Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Airfix 1/72 Fi156C in a Poly Bag
Pattern 127 and it appears to be original. Courtesy of Jeff Selesky.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
More Head Scratching Airfix Boxart
A while back, I posted the Airfix Hunter boxart with the comment it was among the most head scratching Airfix boxart ever. Well I forgot the U.S. boxing of the Airfix Buccaneer. Just why is that Kamikaze Zero attacking a post war British carrier? Did that Zero cause the battle damage on the NA39? Is the NA39 landing or taking off? I wonder if this art was intended to be the movie poster for Final Countdown 2...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
CBK 2009 IPMS Nationals Project A No Go!
I am sad to report that there will be no 2009 IPMS/USA Nationals Classic British Kits SIG Project. Sadly, the Nats organizers in Columbus appear to have little interest in providing display tables for the special interest groups, and communication with them has been difficult. This just illustrates that many in IPMS/USA are not interested in the SIGs and anything not related to the contest portion of the show. However, it appears that the 2010 organizers in Phoenix have a more positive view of display tables and we do hope to have a 2010 Nationals project.
Even with this turn of events, I will be attending the Nationals in Columbus in August, though SIG co-founder Paul Bradley will be AWOL, and I hope to see many of you there.
Even with this turn of events, I will be attending the Nationals in Columbus in August, though SIG co-founder Paul Bradley will be AWOL, and I hope to see many of you there.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Some CBK Strikemasters and Provosts
In the battle of the Strikemasters, I've always prefered the Matchbox art over that of the Airfix.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Jeff Selesky's Airfix 1/72 Beaufighter Build
Airfix Series 2, Pattern 283, Bristol Beaufighter T.F.X. coded MB*T. I will do it in USAAF markings using a scheme found in Colour and Markings with an O.D. tail unit, 416th NFS Italy. I built this kit many years ago and remember it to a good build. I always felt the cowl rings seemed a little mis-shapened, maybe too flat, but I'm not really sure.
The reference material.
I hope it will kinda look like this, only smaller.
I started by gluing the wings, wheels, and generally anything in two halves together.
The engine nacelles received a filing down of the cowl flaps so they don't look so much like bumps in the plastic. You will notice on the port wing that I got sloppy with the Tenex 7R and had to clean that mess up.
While trimming the edges of the wings, I began to use a round file to clean up the intakes.
The horizontal stabilizers have a rather nasty knock out tab mark that will need attention.
My decals are sourced out from an old Micro Scale sheet. I didn't notice until looking at the photograph that one has a run in the blue color.
I pulled out the trusty razor saw and removed the position lights and landing lights from the wing. This space is now packed with clear sprue and awaits filing to shape. I really did not want to go overboard with this project but it should really look OK when done. Before gluing in the clear sprue, small holes were drilled to simulate light bulbs. The holes received a spot of red and green paint. Also I filled and sanded the marks on the horizontal stabs and cleaned up the landing gear a little.
I filed down the clear sprues and have everything roughed in. Now the progressively fine grit treatment. The landing light has two bulb/filaments and when masked for painting, the two lens will appear.
After a comment by SIG member Bruce Grayson, I decided to correct landing light in the front of the wing. Here is the new landing light. My camera has created a little distortion. The dimple type holes were drilled in the back of the clear sprue and dabbed with silver paint. Not perfect but better than the pin holes I originally started with.
The general airframe together with the test fitting of the canopy. I must say that over all it is a well fitting kit. The was a tiny step at the wing/fuselage joint but over all, considering the age of the kit, it is all good. I did add a pilots seat. Holes will now be drilled to accommodate the radar antennas. I did give thought to adding a new nose cone but the A1 radar was used in some of the USAAF Beaus.
Here are the engines. Nothing but kit part. Flat black with a silver pris-color pencil in lieu of dry brushing.
The clear parts are fixed in place and antenna holes drilled out. I counted 13 locations in all. The arrow antenna in the nose, two each on each leading edge of the wings, and two each both top and bottom of each wing. When the clear parts are set, I will begin masking for a primer coat.
The Beau is coming out of the paint shop with the usual scheme with a twist. This particular USAAF bird apparently had a replacement tail which was reportedly overall Olive Drab. The roundels were over-sprayed in preparation for the US stars and bars.
Painting and decaling is complete. Pulling the masks off, there was only a couple of touch-ups required.
