Airfix 1/72 Lockheed Hudson I - Quick start to finish build.

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[s1chris]

Thanks guys.

The new airbrush turned up today so will get a shift on building. Can't wait to start painting again after 5 years out of the game. Let's see what mish mash Paint scheme I can churn out.

Also today ordered some Vallejo modelling putty. It's not something that I used to use in the past. Although it really, really, needs it, I'm not going to wait for it to arrive to finish this model. But I do think I can definitely improve my standard of model in the future using it. Especially if it's older kits like this.

 

[s1chris]

Most of the assembly finished off last night.
I ended up having to drill a 12mm hole in each of the engine bulkheads just to get the engines fitted. The problem was the depth of the prop back mounting plate. Anyway, it fits now and they still turn.

You really could spend an age filling and working on this kit to make a nice model. But that's not what this build is about for me.

So I think I'm about ready to start the painting process. Will spend the lovely sunny day outside masking up.

 

[fubar57]

 

[nuuumannn]

Not aware of a rear gun position in the floor on a Hudson - Ventura, yes, but haven't seen or heard of one on the Hudson.

That's unlike you, Terry.

Ventral gun hatch

The hatch folded down from aft of the spar and the gunner lay within it. It was offset to starboard and was nominally fitted with a .303in Browning on British aircraft. This is an RNZAF one.

 

[s1chris]

That's unlike you, Terry.

View attachment 578942Ventral gun hatch

The hatch folded down from aft of the spar and the gunner lay within it. It was offset to starboard and was nominally fitted with a .303in Browning on British aircraft. This is an RNZAF one.

I think this certainly gives a plausible solution to the presence of a chute question. All of the debates I've read online questioned jumps from the door and people hitting the tail plane or no jumps at all.
With this lower gun position modified it's easy to see how it could be done.

 

[nuuumannn]

To be honest I don't know much about SOE Hudsons, the gunner hatch looks a little narrow for exiting with a 'chute and gear, but it certainly makes more sense than making another hole in the aircraft. Here are a couple of pictures of the interior of a Hudson undergoing restoration in this neck of the woods. The aft image shows the gun tunnel orifice from the inside, with the entry door out of the picture to the right, and looking forward you can see the main spar and roof of the bomb bay.

Hudson Interior looking aft

Hudson Interior looking forward

 

[Wurger]

 

[s1chris]

Ok so the masking hasn't gone well. But with experimental nature of this build for me I've now found out that PVA (despite a YouTube channel suggestion as a "hack") is dog turd for sticking in windows.

so I've spent half of the afternoon with a wooden skewer gluing and poking windows in the side of the fuse back into position

 

[Crimea_River]

PVA is known to be weak for plastic as it doesn't rely on to dissolving the parts to be fused. That's what makes it attractive for clear parts because it won't leave ugly frost marks. The down-side, of course, is that any applied force greater than a strong sneeze will dislodge the parts.

 

[s1chris]

PVA is known to be weak for plastic as it doesn't rely on to dissolving the parts to be fused. That's what makes it attractive for clear parts because it won't leave ugly frost marks. The down-side, of course, is that any applied force greater than a strong sneeze will dislodge the parts.

Maybe I should have experimented on a kit with less clear parts. I think going forward I'll use it just for canopies rather than smaller windows.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[jetcal1]

Maybe I should have experimented on a kit with less clear parts. I think going forward I'll use it just for canopies rather than smaller windows.

Are you having fun and relaxation with the build? That's all the matters.

 

[s1chris]

Are you having fun and relaxation with the build? That's all the matters.

Yeah, fun I guess so. It beats watching the TV for sure.

 

[s1chris]

The going is slow and tedious but I will not be beaten. Nearly masked up the side windows

Itching to get some paint on this.

 

[s1chris]

Not sure why that picture posted sideways. It must be the VTOL version of the Hudson.

 

[fubar57]

Are you using a camera or a phone to take pics? Occasionally the phone decides you screwed up and "fixes" it for you

 

[s1chris]

Are you using a camera or a phone to take pics? Occasionally the phone decides you screwed up and "fixes" it for you

Trusty iPhone for these. Which was working well until this last post. I'll play around and rotate it in my album and see what it does.

 

[fubar57]

This might help...Why iPhone pictures flip when emailed, and how to fix it - Geek.com

 

[Airframes]

Here you go - rotated in 'Irfanview'.

Could use some filler around that upper seam.