Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hi all, joining the build with the 1/72 Airfix English Electric Canberra B(I).8 kit, finished as an RNZAF B(I).12 c. 1968 or so.

This will be a straight out of the box build, using the kit decals for the most part (I may replace the roundels). One of the kit options is for an RNZAF 14 Sqn aircraft which makes things a lot easier.

Here is what is in the box:

can1.jpg

I'm not sure what external differences there might be between an RAF B(I).8 and an RNZAF B(I).12 but as far as I can tell everything is there to build a 12 out of the box (the options given are RAF, RNZAF and SAAF). Weapons included are 1000lb bombs, SNEB rocket pods, and AS.30 ASM's, along with the optional bombay 4x20mm gunpack. Current plan is to put some 1000lb'ers in the open bomb bay with the RP's under the wing as a representative load. This is the first of the new generation Airfix kits I have built, and I like what I see. so far.

First thing to to is fix the rudder. I don't know what Airfix were thinking when they moulded this, but I haven't seen these horizontal lines on any Canberra rudder:

can2.jpg

Filled and looking much better (still some tidying to do):

can3.jpg

More pics to come as progress happens.

Edited by Mumbles
Link to post
Share on other sites

One thing to look out for with the new Airfix Canberra kits is that they have an incorrect fin leading edge profile. However, luckily there is too much plastic on the front, and it can easily be sanded down to a more accurate shape.

There's a thread over at Britmodeller that shows the work involved - there's a pic of the amount to remove about three quarters down on the first page (it's a build of the companion PR.9 kit, but the issue with the fin is identical).

HTH!,

Andre

Link to post
Share on other sites
One thing to look out for with the new Airfix Canberra kits is that they have an incorrect fin leading edge profile. However, luckily there is too much plastic on the front, and it can easily be sanded down to a more accurate shape.

There's a thread over at Britmodeller that shows the work involved - there's a pic of the amount to remove about three quarters down on the first page (it's a build of the companion PR.9 kit, but the issue with the fin is identical).

HTH!,

Andre

Hey Mumbles

Go good with the Canberra, do the RNZAF proud.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks Andre and TW, especially for the pointers about the fin shape. :D

Various things have been keeping me away from the bench lately, but I have made some progress:

Completed cockpit assembly, coloured by Henry Ford. Complicated little subassembly this one.

can4.jpg

The fuselage decking insert around the canopy isn't that good a fit, so I added a couple of tabs from sheet plastic for support (in white).

can5.jpg

Airframe dry fit, suddenly looking like a Canberra. A little bit of warp to deal with in the fuselage halves, but nothing too terrible.

can6.jpg

A lot of nose weight added to not a very big space. Cut down fishing weights aren't as efficient as other methods but they get the job done. I might chuck some more lead in the front of the engine nacelles as I'm not certain there is enough here. 47g weighed out against the recommended 45g, but the distribution is clearly not ideal! :cheers: Nav also happily installed.

can7.jpg

And airframe assembled. Major component fit is pretty good apart from the aformentioned upper fuselage insert.

can8.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Thanks Azgaron

Just a quick update to attest that this project is still active and tracking to be completed by the end of the GB.

I haven't been doing a lot of modelling lately, but in the past couple of days some good progress has been made.

The model has now been puttied and sanded, most of the puttying and sanding directed at the fuselage panel lines, which are nowhere near as visible on the real thing as the mouldings would have you believe:

Can12.jpg

It's now not that far away from being ready for paint.

Also I have reprofiled the lower part of the fin leading edge to more closely resemble the original

Can11.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Not sure I'll make the looming deadline, but pushing on regardless :monkeydance:

Bit more progress since last time. Airframe fully assembled and primered:

Can14.jpg

DSG applied. I liked the look of the overall grey and was briefly tempted to do a what-if low vis RNZAF Canberra, but this model is being built for someone who spent time working around the real things, so that will have to be taken up another time:

can15.jpg

Green for all your disruptive needs:

can16.jpg

And Hi-Speed silver underneath to make it go faster:

can17.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
So far, so good! I'd love to see her completed by the end, but I'd like to see her done either way.

Thanks, it is definitely going to get done, I just haven't been able to spend the time at the bench I was planning on to get it done on time, and get it done right. So it will keep getting updates, either here or in the in-progress section.

Cheers

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 5 months later...

Well the looming end of the year saw a restart on this, not only to get it to its destined recipient as promised, but to get it off my bench from where it was sitting mocking me in its unfinished-ness.

Now in Ready for Inspection here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61155

Major issues with the kit supplied decals saw a hiatus put on this for some months. Translucent colours, bad registration, bad adhesion, thick, glossy, just about everything you could have go wrong with decals. The problems wound largely unfixed for the sake of finishing the thing. I replaced the roundels with better quality Ventura ones, and simply didn't bother with anything beyond the absolutely essential otherwise. The Ventura decals are fine, the Airfix ones still appear silver from certain angles due to their texture, rather than being actually silvered. Adding to the mess was a certain amount of orange peeling of the clear coat, resulting in a very rough and almost super matt finish. It certainly isn't my best work.

New Ventura roundels applied to the underside, bombs and bay doors added, and jetpipes masked off for application of rub'n'buff.

Can26.jpg

The bomb-bay doors are sturdy enough to provide a handy rest while the flaps are added:

can24.jpg

On its feet for the first time, and thankfully not a tail-sitter:

can28.jpg

The shoulder mounted towel rail peculiar to the RNZAF B.12 was scratchbuilt from evergreen sheet and strip, as was the similar blade aerial near the cockpit:

can30.jpg

Then with all the extras added it was all done bar the weathering:

can31.jpg

An application of chalk pastels later we are done!

can32.jpg

Being finished, it is now in the display case here: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=222538

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...