Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

how does the new Airfix Wildcat look?

It's really nice Nils. Most of the work looks to go into the cockpit and undercarriage. You get the option of building her with folded wings. I'm going for one folded and one straight

[NARSES2]

Bit of work done on all outstanding projects. Why do these "last knockings" jobs seem to take for ever ? 

Hopefully they will have their topping out ceremony by the end of the week (Sunday) but I want to try and break the back of the Newsletter this week as well. Just glad I've got my two Telford kits done

[Captain Canada]

Seems to be a problem for a lot of us Chris ! I know it is for me....just look at my BoB builds....so close to finishing a pair of them and all of a sudden the stupid A400 is all I see !

 

[NARSES2]

Well managed to get them done so they just need their props adding and they will be finished. So backstories and pics over the weekend probably.

Had one problem however. The Fw 187 canopy is a really good fit like the rest of the build however I clamped it to ensure it was "tight" and that has obviously pushed it forward a tad  Means there's a very small gap at the back and it slightly overhangs the strange ledge at the front. Never mind I've seen and done worse so I can live with it. Just something to remember on my next one. The front of the canopy is quite strange as it's on a raised platform without the smooth transition you'd expect. It is correct, or at least it is from what I've seen in the way of drawings.

Another thing I can change on my next one, along with the engines  I've decided that one will be Hungarian instead of their Me 210's, mind you it could go Luftwaffe North Africa 

[NARSES2]

Right current 4 in progress builds all topped out yesterday so firstly the real world build or strictly the "my interpretation of the finish real world build" ; the Westland Welkin





Not a wif, although to be honest the camouflage demarcation line is not strictly accurate as I just didn’t like the real one, as to my eyes it was way to low.

This is the Czechmaster Westland Welkin. It’s well up to the standard of their recent kits and went together really well, although some of the small parts are extremely fragile and fiddly and take some getting off the pouring blocks. I failed on a couple but they don’t notice…….I think ! An enjoyable project finished with my usual mix of Xtracrylic with Humbrol, GW and Vallejo for the details. Transfers are from the kit.

An enjoyable build even if I think I got the props wrong 

[PR19_Kit]

Cracking job there Chris. I think your demarcation line looks better than the RW one too. 

What's the little intake on the nose do? I didn't notice it on the vacform one that I used to have.

[NARSES2]

I assume the intake on the nose is for the cockpit air conditioning ?

Anyway here's my Defiant and Tempest and link to the thread http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,41319.new.html#new

[NARSES2]

Finally my BoB build

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,41321.0.html

[kitbasher]

Oh yes!

So much going on in that aircraft - hints of Ta154 (unsurprisingly), Bf110 and Hs126.

[Captain Canada]

Wow Chris ! Busy man and excellent work ! Love the Tempest. And the Defiant. And.....

[DogfighterZen]

Great stuff!! I like'em all, especially the Tempest but that Falke...

 

[zenrat]

All are good but I particularly like the Welkin.
Nice work Chris.

[NARSES2]

Thanks gents

Anyway been working on my new tool Airfix F4-F. Very nice and as is now typical with Airfix it's an excellent fit, indeed one coat of paint can spoil the fit. I had to clean the paint of the wing spars as they wouldn't go through the slots with it. Sand it off and  However..........

Read the instructions properly !!!!    If building with wheels down then jump from stage 6 to stage 12. The cockpit and undercarriage build up as one module not separate ones. I didn't notice and if I'd glued it in place I'd have been in a pickle, not impossible but fun  Anyway the fit of the cockpit is so good with the spars that I hadn't glued it so I could retrieve the situation. The undercarriage is very fiddly but is almost certainly accurate (I'd love to meet the Grumman engineer responsible, that's for sure). It does require very accurate clean up of the parts. The slightest burr left will affect fit. Providing you clean up properly it goes together very well however. Just take your time and follow the instructions.

The cockpit it'self is very nice and considering you won't see much of it is fine out of the box with some tape belts and carefull painting. Another winner from Airfix but read the instructions.

[Rick Lowe]

What the others have said - all very nice builds. 

Cheers

[kitnut617]

What's the little intake on the nose do? I didn't notice it on the vacform one that I used to have.

It's to do with the canopy defrosting system, air from it was fed into a heat exchanger in the nose where it then passed through the double Perspex layers of the canopy.

It's a very good rendentation of the Welkin Chris --- well done