TSR2 First Flight

[Heather Kavanagh]

I've always had a love of the TSR2. I think it's the shape that first got me. Then I learned more about the potential the aircraft showed, and I fell more deeply in love.

A documentary film about the development of the planes, and their eventual demise, can be found on YouTube. I was watching the film, when footage showing the first prototype XR219 being prepared for ground tests and first flight testing at Boscombe Down appeared. There, I thought, was a diorama. I took some screengrabs and squirreled them away, and over a period of time located suitable kits for some of the vehicles. And, of course, managed to get a TSR2 kit - or whatever the funny anime kit was at the time. 

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I wanted the plane to be in pre-flight order. I sourced after-market details, such as cockpit tubs and MB ejection seats, new canopies, wheels and so on. I even found an old photo-etched detail set, which provided me with the correct access ladders. The idea is to present XR219 being prepped for its first flight, so the various covers over intakes and so on are still in place, and the towing tractor has just been unhitched.

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I wanted to go a bit overboard on the details. It was apparent the kit main undercarriage oleos were incorrect. It looked rather like they were taken from the Duxford airframe, which doesn't have any internal equipment. Having had the opportunity to visit the RAF Museum Cosford, whose TSR2 is pretty much complete, I took photos of the undercarriage. Mods involved a bit of cutting and shutting, and I also fabricated the hydraulic retraction arm. This was from brass wire and tube, and I left it so it really works. The bogie still pivots, so if the model is placed on a slightly uneven surface it sort of self-levels. Some fine copper wire was added for the various hydraulic lines, and the whole thing topped off with aftermarket resin wheels. What you can't see up inside the wheel bay is the a load of extra detailing - which of course is never seen again!

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After knocking it off more than once, the nose probe is another brass tube and wire concoction. Now you know if you knock it! I checked many photos to see if the front of the canopy was also given the orange tint. I've seen some modellers do it, but when you look at XR220 at Cosford, the canopy is clear.

The paint finish was originally brush painted. I used the Humbrol satin white, let down with a drop of blue. After squirting Humbrol gloss varnish rattle can all over the place, it inevitably went slightly yellow, so I had to strip it all down again. The second time I broke out the airbrush, and finished off with an artist's gloss varnish, again via airbrush. Once the transfers were done - which was a two-day job one Easter weekend! - a quick coat of satin protected things.

There was a small amount of silvering under some of the transfers, but you only catch it in certain lights. 

In my stash is a selection of BW Models whitemetal cast kits for the Leyland Hippo refueller, a fire truck and one or two other vehicles. If I ever get to finish the diorama, I would like to perhaps donate it to Cosford or Hendon to display. Near the real plane at Cosford would be most apt.

I'd like to say I did clever things with this build. Aside from the aftermarket detailing, and making a point of replicating the screw and rivet holes on the airframe, it's just an average build. I'm pleased with it - and might be tempted by another. I noticed my local model shop seems to have a kit...  😇

[Dad Paul B]

A lovely piece of work Heather. TSR2 is a fascinating subject (I have built one as well - not up to your standard).I am currently reading Issue 17A (possibly B) if the RAF Historical Society Journal (downloadable from the RAF website) which is entirely on TSR2 by people involved in the project.

The sense I get is that this was doomed from the start due to mission creep at the Ministry of Aviation, a thoroughly botched management scheme to force the amalgamation of Vickers, English Electric and Bristol and none of the individual groups in Government and Industry talking to each other in the hope that someone else would speak first and get all the blame for delays and overruns (Bristol carried a lot as the Olympus 22R engines had a habit of exploding right up to first flight - you really have to admire 'Bee' Beamont for getting into the thing. It is hardly surprising that it ran late and wildly over budget as it tried to do far to much (very short take off roll and ability to use grass airstrips while being able to hit > Mach 1 at sea level and Mach 2.2 at altitude.

It was a great airframe but I think the large strike aircraft was past its time - it really was a monster in that respect.It also had powerful enemies in Lord Mountbatten (Chief of the Defence Staff at the time) and Solly Zuckerman (Chief Scientist for the MoD). The Sandys review probably didn't help either.

Way ahead of its time - the same capabilities it was aiming for didn't see service for another 20 years with Tornado. Still one of the great 'what ifs'? of avaiation.

Any chance of some interior detail shots of the cockpit and undercarriage bays?

[Heather Kavanagh]

I may have some shots of the cockpits and wheel bays. I'll have a rummage.

