REFERENCES AND CONSUMABLES

A really ironic touch to my build is that in the new edition of the magazine Airfix Model World there is a build of this particular kit so in the hope this article will highlight any potential pitfalls with the model I have ordered up a copy.

My other refences will be:

Osprey – Building the P-40

AK Interactive “Tracks and Wheels” just to get an idea of how to go about adding some weathering to the wheels on this one.

AK Interactive “tracks and wheels” paint set. Works with the details in the matching book they produce.

I have on order the AK ”RAF Day Fighters” Paint set. That is coming from Poland and at £10 including postage was the best I could find in terms of price.

Also, still to arrive I have a small set by MIG for the RAF cockpit which includes the main colour, a suitable wash and a Pigment powder. So that will hopefully save me time trying to work out what to use as its all in one pack.

Decals will be settled down with Micro Set/Sol. My “old” pots of these were just about all dried up so thought it better to get another set.

Superglue – I have gone for a fairly new brand having read some good things about it, its listed as a flexible CA adhesive so in theory it should hold the etch parts in place without them parting company with what they are glued onto.

While sourcing all of my bits and pieces I came across this mini aircraft stand and can see it being useful during some of the build stages.

PARTS FOR A POSSIBLE DIORAMA

Still far to early to decide how I might intend to display the finished aircraft (actually need to get it finished 😊) it would be nice to put it into a small diorama setting.

This is one of the things that dictated the type of aircraft to build as I do not have the space for anything too large.

Also, when I bid for the Airfix kit on eBay it came with the Tamiya Utility Car you can see in these pictures. So as that gives the options to finish that kit in RAF colours the ideas are beginning to flow.

So, parts that may or may not end up being used depending on what time I have to make up a display are:

1:48 Tamiya British Light Utility Car

1:48 Eduard RAF Fighter Crew 1940. Quite interesting these because what you get in the box do not make 100% replicas of the stance each of the figures have on the box top.

The instructions for this set are drawn as outline figures and while there is nothing majorly wrong with this (i.e. we all know were arms and legs should be glued) the ICM instructions are very nicely drawn.

The Eduard offerings are moulded in Mid grey plastic.

Also, when I compared these with the set from ICM I would have to say the ICM kit is slightly sharper in the details than on the Eduard sets.

1:48 Eduard RAF WWII Personnel. Again, same comments apply as regards the stance of the figures on the box top to what you get in the box.

1:48 ICM RAF Pilots and Ground Personnel. These figures do match the figures as drawn on the box top so what you make from the kit matches exactly those shown on the box artwork.

The ICM offering is moulded in a sort of tan coloured plastic and to my eye appear to be slightly sharper in the detailing.

Also within this set you get a few ground equipment items from a couple of gas cylinders on a trolley to a nice work bench with an ammo loading tool in place.

Jase/Kev

Many thanks for looking in.

I am looking forward to making a start this week on it.

Nice start Tony

SUNDAY 21st January 2018 1:48 Airfix Tomahawk

PICTURE 1

Well what I have found today is that I need to get myself off to the opticians soon as some of this kit is so small I have had to pull out the magnifying visor to make things a little easier to see.

PICTURES 2 Through 3

Here we have the 2 cockpit sidewalls and the instrument panel.

Its important to follow the Eduard instructions as a number of parts have to be removed and in other cases the moulded-on detail has to be removed.

I was quite surprised that there is some minor flash on the parts with some of the (very small) holes filled in completely. This is what’s taken most of my afternoon cleaning up all of the parts and opening up holes in the frames. It’s one of those jobs you wonder if there is actually any need to do as when this is all closed up chances are it will not even notice.

PICTURES 5 & 6

“Yippee” first 2 parts glued together. Cannot find my usual plastic glue so pulled out one that I saw good reports about. Its “PLASTIC MAGIC” by Deluxe Materials. It seems good and forms a nice clean join in next to no time.

PICTURE 7

As time is against me today to do any priming I was looking for something to do that would be fairly quick so opted to have a bash with the etched seat from the Eduard set.

I was pleasantly surprised in that the connections to the fret are very thin and were very easy to cut through. Not used Eduard for some time so hoping this is something they are doing with of their sets as it makes cutting them out so much easier.

PICTURES 8 Through 10

The back of the seat has to have a very gentle curve added to match the shape of the back of the seat base.

I found the easiest way to do this was use one of the roll bars from my etch rolling set. You could do the same using the handle of a craft knife to be honest.

What you then have to do is curve the front edge of the seat and for this I used my rolling set.

This seat is not designed to get a second chance at folding. The seat base is attached to the back with the smallest etch tab I have ever seen so its “guaranteed” to break if you twist it too much.

PICTURE 11

Into the folding tool just to ensure the seat sides get bent into shape correctly.

PICTURE 12

This small piece fits into the seat at an angle between seat base and seat back.

Luckily had some new superglue un-opened as my three bottle I have had for a while from Cornwall model boats had all set solid in their pots. Really annoyed about that because they had hardly been used. Stored in what I thought was a dry cupboard but I guess the damp got to them and set them off.

PICTURE 13

And here is the finished (apart from paint and belts) seat.

Quite pleased with my efforts.

There is an good build article in this months Airfix Model World Magazine and the builder mentions that for the Tomahawk the seat back in the Eduard set is incorrect in that it should have a flat top to the back rather than rounded.

Its interesting that in the Airfix kit you do get both versions of the seat.

The Airfix builder got around the issue by bending over the top section of his seat.

I may do that or just leave it as is because after all its only going to be noticed by aircraft experts.

Hi Tony.
Great start to your build. the etch really looks fantastic on the seat.
look forward to seeing this come together.
Ian

Nice work with the etch, the seat looks great.

Graeme