Airfix Vulcan - Take 4

['V']

Well folks, I blame Garfs for this one ...... sorry but it'll run on for a long time ......

The last Vulcan I built was finished 1989-90 and although I'd collected a few kits and the DB resin conversion I'd not got around to starting, let's face it I'd made 3 Vulcans since they came out around 1983. Garfy "It's a big b*****" coincided with (Just about) finishing the Valiant, and with so many brilliant Nimrod builds having gone through I decided to start this build rather than another Nimrod.

The project is to produce a Waddington Wing B1A, white underside, standard camouflage top using my original DB resin conversion set. This involves quite major surgery that will probably make the recent Valiant build seem easy. I was intending pinching the AAR probe for the Valiant, but that had 'gone' already and probably sits on the front of my VC-10, but that was another reason for the box coming down from the loft. The price ticket shows how long this has been hibernating .....

By making a B1A rather than a B1 I can utilise the tail cone and fin without any modification, so here was the first 20 minutes work ..... the project will take me up to 3 months as we're coming into grass cutting and gardening time !!

Although not photographed (yet) the intakes have been reduced in depth at the wing leading edge by 2 mm, but left the same depth at the rear for the turbine faces to fit. The result was I had to hoover the kitchen floor before her in doors got up this morning - it looked like it had snowed heavily in the night !!!

Geoff.

[Gary West]

Do I detect you have a 1/72 Vicky 10??

['V']

Yep Gary ..... I don't use the call sign 'V' for nothing !!

That was finished about 1996-7 ish from the Airwaves vacform - That project took around 4 1/2 years on and off, there is another kit in the loft - if I live long enough !!!

Geoff

[Gary West]

Yep Gary ..... I don't use the call sign 'V' for nothing !!

That was finished about 1996-7 ish from the Airwaves vacform - That project took around 4 1/2 years on and off, there is another kit in the loft - if I live long enough !!!

Geoff

What you waiting for then Geoff - get it on here so I can get my drooling grin out again?

['V']

What you waiting for then Geoff - get it on here so I can get my drooling grin out again?

O.K then Gary - you asked for it !!! Photo taken at a model show in Biggleswade in 2003. It's so big I don't have it out very often.

Geoff.

[Gary West]

Cheers Geoff - looks great. Whenever you feel like, It would be great to see some more of her on here own.

[Garfs]

V,

I take full responsibility!

Good luck with the build, it actually goes together quite well. You probably know this already, but it's worth adding a few strips of plastic inside the bottom half of the fuselage to reinforce the bomb-bay doors and give them something solid to fit onto. Apart from that no real problems - if you get frustrated trying to smooth out the intakes there's a guide to building the intake covers in my 'Work in Progress' thread.

Cheers, Rich.

['V']

V,

I take full responsibility!

Good luck with the build, it actually goes together quite well. You probably know this already, but it's worth adding a few strips of plastic inside the bottom half of the fuselage to reinforce the bomb-bay doors and give them something solid to fit onto. Apart from that no real problems - if you get frustrated trying to smooth out the intakes there's a guide to building the intake covers in my 'Work in Progress' thread.

Cheers, Rich.

Thanks for the offer Garfs ...... I've almst forgotten what I did on the other 3, but you're right I did remember to reinforce the joint line around the bomb bay panel.

The first cut's the deepest !! (The Strawbs if I remember correctly) ...... No going back now, the surgery is extensive as can be seen by the shaded area that needs to be cut away, and this is the lower wing so lots more to come off the upper wing halves when I get that far.

I can imagine if I'd paid £25 for the kit I'd be worried now .........

Geoff

['V']

O.K so the afternoons over and I've managed an almost full day.

The extent of surgery on wing panels is extensive, and the other 3 will take longer, but thought it may be interesting to see what's needed on this conversion.

Geoff

[Vlamgat9]

I hadn't realised the wing was quite so different - is that the Fl;ightpath conversion kit you are using?

It's so big I don't have it out very often.

Geoff.

You want to watch that geoff, you can get arrested for that sort of thing....

['V']

Hi Vlangat9,

I'm using the original DB set which is the same as the conversion now offered by Flightpath. It was Dave Butress who did the original moulds that seem to still be O.K from Flightpath, that based on the Flightpath Victor conversions I've bought recently (2007). I never could afford all the original DB sets I wanted as these have always been quite expensive.

Anyway after a much better than expected first full day (12 hours with just breaks for meals) I've cut away all the kit plastic ready to take the resin parts and here have started bonding in the first leading edge.

The black line on the paper is measured to 99 Ft in 1/72 and it seems that the span is going to come out long. I cut away 3/8 of an inch from each wing tip as per instructions, but the resin is about 2mm short each side so will take back to the resin line. I still think this will come out in excess of 99 Ft when the wing tips are added, but before I put these on I'll try to shorten to be within a mm or two of correct span.

Geoff

It's all just taped or propped together and soon I'll be able to just start building as if a standard kit. This has gone so well to this point that my original projected schedule will be much shortened (I hope !!)

[atdb27]

Hi Geoff

That is some serious surgery there!

