de havilland mosquito nfii/fbvi

The Official Airfix Club Magazine...
JUNIOR COMPETITION TIME
COMPETITION TIME
Our adult competition this time focuses on the brand new Airfix A25001 Mosquito,
launched in 1:24 scale. We have one of these highly detailed kits going to one
lucky winner in our competition. To have a chance of winning this superb prize, all
we want you to do is answer the following questions:
2. Who was the designer of the Mosquito?
We have another great prize for our junior Airfix winner again this time. Airfix are
giving away an example of the A50055 Battle of Britain Spitfire Mk Vb Gift Set.
This new large scale kit also contains the new electric motor to give you a realistic
spinning propeller action. There are 192 pieces to the set, which also includes the
paint, glue and decals to complete the 1:24 scale model. Our competition is open
to all current members of the Airfix Club, aged 14 years or under. To have a chance
of winning, all we want you to do is answer the following question:
3. What do the abbreviations NF and FB stand for?
Who was the inventor of the Spitfire?
Put your answers on a postcard and send with your name, membership number
and address to:
Put your answer on a postcard and send with your name, age, address and
membership number to:
Airfix Issue 9 Competition, PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
LE13 1ZG, UK, to reach us no later than 31st December 2009.
Airfix Issue 9 Junior Competition, PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
LE13 1ZG, UK, to reach us no later than 31st December 2009.
1. What was the familiar name given to the Mosquito by her RAF pilots
and crews?
Rules of Entry.
1. The winner will be the first selected at random from the
all-correct entries received at the Club office by the closing
date of 31st December 2009.
2. The competition is strictly limited to one entry per current
member of the Airfix Club.
3. Duplicate entries will be disregarded.
4. The results of the competition will be announced in Issue
10 of the Airfix magazine and the winner notified by post.
5. The competition is not open to employees of Hornby
Hobbies Ltd., their agents or families.
Issue 9 2009
In this issue...
Rules of Entry.
6. No correspondence to be entered into in conjunction
with the competition.
7. No cash equivalent is available.
8. The Airfix Club accepts no responsibility for entries lost,
delayed or damaged in the post.
9. Entries defaced or altered in any way will be
disregarded.
10. The judges’ decision is final.
1. The winner will be the first selected at random from the
all-correct entries received by the closing date of 31st
December 2009.
2. The competition is limited to one entry per current junior
member of the Airfix Club aged 14 or under.
3. Duplicate entries will be disregarded.
4. The results of the competition will be announced in
Issue 10 of the Airfix Club magazine and the winner
notified by post.
5. The competition is not open to employees of Hornby
Hobbies Ltd., their agents or families.
6. No correspondence to be entered into in conjunction
with the competition.
7. No cash equivalent is available.
8. The Airfix Club accepts no responsibility for entries lost,
delayed or damaged in the post.
9. Entries defaced or altered in any way will be deemed
null and void.
10. The judges’ decision is final.
SPECIAL FEATURE...
De Havilland Mosquito NFII/FBVI
COMPETITION RESULTS
The winner of our adult competition in Issue 8 is Mr Gordon Wilson, member
502818 from Scotland. Congratulations, Gordon. You have won two Airfix
Canberra models – the A05038 English Electric Canberra B(I)8 night intruder
bomber and A05039 the EE Canberra PR.9 – the photo-reconnaissance version.
Both are in 1:72 scale. The answers to the competition questions were:
Our junior competition winner, carrying away an example of the brand new
A50061 Dambusters Gift Set in 1:72 scale, is William France, aged 11, Member
502627, from Cumbria.
1. Sir Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia. 2. Roland ‘Roley’
Beaumont. 3. The Martin B-57A.
1. The Eder and Mohne Dams. 2. Dr Barnes Wallis.
Well done to you, too, William. And the answers to the competition questions
were:
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PLUS FREE pullout poster
ALSO, SPECIAL FEATURE ON HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
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Contents
Forthcoming Airfix 2009 Releases
Forthcoming Airfix 2010 Releases
Advertorial & Churchill Bridge Layer
A close look at the stunning 1:24 scale
Mosquito including model build and
pull out poster
HMS Illustrious history and Model build
Airfix Special offers
Competition Time
Editorial
The Airfix Club team would like to wish all our members
a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Page 3
Pages 4 - 5
Pages 6 - 7
Pages
Pages
Pages
Pages
Our key feature in this extended issue of the Airfix
magazine highlights the amazing new introduction into
this year’s Airfix range of the 1:24 scale Mosquito NF
II/FBVI. We detail the history and background surrounding
this legendary aircraft, as well as showing you a closeup of the detail and kit specification relating to the Airfix
replica. And – to complete the detail - there’s a splendid
pull-out poster for you to display alongside your collection.
