Builds Airfix Fairey Fulmar NF.II

[Daz]

Blackburn Skua

sea skua

Easy to get the two confused if like me, you're blind

 

[lert]

Falcon do/did (my inventory says so) a vac-form canopy so you can see all the nothingness.
If you like that kind of thing.

No shop bought after market for me on this one. My gluey thumbprints will be all over the kit canopy!

 

[lert]

View attachment 561858

Hope this picture I shot of one at Yovilton RNAS Museaum helps. see what else I have.

Ah lovely, ta. I've found a couple of walkarounds but nothing of the inside.

 

[lert]

I think it's the right aircraft. Folded wings, great option to save space on the shelf. Might be a sea skua.
View attachment 561859

I did consider trying to fold the wings, but a) beyond my skills for now and b) see a!

 

[lert]

That's a Fulmar. Your first shot was the Firefly. I don't think there's any Skuas left... intact anyway.

No Skuas indeed. Shame 'cos I've got one in the stash for later this year. But I believe the Noggies dredged one up recently and the opportunities there for some 'heavy distressing'.

Linky, but no pics:

Preservation plan Blackburn Skua

 

[SPROCKET321]

oh dear me, I thought the Blackburn Skua was renamed the sea skua by the RNAS when it was fitted with an arrester hook and flown off a deck, But it's a post war missile. Every day a school day on eer.

 

[SPROCKET321]

more shots of RNAS aircraft if they are of any help.

 

[Daz]

FAA – Google Drive try there

 

[SPROCKET321]

Blackburn SkuaView attachment 561866

sea skua
View attachment 561867

Easy to get the two confused if like me, you're blind

looking at that Blackburn canopy leading edge, they didn't get much time in the wind tunnel did they.

 

[lert]

I did say this would be a slow build, and I know @SPROCKET321 has probably scratch built a 1:1 diorama of the Battle of Kursk this afternoon, but in between trying to buy a house there has been some progress.

The OOB cockpit with just some masking tape belts and a bit of light chipping. Ringa was an old lady by the period I'm trying to model so there would have been a couple of years of fat footed spanner monkeys climbing in and out.

The gubbins is going in on the sides as well. Something to represent airframe stringers in the back and some O2 bootles for the looker. The pilot gets a hydraulic bottle for the tail hook and a throttle so far. When my new (!) punch set arrives then I can knock up some trim wheels as well. I've got some boxes made for the radio and radar bits to go in the back but again am stuck waiting until I can make some circles for the CRT display and dials.

So the only other bit of progress has been knocking up some wheel wells and I'm a bit stuck now.

Might have to buy a house if I can't crack on with this....

 

[lert]

Of course, I have had some help

 

[SPROCKET321]

View attachment 563179Of course, I have had some help

He's saying, "Dad, what are you on, making wingy things when we are meant to be moving home?"
But hew doesn't know you are in the calm before the storm, make the most of it and don't bond the wings on so you can put it all neatly back in the box for moving day, mind that could be months away.

 

[lert]

He's saying, "Dad, what are you on, making wingy things when we are meant to be moving home?"
But hew doesn't know you are in the calm before the storm, make the most of it and don't bond the wings on so you can put it all neatly back in the box for moving day, mind that could be months away.

I think she's reminding me that it's a well known fact that all FAA aircraft of WWII had vast great quantities of giant cat hair in their paint schemes.

I am already thinking about the move though. Just out of shot is a half rigged wooden lugger that I can't bring myself to re-engage with. But if I don't get at least the standing rigging finished that really won't survive

 

[lert]

Slug-like, the build progresses.....In my defence, I am trying to find a house to put things in and stuff. I am, at least, allowed to loom for somewhere with a modelling room this time though

So, where was I? The office has some gribbly bits to keep the driver happy

And the drivers' seat and bulkhead has had a bit of chipping and gunging up. By the time the models' depicting she would have been an old lady with lots of pairs of spanner monkey's boots to scuff things up.

Popping that into the fuselage and closing up, I knew the fit was going to be poor. There are no locating pins on the kit, but I didn't expect it to be this.......agricultural.

Believe it or not, that represents the best fit. But nothing that a bit (ie lots) of PPP and some judicious sanding won't fix.

Once that hardens a bit I'll scrape the bulk off and then set to filing and sanding trying to keep as much of the panel line details as I can.

 

[lert]

In the meantime, I've also hacked out space for some navigation lights on the wingtips

Those triangle things in the centre of the wing are supposed to be where the catapult was attached. On the reference image upthread they are clearly a frame, not a solid lump. So off they'll come and I'll try to fat-finger something together with Albion's finest brass rod.

I would say watch this space, but it's going to be a while....