Looking good so far btw. Have a couple of sets myself pre DB days came in along pale green box with the (awful) coloured resin bits wrapped in tissue that yes stuck like s to a b!

Like the VC-10 as well.

Adrian

[avro683]

O.K then Gary - you asked for it !!! Photo taken at a model show in Biggleswade in 2003. It's so big I don't have it out very often.

Geoff.

Some might say that could be boasting! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Model looks seriously good in the picture and I appreciate potential tranport problems but when is she likely to be displayed again?

Tony

['V']

Hi Tony,

No idea when she'll next see light of day - I already try to do too many things and it's usually either Aerobatic Teams or Bomber Command period British bombers. Perhaps I should see if Brampton club will let me have it their on the Classic British Jets table?

As for the Vulcan It's currently stalled as I'm having the kitchen floor sorted out and have some decorating to do at No.3 sons place. Once I get back in the kitchen I can sand away in water to clean up the intakes and resin attachments. The rest should then be reasonably fast although I have to work out exactly how I rebuild the nose gear leg adding several mm to the nose height.

'V'

['V']

O.K. I know I shouldn't have .... But .......

While the B1A stalled ..... and I needed an AAR probe I bought another kit at the Cosford show. This has now therefore become Vulcan Take 4 & 5. Well you've got to do something with your time ......... Yes dear, be there soon ..........

'V'

[Hurrinut]

Hi Tony,

No idea when she'll next see light of day - I already try to do too many things and it's usually either Aerobatic Teams or Bomber Command period British bombers. Perhaps I should see if Brampton club will let me have it their on the Classic British Jets table?

As for the Vulcan It's currently stalled as I'm having the kitchen floor sorted out and have some decorating to do at No.3 sons place. Once I get back in the kitchen I can sand away in water to clean up the intakes and resin attachments. The rest should then be reasonably fast although I have to work out exactly how I rebuild the nose gear leg adding several mm to the nose height.

'V'

Geoff

You could always cheat like I did with my B1 and just drop the nose gear leg a couple of mil down in the wheel well.

Simple effective gives the B1/B1a the right sit and if anyone tries to pick up the model break their fingers.

[bexwh773]

O.K. I know I shouldn't have .... But .......

While the B1A stalled ..... and I needed an AAR probe I bought another kit at the Cosford show. This has now therefore become Vulcan Take 4 & 5. Well you've got to do something with your time ......... Yes dear, be there soon ..........

'V'

I try to avoid quoting a whole post but I just to do it with this one.............. Oh 'eck hes at again

Good luck V, watching you like a hawk as Ive got a Vulcan next on the list so & at the ready

Bexy

[gunpowder17]

Fantastic build. No prizes for guessing what this made me dig out of the loft!?

['V']

So leaving the B1A alone I've dug into the new kit and find to my dismay that the parts are nowhere as cleanly moulded as the old 1980's issues. The intakes have quite severe sink marks on the inside that need filling before joining together.

The made-up intake trunking alongside had no filling before assembly - just the joint lines blending in with a smear of green stuff (currently just undercoated inside). The new kit reveals excessive flash on one main gear leg. No real problem although time consuming.

So my suggestion is that if you don't have a Vulcan, but want one then try to find the old original boxed version Kit 09002.

My new kit is the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict kit A50005 (Hornby made in China)

It's just that I hate unnecessary work and the old kits were so good - still no reason not to get equal results

Hurrinut - I'm not the violent type I couldn't break someones fingers for picking up and finding my 'cheat', but should they drop it ..... that would be a different matter !!!

'V'

[Honeybee]

Hi Geoff

Hurrinut - I'm not the violent type I couldn't break someones fingers for picking up and finding my 'cheat', but should they drop it ..... that would be a different matter !!!

That sentence reminds me of the day one of our club members was trying to teach his kids what they could or couldn't have touched at a show because they might break something. He demonstrated this by picking up Hurrinuts kit and breaking the undercarriage. Who's gonna tell him when he gets back was the question at the time. We then spy Hurrinut returning to the table and the whole club did a formation split, virtually at light speed, and left the culprit to face the music alone, well it was funny at the time. Actually, it still is,

Regards

Paul

['V']

One Day somebody will drop things - ask Hurrinut how the AEC and Vulcan B1 are getting along !!!!

Theres a secret message in there !!!

'V'

['V']

Well I knew it would take time, but summer and gardening tend to slow things.

Today in the nice weather I took everything I'm working on outside. Decided to add the small vortex generators to the Vilcan B1A wings, 32 miniture pieces of plastic, only one escaped.

Off on holiday in 2 weeks time, this will take me some time .... the others on the table will come along slowly as well !!

'V'

[daz greenwood]

AEC?

Could that mean AEC Blue Steel tractor?

['V']

AEC?

Could that mean AEC Blue Steel tractor?

Not this time Daz, the one that took a 'hit' was a 1/48 fuel tanker .......... WWII type - we don't just model 'V' bombers, there are a few with fans on the front.

[daz greenwood]

Oh rite AEC Matador. Very nice. I've got one to build.