Re: Karl's Brisfit - *FAIL* - Sorry chaps.... injured

[carlos]

Biggles flew an FE2b from Sept. 1916, and then a Brisfit, while in 169sqn, before transferring to '206' in late summer 1917.
So this will be Biggles' Bristol F2b Fighter from the early summer of 1917, whilst still with 169sqn.
Specifically mentioned in 'The Camera' from 'Biggles Learns to Fly'

The donor kit will be Eduard's 1/48 Weekend edition.


According to a list I found online, it had a standard colour scheme, but there's no info. on serial numbers or colour trim/stripes etc

I've not read much 'Biggles', so I'm open to suggestions from those more in-the-know for colour trim, and unless anyone can suggest a serial for it, I'll just use the kit decals and swap the numbers round a bit.

Sprue shots to follow, before I start work on it.

[VickersVandal]

I like your style

I can't recall any other details on markings. I usually go with generic period markings, or pick what was best known at the time (Johns often seemed to base characters and props on well known people and aircraft)
I also make up my own likely-seeming serials in the absence of other info.

[carlos]

Found this cover online, from a recent re-issue of 'Learns to fly'

The rear-gunner is slumped, and it appears to show the point where 'Harris' has been shot after Biggles goes to help an outnumbered FE2, gets jumped by an Albatros, and the Albatros ends up running into a barrage balloon cable.

[lancfan]

I've not read much 'Biggles', so I'm open to suggestions from those more in-the-know for colour trim, and unless anyone can suggest a serial for it, I'll just use the kit decals and swap the numbers round a bit.

Sprue shots to follow, before I start work on it.

Carlos, if it helps- "C-4619" was one of a batch of 300 F-2Bs built by the British & Colonial Aeroplane Co. They were numbered C-4601 to C-4900 and the normal engine fitted was the RR Falcon but C-4654 and C-4655 were fitted with Siddeley Pumas. There were no gaps in WW1 British serials so without "dead" serials to use jumbling the kit numbers up is as good a way as any.

David.

[carlos]

Thanks for that David - looks like I'll be jumbling up the supplied decals then.....

Finally I get some time to myself, so I'll start with the obligatory sprue-shots.

First a look inside the box - seems well packed with plastic, the box certainly is quite full.


An 8-page instruction booklet, with 6 pages of building, the front page has colour callouts and sprue diagrams, the back page is the painting guide.... and the supplied decals look quite nice too.


Sprue Shots:
It's hard to tell here, but there's some nice internal detail (there'll be pics of the innards as I'm building)
It has quite prominent ribbing tapes on the wings, though I'm hoping those will tone down a bit when I get paint on it.




A bit of an anomaly I've noticed, there's no transparency for the windscreen, and strangely the instructions say to use a piece of foil....??
I've got some thin sheet clear plastic in the spares box, I'll just cut one out of that.


I'm expecting to have the evening to myself, so hopefully will get internal parts painted, and at least partly assembled.

[splash]

I look forward to watching this build as I have the Revell re-box of this kit.

Regards Splash

[VickersVandal]

Looks nice. Plenty of bits to keep you busy!
That windscreen foil suggestion is definitely odd.

[VickersVandal]

So, any progress on this one Karl?

[carlos]

I'm awfully sorry chaps, but this is not looking too good.
I won't declare 'DNF' just yet, because there's still hope - as I'll now explain....
A couple of weeks ago I pulled my back pretty badly - Long story short, I was dog walking and one of them came past me at high speed (60lb Staffordshire-x-Lab, doing probably 20+ mph), caught me unprepared, and when the leash snapped tight it sent a jolt down my arm, through my shoulder, and the muscles down the side of my back.
Result - pulled back muscles and a 'frozen shoulder''.

Didn't help that I soldiered on with other commitments this last week - and I'm still in agony with it.
I do have a couple of weeks off now though - which is why there's still a chance I might finish on time.
It all depends how much time I get where sitting upright isn't painful.
I'll carry on with the build, and get as much done as I can, within the time....
Time will tell...

[AndrewR]

Ouch! Take it easy Karl and rest up.

All the best

Andrew

[JohnRatzenberger]

I've had both shoulders go through the "frozen" thing - and a former Marine physical therapist who loved making the Army guy grimace. Keep exercising !