null_null981707818191
-
Posts
284 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
Gallery
Posts posted by null_null981707818191
-
-
I'm sure that there are other differences between the 'F' version of the P-38 (the Airfix kit that I'm struggling with at the moment) and the 'J' version (which is what I wanted to build) but the main visual one seems to be the air intakes. I've agonised over whether to bother finishing it, as I wanted it to be as flown from RAF Warmwell, and I think I might have found a solution, in the form of Quickboost 'Correct air intakes for a P-38J'. So I'm going to try a little surgery - it might all go horribly wrong, but who knows. Here are a couple of pictures of the current intakes, and a picture of the resin part!
-
"Your build, your rules" seems to offer some comfort! I think I'll finish the build and apply the decals that would be appropriate to the 'J' version that was actually at Warmwell - I know it'll be inaccurate, but hey-ho....
As I mentioned in another reply to Randall's excellent pictures of his P-38 collection, I think in future I'll stick to more easily identified and sourced RAF aircraft!
But as Ratch wisely says, I'm building for myself, so hopefully the final outcome will make me vaguely happy.
-
Really enjoyed looking at your extensive collection of P-38 builds. Many thanks for going to the trouble of photographing and posting them. I think once I've finished the one that I'm working on, I'll go back to RAF aircraft! Fewer minefields to negotiate....
-
So now I have a dilemma. Further research leads me to the conclusion that the P-38s in use at Warmwell were indeed the 'J' variant, whilst the Airfix version that I managed to find is an 'F' version (the main visual, external difference would appear to be the engine air intakes). So do I ditch the model - at least as part of the ongoing Warmwell project, or carry on, knowing that I'm going to upset the purists? That's the problem with building a particular (rather than generic) aircraft as a scale model. Still, that didn't seem to bother the designer of BT-K....
-
Thanks Patrick - a very good tip, I think. I'll try by just putting it in the space indicated in the 'instructions' and see how it balances.
-
Thanks for posting these pictures Randall. I've located some yellow USAF -style serial numbers on the Hannants site, so they've been ordered.
Love the multi-coloured spinners!
-
Thanks for the advice regarding adding nose-weight - sounds a bit complicated, so I might simply add as much Liquid Gravity as I can fit in the available space and hope for the best!
And thanks for posting the P-38 pictures Randall and Sailorman. And I thought the Hurricane IIB had a lot of rivet detail!
I've found several pictures on various sites of 474th Fighter Group aircraft taken at Warmwell - albeit that most of them are indeed P-38-J planes. I can't find any in colour, and the b/w pictures suggest that spinners were painted other than olive drab or black. I did find a picture with a key that stated the serial numbers were in yellow, so I'll have to see if I can order some yellow numbers from Hannants.
-
As previously mentioned, I'm making a start on another RAF Warmwell aircraft, this time a P-38:
It's going to be 42-67799 of the 429th FS, 474th Fighter Group, code 7Y-P, based at Warmwell in 1944.
The rather quaint instructions suggest adding nose-weight: "suitable weight such as Plasticine should be added to nose" - but it doesn't give any actual weight. Anyone got any suggestions as to how many grams might be needed?
-
Hi Randall
I looked through all 27 pages of your posts and could only find one P-38 (a bare metal Pacific theatre version). So I'm relying on some colour pictures of ETO aircraft for the overall colour scheme.
I'll maybe post some progress pictures!
-
Thanks for the kind words, Randall. I built a Whirlwind some time ago using the venerable Airfix 1/72 kit, producing it as one flown from RAF Warmwell by 263 Squadron in 1943.
Here's a picture of it:
I'll have a browse through your P-38s - I've got a picture of the one that I'm intending to produce; although it's a not-very-clear B/W photograph, it does show the markings reasonably clearly.
-
The Airfix Hurricane IIB is now finished, as the aircraft flown by P/O Derek Stevenson DFC on 19th August 1942, part of 175 Squadron’s contribution to Operation Jubilee at Dieppe. HH-A BE687 was based at RAF Warmwell at the time.
If you’ve read the previous posts, you’ll know that there were various trials and tribulations involved with the build – not really surprising considering its age – so I’m pleased with the way it turned out in the end. The wheels wells involved a bit of scratch-building, and I added the cannon (as well as drilling out the gun ports prior to covering them with red patches). The red patches and the yellow wing edge stripes were decals rather than painted. The canopy came from the spares box, because the canopy supplied with the kit seemed out of scale, and anyway was far too thick.
As previously mentioned, paints used were from the Vallejo Model Air range, all brush applied, with a finishing coat of Vallejo Matt varnish, which dries to an appropriate slight sheen. Decals were from various sheets purchased from Hannants.
Not sure what’s going to be next on the bench: possibly a P-38 Lightning as flown from RAF Warmwell by USAF 474th Fighter Group (and another rather old mould!). Thanks for following this build!
-
I like your Hurribomber very much! Mine is almost finished, but I think I had to do a bit more to mine than you did to get your version looking so good. For example, the old Airfix kit that I'm building had no gun ports moulded, and certainly no cannon - all of which I've added. Just the canopy to do and a bit of tidying up, then I'll post my Warwell IIB.
And I also like your Desert camouflage version - the SAAF orange colour is quite distinctive.
