Paul's Telford Builds 2015

[PaulBradley]

Cheers, Shane!

Nothing to report over the weekend - spent the time photographing dogs at a dog show.

[PaulBradley]

I've had a somewhat frustrating time of it last weekend and this morning. I am none too impressed with these Merit vehicle kits - the plastic seems immune to glues and repels paint.....!Added to that, the bus is missing the radiator part. I am going to dig out one of my Airfix airfield vehicle sets and see if one of the radiators from one of those vehicles will fit.

The Auster/Beagle got a primer coat last weekend and I'll work n that this afternoon, as well as pushing on with the control tower - that received paintwork last weekend and now needs constructing. Photos later if there is worthwhile progress!

[PaulBradley]

Some progress today! A bit of a bleak and rainy day here - very much "England Weather," as my other half says....

The control tower. In dry-fitting everything, it occurred that none of the interior detail would be seen unless it was in some way lit on the inside - something I wasn't prepared to do for the purpose of this build. So I ended up not adding much to what was already there. I added all the window frames and backed them with clear plastic sheet for glass; all the internal walls and doors; glued the floors internal and external in place; and build the watch office that sits on top. This is how it looks at the moment:






Yes, I need to touch up the green paint.

Meanwhile, I assembled the main bodies of the two trucks - one KeilKraft, the other Merit - and the Merit Maudsley bus. I couldn't find the bus radiator, so I used the radiator piece from the KeilKraft fire engine kit, which is so crude that I abandoned it. Awkward little kits - they don't take glue very well and they have all the attributes of limited run kits. Still, placed at the back, they won't look too bad!




I'm trying to decide what schemes to put the trucks in - any suggestions? The bus will be medium green and cream - very much based on the old Provincial colour scheme.

The Auster/Beagle was also primed and is ready for assembly.

[chrism]

A medium blue /Oxford blue would suit a truck or a nice leafy green (but your doing bus green) so a maroon possibly ... Just thinking of the post war colours we had/still have on vehicles on family rail layout ... Then gold or white sign writing shows up nicely ... (Sorry)

[PaulBradley]

I like those suggestions, Chris - thanks!

[philp]

Hey Paul,
I got a few pics of the 8th Air Force control tower at the Museum of the USAF in Dayton during the Nats this year. Know you aren't doing the interior now but maybe next time.

Photos start here.

[PaulBradley]

Very cool - thanks for that, Phil. Wonder which airfield it came from.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Very cool - thanks for that, Phil. Wonder which airfield it came from.

Reproduction.

[PaulBradley]

Huh - how 'bout that. Looks great.

[PaulBradley]

I didn't like the thickness of the stanchions supplied in the kit, so replaced them with 25 thou plastic rod. The rails are 20 thou rod. Obviously, the tops of the stanchions need trimming as they are not quite all the same height, but you get the idea. It all looks a bit untidy at the moment... I'll be adding a second row of rails once the upper set are all in place.





The Kittingham Flying Club have finished assembling their new Beagle Terrier - they now just need to paint it:




I replaced the struts with something more in scale. The undercarriage struts were also replaced, while the tiny button wheels in the kit were also replaced with something more suitable from the spares box.

This afternoon, I'll be mostly painting - the Beagle and the vehicles.

[splash]

The beagle looking good, what colours have you decided on?

[ShaunW]

Top work with these Paul, the flying club is going to look excellent!

[PaulBradley]

Cheers, guys.

Alan, the Beagle will be cream with deep maroon lettering and pin stripes.

[PaulBradley]

Hmmm. I didn't get nearly as much done as I'd hoped this weekend. My airbrush was playing up yesterday, so I completely stripped it down and left the innards soaking in lacquer thinner overnight - this has helped, but I lost basically the whole day when painting is the next big crucial step for most of these builds.... This morning didn't go well with another project, so that was wasted effort, then we went to see 'The Martian' this afternoon - a terrific movie and well worth going to see at the theatre, but it is 2 1/2 hours long. So that was the afternoon gone... Still, I just airbrushed one of the vehicles a nice, deep red.

This leaves me with quite a lot to do this week and next weekend. Luckily, I have four days off next weekend, and little planned, so I shouldn't have any difficulties in getting most, if not all, of my scheduled models completed.

[ShaunW]

I also didn't achieve quite as much as I planned to this weekend Paul. I'm starting to get that feeling of a last minute rush coming on, which I really hoped to avoid - I hate having to model under pressure!