H.S. Andover E3, 115 Sqn RAF, 1/72nd scale.
- Thread starter Airframes
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Crimea_River
Marshal
Positive steps toward a great final product.
looks better with each step
- Thread starter
- #44
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much chaps, it's appreciated.
Got a lot more done, with the canopy joints almost complete, and the fuselage joint seams checked. Matt white enamel over the canopy and fuselage joints has shown a couple of small areas that will need a small touch of filler, and this will be done when the nose area is blended-in using "Milliput".
I'll be doing this alter fitting the nose wheel doors this evening, and then turning my attention to the housing, for the lamp beneath the nose
Should have some pics later .................
Got a lot more done, with the canopy joints almost complete, and the fuselage joint seams checked. Matt white enamel over the canopy and fuselage joints has shown a couple of small areas that will need a small touch of filler, and this will be done when the nose area is blended-in using "Milliput".
I'll be doing this alter fitting the nose wheel doors this evening, and then turning my attention to the housing, for the lamp beneath the nose
Should have some pics later .................
- Thread starter
- #45
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Here's how the nose and canopy joints look so far, before additional filler where needed and sanding.
Just about to mask the cabin windows, before dealing with the white metal nose gear doors, and should have some more pics later tonight.
Just about to mask the cabin windows, before dealing with the white metal nose gear doors, and should have some more pics later tonight.
A4K
Brigadier General
Not an easy job, but it'll be nice when done Terry.
Graham Summers
Recruit
- 7
- Jan 3, 2021
Enjoying this build particularly as I had over 200 hours in 115 Sqns Andovers , having flown in every one of them at some point apart from the 'Brown Bomber'!
- Thread starter
- #49
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks chaps, and thanks Graham, glad you're enjoying the progress so far. I only ever had one flight and jump from an Andover, in October 1973, from Fassberg to Luneberg Heath, in this very aircraft, XS603, when it was still with 46 Sqn, and Dougie was the Nav. All other military jumps with RAF types were from the Argosy, Herc, and Wessex.
Yes Evan, it is a lot of work, but I'm sort of enjoying it, as it's like old-fashioned "real" modelling, as opposed to the almost "shake and bake" with modern injection-moulded kits.
Anyway, the cabin windows have been masked, using Tamiya tape and PVA, and the white metal nose gear doors have had the hinges removed and the edges filed, before fitting in place. Fit was reasonable, although some gaps needed filling with "Milliput", which has still to be sanded.
The canopy edges have been treated with "Milliput", and roughly smoothed to shape to blend in to the contours of the fuselage, and the gap in the nose, and some small gaps in the fuselage joints have also been filled and await sanding once the putty has fully cured.
I've got a rather busy day tomorrow, or more correctly, later today, so might not get much more done. However, the display stands I ordered are due to arrive, so with luck I may have time to cut the slot for the stand in the underside of the centre section, and add the holes and "pipes" for the fuel fillers in the wing roots, before attaching the centre section and treating the joints.
Pics below show the progress to date, and hopefully I'll have more to show later today.
Thanks to all for looking in and the kind comments.
Yes Evan, it is a lot of work, but I'm sort of enjoying it, as it's like old-fashioned "real" modelling, as opposed to the almost "shake and bake" with modern injection-moulded kits.
Anyway, the cabin windows have been masked, using Tamiya tape and PVA, and the white metal nose gear doors have had the hinges removed and the edges filed, before fitting in place. Fit was reasonable, although some gaps needed filling with "Milliput", which has still to be sanded.
The canopy edges have been treated with "Milliput", and roughly smoothed to shape to blend in to the contours of the fuselage, and the gap in the nose, and some small gaps in the fuselage joints have also been filled and await sanding once the putty has fully cured.
I've got a rather busy day tomorrow, or more correctly, later today, so might not get much more done. However, the display stands I ordered are due to arrive, so with luck I may have time to cut the slot for the stand in the underside of the centre section, and add the holes and "pipes" for the fuel fillers in the wing roots, before attaching the centre section and treating the joints.
Pics below show the progress to date, and hopefully I'll have more to show later today.
Thanks to all for looking in and the kind comments.
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Fill and sand, fill and sand. Doing good Terry. 
Crimea_River
Marshal
Oh, and fill and sand.....
A4K
Brigadier General
AKA 'csiszi, csiszi, csiszi' in Hungarian
- Thread starter
- #54
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks chaps, and guess what I'm doing - sand, sand, check, sand, sand, check ..........................
Anyway, the set of display stands have arrived, and I can now cut a slot in the centre section before fitting it to the fuselage. However, I'm slightly dubious as to the strength and firmness of the joint between stand and model, given the size and weight of the resin Andover.
