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Sabre 2 - 434 Sqn at Uplands 1952 - DONE!


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Bummer, Mike.

My last Alclad experience was much nicer. I took some good advice and used Tamiya primer (lacquer-based) under the Alclad; it was rock solid and didn't lift. I was told that the problem had to do with the type of undercoat paint. Lacquer is good - acrylic is a no-no, because it will not prevent the Alclad lifting. What kind of paint was your black undercoat?

I've also experimented with using a black gloss (rattle can lacquer) under the Alclad, to give it a bit of a deeper sheen. Worked OK, so it's definitely not a crazy idea.

Later in this GB, I plan to do a 1/32 CF-104 natural metal with Dave Winter's decals... there will definitely be some Alclad masking going on there.

Good luck with the rework.

ALF

ALF,

Thanks for your encouragement and 'positive waves' as Oddball in Kelly's Heroes would say. I know I can always count on you for moral support. You're a good man. Charlie Brown.

I used Model Master Enamel. I've always used MM Enamels as my undercoat. I usually use MM light grey, FS36495. I've never had the stripping Alclad problem before. Maybe it was something I did when I laid down the primer or the Alclad that I wasn't aware I was doing. In any event, I sprayed another primer of 36495 and two light coats of Alclad Aluminium #101 at about 17 or so psi. It turned out well and apparently has done the trick. I did a bit of sample masking underneath and all looks good with no lifting. I know you have to use a gloss black undercoat for their high shine finishes but I've never done one of those. Whenever I do my next CF-104, I plan to do a natural metal, high shine finish. I'll have to work on my technique for that. I know I have a couple of sets of Leading Edge CF-104 decals and I might have a set of Mike Belcher's but I'm not sure. I do like to look of David's set though. I might have to get me a set of them there stickies.

I'm off Monday and Tuesday. Depending on what the weather is like, I'll probably get some more painting done and start the arduous process of applying the stencils.

Thanks again for checking in. I hope you have a great week.

Mike

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A bit more progress. After spraying the aluminium, I noted that there's a seam on the top of the nose that needs some attention. Not much of an issue as I'll fix the seam and then it will be painted black as its in the middle of the anti glare panel. The front gear bay has been painted interior green and the exhaust opening and the gun blast panels have been sprayed Alclad steel. Next is the grey on the top of the vertical stabilizer. Once that dries, I'll fix the nose seam and spray the black anti glare panel and the black tip of the vertical stabilizer. Once that's done, I'll mask a few panels for different shades of Alclad. The intake and exhaust FOD covers have been painted red as has the fuel dump. More photos soon.

Mike

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The seam has been fixed and the black has been sprayed. Stenciling has started and the only stencils left to apply are those on the bottom of the wings.

Speaking of the bottom of the wings, I've encountered a small problem with the wheel wells. They're too deep and the square holes for the landing gear attachment points are set too far back and are partially obscured. I believe that the manufacturer glued a set of wings together and the master was improperly done and that is what has created the problem. I'm getting ready to go to work shortly so I'll post some photos later on to illustrate my dilemma. I've had to remove the square locating pegs on the top of the main gear in order to be able to have the gear fit into the wheel wells. Another problem is that I had to lop off some of the upper part of the gear doors in order to allow it to fit the model. I fear that I may need to do some fiddling around in order to get this one to have the proper stance. I may also have to scavenge anther kit for gear doors. We'll see how that goes. As my dad used to say, "Feck!"

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Well, I finished her last night. A couple of photos of the kit and Scobie-Do resin wing wheel wells as promised. In the end, I used a set of main gear doors from a builder's special that I got from someone to fix up this build. In these photos, you can really see the discrepancy in the depth of the kit wing and resin wing and the square hole that the gear legs insert into. The photo of the kit wings is from the builder's special and the photo of the Scobie-Do wings is that of a second set that I have.

