Heather Kavanagh Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 I think I'm nearly there. /media/tinymce_upload/4ba87d5e185fe348874bb4029fdb41fe.jpg A mix of generic and kit transfers went on to give me the national markings. /media/tinymce_upload/c42b01f8fe93b39a183d38fefde3e9eb.jpg To get the white outline on the aircraft ID letter, I used a draughting pen and white paint. I knew there was a good reason for choosing a letter with straight lines! The letters are 24in, which are a bit large to truly accurate, but they'll do for me. This image shows the model after a coat of satin varnish had been airbrushed over it. Sadly, the varnish spattered a little, so I left it to dry hard before dealing with it. /media/tinymce_upload/3def221370e0973c8eaac0fa0bc50145.jpg I carefully rubbed down the spatters and repaired the paintwork as necessary. I followed up with a brushed coat of satin varnish to try and impart a little life back into the airframe. Small paint repairs and various fixtures and fittings were done, so I'm left with installing the props and the antenna wire, with a smidge of weathering to complete. I must remember to take the masking off the landing lights, and dab some brick red over the wing machine gun port. Once those bits are done, this model can join my Bomber Command fleet. The only gap now is the Fairey Battle. I wonder when we might get a new tool of that plane? 😇 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kavanagh Posted October 7, 2019 Author Share Posted October 7, 2019 And it's finished! Bristol Blenheim MkIV, R3744 BL-K, No 40 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command, Wyton, Cambridgeshire, July 1940 Originally formed in February 1916, No 40 Squadron RFC was disbanded in 1919. In April 1931 it was reformed as a bomber squadron. At the outbreak of the Second Word War, the squadron was equipped with Fairey Battles and was sent to France as part of the BEF's Advanced Air Striking Force. In December 1939, the squadron was returned to the UK, at RAF Wyton, where it was converted to Blenheims. The unit continued daylight operations over France, flying from its UK base, through the Phoney War, the Battle of France, and during the Battle of Britain to attack the invasion barges being assembled by the German forces. The squadron converted to Vickers Wellingtons in November 1940, flying night bombing missions. In late 1941 a detachment was sent to Malta, the whole squadron following in early 1942. No 40 Squadron was disbanded in February 1957. Interestingly, it was slated for reformation as the first operational BAC TSR2 squadron, and then to fly the General Dynamics F-111. As both aircraft were cancelled, the unit remained out of service. /media/tinymce_upload/c5b1a85f594cfe651a7696a73ee20abd.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/8650c0324cfe8d9303b174659ecc79fa.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/607efb315df47ebb551fb88304e22d06.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/e8f216df9cbdad3c9990915ae3a5a0a5.jpg The kit was built more or less out of the box, with markings cobbled together from the kit sheet and generic aftermarket sheets. The squadron codes are not quite correct in size, but I couldn’t find any suitable letters. No 40 Squadron outlines each aircraft identity letter in white, which I did with a bow pen and white paint. The model was brush painted with Xtracrylix, Humbrol and Revell acrylics, with some enamels used for detailing. Perhaps it’s time I considered making my own decals! The vehicles used are from Airfix and Flightpath. I wonder what will fall off the stash shelf next! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Well done. A good model and a very nice scene with some interesting history to back it up. I particularly liked the change in impact from the semi-gloss to the matt finish.Given the mix up in squadrons at the early stage, I wonder if you based the final diorama on a real 40 Squadron picture. I followed your link for the black & white 110 Squadron picture, and eventually found a colour version. It was particularly interesting to see the collector ring bronze./media/tinymce_upload/7179dc2f7e780bda3de55b8ba9aff741.PNG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Earth Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Very nicely done Heather.What a great little dio !Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Symmons Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Hi Heather. Ditto to Dark Earths comments. Very nice build and display. Remember we do this for fun John the Pom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kavanagh Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 Yes, that photo was definitely an inspiration for me. The original is available from the Imperial War Museum web site. I think the version you've posted has been colourised from the black and white original. Whoever did it looks like they coloured the collector ring Based on false information. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Well, it depends on the reference sources, but I've seen bronze as a colour call-out for collector rings before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kavanagh Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 Well, it depends on the reference sources, but I've seen bronze as a colour call-out for collector rings before.It used to be the go-to colour in most kits back in the day. The Airfix call out is now Humbrol 53, which I think is gunmetal, which seems much more appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsides Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Nicely Done! 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Yes another lovely rendition of the Blenheim Heather and I do like your display pictures of your finished models, far better than my efforts. But in relation to the collector ring colours I was given to understand the collector rings were stainless steel so the Gun Metal 53 colour given by Airfix's colour call-out may be near correct when new, but heat tainted the rings a bronze tone which is the colour Airfix stated in most of their older tool kits with similar collector rings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Well, yes, collector rings can heat stain; there's also some suggestion that some of them may have been painted ex-factory, and the metal colour is only revealed when the paint chips and/or peals and/or burns off.As to "what colour does stainless steel start as?" and "what does it discolour to?" that's opening another can of worms because it will depend on the grade of stainless used! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter s Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 I found this linkhttps://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/70160-bristol-beaufighter-collector-rings/which has a couple of pics of the last flying Blenheim. It's a stainless steel ring but engine heat has turned it a copperish colour. A K interactive do metallic waxes. Their copper lightly applied over gloss black worked for me on a Beaufighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 /media/tinymce_upload/80016b766a915fc9750e12dd080e5c63.jpgI found this linkhttps://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/70160-bristol-beaufighter-collector-rings/which has a couple of pics of the last flying Blenheim. It's a stainless steel ring but engine heat has turned it a copperish colour. A K interactive do metallic waxes. Their copper lightly applied over gloss black worked for me on a Beaufighter.Excellent posting! That Blenhein picture really does it. The old usage of bright Bronze/Copper needs to be put down. This diagram points out how the collector heat stained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter s Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Thanks! "If in doubt find a photo of the real thing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kavanagh Posted November 3, 2019 Author Share Posted November 3, 2019 Thanks for the comments, and for the collector ring colour debate. All useful stuff. =o) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweezers Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Well done. A good model and a very nice scene with some interesting history to back it up. I particularly liked the change in impact from the semi-gloss to the matt finish.Given the mix up in squadrons at the early stage, I wonder if you based the final diorama on a real 40 Squadron picture. I followed your link for the black & white 110 Squadron picture, and eventually found a colour version. It was particularly interesting to see the collector ring bronze./media/tinymce_upload/7179dc2f7e780bda3de55b8ba9aff741.PNGIn my copy of "RAF Wattisham- A Pictorial Hisstory" it states: "All unit insignia and other obvious identification markings had been removed from front-line aircraft by the outbeak of war and replaced by a two-letter code donating the squadron and the individual aircraft"So what is the individual letter fo R3600? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 All my reference books and a search of the internet give no information on the aircraft code letter. We do know that R3600 was lost attacking a convoy on 6th May 1941, and we know the crew and their fate on that sortie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Heather, further to your model in the markings of 40 Squadron, I wondered if you had a copy of the DP Casper sheet giving markings for aircraft participating in Operation Dynamo [Dunkirk]? I ask because it includes markings for a 40 Squadron Blenheim IV amongst other 1940 aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kavanagh Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 Hello Dominic. I don't have that sheet. I find I tend to make up markings from generic sets if the kit doesn't cover what I want. In a way, I suppose, that sometimes makes the finished model slightly less "authentic", but it suits me, I have, in the past, bought in special sheets, but I then find most of the sheet never gets used once I've trimmed out what I want. I do look out for suitable sets that cover various types where I can. An example of this is a specific Battle of Britain set from Xtradecal which covered many of the Fighter Command planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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