-
A bit of progress made on the Hurricane IIB. It's ready for the application of decals to turn it into the aircraft planned. Pigments were - as is my usual method - brush-applied Vallejo Model Air colours: Ocean Grey (71.273), Dark Green (71.324) and Sky Type-S (71.302). The underneath surfaces were Medium Sea Grey (71.307). I'm quite pleased with the finish so far - all the scraping and sanding and scribing seems to have paid off! The gun-port patches are actually decal strip - and the yellow wing leading edge will be similarly applied.
-
Not just skills, but materials and tools as well! Having to use a variety of adhesives gives a reasonable idea of what they will or won't do - which came in useful when I had to repair some extensive damage to a large earthenware garden sculpture, when not only cryo-gel glue was useful, but also the ability - refined by scale modelling - to work out the right order to fit a three dimensional shape together - and SWMBO is pleased with the outcome!
-
For a special summer holiday treat for my grandson (and for me really) I took my grandson to the FAA Museum at Yeovilton. Very good - if somewhat pricey - day out. We decided we ought to build a model of one of the planes we saw, and we decided a Buccaneer was the answer. It's a massive box - when it arrived I thought for a moment that I'd been sent a 1/48th model by mistake, and I suspect it might be a little (long?) way out of my comfort zone.
One or two others on the list to build first, but it'll get to the top of the pile eventually.
-
Thanks Randall, and glad you've at last got your copy of "Reflections of RAF Warmwell". Whilst it's not perhaps a literary masterpiece, it contains lots of fascinating information - and it's certainly useful for the scale modeller. It's also a worthy and well-researched memorial to a lot of brave men (and women). I drive past the former RAF Warmwell site quite often; there's nothing very much to see from the road any more - large areas of gravel pits and quarries where the runways used to be, though one of the hangars is still there. What used to be the base library etc is now a village hall, and there are various Commonwealth War Graves of personnel from Warmwell in the local churchyard. It's a shame that perhaps that more was not done to preserve parts of it (as is the case at Tangmere and Hawkinge, for example).
Enjoy the read! I purchased mine direct from Mr Cooke, the author. Really nice chap.
-
A bit of progress made on my Hurricane IIB. You can see from the picture that the plain white plasticard that I used to fill the wheel-well void has now been detailed, and I've done a bit of painting and decorating as well! You might also see that lots of the rivets have been removed (though some have been kept - a bit of a compromise) and some panel lines scribed. Paints used thus far are AAF Green (71.126), BS Medium Sea Grey ((71.307) and a bit of very dilute Burnt Umber to add a bit of dirt!
-
It certainly is a conundrum Dominic. There's merit in both approaches I think - and whilst getting rid of all the rivets and then scribing panel lines is a challenge, I absolutely agree that sometimes just building an ancient kit OOB can be challenge enough on its own.
And I agree especially with the presumed thought behind your penultimate comment - it's not supposed to be work really is it!
-
Assuming it's 1/72 scale, is it the Valom or the Matchbox kit? I've been toying with the idea of getting one But can't decide which one to buy. I've always thought it a strange looking aircraft - the wings seem far too big!
-
This is rapidly turning into one of my least favourite builds ever. Scribing the panel lines and getting rid of most of the rivets whilst keeping a few at the edges of the main panel is proving a bit of a challenge... Ah well, if I must persist with these old mould Airfix kits!
I'll fill some of the gaps and get an undercoat on at least, and put in some wheel-well detail, before I put in any more pictures. So bye for now...
-
Hi Dominic
You make a very valid point about the need for some kind of floor - the era of this moulding was long before the sophistication of proper wheel-well detail! So I've cut a bit of plasticard to fit the bottom of the fuselage 'hole' - making sure it doesn't foul the wing joint, and with the wing in place, it looks OK as the inside of the wing/wheel-well (or will do when I've added a a bit of detail.
The flying jacket was Vallejo Nato brown (71.249) and the helmet was Vallejo RLM61 Dark Brown (71.042).
And look at all those rivets waiting to be sanded down (if not off!).
-
SWMBO - "If only you spent as much time doing jobs in the garden..."
Grandson - "That 's great - can we build another one please Grandpa?"
Me - "I've really enjoyed that build..."
-
P/O Stevenson DFC of 175 Squadron already in the cockpit - just waiting for the rest of the fuselage! I've scratched a reflector gunsight (I'll add the glass bit later) and generically painted the interior and an 'instrument panel' (not that much of it will show!). The kit contains a floor for the cockpit, but as we all know, the Hurricane didn't have a solid floor, so again - as it isn't going to show at all when completed - I'm simply going to miss that bit out. I suppose I could try and scratch build the 'scaffolding' arrangement that was suspended therein, but there are limits you know!
-
Hi Vimal
Intrigued as to how your Spitfire is suspended in mid-air with no visible means of support!
I agree that your colour balance is probably more accurate - so I definitely need to switch off the auto-white balance, which I think was compensating for artificial light when I was snapping in daylight.
I've had a look at the original layers in the PS file and had a little tweak:
Airfix 1/72 P-38 Lightning at RAF Warmwell
in Aircraft
Posted
Stage 1 of the air intake conversion surgery is now complete - quite pleased thus far - waiting for the CA to cure completely before getting stuck in to the filler. Milliput or Plasto? Not sure yet...