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22 - 23
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Forthcoming Airfix 2009 Releases...
We profile the remaining 2009 releases you can look
forward to between now and the end of December.
A01076 RE8. 1:72 scale. 33 pieces, with 2 kit variations.
Military Aircraft
Finished dimensions of 118mm length and 180mm width.
Serving as a rugged and reliable reconnaissance aircraft, the RE8 was flown by the
Royal Flying Corps until the end of WWI.
A02037 MiG 15 1:72 scale. 53 pieces, with 3 kit variations.
A01034 Yak 9D. 1:72 scale. 30 pieces, with 2 kit variations.
The Russian aircraft was a jet fighter designed by Mikoyan and Gurevich for the
USSR. One of the most successful swept wing fighters, it achieved great fame,
particularly over Korea where it outclassed all enemy fighters.
The Yakovlev single seater aircraft was used by the Soviet forces, the 9D comprising
an extended range version of the successful type operational over Stalingrad in late
1942.
Finished dimensions of 155mm in length and 140mm in width.
It was used particularly to escort heavy bombers.When completed, it has a length
of 188mm and a width of 139mm.
We also review the new releases promised for the first quarter of 2010. All comprise
newly tooled models, so we are sure the selection includes some of those on your
‘wish-list’. And remember, we’ll be revealing the whole 2010 programme in Issue 10.
EXCLUSIVE 2010 CLUB MODELS
And – we are able to unveil the 2010 Club kit, exclusive to all our members who
join or renew your subscriptions throughout the year. On a completely modern
theme, we have two superb 1:72 scale Harriers for each of you. One is the BAe
Harrier FA2 – brand new Airfix tooling – with exclusive Club decals of ZD613/122,
No. 800 Naval Air Squadron, Yeovilton, as flown on 31st March 2004. We have
paired this up with another exclusive example of a BAe Harrier GR7 – ZD408/37,
No. 20(R) Squadron, Royal Air Force, Ahmed al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, 2003.
A03079 Sea Harrier FA2 1:72 scale. 115 pieces, with 3 kit variations.
We hope our UK members tuned in to BBC2 on 27th October to see the James
May Toy Stories programme. The first in the series focused on him building a 1:1
Airfix Spitfire at RAF Cosford.
The hour-long documentary proved very entertaining. Despite the setbacks he
encountered, the project was a great achievement, as well as being a lot of fun
for his team of engineers and young helpers. We were pleased to see that many
of them seemed interested in pursuing the Airfix hobby further – in a smaller
scale!
The Sea Harrier FA2 was the first UK aircraft to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.
Its first operational deployment was in 1994 as part of the UN Force in Bosnia, used
as airborne support for the ground troops.
A01050 Hannover CL111. 1:72 scale. 31 pieces, with 2 kit variations.
Finished length of 198mm and a width of 106mm.
This German WWI single-engined aircraft had a specially modified biplane tail to
afford the observer/gunner a better field of fire.
A03078 Sea Harrier FRS1 1:72 scale. 112 pieces, with 3 kit variations.
This version of the Sea Harrier is best known for its successful role in the Falklands
War of 1982.
Finished length is 117mm and a wingspan of 162mm.
Finished length of 193mm and a width of 106mm.
Acknowledgement: We would like to apologise to aviation expert Chris Ellis for omitting the
acknowledgement for the use of his photographic archive in our cover story on the
Canberra in Issue 8 of the Airfix magazine.
AIRFIX SUPPORTS 'HELP FOR HEROES'...
Airfix has recently launched a fund raising
initiative to raise money for the Help For
Heroes charity.
The charity was founded in September 2007 to provide better facilities for
wounded British servicemen and women. As part of the initiative, celebrities
have been asked to build and paint their own individual Airfix Spitfire model.
Upon completion all the models will be auctioned on ebay with all the proceeds
donated to the Help for Heroes charity.
A02044 Vought F4U Corsair (FAA) 1:72 scale. 53 pieces, with 2 kit variations.
Boxed Gift Sets
The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm versions of this aircraft all had clipped wings to enable
them to be used on British aircraft carriers.
A50038 Dogfight Double – Junkers Ju88/Hawker Hurricane MkIIb. 1:72 scale.
Re-enact your own WWII dogfights with this pair of adversaries, who were often to
meet in deadly combat over the skies of Britain in 1940.
Finished length of 138mm and a width of 173mm.
Darrell Burge, Marketing Manager, Airfix, commented: “This year Airfix is
celebrating its 60th anniversary and we wanted to mark this important
landmark with a fundraising initiative. Many have experienced the damage and
consequences of war and for this reason we felt very strongly about teaming
up with the Help for Heroes charity. We are delighted that so many high profile
personalities have agreed to help, In aid of a very worthwhile cause”.