Having looked around for what was available, preferably to match the stand fitted to the 46 Sqn model, I settled on the set by ICM, in three scales, as one of the stands is designed for 1/48th scale models, and I thought it would be larger and more substantial than the smaller stand used on the previous model.
Well, it is larger, but not by much, and the tab that goes into a slot is very small and thin. Probably fine for a 1/48th scale, plastic, fighter-size model, but not substantial enough for this model.( see pics below).
But, I'll cut a slot in the centre section, with the aim of inserting the arm, rather than just the tab, and see how that works. If I have any doubts as to its probable effectiveness, then i may have to re-think things and make a more substantial stand.
Back some time soon, once i know where I'm up to ..................
Anyway, the set of display stands have arrived, and I can now cut a slot in the centre section before fitting it to the fuselage. However, I'm slightly dubious as to the strength and firmness of the joint between stand and model, given the size and weight of the resin Andover.
Having looked around for what was available, preferably to match the stand fitted to the 46 Sqn model, I settled on the set by ICM, in three scales, as one of the stands is designed for 1/48th scale models, and I thought it would be larger and more substantial than the smaller stand used on the previous model.
Well, it is larger, but not by much, and the tab that goes into a slot is very small and thin. Probably fine for a 1/48th scale, plastic, fighter-size model, but not substantial enough for this model.( see pics below).
But, I'll cut a slot in the centre section, with the aim of inserting the arm, rather than just the tab, and see how that works. If I have any doubts as to its probable effectiveness, then i may have to re-think things and make a more substantial stand.
Back some time soon, once i know where I'm up to ..................
Crimea_River
Marshal
That tab does look a bit flimsy and I think you're right to engage more of the arm. The arm itself could be reinforced with some stainless steel rod bent into an L and run through the base with the leg of the L CA glued to the inside of the base.
- Thread starter
- #57
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
That's more or less what I was thinking Andy, although I may not need the reinforcement, but I'll decide when I test fit the completed model, before painting, to check the balance, and the effect of the weight on the arm.
A slot has now been drilled, cut and filed, and chamfered at the front edge in order to avoid a nose-down attitude when the model is mounted.
The arm of the stand has been test-fitted, to determine how far inside it needs to go for best balance, and fortunately the resin on this part is quite thick, around 5 mm, providing good rigidity.
Then the centre section was dry-fitted to the fuselage, and the stand tested again, and so far all seems well.
Holes for the fuel fillers have been drilled into the wing root fillets on each side, but have yet to be enlarged slightly, and the filler tubes and caps made and fitted.
Work has started on sanding the nose area to the correct contours, and is almost complete.
Pics below show the work on the stand so far, along with the fuel filler holes, and a couple of pics of the fuel fillers on the real aircraft.
it's been a bit of a busy day, dashing about here and there (in my car, not on my scooter !), and it's actually stopped raining, with sunshine and quite warm, so I'm going to take advantage of that, before it starts p*ss*ng down again tomorrow, and go to the pub for an hour or two, after some grub.
I should get the nose sanding completed tomorrow, all being well, and I'll post another up-date then.
A slot has now been drilled, cut and filed, and chamfered at the front edge in order to avoid a nose-down attitude when the model is mounted.
The arm of the stand has been test-fitted, to determine how far inside it needs to go for best balance, and fortunately the resin on this part is quite thick, around 5 mm, providing good rigidity.
Then the centre section was dry-fitted to the fuselage, and the stand tested again, and so far all seems well.
Holes for the fuel fillers have been drilled into the wing root fillets on each side, but have yet to be enlarged slightly, and the filler tubes and caps made and fitted.
Work has started on sanding the nose area to the correct contours, and is almost complete.
Pics below show the work on the stand so far, along with the fuel filler holes, and a couple of pics of the fuel fillers on the real aircraft.
it's been a bit of a busy day, dashing about here and there (in my car, not on my scooter !), and it's actually stopped raining, with sunshine and quite warm, so I'm going to take advantage of that, before it starts p*ss*ng down again tomorrow, and go to the pub for an hour or two, after some grub.
I should get the nose sanding completed tomorrow, all being well, and I'll post another up-date then.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Interesting fuel filler detail. No Dzus fasteners needed.
- Thread starter
- #60
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Almost finished blending-in the nose contours, with a little more work needed in a couple of places. The area has been given a rough coat of matt white, to highlight any defects and, once corrected, this will be sanded smooth.
When the blending is finished, then the lamp under the nose can be made and fitted, and I'm still figuring out how to do this, with a possible solution using a blister pack from pain-killer tablets.
Pics below show the progress so far, and I'll be back with another up-date soonish.
When the blending is finished, then the lamp under the nose can be made and fitted, and I'm still figuring out how to do this, with a possible solution using a blister pack from pain-killer tablets.
Pics below show the progress so far, and I'll be back with another up-date soonish.