Kit Wings

KitWells1.jpg

Scobie-Do Wings

ResinWells1.jpg

ResinWells2.jpg

You can also note that the square locating hole is set too far back in the Scobie-Do wings as compared to the kit wings. The solution? Well the solution I came up with was to super glue a couple of small pieces of strip styrene over the locating hole in the resin wing. I glued the strips to a height that was approximately level with the attachment point on the kit wings. I then cut off the square attachment pins on the landing gear and sanded the surface of the gear strut so it was flat. I then glued the gear to the built up styrene in the wheel well. The Tamiya cement has done a terrific job keeping the joints solid. They shouldn't collapse unless they're given a really hard knock.

As noted, I have a second set of these resin wings. They take a lot of extra work and patience to get them to look somewhat right. The huge gap is almost impossible to fix completely. Will I use the second set of Scobie-Do slatted wings that I have on a future build? Probably...but not any time soon. However, when I do, there will be a bottle of Crown Royal close at hand.

More photos of the completed model are posted in the Inspiring Stories - Completed Builds thread at the top.

Cockpit.jpg

LeftFrontCorner.jpg

RightRearQuarter.jpg

Thanks to all who stopped in and took a look and made comments and lent support. I truly appreciate it.

Mike

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Hey Mike, fantastic job on 421!!!

That number rang a bell for me so I dug out my father-in-law's logbook. Lo and behold, he flew 421 for the first time in August 1957, and on two other occasions, in September and November, while he was stationed in Zweibrucken. What a small world we live in. :rolleyes:

8030812825_7a496b2793_b.jpg

Cheers,

Don

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Thanks, Shawn.

Don - a small world indeed. As you have a somewhat personal connection to 19421, I extend the sentiment behind this entry to you and your late father in law. Who knew?!

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Nice build Mike!!

:cheers:

Merci, mon ami!

Very very clean build and nice linkage with big daddy's past too. I'm impressed! I feel like I'd one day like to build either a small squadron of sabres or one from every 1950s squadron, because some of the schemes look awesome.

Thank you sir. I was completely unaware of the link to BD when I build this Sword. It was nice to be able to dedicate this build to three Swordsmen; Uncle Guy, F/O S.E. Burrows and BD's father in law. A triple play, if you will.

When my next Sword is done, I'll have accomplished that very thing; a Sabre form each of the 12 Squadrons of the Air Division. But to make my plan really complete, I'll need to build a 32nd scale 434 Sqn Sabre 5 and a 48th scale 427 Sabre. I already have a 427 Sqn Sabre but it's done up with the Guynemer Trophy markings.

DSC_0008-6.jpg

I want to build a 48th scale Sword marked like this though.

http://www.427squadron.com/history/f_86.html

When I finish my project I'll have the following:

1 Wing

410 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

439 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

441 Sqn - 32nd scale (complete)

2 Wing

416 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

421 Sqn - 32nd scale (complete)

430 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

3 Wing

413 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

427 Sqn - 48th scale (projected)

434 Sqn - 32nd scale (projected)

4 Wing

414 Sqn - 32nd scale (in progress)

422 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

444 Sqn - 48th scale (complete)

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Nuts young man Nuts..... But good for you!!!!

Talked to Bill Burns today, you came up in the conversation and we both agree awesome builds.

:cheers:

Emil

Thank you for your kind words, pal. That's why my ears were burning as I was participating in the ceremony for fallen officers on Parliament Hill yesterday. Did you see Bill at the London show? Wish I could have made it but the ceremony to honour my fallen colleagues on The Hill is more important to me. BTW, Mrs. AX 365 thinks I'm nuts too so you're not alone. I think phantom even slagged me once that building too many variants of one kind of aircraft was yzarc! With any luck, I'll be able to get some time off in March to attend Heritagecon on March 2nd. I'm working afternoons but with any luck I should be able to get the Saturday and Sunday off. :pray:

Nice work Mike! Congratulations.

ALF

Thanks ALF. Getting there. Slowly but surely.

I think a group shot of the completed guys are in order.

I want to do that but at the same time I want to wait until all 12 squadrons are complete. I might do each Wing separately and when all 12 squadrons are done, then I'll do a complete family shot.

