from various angles can be found from google.

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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

lancfan wrote:Martin, there are a few cutaway Beaufighter fuselages on display and clear pictures of them from various angles can be found from google.

David.
David,

Ta. I'll check them out. However, my middle name is "representative". :ha:

regards,

Martin
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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

Hi David,

I didn't get to the fuselage, but I have finished scribing the wings! Did the undersides tonight. After some sanding to attempt a slight trailing edge thickness reduction, I set about boxing in the undercarriage bays to avoid the "gaping view into the wing" look. I've currently put in front and rear bulkheads and, when they're set up and trimmed to size, I'll put in some sidewalls. All this is, of course, "representative" rather than accurate.

I also found a couple of Maverick missiles from the Airfix F-5E kit and assembled them. I think that, with some judicious chopping, the nose section of these will be a good size to form the front of the oil cooler inlets.

I hope to get the u/c bay walls finished and painted tomorrow. If I can do that, I'll get the wing halves together and begin the bulking up of the engine nacelles. We'll see.

regards,

Martin
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by novokits »

Martin, I noticed an interesting difference between your Beaufighter and Beaufighter Mk.21 kit. In your kit fuselage belly completely whole ... please see pictures. These are two different Frog kits?
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Martin R
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Re: Martin's Beautiful Beaufighter

Post by Martin R »

Novokits,

Yep, there are differences between the earlier NF1, F6C, TF10 (my boxing) and the Mk 21. Mine was the original tooling, which was modified into a Mk 21 sometime later. The Mk 21 was redesigned to be compatible with 'spin a prop' motors so that the props would rotate, and the underside panel was made removable so that the battery powering the 's-a-p' motors could be changed when necessary.

There were a couple of further changes. The short tailplanes were removed from the kit, underwing bombs were added and a bulge was added in front of the windscreen to represent the fairing for the Sperry autopilot which was intended to be fitted to Mk 21s. There were probably others that I haven't mentioned too . . . ;-)

I assume that if yours is a Novo boxing, the 's-a-p' functionality was not an option, so it's not mentioned in the instructions.

Can anyone else confirm / deny?

regards,

Martin
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