Lancfan's stop gap Comet Racer ***FINISHED***

[lancfan]

They were a lot of work to detail Zee and would have been a lot easier if they were Frog models but I did enjoy building them nevertheless, the bottom Comet is the one built for the French government as F-ANPZ, it was borrowed by the French Air Force for trials as E-109 and it is these markings I have used for this model.


David.

[Zee28]

Thanks David, interesting stuff. I did contemplate opening up the cockpit to add seats etc. but then reminded myself of what a ham-fisted oaf I am and that I would only end up making a real mess of it and throwing it in the bin, so I went back to my usual 'Straight-out-of-the-box' rule which stands me in for a little higher chance of success!

Your work on these is brilliant, I take my hat off to you mate, excellent detailing.

Most of my effort went into the final painting, trying to get a nice smooth glossy green. For the cockpit area I just painted it a dark woody colour and picked out the pilots' heads. Fundamentally lazy, impatient and unskilled, that's me!

But until this thread I wasn't even aware of the Frog offering, which is so much nicer. The new Airfix re-release does at least give us some nice decals though.

I will follow this with interest David.


Zee

[lancfan]

The engines have been fitted, these weren't as accurate as the airframe so they have been improved slightly, the canopy and noselight dome have been glued down with Glue'N'Glaze and the model is dry fitted to the kit stand.


David.

[lancfan]

I have lost one wheel to the carpet monster, found a new pair from the spares box and made a new more accurate pair of U/C doors from a part found in the same place. The model just needs a hole drilled for the pitot and it can then be painted.
Image Lost

David.

[Clashcityrocker]

Nice Comets. Did the green one not get a name?

Nigel

[lancfan]

No it didn't Nigel, G-ACSR was the only one of the three MacRobertson racers that wasn't named.


David.

[lancfan]

The model was next painted overall in Humbrol 60 Scarlet .


Final details, decals and varnish went on next and the model was then finished.
De Havilland 88 Comet Racer G-ACSS "Grosvenor house" MacRobeetson Trophy London to Melbourne air Race 1934.




David.
This model does have a few minor and easily correctable faults but it is still far ahead of the Airfix offering in terms of detail and accuracy, I do not know how well the Novo versions fit together but this original Frog kit was faultless in that respect and despite their age the decals were also perfect.

[DazDaMan]

Very nice. Nothing like a simple paint scheme to show off the lines of an aircraft properly!

[Clashcityrocker]

That looks very good.

Nigel

[TobyC]

That is very red.
I think you've done the kit a justice it probably doesn't deserve.
Great work.
I've got one lined up for the whif GB that's coming up.

[Zee28]

Lovely job David! Makes me want to do another one to go with my green one.

[Old_Tonto]

Love it.

[Molly-new]

Nice work David, I have the Airfix version of this but after watching this build I may track down a Frog one instead.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Well done !

[PaulBradley]

Nice one, David!