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Thank you for your kind words, pal. That's why my ears were burning as I was participating in the ceremony for fallen officers on Parliament Hill yesterday. Did you see Bill at the London show? Wish I could have made it but the ceremony to honour my fallen colleagues on The Hill is more important to me. BTW, Mrs. AX 365 thinks I'm nuts too so you're not alone. I think phantom even slagged me once that building too many variants of one kind of aircraft was yzarc! With any luck, I'll be able to get some time off in March to attend Heritagecon on March 2nd. I'm working afternoons but with any luck I should be able to get the Saturday and Sunday off. :pray:

Yeah saw Bill on Saturday, delivered the Resin Arrow to him as he is the true owner of it. Was nice, he entered it in the contest but it did not place.....saw the ones that did and I would have picked those too. Hey that ceremony is way more important than the model contest.....especially when it hits so close to home my friend. And BTW Mrs. Emvar concurs with Mrs. AX 365 she thinks we all a bit off the deep end...... But she trusts me when I work a flight that she is on and that is the important thing. Funny with phantom eh...... Kidda like the pot calling the kettle black, ask him how many variants of the F-4 there are.......and I know it isn't 151 in two scales. :rofl:

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Yeah, its 154 in 3 scales.

Well that makes it okay then. :thumbsup:

I think a group shot of the completed guys are in order.

Just for phantom, I've created a Sabre Family Group Photo thread in the "The Display Case" in the 'Aircraft Modeling Forum' where there are photos of the Sabres of 1 Wing, 2 Wing, 3 Wing, 4 Wing and a few Orphans.

Here's the link...

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=255554

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Mike,

Just discovered this painting on the SPAAD's website. Don't know if you have seen it. Looks like this bird got around (or the painting isn't historically correct.). :rolleyes:

"Swords of NATO" - This painting was done at the request of Archie Gill who was organizing a reunion of 2 Fighter Wing personnel. Archie's wife Bernice came up with the name of the painting. It is a warm summer evening just before sunset and there is lots of activity. Outside the number 2 hangar, the 421 Squadron flagship is being towed by a Mercedes Benz Unimog vehicle to the flight line while a 430 squadron Sword is being serviced inside. The control tower has just given landing clearance to a flight of CF-100's.

8090505779_f6438d74eb_o.jpg

Cheers,

Don

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Don,

423 is in the circuit so I guess the Lynx had already been booted off the base!

I saw this years ago and completely forgot about it. Thanks for posting. I knew it was on the SPAADS site and I think (but I'm probably wrong) they might have a copy of that painting hanging at the RCAF Museum at Trenton. I'll have to check the next time I go.

Cheers!

Mike

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  • 1 month later...

HOLY CRAP!!!!

I was just searching the digital archives of the Ottawa Citizen. I've been looking for stuff about my Uncle Guy. This is too much. Lo and behold but don't I do a Google search and find this article in the January 5, 1953 edition of the paper:

"Given in marriage by her father the bride was attended by her sister, Miss Adrienne Rolston (my mother). F/O William Kerwin was the best man and F/O S.E. Burrows was the usher. What are the chances!?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=edMwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ct8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7068,643169&dq=barbara+rolston&hl=en

That's the link to the digital article. No photos though.

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HOLY CRAP!!!!

I was just searching the digital archives of the Ottawa Citizen. I've been looking for stuff about my Uncle Guy. This is too much. Lo and behold but don't I do a Google search and find this article in the January 5, 1953 edition of the paper:

"Given in marriage by her father the bride was attended by her sister, Miss Adrienne Rolston (my mother). F/O William Kerwin was the best man and F/O S.E. Burrows was the usher. What are the chances!?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=edMwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ct8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7068,643169&dq=barbara+rolston&hl=en

That's the link to the digital article. No photos though.

Mike

Small world, but no coincidence. Your Uncle was in an exclusive club of folks who got to fly the Sabre. Our Air Force may be small, but it's incredible how everyone seems to overlap. Lucky choice of Sid Burrows' aircraft that he ferried overseas!

ALF

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