In 1:72 scale and with 1 kit variation, the set comes complete with glue, brushes
and paint to complete your models.
And - looking forward to 2010, look out for the
special Airfix Gift Set comprising a Help for Heroes
Spitfire Mk IIA in 1:48 scale. For every gift set sold,
Airfix is donating 50p to the Help for Heroes Charity
and 50p to the RAF Benevolent Fund. We unveil
more detail on this 2010 first quarter release in
this issue.
Piers Morgan, David Jason, James May, Will Carling, Linford Christie and Frank
Lampard are just a few of the top names who have offered to lend their services
to the campaign.
Consultant Editor: Susan Pownell Design & Production: DSP Limited Membership Organiser: Sarah Woodhouse.
2009 Subscription Fees: UK POSTAL Version £23.99. UK DOWNLOADABLE Version £15.49. EU DOWNLOADABLE Version £19.49. Rest of the World DOWNLOADABLE Version £21.49.
Cheques made payable to: Hornby Hobbies Limited. Visa, Access, Mastercard, Maestro & Switch accepted with valid expiry date. Club Address: Airfix Collectors Club. PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire, UK. LE13 IZG. Tel: 0870 062 4001. Fax: 01664 480 257. The Airfix Club Magazine is published on behalf of Hornby plc, Westwood, Margate, Kent CT9 4JX.
The Club accepts no responsibility for errors or ommissions or for views and opinions expressed by contributors to the magazine.
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Looking forward to the exciting Airfix 2010 Releases...
The Airfix Club has a Preview of the first quarter’s
New Tooling and Re-Release Programme.
There are six new introductions in the first quarter
of 2010, all but one being aircraft.
Moving on to the modern era, there is a Hawk T1 Gift
Set joining the Airfix range in the first quarter of
2010.
The set comprises a superb 1:72 scale aircraft to
construct, as well as all the decals, paint and glue to
complete the model.
The Messerschmitt Bf110 also joins the Airfix range in 1:72 scale in the first quarter 2010.
A03080 Messerschmitt Bf110C/D
Royal Navy Submarine - New Tooling
Trafalgar Class Submarine 1:350 scale. 41 pieces.
Amongst the mix, marine enthusiasts can look forward to the brand new Trafalgar
Class Submarine, bringing a new dimension to the Airfix range. The Royal Navy’s
fleet of seven Trafalgar Class Submarines makes up the most advanced nuclear
fleet in the world, being fitted with their active Sonar 2076 device.
The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a twin-engine heavy fighter that served with the
German Luftwaffe in WWII. It was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and took its
maiden flight, entering service in 1937.
The Bf110C/D was classed a heavy fighter/fighter-bomber, equipped with
improved armour and equipment. It also undertook duties as a reconnaissance
plane.
Between then and 1945, when it was retired, the Bf 110 – in addition to its heavy
duties – was also used as a ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bomber and – most
suitable for its success, as a formidable night-fighter.
As Bf 110D, modifications saw it with internal and external fuel tanks, providing
a large reserve, enabling it to undertake long-ranger fighter duties as well as the
role of escort aircraft.
A50114 Hawk T1 1:72 scale.
The Hawk T1 is an RAF advanced
flying and weapons training
aircraft and is used specifically to
teach operational tactics such as
air-to-air and air-to-ground firing,
air combat and low level
operating procedures.
Built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd at Barrow-in-Furness, the Trafalgar
Class subs have been in service since 1984. They are due to be replaced by the
even more advanced Astute class but at present, the Trafalgar class may still be
in use up to 2022.
The T1 is still used today
and following modifications
to the rear fuselage sections,
its service life sees it
staying in active use until
2010.
Trafalgar Class Submarine
Its most famous role is its
use by the Red Arrows.
1:350 scale
8 Acrylic Paints
Model kit
• MAQUETTE A MONTER • MODELLBAUSATZ • MAQUETA PARA MONTAR
Still on a modern theme, early 2010 also sees a new
Airfix gift set featuring the awesome Eurofighter
Typhoon.
Although not new to the Airfix range, this version
of the Eurofighter Typhoon is in the new starter
set size and comes complete with decals, paint
and glue.
Official Licensed Product
Military Aircraft
De Havilland Comet Racer 1:72 scale. 24 pieces.
The first of five aircraft being released between January and March 2010 is the
De Havilland Comet Racer from the 1930s period.
The De Havilland DH.88 Comet – to give the aircraft its full title – was a twinengined British aircraft specifically designed and built to take part in international
air races.
