Ready For Battle (A50172)

[Ratch]

I have decided to build the A50172 set

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24803235/413887820.jpg

[John Symmons]

Hi Ratch

WOW! That's a lot of plastic, Hope you haven't given up or got bored on the HP 400.

 

Remember we do this for fun                        John the Pom

[Ratch]

 Not at all John. I'm also converting the Matchbox Victor K2 back to a B2 and building 2 x Novo/Frog Fairey Delta 2s. Lots of Group Builds on other sites, just the Airfix builds here.

[John Symmons]

Hi Ratch.

You are a busy man. I'm building two Roden Opels the Maulter and Command Staff bus, and having trouble keeping track of just two, and here's you doing five totally different models. Wow; how do you do it, I know I did five models recently but they were all Stukas.

 

Good luck you're a better man than me Gunga Din.

 

Rememberv we do this for fun                       John the Pom

[Ratch]

I've washed the runners and they were allowed to air dry. First up the Hurricane

 

Assembly begins

 

and painting

[christopher_moore]

Have the hurricane ready to go, so following.

[dabhand]

the 1/48 hurricane is a very nice kit 

it 'feels' like a hurricane should!

[Ratch]

I hope I can live up to your expectations 😆 

[Ratch]

 When it came to paint the pilot, I thought it prudent to check my spares. Sure-enough there are an additional three 1/48 pilots; one is dressed in a leather Irwin suit (unsuitable for this hurricane) and two are seated, in standard RAF uniform.

Both of the seated figures will fit, but are not ideal.

I will stick with the kit supplied jockey.

[Ratch]

The pilot is painted and in situ

 

I cut out the hatches

 

and then realised I should have done it differently

Not a disaster, more embarrassing really

[Ratch]

 

 

I've been looking into colours and markings today. In my reference library I have this:

and P3522 is one of the featured aircraft

You will notice that the call sign V is omitted and the red fin stripe doesn't extend to the front of the fin

[Ratch]

The caption reads: late July 1940 upper ‘B’ pattern under surfaces sky, codes in dark sea grey, no under wing roundels and narrow fin stripes. P3522 No.32 Squadron flown by P/O D. H. Grice.

Airfix have replicated the B scheme well

I have had reason to question Aircam's interpretations before, so I did a googleimage search for P3522. There weren't many pictures came up (other than models), and I wonder whether Aircam misinterpreted this picture

https://www.alamy.com/the-battle-of-britain-pilots-of-b-flight-no-32-squadron-relax-on-the-grass-at-hawkinge-in-front-of-hurricane-mk-i-p3522-gz-v-from-left-to-right-pilot-officer-r-f-smythe-pilot-officer-k-r-gillman-pilot-officer-j-e-procter-flight-lieutenant-p-m-brothers-pilot-officer-d-h-grice-pilot-officer-p-m-gardner-and-pilot-officer-a-f-eckford-all-survived-the-war-except-keith-gillman-who-was-posted-missing-25-august-1940-image178250623.html

P/O Grice appears in the picture and the V is very pale, but the red appears to extend to the front of the fin. Interestingly the photo is said to be at Hawkinge whereas Airfix locate her at Biggin Hill.

The squadron were at Wittering for a week

http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/32_wwII.html

21 September 1932-3 January 1940: Biggin Hill

3 January-8 March 1940: Gravesend

8-22 March 1940: Manston

27 March-26 May 1940: Biggin Hill

26 May-4 June 1940: Wittering

4 June-28 August 1940: Biggin Hill

28 August-15 December 1940: Acklington

15 December 1940-16 February 1941: Middle Wallop

No mention of Hawkinge

 

Here's one of the Hurricane's gun bays

 

Wings fitted

 

And a couple of figures started

[Heather Kavanagh]

Hawkinge was a satellite airfield of Biggin Hill. 

[Ratch]

 Ah a relief landing ground as Denton was to Sywell and Collyweston was to Wittering. Thanks Heather.

[Ratch]

Today I got back on the figures

[spadgent]

 

I cut out the hatches

 

and then realised I should have done it differently

Not a disaster, more embarrassing really

i neaarly made that mistek as well

ever since i have referd to the instructions a trifle more carfuly

[Shaughan]

Really enjoying this thread Ratch.  And also Heather's project.  Both of you are very inspiring.

[Heather Kavanagh]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing how the figures come together in this build.

 

I have the 1/48th Defiant in my stash which, despite being resolutely 1/72nd for pretty much everything else, was joined by the refueller and the figure set. I have in mind a diorama of some kind, and I keep wondering about how easy it will be to adjust, mix, match and otherwise modify/abuse the figures from how they come in the box. When I get some spare time - ha! - I might dig them out and have a play. 

 

Meanwhile, I seem to be on a slippery 1/48th scale slope. I have a preorder in for the Blenheim. There was no way I could resist, was there? 

[Ratch]

 Thanks guys. Although I'm going OOB with these builds, repositioning the figures should work OK with wire armatures and some Sylmasta (or other modelling putty) to resculpt the missing bits.

[Ratch]

Today's activities have included more painting and a little assembly The refuelling and lubricating crew

 

Pilots and Erk with the early trolley accumulator (the one with the gubbins on top didn't appear until 1941)

 

The rearmers

 

Back with the Hurricane

 

The Bedford

 

And the Albion

[Ratch]

Bringing things up to date.

The Hurricane

 

The Bedford

 

The Figures

[Ratch]

Most of today's work has been on the Albion

[Ratch]

Got the decals on the Hurricane

 

And most of the other bits

[Ratch]

One down

[Ratch]

This morning I decided she needed a bit of exhaust staining and paint chipping, then I moved on to the Bedford.http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24797625/413918384.jpgThe bonnet isn't quite closed on the near side but I'm not too worried about it. The driver may have opened that side first and not closed it properly.http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24797625/413918385.jpg