Bridlington & Wolds Scale Model Club Forum

Models => Modelling Projects => Topic started by: cph64 on April 16, 2021, 01:23:24 PM

Title: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on April 16, 2021, 01:23:24 PM
This kit has stared down from the 'shelf of shame' for several years and two house moves so it I thought it was time to tackle it (all donations of Valium gratefully accepted). It's from the Airfix Falklands War 25 years set which came with paints, glue and brushes with a catalogue number of A50005 although the instructions give A09002 which would have been a previous release. As I wanted to finish it as XH558 the kit tailpipes were wrong and so have been replaced with a resin set from Freightdog Models of the Olympus 202 tailpipes. I also invested in a set of white metal undercarriage from SMC as I'd put a serious amount of weight in the nose to prevent tail-sitting.
I initially gave up on this for two reasons. 1) I was never happy with my attempts at tidying up the seams, thank goodness for PPP nowadays and 2) I found the wraparound camouflague daunting back then plus the paint wouldn't apply properly. So here we are XXX years down the road filling, sanding priming and hoping for a better outcome.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: zak on April 16, 2021, 02:39:52 PM
Good luck.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on April 16, 2021, 05:15:31 PM
More filling and sanding done this afternoon, I'm getting fitter going up and down stairs when priming outside!!!!
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Bigkev on April 16, 2021, 08:42:10 PM
More filling and sanding done this afternoon, I'm getting fitter going up and down stairs when priming outside!!!!

And who said modelling was a sedentary hobby.....
Will be checking out those calf muscles when we next meet, lol!
Bigkev
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: chriswil42 on April 17, 2021, 12:52:52 PM
Let's see what you can make of it now Chris.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: MSea on April 17, 2021, 04:14:58 PM
Have got the SOUND of the Vulcan taking off in my head - great thing and great sound - good luck with the model
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on April 19, 2021, 12:52:26 PM
Thanks MSea. I have a cousin who worked on Vulcans and I can remember going to the Open Days at RAF Finningley and seeing/hearing/feeling the Vulcan scramble!!!
Between sourcing bedroom furniture, no Martin we aren't sleeping on the floor!!, and working in the garden I managed to to get a reasonable finish to all the sanding. I say reasonable has this kit has raised panel lines like Beecher's Brook so I daren't go too far or too heavy. Then it was time to start painting. XH558 never had wraparound camouflague whilst in service, this is artistic license on behalf of the Vulcan to the Skies Trust. The instructions say Humbrol 165, Dark Sea Grey, but this is too dark, Britmodeller online suggests Medium Sea Grey so Vallejo Model Air 71.049 Sea Grey, which is Medium, was applied in thin coats. I very nearly didn't use this as Halfords Grey Primer is almost MSG although I allowed it to show through in places as fading. The paint will be allowed to cure overnight before masking for the Dark Green.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: chriswil42 on April 19, 2021, 03:05:34 PM
Have got the SOUND of the Vulcan taking off in my head - great thing and great sound - good luck with the model
Yes I remember those near vertical take-offs at airshows.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: councilman on April 19, 2021, 06:13:35 PM
I built one of these just a few years ago. Its going to look great.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on April 20, 2021, 03:49:13 PM
Hi Andy I remember your build, I definitely think it will be better than mine. I started masking with Blue Tack but wasn't happy so I bit the bullet and went 'freehand' using thinned Tamiya XF-81 RAF Dark Green. Compared to photos of XH558 this looks too bright so did VttS go to Halfords for their green? The Airfix paint guide doesn't match the real thing in places and it also doesn't help when it gives panel lines as a guide which aren't on the model. Shades of some Revell kits there!!! I'm going to tidy up the demarcation between the colours with MSG before I apply another coat of Dark Green and see how it looks.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Bigkev on April 20, 2021, 06:06:36 PM
Hi Andy I remember your build, I definitely think it will be better than mine. I started masking with Blue Tack but wasn't happy so I bit the bullet and went 'freehand' using thinned Tamiya XF-81 RAF Dark Green. Compared to photos of XH558 this looks too bright so did VttS go to Halfords for their green? The Airfix paint guide doesn't match the real thing in places and it also doesn't help when it gives panel lines as a guide which aren't on the model. Shades of some Revell kits there!!! I'm going to tidy up the demarcation between the colours with MSG before I apply another coat of Dark Green and see how it looks.