[John Symmons]

Hi heather.

Thanks for posting more pics of your TSR-2. Very very nice build and real attention to detail.

Just visited your site and all I can say is WOW! You can usually tell photos of models by some small details filling in and out of focus bits bit your builds really do look like the real thing, in fact if you put photos of both along-side each other most people would be unable to say which was which.

Thanks again and really looking forwards to more. I did notice the Gladiator with the rigging, would be nice to know how you did that.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[Heather Kavanagh]

I did notice the Gladiator with the rigging, would be nice to know how you did that.

The Glad is the old Matchbox kit: I have a new tool Airfix one coming soon, which I am looking forward to. The rigging was done using dividers to measure the distances and fine copper wire. The technique was one I noted in an old aircraft modelling magazine where you roll the wire gently under a steel ruler on a hard surface so it ends up dead straight. Using the dividers you can then measure off suitable lengths and carefully stick them in place. They're not under tension, so if you accidentally knock one, the wire does bend and kink, causing swear words. I can't remember if I drilled small holes for wire tails to be glued into.

As requested, a few shots of the cockpit and wheel bays of the TSR2.

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This shows the main wheel bogies slightly better. Although it's not absolutely correct, it gives a good impression of how the real thing looks.

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The main wheel bays have the basic structure moulded already. I added various styrene strips to fill in the detail, and finished off with various washes and dry brushing. 

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I can't recall exactly whose detailing kits were used, but they came from the usual suspects such as Czech Models and Eduard. The cockpit tubs were resin, with etched details. I think the instrument panels were mostly precoloured, which saved a bit of work. As you might expect, the resin tubs didn't quite fit neatly in the place of the original kit parts, needing a little work to smooth things out and support things within the fuselage.

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The cockpit canopies were also replacement resin parts, quite fragile and a pig to clean up, with vac formed transparencies. The mark on the side was a pencil mark to remind where the front screen was supposed to sit. This close-up shot is a bit cruel, showing my crude punched screw heads, but I think the end result was pleasing. The real thing has lots of screws around various panels, and the panel lines looked a bit plain to my eye.

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments. My professional modelling involves a lot of etched brass, cast metals and resin work for the various railway models I build. Compared to some of the fine details possible with modern injection moulded kits, it's a bit agricultural! I don't profess to being a clever modeller, just with a fair amount of experience under my belt. I mix and adapt techniques to suit the model on the bench. My biggest beef is where a kit designer doesn't allow sufficient location for a fine part to be attached. On another build I shall post soon, I've had to use brass wire pins and cyanoacrylate to ensure the part isn't demolished during final assembly.

[Heather Kavanagh]

This will be my umpteenth attempt at replying, as I've managed freak the forum software out several times this weekend, and failed to post! I understand and accept the post limit for new members, and I'm happy with moderating posts with images, but something went very wrong yesterday!

The Gladiator is the old Matchbox kit. I have a new tool Airfix one arriving soon, which I am looking forward to. The rigging is fine tinned copper wire from a reel I've had for over 30 years now. I read a technique in an old modelling mag where you roll the wire between a steel ruler and a hard surface, which straightens it out. Using dividers, I transferred the length required from the aircraft to the wire and then carefully placed it with drops of cyanoacrylate. I don't remember whether I had drilled location holes.

I have located some detail shots of the TSR2. If things settle down with me being able to submit posts, I'll try and post them up tomorrow.

[Ratch]

 Heather, every post containing images requires approval and therefore will not appear outside office hours, also the forum does not allow images of other brands than Airfix models.

HTH.

[Heather Kavanagh]

Cheers Ratch! Yes, I was aware of the image approval, and dislike of non-Airfix brands. The images I tried to post were of the TSR2 with aftermarket parts. They were the same size as previous images, so I don't think that was the problem.

 

What I encountered wasn't due to the approval process. I was getting an immediate page redirect failure when submitting a reply, and then the forum software seemed to throw its toys out of the pram. I took screen grabs and reported a bug to the forum@ address. I think I'm wandering off topic into a past life when I tested software for a living!  😎

 

Anyway, I shall let the dust settle and attempt posting the images again tomorrow. I suspect this might be my last allowed post as a newbie today!  😉

[the F-111C dude]

wow, everything is done pefectley to the smallest detail

[John Symmons]

Thanks, a superb build and a wealth of infotmation in the story. Looking forwards to seeing more.

Remember we do this for fun.    John the Pom