A50098 Eurofighter Typhoon 1:72 scale. 65 pieces.
A suitable aircraft was required to take part in the MacPherson London to
Melbourne Centenary Air Race taking place in 1934. De Havilland took an initial
order for three aircraft which were to cost £5000 each and only a further two of
this purpose-built Comet Racer were built afterwards.
The awesome Eurofighter Typhoon was launched at the Dubai Air Show in 1998
with a prototype. The aircraft is the result of a joint venture between the UK, Spain,
Italy and Germany, designed and built by a consortium including the UK BAe
Systems. The Eurofighter is classed as a twin-engined, canard-delta wing, multirole
fighter aircraft.
The three De Havilland Comet Racers taking part in the MacPherson race comprised
Black Magic G-ACSP, personally owned and flown by Jim and Amy Mollison;
Grosvenor House, the scarlet G-ACSS, owned by Mr A O Edwards the Manager
of the actual hotel, flown by Charles W Scott and Tom Campbell Black; and G-ACSR
–paid for by racing driver Bernard Rubin and flown by Owen Cathcart Jones and
Ken Waller.
Over 600 Eurofighters have been
made to date, each one costing
no less than £40 million. The
aircraft is constructed with
lightweight materials and is
capable of low and
supersonic speeds. It also
has sophisticated defence
systems.
The Grosvenor House Comet took the lead when the Mollisons retired and despite
problems en route, they were still ahead and crossed the finishing line in Melbourne
on 23rd October. Official time – 71 hours, 18 seconds.
Unveiling the last of the 2010 first quarter’s new tooling
programme, we announce the inclusion of one of the
most evocative aircraft of WWII – the Mk II A Spitfire,
as flown by the legendary WWII Ace- Douglas Bader.
The Eurofighter has been
produced as a single- seater
for operational duties and
a twin seater for training
purposes.
MkIIA Spitfire 1:48 scale.
Modelled in 1:48 scale, this new Spitfire joins the ever-popular
series of wartime Spitfires in the range, in different scales and
variants. Following the launch of this latest model, Airfix are
donating 50p from the sale of each example to the Help For
Heroes charity and 50p to the RAF Benevolent Fund.
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We’ll be bringing you the complete detail surrounding
all these brand new Airfix models as they appear
during the course of early 2010.
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A close look at the A04301
Churchill Bridge Layer
1:76
We covered this interesting model, which forms part of the 2009 Airfix series
of 1:76 Military Vehicles, briefly in Issue 8 of the Airfix magazine in the
Forthcoming Releases column.
Given its important role in the latter part of WWII, its background is worthy
of mention.
SCALE
The Tank Bridge – Small Box Girder (SBG) was developed by the 79th Armoured Division, which played
an important role on D-Day, along with a whole range of their other specialist armoured assault vehicles.
The bridge – effectively a vehicle mounted drawbridge - was launched in one piece and was attached to
the front of an AVRE (Assault Vehicle, Royal Engineers), along with an A frame.
The Airfix kit has a length of
150mm, a width of 49mm and
has 129 pieces with 1 kit
variation.
The launch cable was attached to the front of the bridge and passed over the A frame to the winch cable
housed on the back of the AVRE. It could bridge anything from a 30 feet gap, taking the weight of a 40ton load (the weight of a Churchill tank) to a 12ft high seawall.
It could also be transported behind the AVRE
on a twin-tyred bogie and could even be laid
mechanically under enemy fire.
The AVRE was based on a Churchill Mk III/
Mk IV tank and by the end of WWII, around
700 AVREs had been built.
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The newly tooled A25001 De Havilland NFII/FBVI - 1:24 scale De Havilland Mosquito is
scheduled for release before the end of the year. The NF (Night Fighter)/ FBVI (Fighter
Bomber) versions were specially designed for night patrols and Airfix have reproduced
this classic RAF WWII aircraft in all its glory.
It features full interior detail and removable panels, enabling it to be built to the highest
possible level of authenticity. These intricate features include a detailed cockpit with
crew members, radar antennae on the nose cone, nose art, fuel tanks, ladder, detailed
wheel mountings and opening bomb and rocket bays.
The Series 25 Mosquito model has a completed length of 545mm,
a width of 688mm and comprises of 617 pieces. There are five
kit variations to model, contained in a themed display box featuring
a Mosquito leaving a bombed target against a winter backdrop.
The skin on the tail surfaces was all wood and
plywood covered, whilst the rudder and
elevators were made of aluminium.
The De Havilland Mosquito was a British combat aircraft that was
originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber.