Hi Chris,
Doe's not look too bad to my eyes. Perhaps you being a bit to critical of your efforts.
Anyway, a little bit of TLC from you will produce a nice model, I am sure.
Keep at it matey.
Cheers,
Bigkev
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: chriswil42 on April 21, 2021, 01:05:04 PM
I agree with Kevin. It's looking good Chris.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: MSea on April 21, 2021, 04:12:17 PM
Looks great to me Chris - only improvement would be if it was a ship - hohohoh - sorry could not resist that one.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: councilman on April 21, 2021, 06:44:03 PM
Hello Chris,
The thing is I chose to paint my Vulcan gloss white which hides a lot of my mistakes... Smoke and mirrors Mate.
By the looks of your model your doing a pretty good job.
Keep going.
Cheers.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on May 03, 2021, 02:01:54 PM
Inbetween building 1:1 scale furniture and gardening in the sunshine I managed to tidy up the demarcation lines somewhat and fit the white metal undercarriage after some adjusting and opening up of holes in the u/c bays. The instructions call for the panels on the tail and spine to be Humbrol 26 Khaki but this looked to dark to me so I used Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow. It was after I'd put two coats of Klear on and removed the few bubbles present that I realised that XH558 doesn't have the fittings under the re-fuelling probe, bugger!!! So I've had to bite the bullet and remove it. The instructions tell you to remove it for two of the other options but not XH558. It would have been better if Airfix had provided these as seperate pieces as someone with limited skills will have some 'fun' removing them.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Bigkev on May 03, 2021, 06:32:41 PM
Inbetween building 1:1 scale furniture and gardening in the sunshine I managed to tidy up the demarcation lines somewhat and fit the white metal undercarriage after some adjusting and opening up of holes in the u/c bays. The instructions call for the panels on the tail and spine to be Humbrol 26 Khaki but this looked to dark to me so I used Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow. It was after I'd put two coats of Klear on and removed the few bubbles present that I realised that XH558 doesn't have the fittings under the re-fuelling probe, bugger!!! So I've had to bite the bullet and remove it. The instructions tell you to remove it for two of the other options but not XH558. It would have been better if Airfix had provided these as seperate pieces as someone with limited skills will have some 'fun' removing them.

Ah, Chris,
The joys of modelling, and finding out too late in the build.....
Cheers,
Bigkev
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: councilman on May 03, 2021, 06:56:48 PM
I made exactly the same mistake.  :-\
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: chriswil42 on May 04, 2021, 01:09:25 PM
Looks good Chris though.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Bigkev on May 04, 2021, 05:50:40 PM
Hi Chris,
keep going, it'll all be okay at the end.
Bigkev
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on May 06, 2021, 02:36:43 PM
The offending piece of the nose has been removed and the area repainted. The decals went on well helped with Micro Set and Sol but the instructions are next to useless regards the position of the stencils so it was some detective work and some artistic license I'm afraid. The kit dates from 2007, pre decals numbered on the sheets and online referencing only brought up later boxings which weren't for the 1992 Vulcan Display Flight as per the kit. Online photos and my photos show XH558 had several resprays during her life which meant stencils etc. weren't always the same. I used my photos for the Lincoln Coat of Arms then found out I should have used the darker option for 1992. Easily rectified but annoying as they're both in the part for 558. The rear cabin windows had been drilled out and fillled with Glue and Glaze then it was on to fitting the aerials, u/c doors etc. The ladder for the crew entrance wouldn't allow the a/c to sit correctly if in the lower position so that part was left off.
 I learned a lot during finishing this kit but it is one that needs a lot of help from Pat and Percy*. If you want a Vulcan in your collection I would recommend getting the new tooling and if you have this in your stash then put it in the Collectors pile.
* PATience and PERSEverance - an adage said to us as Apprentices by and Instructor when at Central Workshops.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on May 06, 2021, 02:38:24 PM
Oops, forgot the photos. The 6ft rule applies and she won't be going to any Shows.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: chriswil42 on May 06, 2021, 03:13:40 PM
Nicely finished Chris. Obviously a labour of love.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: MSea on May 06, 2021, 04:00:22 PM
Another great model Chris - love the photo of it against the sky
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Haddock on May 06, 2021, 04:14:30 PM
Same as MSea sez, looks almost real.
Haddock.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: zak on May 06, 2021, 04:16:42 PM
Turned out well after all your heartache.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Bigkev on May 06, 2021, 05:57:58 PM
Hi Chris,
Despite all your troubles, it does look every bit a 'VULCAN'.
No more to be said........
Except Well Done.
Cheers,
Bigkev
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: Red Lancer on May 06, 2021, 07:52:49 PM
Well done Chris.
I agree with Martin about the photo
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: cph64 on May 07, 2021, 01:53:44 PM
Thanks everyone, a bit like pulling teeth but I got there in the end.
Title: Re: Avro Vulcan B Mk.2
Post by: councilman on May 09, 2021, 06:09:18 PM
Great photo, great modelling.  8)