Ricks' Ramblings

[PR19_Kit]

The kit turret is a base, a thick transparency and two rods on a stick.

Hehehehe, I love that description! So often the case in that vintage of kit. 

[zenrat]

 

[NARSES2]

That's come out really well Rick 

I've always liked the A-20/DB-7/Boston/Havoc (whatever it was being called at the time  ) and its always looked slightly ahead of its time to me as well.

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, fellers.
I hope the original owner would have been happy with the result.

[Old Wombat]

That's a top job, Rick! Excellent build!   

[frank2056]

Great job on the A-20 and the turret. Did you use the kit's transparencies for the cockpit? They look very clear as well.

[Rick Lowe]

Should have specified - Falcon transparencies for both.
(original article edited).

Thanks, all.

[Rick Lowe]

1/72 Bristol Beaufighter 489 (NZ) Squadron, Coastal Command, RAF *Real World*


One of the Article XV Squadrons, manned mostly by RNZAF Flight Crews.
Along with 455 Squadron (RAAF), it formed part of the ANZAC Strike Wing.
Operating mostly from Scotland and attacking targets off the Norwegian coast, in 1944 they made a brief stay in the South of England to help out over the Normandy beaches, then returned North.

The model is a Matchbox Mk.X, mostly from the box, with the addition of a scratch cockpit and gunners' station and D/F loop under the topside blister.
I cut off the wingtips to make the navigation lights, added pieces of clear runner, sanded them to shape and polished them back to clear again.
Similar treatment for the landing lights.

Rockets are the Airfix Hurricane base plates, with the rails and rockets from the Airfix Mosquito.
(And yes, I know 489 Beaus were usually Torpedo equipped, but I wanted rockets because I don't really like torps. My Model).

I am unsure whether the Radar Operators' Vickers K is from the kit, or from the Matchbox LRDG set, but either way, it's OOB and a nicely detailed item.

I don't recall too much in the way of filling, but it was a while ago, so there may have been more than I remember.

Falcon canopies. The set includes 2 types; one for the Matchbox kit and one for the FROG... more on that kit when I eventually get around to building it.

Paint is a spray bomb grey, which looks about right to me, and Humbrol Sky under. Other colours from wherever.

The model was going to be entered into a club competition, but I dropped it and split the seam behind the cockpit – after the painting; so, as filling and patching was likely going to be more visible than a crack, she's now display only. Ah well, thankfully no other damage resulted.

Transfers are spares box, the Registration cut and modified to the 'P6' coding (the small 'I' denotes an aircraft equipped with centimetric radar, rather than the ASV set).
The serial was modified from the kits', simply by turning the 9 upside down to make a 6.

The registration/serial combination is correct, thanks once again to the ADF Serials website.

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[Rick Lowe]

And the last one that wouldn't fit before...
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[kerick]

Very nice. And a simple paint job that looks cool.

[zenrat]

 

[PR19_Kit]

That looks appropriately lethal, as a good Beaufighter should look. 

[NARSES2]

Looks good Rick 

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, fellas.

And Kit - completely agree, she wouldn't have looked 'right', without some extra punch. 

(Which may be an issue for me, when I do the Mk VI night fighter... or not, we'll see how it goes)

[Rick Lowe]

1/76 Morris CS8 15cwt truck **real world**

These were seen all over the place in the early War years, being used as general runabouts, before the ubiquitous Jeep made its' appearance.
There are also a few pictures of them in German service.

I've been wanting a 1/35 version since I saw an article in an old Airfix Annual. Since the only kits I can find are either the long oop Lead Sled, or a 6X4 Bofors Tractor in resin, I thought I'd start simple by making one in the smaller scale.

I started with an Airfix Quad tractor, as I had a few that needed rescuing.
I moved the front axle forward and left the floor as a base for the new rear box.
The cab was tweaked from the kits', as the seating arrangement is a bit unique and took some modifying.
There was also some detailing done in the cab and underneath.

The front mudguards were taken from an Airfix Bofors tractor and the front end detailed; the aero screens I made from small bits of acetate
(I think they look better than the full windscreen).

The rear box was scratched up from 2mm strip, which was about close to scale for the planks used on the original.
Wheel wells were boxed in and the spare tyre found and located as per the real thing.
Plastic rod for the tilt hoops.
Final detailing as needed and then it was time for the paint job.

I decided on an RAF vehicle, as something different, and Humbrol RAF Blue-Grey did the job.
Black mudguards and White for the blackout markings.
Serials from one of the Airfix Airfield sets.

Bart Vanderveens' book and an Internet search were the main references used.

As usual, completed pics will follow.

*amended, as the wheels and axles are the Quads'... oops.

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