1:24
SCALE
The elevators were initially covered in fabric,
although from 1943 onwards metal was used to increase
dive speed. The Mosquito was powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin
21 engines and carried a crew of two – a pilot and navigator/radar
operator. Its length was 41 ft 2in, with a wingspan of 54 ft 2 in
and a height of 17 ft 5 in. The initial Mosquito F Mk II was fitted
with four 20mm Hispano cannon in the fuselage belly and four
7.7mm (.303 in) Browning machine guns mounted in the nose.
The aircraft also featured a modified windscreen with flat
bulletproof panels in front.
Designed by Ronald Bishop, the
De Havilland Mosquito first flew in late 1940
and was officially introduced in 1941. Construction
was of plywood and aluminium.
DE HAVILLAND
MOSQUITO NFII/FBVI
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DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO NFII/FBVI
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
Top Speed: 370mph (595kph)
Weapons: 4 x 0.303inch (7.7mm) machine guns,
4 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 500lb (227kg) bombs
No.487 Squadron (Royal New Zealand Air Force), No.140 Wing,
2nd Tactical Air Force, Royal Air Force Hunsdon, Hertfordshire,
England, Operation ‘Jericho’, 18th February 1944.
Its versatility saw it adapting to many other roles including
low to medium altitude daytime tactical bombing duties, as
a high altitude night bomber, pathfinder, intruder and also
for photo-reconnaissance duties.
The Mosquito entered widespread service in 1942 and
supported the RAF night fighter defences in the UK against
Luftwaffe raids. It also conducted nighttime fighter sweeps
to protect the RAF Bomber Command fleets and therefore
reduce their losses. The first production night fighters were
designated Mosquito NF Mk II. A total of 466 were built and
came into service with No.157 Squadron in January 1942,
replacing the Douglas ‘Havoc’. The NF Mk II was fitted with
the A1 Mk IV metric wavelength radar. The herring-bone
transmitting antenna was mounted on the nose and the
dipole receiving antennae were carried under the outer wings.
Some NF Mk IIs had their radar equipment removed and
additional fuel tanks installed for use as night intruders. These
‘special’ Mosquito variants were used by 23 Squadron
against targets in Europe before being deployed to Malta at
the end of 1942, operating against targets in Italy.
The FB VI appeared in mid 1943 and established itself as a
premier twin-engined fighter bomber of WWII, which was
reflected in its high production quantity of 2298 being built
– almost a third of all Mosquito production. The FB Mk VI
was powered by two 1460 hp Merlin engines. It first flew on
1st June 1942. Armaments comprised four 20mm cannon
and four .303 (7.7 mm) machine guns, installed to fire at
soft ground targets.
Other armament fixtures included bombs and rockets – or if
attacking German submarines – aerial mines or depth
charges. The FB Mk VI proved a great success in dogfights
against single-engine fighter aircraft, notably the Focke-Wulf
Fw190s.
In one such battle at the beginning of 1945, RAF Mosquitos
shot down five Fw190s, sank an armed trawler and two
merchant ships, although the RAF lost five of their own
aircraft in the battle.The NF Mk II and FB Mk VI were the
subject of a number of variants and modifications, depending
on the duties they were required to perform.
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
No.143 Squadron, Banff Strike Wing, Coastal Command, Banff,
Scotland, 1945.
Between its inception in 1940 to the end of its role in 1950,
7781 De Havilland Mosquito were built. The aircraft served
with the RAF and many other air forces during WWII and
afterwards, including the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Air
Forces of Australia and New Zealand and the United States
Army Air Force.
The Mosquito was known affectionately as the ‘Mossie’ to
its crews, as well as ‘The Wooden Wonder’- reminding us
that the majority were made of laminated plywood.
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
Alternative Nose decal
‘Bondi Blonde’, No.1 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force,
Kingaroy, QLD. Morotai and Labuan, SWPA (South West Pacific
Area), 1945.
The Mosquito flew its last official European war mission on
21st May 1945 as part of 143 Squadron and 248 Squadron
RAF, hunting German submarines that might be in the mood
to continue fighting. There are several preserved or restored
examples of the Mosquito around the world, the majority of
which are at the De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, London
Colney in Hertfordshire.
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI Alternative.
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
Top Speed: 370mph (595kph)
Weapons: 4 x 0.303inch (7.7mm) machine guns,
4 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 500lb (227kg) bombs
Top Speed: 370mph (595kph)
Weapons: 4 x 0.303inch (7.7mm) machine guns,
4 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 500lb (227kg) bombs
De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
De Havilland Mosquito NF.II
No.157 Squadron, Royal Air Force Castle Camps,
Cambridgeshire, UK, December 1941.