When thinking it over about the landing gear doors, I elected to pull out my trusty rat tail file and went to work. With the front edge thinned down, the doors were attached. Also debated in my mind was the color I would use for the rings on the nacelles. I finally settled for a Metallizer color Burnt Exhaust as the USAAF received the Beau from RAF maintenance depots and to me that meant they had been around the block a few times and would not show a copper or brass/bronze look.
I noticed that the prop blades seemed to molded with the all the blades at a different pitch. I let that one slide.
The completed build. The radar aerials are short pieces of wire "super glued" in place. Any bets as to how long they stay on? The communication aerial is stretched sprue. Red decal material was used for the gun muzzle covers. I have to admit, it was done for a little splash of color.
The reference material.
I hope it will kinda look like this, only smaller.
I started by gluing the wings, wheels, and generally anything in two halves together.
The engine nacelles received a filing down of the cowl flaps so they don't look so much like bumps in the plastic. You will notice on the port wing that I got sloppy with the Tenex 7R and had to clean that mess up.
While trimming the edges of the wings, I began to use a round file to clean up the intakes.
The horizontal stabilizers have a rather nasty knock out tab mark that will need attention.
My decals are sourced out from an old Micro Scale sheet. I didn't notice until looking at the photograph that one has a run in the blue color.
I pulled out the trusty razor saw and removed the position lights and landing lights from the wing. This space is now packed with clear sprue and awaits filing to shape. I really did not want to go overboard with this project but it should really look OK when done. Before gluing in the clear sprue, small holes were drilled to simulate light bulbs. The holes received a spot of red and green paint. Also I filled and sanded the marks on the horizontal stabs and cleaned up the landing gear a little.
I filed down the clear sprues and have everything roughed in. Now the progressively fine grit treatment. The landing light has two bulb/filaments and when masked for painting, the two lens will appear.
After a comment by SIG member Bruce Grayson, I decided to correct landing light in the front of the wing. Here is the new landing light. My camera has created a little distortion. The dimple type holes were drilled in the back of the clear sprue and dabbed with silver paint. Not perfect but better than the pin holes I originally started with.
The general airframe together with the test fitting of the canopy. I must say that over all it is a well fitting kit. The was a tiny step at the wing/fuselage joint but over all, considering the age of the kit, it is all good. I did add a pilots seat. Holes will now be drilled to accommodate the radar antennas. I did give thought to adding a new nose cone but the A1 radar was used in some of the USAAF Beaus.
Here are the engines. Nothing but kit part. Flat black with a silver pris-color pencil in lieu of dry brushing.
The clear parts are fixed in place and antenna holes drilled out. I counted 13 locations in all. The arrow antenna in the nose, two each on each leading edge of the wings, and two each both top and bottom of each wing. When the clear parts are set, I will begin masking for a primer coat.
The Beau is coming out of the paint shop with the usual scheme with a twist. This particular USAAF bird apparently had a replacement tail which was reportedly overall Olive Drab. The roundels were over-sprayed in preparation for the US stars and bars.
Painting and decaling is complete. Pulling the masks off, there was only a couple of touch-ups required.
When thinking it over about the landing gear doors, I elected to pull out my trusty rat tail file and went to work. With the front edge thinned down, the doors were attached. Also debated in my mind was the color I would use for the rings on the nacelles. I finally settled for a Metallizer color Burnt Exhaust as the USAAF received the Beau from RAF maintenance depots and to me that meant they had been around the block a few times and would not show a copper or brass/bronze look.
I noticed that the prop blades seemed to molded with the all the blades at a different pitch. I let that one slide.
The completed build. The radar aerials are short pieces of wire "super glued" in place. Any bets as to how long they stay on? The communication aerial is stretched sprue. Red decal material was used for the gun muzzle covers. I have to admit, it was done for a little splash of color.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Paul Bradley's Airfix 1/72 F-84F
Great boxart!
The date on the side of the box says 1973, and this is truly an Airfix classic - pretty good detail, excellent fit, fine, raised detail. This will be OOB, except for the pilot who was left over from a Monogram kit to replace the half-pilot in the kit! I shall be using the kit decals, except for the red areas that will be painted - the decals that are supplied for these areas look awful!
Progress has been pretty swift, aided by excellent fit. As you can see, this one is going to be wheels up on a stand, because I thought it would look good! The u/c parts are actually pretty good.
The decals weren't so good - months of bleaching and a coat of Microscale Decal Film did little to improve them, but I was determined to do this literally from the box...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
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