This is the way, step inside!

[The Wooksta!]

"This is a pub, they don't do coffee!"

Yes, I know I haven't even got the fuselage of the Hawker P.1030 together and I'm already looking at the next project.  Well, I'm just continuing work on something I started some years back.  The Bristol Buccaneer.

This was basically a Beaufighter with a new fuselage, but it got heavier and heavier, until someone got a bit too clever and suggested using Buckingham wings and engines and thus we got Brigand, although for some time it still had a single fin (and that reminds me I have a Magna one to play with...)

But I've long wanted to do the crossover point, before it got too complicated.  Basically, a Brigand fuselage, with the single fin and straight Beaufighter wings and engines - I couldn't see how to do the revised engine/nacelle shape, although I did think about chopping up a Revell He 219 - so I decided to do the initial aerodynamic prototype.

I'd originally planned on using a Magna Brigand fuselage, but it's so damned awful a fit that I canned the project for a decade.  In the meantime, I obtained a Hallamvac one and this is a far better basis, because in the intervening years, Airfix had released a decent Beaufighter, which made this a lot more reasonable.  And it was started in lockdown in 2020.

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Two photos showing the fuselage with the wings fitted.  The fuselage is primed as it's how I deal with vac forms - prime the parts on the sheet first, cut around at a 45 degree angle then snap out.  Sand the unprimed plastic away and it should fit.  None of the tedious methods that we get foisted on us.  This works for me.  I've left the rough bit that would normally be removed for the tailplane.

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The internals in place.  Well, not quite, I used a set assembled for another Beaufighter to locate the spar holes and check for fit.  As you can see, I didn't get it right first time.

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The cockpit is now cut out.  Still with the same stunt interior.  I did build a new one, with side consoles and I didn't bother with the rear seat.  The wings are going to need a good deal of filling at the rear of the wing root, but I'll largely be using scrap card and filler, possibly P.38.  I don't think I'll use superglue.  If I have any sense, I'll build up the wings separately from the fuselage.

It did get a good deal further, with the fin installed but I don't know where the photos went.  The fin was a Blenheim 1 tail with the outline of the Buccaneer fin in thin plastic card wedged between the two halves and then built up with scrap card and filler.  I then moulded it blank, and then used a resin copy to work further.  If I got it wrong, then I just cast another.  If I buggered the master...  I really didn't want to start again.  The gun ports got filled, because they're the ones with the covers removed for operations in Malaya, where several were lost after gas buildup in the ports after the cannons were fired and then exploding noses later.

Now I've got to drag the box out of the garage before I take any more photos and can go any further with it.  I don't think it would take too much effort to get it to primer stage either.

[Gondor]

A suggestion for filling in the wing root. Make a template of the fuselage wing root and glue that to the fuselage side of each wing. Then you can fill in the gap to your heart's content without the fuselage getting in the way.

[NARSES2]

Interesting project Lee 

[The Wooksta!]

"Then what are you looking in the cellar for?"

After I'd done some more sanding on the P.1030 I wanted some fresh air, so went down to the garage and dug this out.  The Buccaneer.

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This is the stage it was left at in 2021, I think.  The cockpit is in, the fuselage together with the gun ports all filled.  The fin is in place - and that wasn't easy, from what I remember - and the filler still needs cleaning back.

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A side view, showing the new fin shape.

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A dry fit with the wings in place.

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Another shot, showing what need filling.  I'm planning on building it up with plastic card.

But all of this is for after P.1030 is together and at the primer stage.

[PR19_Kit]

A single finned Brigand looks decidedly odd at first sight, you just expect there to be two of them. 

[The Wooksta!]

"Cutting up bodies for my course, you know."

I picked this up whilst waiting for bits of P.1030 to cure.  I'm nothing if not a serial builder and I get itchy.

So, it's time to get some base filling with this mahoooosive holes on the trailing edges.  So I've cut two pieces of triangular plastic card to fit in the gap, scalloped at the trailing edges.

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These have been installed as the tops.  It's thick plastic card too, as it'll need some heavy sanding. 

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Underneath is sandwiched some more triangles to support the top piece.

I know there's still some gaps, but that's what proper filler is for.

The next task will be to trim around the cockpit opening to get the Valom canopy to fit.  The latter came with canopies in both for the TF and the bomber version, the latter having less framing. I'm using the Valom as the Hallamvac one that came with the kit was never a good fit to start with and it's a now nice shade of gold. To be fair, it has to be 36 years old.

[Weaver]

Nice one - always liked the Buccaneer.

IIRC didn't the Buccaneer drawings have a more pointed nose than the Brigand? Of course since they never got further than drawings, you could always say it was revised for the production version.

[The Wooksta!]

I used the Hallamvac fuselage straight and I know I should have shortened it.  I have an Airmodel one if I decide to do another.

This is just a prototype, so it's just a case of write a backstory to get round the plans.

[kitbasher]

About a month ago - don't know why - I was thumbing through my copy of Warpaint's Brigand/Buckingham/Buckmaster tome and began to think 'hmmm, Brigand fuselage, Beaufighter TF.10 fin/rudder/tailplanes/wings, Centaurus engines, Brigand props'.  A fleeting thought, that's all.

EDIT:  Which, having just reconsulted my BSP: Fighters & Bombers 1935-1950, is nearly a Bristol 164 (H.7/42) Buccaneer.

Anyway.  Carry on, that man.  Get your P.1030 done by this time next week, there's a good chap, so we can sit back and watch this grow 😉

[The Wooksta!]

If you get the Alleycat Merlin Beau conversion, everything left over is most of what you need.

[The Wooksta!]

"If anyone else asks that question, I'm going to stick their head through the window."

Did a little bit more work on this - I'd like to have it finished for Telford.  Firstly I sorted out the base of the rudder as it wasn't defined enough and then I scribed in the rudder trim tabs.

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After a bit of careful measuring, I drilled a hole for a pin so I could mount the tailplane.  This is the spare earlier one from the Airfix Beaufighter TF.X.  They were quickly attached and then filled.

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The filler got sanded back today.  I also cut out the canopy.  I found I had two, both slowly turning gold.  Not surprising really, the kit must be a good 35 years old and possibly older.  Oddly, the first one worked out okay, which seems to be the case if you had a spare.  The first Brigand I did, from another of this kit, way back in 1990, only had the one and I cocked it up.  It's just loosely fitted here.  I need to add some cockpit green around the outside afore I bed it in with some PVA.  Once it's all settled, I can glue the wings on.  Not looking to the filler work here.

As an aside, I also cut out the canopy for the single fin Brigand.  Again, got it almost right first time, although the fit, being Magna, is all over Hexham. 

Colour scheme is going to be Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey over Yellow - it's a prototype, so it's a logical choice.

[Andrew Gorman]

Soaking yellowed vacuform canopies in hydrogen peroxide allegedly clears them up.  For how long I don't know since I've never tried it.  People restoring old plastic radios and game consoles use the H2O2 as well.
https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/54314-question-about-yellowed-vac-canopies/page/2/
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235118350-yellowed-canopy/

[Dizzyfugu]

Look elegant! Makes me wonder how a single-seater with a smaller canopy would look like?

[PR19_Kit]

Somehow without those twin fins it doesn't look a bit like a Brigand. Odd how one feature typifies an aircraft type in your head.

Then a glance at the canopy tells you what it really is.