Top Speed: 370mph (595kph)
Weapons: 4 x 0.303inch (7.7mm) machine guns,
4 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 500lb (227kg) bombs
8 x 60lb (27kg) rockets
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DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO NFII/FBVI
As could be expected, there has already been criticism of this kit, whether
it be the price or, as can be seen on one website, some scorn heaped
upon the detail by one individual who hasn’t even set eyes upon the model.
Basically this build required the building and painting of sub-assemblies
all the way through.
It became quickly apparent that this was going to be a painting project
like no other. Painting the interior took almost two full working days.
When working with a palette as big as this, it was going to be very
important to employ some sort of shading technique lest the model
look like a toy.
One of my earliest modelling memories is the astonishment I can remember whilst I watched one of my older
brother's hockey mates toss a 1:24 scale Airfix Spitfire across a field and lose complete interest in it after it
refused to take flight and crashed to the earth rather ignominiously. I excitedly ran up to him and asked if I
could have its shattered remains and with his consent I collected the broken pieces and cautiously kept watch
over them lest someone should change their mind and I would be forced to return my new-found prize.
After repairing the relatively minor damage, that Spitfire kept pride of place
in my collection of models despite the fact that it was the only large-scale
model I had and it dwarfed anything else my relatively modest modelling
arsenal could boast.
While the former is simply a matter of opinion based on a lack of
understanding of how businesses need to succeed in any marketplace,
the latter is one of the few disadvantages to having the generally pleasant
places to exchange our enthusiasm for modelling on the internet.
With so many spacious open surfaces, a solid colour without any scale
effect would make the finished product look pretty ridiculous, whether
the interior or the exterior.
Fortunately, though, Airfix have managed to prove their detractors
wrong in this instance by producing what, in my opinion, has to be one
of the nicest models ever produced.
And 21st Century it is. I was immediately taken aback by the quality of
the rendering of even the smallest of details and judging by the over 270
individual steps of the instructions, this will be a monumental build.
The cockpit can only be described as thoroughly detailed, comprising
dozens of parts including extensive wiring, which is pretty much to scale
so care will not only need to be taken when removing parts from sprues
but whenever handling them as well. I was particularly impressed with
the instrument panel and the various consoles that allow for instruments
to be added after painting and it is very easy to visualise how busy the
cockpit will look when built straight from the box, let alone when in the
hands of a dedicated super-detailer.
I couldn’t tell you what happened to it in the end. I suppose I lost interest
and much like Ray Manzerick and the rest of the Doors, it faded
unspectacularly into obscurity. However, for a brief moment it shone like
Jim Morrison and has etched an irreplaceable moment in time in my
memories. I think we all share moments like that in our modelling past
and I think it is a large part of why we carry on with the hobby as adults,
simply because it is such a tangible link to our youth.
Every visible part of the kit has had more than its fair share of attention,
including the engines, which are both masterpieces of engineering down
to the Rolls-Royce logo on the headers. So far this kit is screaming out
to be painted and it is difficult to resist the urge to rush the assembly
in order to get to the weathering.
Perhaps if Airfix hadn’t been saved from obscurity by Hornby, like Frog,
they may have shared mythological status like Richie Valens or James
Dean and be long lamented as having passed well before their time.
Fortunately, though, Hornby stepped in two years ago and injected much
needed investment into a British icon, resurrecting dormant projects as
well as latent modelling aspirations. One of the first projects to benefit
from the new lease on life was the Mosquito:
I started this build without any instructions, given that it is a test shot,
although thankfully a week into work I was sent the instructions as they
had finally been finished and I was very glad they were.The complexity
of the engines is such that even with the help of the plans and cut-away
drawings I was using at first, I would not have had any hope of getting
things correct.
“The original idea goes all the way back to the early 1970's but was
dropped shortly after due to the high costs and risk because of this.”
according to Dale Luckhurst, Junior Airfix Product Manager. “The
resurrection of the idea came along 2 years ago here at Hornby.”
I strongly recommend following the instructions to the letter, as any
deviation will only confuse things tremendously.
Given the time frame involved with the project and the years that have
passed since it first began, one could be forgiven for assuming that some
of the design would be quite dated, however: “The line drawing produced
on the drawing board from the 1970's was very good, but unfortunately
unusable for today's technology. “
Normally I build the various sub-assemblies and paint everything just before
I seal the fuselage up. However this build required painting all the way
through given the large areas involved and the many intricate separate
details that need fitting onto them. For instance, the seat in the cockpit
would have left areas difficult to reach and spray properly and the
likelihood of having pigment building up and creating rough surfaces was
omnipresent.
When asked what exactly went into the project Dale replied: “22 months
and an awful lot of man-hours. We started completely from scratch with
the research, design, measuring and drawing of this new 21st Century
model.”
