The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

My first build, Airfix Handley Page Victor" was something new. Now, for something old, the 1/72 scale Airfix BAC Canberra B(I)6, from 1983. I plan on building it straight from the box with decals by Freightdog Models for a Canberra B.6, from 101 Squadron, RAF on detachment to Butterworth, Malaya for 'Operation Mileage', against the MRLA, February 1955.







This will be my first build after giving Photobucket the heave ho.

Nice choice Chuck, and a good contrast in lots of ways to your first build

iggie wrote:Nice choice Chuck, and a good contrast in lots of ways to your first build

Plus I heard that Airfix changed the mold to make a B-57B so there will be no more Canberras with the goldfish bowl canopy unless they do a new mold. I just opened the kit for the first time this Saturday. It's been waiting a long time to be built.

Chuck Finley wrote:

iggie wrote:Nice choice Chuck, and a good contrast in lots of ways to your first build

Plus I heard that Airfix changed the mold to make a B-57B so there will be no more Canberras with the goldfish bowl canopy unless they do a new mold. I just opened the kit for the first time this Saturday. It's been waiting a long time to be built.

Indeed Airfix did alter the moulds to make the "fighter canopy" Martin B-57 and the change is irreversible so this classic kit cannot be re-released in this guise. It's great to see one of these arguably more collectable B(1)6 kits being built - top choice, Chuck!

The nose!, the nose!...

One of my favourite kits, and my decal sheet to! Good luck with the build Chuck.

Colin

Colin at Freightdog wrote:One of my favourite kits, and my decal sheet to! Good luck with the build Chuck.

Colin

No pressure then Chuck

Colin at Freightdog wrote:One of my favourite kits, and my decal sheet to! Good luck with the build Chuck.

Colin

Thanks. Now I am trying to decide which Al-Clad color best matched 'High Speed Aluminum". I am thinking of using the white aluminum. What do you think?

ShaunW wrote:

Chuck Finley wrote:

iggie wrote:Nice choice Chuck, and a good contrast in lots of ways to your first build

Plus I heard that Airfix changed the mold to make a B-57B so there will be no more Canberras with the goldfish bowl canopy unless they do a new mold. I just opened the kit for the first time this Saturday. It's been waiting a long time to be built.

Indeed Airfix did alter the moulds to make the "fighter canopy" Martin B-57 and the change is irreversible so this classic kit cannot be re-released in this guise. It's great to see one of these arguably more collectable B(1)6 kits being built - top choice, Chuck!

To be fair to Airfix, they probably realized that the B(I).6 kit is not particularly accurate. The nose is particularly off and it would have taken a new fuselage mold to correct it. If you can find a spare clear nose from the B(I).8 kit, it can be grafted onto the old Airfix kit and improves the look immensely.

Hey up, Chuck (best said in a scouse accent ); any progress to report yet?

After a late start to the build, I have finished the cockpit. I decided on giving the crew blue flightsuits after seeing some color pictures of Vulcan crews from this same period. Based on my previous experience with the kit, I added a hefty amount of lead shot in an effort to get it sitting on the nose gear. It was not enough. :(

iggie wrote:Hey up, Chuck (best said in a scouse accent ); any progress to report yet?

I got a little sidelined last week with my other modelling interest: 1/76th and 1/72 scale armor. I ended up building a Zvezda BMPT 'Terminator' in 1/72 along with a A41 Centurion, Centurion Mk.5 and a Charioteer, all by Millicast. :P

Finished the initial build a couple hours ago. I ended up adding a lot more lead shot in the nose well to keep it from being a tail sitter. Good thing there is NO wheel well detail on this kit so it doesn't matter if there is lead shot there.

Great stuff! I think someone once said you can never have too much lead...... or it may have been Spitfires

Any chance of seeing the Terminator? I have one in the stash to build one day

I just finished covering the aircraft in a gloss black undercoat. Tomorrow, the aluminum will be painted. I am using Alclad's "White Aluminum" to represent the "High Speed Silver". It looks close enough to the pictures I have.