Dunno 'bout that, Thunderballs I calls 'em.

[The Wooksta!]

"This time I get what I want!"

Possibly my next project after the Buccaneer is at the primer stage, although there's the early Wyvern that's also grabbed my attention..

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It's apparently a Blackburn B.50 derivative, according to Tony Buttler (BSP Vol 3 reprint P.131) and turboprop powered.  But the drawing says otherwise, looking to be more a reworked B.48 Firecrest.  The engine cowling on the front indicates Merlin 85 but I'll stick my neck out and say it's a Griffon 61 in a cowling similar to that on the Griffon Fury prototype.  The intakes for the jet engine are where the oil coolers were on the Firecrest, but they look a bit weedy.  Engine is either a Derwent or a Goblin, as the back end is too slender for the more portly Nene.

This is the only drawing, so any build is likely to be a large dose of guestimate.

I'll be starting with a Magna Firecrest I got at Telford in 2022, tucked inside a Magna Spearfish that I only paid a tenner for, so it's cheap enough to chop up.  It's also cast in that odd cream resin he used after he moved to Spain and the rear fuselage is warped to Hexham.  Not sure what I'll be using as a jet pipe, perhaps a Matchbox or ZTS Hunter.

[Gondor]

Good luck with that. You should have quite a bit of leeway seeing that the proportions in the drawing are not consistent.

[The Wooksta!]

"Touching from a distance, further all the time"

There's a couple of other Firecrest projects that also look interesting:

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Napier nomad, but it looks like a completely new fuselage to play with.  Possibly Skyraider reworked?  There's a conversion article in an ancient Airfix Magazine on how to convert a Skyraider into a Firebrand.  Other than the cockpit moving and the shape of the tail changing, the dimensions look similar to that of a standard Firecrest.

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Unspecified turboprop engine, but the fuselage looks completely reworked. Other than the wings and tailplanes, I don't think there'd me much of the kit left...

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And a Clyde engined one, although it's a redraw I'm unsure of the provenance. No exhausts either..  Of the three, this looks to be the easiest.  I'm toying with doing a Clyde Wyvern at some point, just waiting on the drawings.

[kitbasher]

"This time I get what I want!"

Possibly my next project after the Buccaneer is at the primer stage, although there's the early Wyvern that's also grabbed my attention..

You cannot view this attachment.

It's apparently a Blackburn B.50 derivative, according to Tony Buttler (BSP Vol 3 reprint P.131) and turboprop powered.  But the drawing says otherwise, looking to be more a reworked B.48 Firecrest.  The engine cowling on the front indicates Merlin 85 but I'll stick my neck out and say it's a Griffon 61 in a cowling similar to that on the Griffon Fury prototype.  The intakes for the jet engine are where the oil coolers were on the Firecrest, but they look a bit weedy.  Engine is either a Derwent or a Goblin, as the back end is too slender for the more portly Nene.

This is the only drawing, so any build is likely to be a large dose of guestimate.

I'll be starting with a Magna Firecrest I got at Telford in 2022, tucked inside a Magna Spearfish that I only paid a tenner for, so it's cheap enough to chop up.  It's also cast in that odd cream resin he used after he moved to Spain and the rear fuselage is warped to Hexham.  Not sure what I'll be using as a jet pipe, perhaps a Matchbox or ZTS Hunter.

Just seen this, Lee.  See my PM sent in reply to your email sent this morning.

[The Wooksta!]

"A chance to watch"

Apparently, the Napier Nomad was a heavily developed Sabre and the Nomad Firecrest is mid engined, the pilot being moved further forward for CoG reasons.  This one is intriguing me more and more...


Again. I'll know once I've got the drawings sorted.

[PR19_Kit]

The Nomad, the most complex piston engine ever! 

[Captain Canada]

Pretty wild looking ! Would eat alot of fuel.

[The Wooksta!]

"I walked through the city limits"

I have enough projects to last a lifetime, yet I can't resist taping up some bits to see how much work is going to be involved with this one.  Oh, and likely enough P.38, because I think I'll need it.

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The Magna fuselage.  You can see that swerve a mile off.  Think David Beckham would be proud of that.  So it's go to go, because that resin has a memory - no matter how much boiling hot water and dips in the freezer, it just comes back.  I have a Magna Hornet cast in the same resin and it's so warped it's frankly unsalvageable.  Chopping this one is likely the right thing to do.  The front end is definitely usable.

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And mocked up with a freshly cast Merlin 85.  I know, I've yet to remove the pouring lugs, it's just to see what it's going to look like.

I've had some more thoughts on the Nomad engined proposal.  Perhaps an Aichi Val or a Kate might be a better basis than a Skyraider.  The latter looks too deep.  I'll know more when I get the drawings sorted.  I think I might have a Val fuselage in a bits boxing in the loft.

So, this may move up the build queue ahead of the Wyvern, because it's more of a bodge it and scarper kind of deal, which I quite enjoy whereas the Wyvern needs a lot of cut and shut.

[kitbasher]

Ooer mister 👍

Having recently built a Val and with a Kate under way I'd say a Val is probably a better bet - sightly greater fuselage diameter.

Alternatively either the back end of an Attacker or a Hawker P.1054?