DE HAVILLAND MANAGED TO PRODUCE
ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC AND ENDURING
DESIGNS IN HISTORY IN THE MOSQUITO
AND AIRFIX HAVE CAPTURED IT TO
PERFECTION, AS SAM’S EDITOR FINDS
OUT…
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The level of detail throughout the kit is rather impressive and as you can
see here, some shading during the painting process will be vital in giving
the detail a sense of scale depth. I almost fluffed it early on and used the
wrong props for the version I was making but here we see them getting
polished after having matt black sprayed on. Fig. 1
The entire operation in covering 4 struts takes about a half an hour.
Fixing one end in superglue then leaving it for a while to dry means it is a
simple matter of wrapping the lead foil around the strut, using a fingernail
to work in some creases, and cutting any excess away. Fig. 3
The cockpit
Dry Brushing
The cockpit is marvellous and will present an enjoyable challenge for the
box builder as well as a tantalising palette for the super detailer.
Stage one in the process I use to paint Machine Guns. It is very old
fashioned and frowned upon by many no doubt but dry-brushing is still
the best way to perform this task.
The engines
The basic assembly of the engines was completed, painted and glossed
then the rest of the parts added to be painted in situ. The gloss means
that any errant brush strokes can easily be wiped away before they are
permanent.
Working out of the cap is generally not a good thing, so don’t ask me
what I was thinking. It is better not to stir the paint when dry brushing
metallics and the best method is to stick a toothpick or similar into the
bottom of the pot and gather some of the settled paint that way.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Xtracolor 262 Weissaluminium was mixed with Humbrol 54 to try to get
a colour that matched the fixtures and fitting seen on the engine on
display at RAF Hendon.
Once you have a spot of the “gloop from the bottom” on a fairly non
absorbent piece of paper getting the brush thoroughly permeated with
paint is vital. Brush strokes on the paper rid the brush of as much of the
paint as possible and once there is very little being transferred it is
ready to go.
The exercise of glossing the painted engine up before commencing the
detailing paid off as errant strokes are simply wiped away with a brush
soaked in thinners afterwards.
The first strokes are vital to get right as transferring too much paint at
first will spoil the effect. It is best to start very lightly and as the brush
loses more paint the pressure of each stroke can be increased.
Again there were places I really wished I had the time to expend more
effort when it came to detailing, although I hope the images I have taken
will help some of you. Fig. 5
A comparison of the untreated and dry brushed guns and the results of
careful application are evident. I think the next time I do this I will add
some Alclad clear blue over the top and see how that looks. Fig. 2
The undercarriage
The undercarriage are extremely intricate and probably the highlight of
the entire model, which says quite a bit about the overall quality. With a
little extra effort this could be made to be fully retractable. Fig. 6
Adding the covers to the struts was far simpler than it seems, as all that
is needed is a bit of superglue and some lead foil.
THIS MODEL SCREAMS OUT TO HAVE ALL THE PLUMBING AND WIRING ADDED AS
IT WILL END UP AS A MASTERPIECE WITH THAT EXTRA ATTENTION…
Fig. 5
Fig. 4
Fig. 6
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HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
JOINS THE AIRFIX FLEET
1:350
SCALE
Docked on the River Mersey, ‘Lusty’ proved a very popular
attraction for the visiting public, who were permitted on board
during the celebrations, prior to her return to her home base of
Portsmouth.
A brand new 1:350 scale Series 14 – Airfix
model of HMS Illustrious joins the Airfix Warships
Fleet.
As model A14201, when completed, she is
603mm long with a width of 104mm. You can
also obtain this impressive model as part of a
new set A50059, from the Royal Navy Airfix
series. The HMS Illustrious set comes attractively
packaged in a presentation box with sufficient
paint, paintbrushes and poly cement to complete
the model. This collection also comes with extra
unique information supplied exclusively by the
Royal Navy.
In reality, ‘Lusty’ as she is known fondly by all on board, is 209m
long with a beam of 36m and a displacement of 22,000 tonnes.
She has 1400 compartments, 15 lifts and is powered by four
gas turbine Olympus engines, giving her a top speed in excess
of 30 knots. Of the 1000 plus crew, over 350 are members of
the Fleet Air Arm.
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft
carriers which were built for the Royal Navy in the 1970s and
1980s. Her sister ships are HMS Invincible and HMS Ark Royal.
The fifth ship to carry the name HMS Illustrious since 1789, she
was built by the Swan Hunter Yard on the River Tyne in 1976 and
was launched two years later.
She was still being fitted out when the Falklands War broke out,
so missed the action as the conflict was over before she was
finished. However, she performed useful service afterwards in
guarding the area of the South Atlantic from possible further
Argentine attack, relieving HMS Invincible, which had been on duty
for several months. HMS Illustrious was formally commissioned
on her return to the UK.
During 2009, HMS Illustrious has played a key role in the Royal
Navy Centenary celebrations, culminating in a six-day visit to
Liverpool as part of the Royal Navy – Fly Past.
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Profile: HMS Illustrious is an impressive aircraft carrier, one of three Royal Navy Invincible Class carriers and
operates with a range of both rotary and fixed wing aircraft from the Harrier GR9 to troop- carrying Chinooks.
Her vital statistics are also impressive, as described in the full length feature in this issue. The release of both
the single and gift set versions of HMS Illustrious represents Airfix’s first venture into 1:350 scale ship models.
Build: This model build was the biggest three-dimensional jigsaw
puzzle I’ve ever attempted. I was given the task of building this ship
before the instruction sheet was available and although I’ve built a
good many Airfix ships over the years, tackling this was rather
daunting. In relating the process I devised to construct her, I apologise
in advance as my limited knowledge of maritime terminology might
be severely exposed. Initially I looked on the Internet for suitable
references.
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I achieved all this preliminary painting with a brush – applying four
coats in the case of the hull. I also taped the boot topping before
painting.
As I related earlier, I’d started before assembly instructions or colour
call-outs were available. These reached me some way into the build
and wherever possible I repainted to conform to the Airfix instructions;
it was only inaccessible areas that I could not rectify. Some of my
choices matched the instructions; others were used as a primer or
undercoat. Studying the instruction sheet revealed that whilst I’d
progressed in a different order, I had identified the components
correctly in their location.
I began construction by cementing the base (A5, C4 & C5), as this
would be useful to stand the ship on as the build progressed. In turn,
I glued the starboard hull (A15), port hull (A1) and stern plate (A14)
to the keel (C3). I prefer to use Humbrol Precision Poly in the main,
supplemented by Liquid Poly to seal any gaps. I then cemented the
lower deck (B1) into the hull and painted it. I added the aprons to the
port side and then the stern and starboard aft sections.
I used various clamps to prevent misalignment between the flight
deck and the hull. There then followed a series of airbrushing
sessions, re-laying down the base colours. I would advise that the
stabilisers (95D – 98D) are not fitted until after the boot topping has
been completed.
The next stage involved working out the seaward compartments. These
are individually designed and cannot be fitted incorrectly, although I
was confused by their contents. I decided to position the rigid
inflatable boats on the moulded chocks within these compartments.
I constructed as many sub-assemblies as possible in a process of
elimination to discover the small parts required to complete the
seaward compartments.
With the hull essentially complete, my attention turned to the
superstructure. I had airbrushed the basic colour when spraying the
hull and continued fitting the various aerials and radar equipment
before brush painting these additions, followed by the black and
white parts.
The instructions call for the ship’s boats to be suspended from the
davits; I chose Aeroclub Rigging Thread for the cables on these and
for the crane cable. In the absence of decals, I crudely marked out
the flight deck using ‘Inscribe’ coloured pencils. The various aircraft
and ancillary vehicles were cemented to the deck.
I painted the flight deck in the lighter shade of grey and used masking
tape to define the stripe running the length of the deck. I used a ruling
pen to mark the white lines on the flight deck. The main superstructure
goes together well with a little cleaning up, mostly sanding smooth
the excess plastic after the part has been clipped from the sprue
gate. Assembly was interspersed with painting and research. The
inclusion of lift levers makes it possible to position the lifts in any of
five positions; fully up, flush with the deck to fully lowered with three
other positions in between.
To conclude and summarise - the kit has been a pleasure to build.
The tooling is crisp and the components are well designed. The
instructions are clear and well thought out. The experienced
shipbuilders amongst you will each have your own preferred build
method but the sequence illustrated will not be far from the mark.
The first Airfix 1:350 scale ship is one the company can be proud of.
I am sure it will prove an irresistible temptation for many.
By Richard Linnell
1:350
SCALE
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
20
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members, we are offering £1 off selected souvenir purchases via our website www.airfix.com
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Collect the series of coasters featuring evocative Airfix box art – from WWII
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In 2007 The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight celebrated its 50th year now
performing up to 700 flights a year in remembrance of those who fought in
World War II.
This limited edition canvas print has been stretched over a wooden frame and
has been signed by the crew of today’s BBMF. This limited edition run of 250
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Title The Vintage Years of AIRFIX Box Art
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Especially for Club members, we have negotiated a fantastic discount on each
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As an Airfix Club member, you can take £5 off and obtain this superb read for
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