Just Completed
Discussion
At long last I finished my Blackburn Skua.
A real pig of a kit. It's dimensionally inaccurate with lots of important features from the real aircraft ommitted from the model. Still, I perservered and got it finished with some of the glaring ommssions corrected.
The kit was originally produced by FROG in the early 1960s and was re-released in the 1990s by Revell. I5t's still obtainable under the Eastern Express label. I will not be building another one.
Having foght the Skua into submission, I then decided to complete an easy "quickie". This is the Fieseler Fi.103 Reichenberg which was a manned version of the V1 "cruise missile". It was never used operationally.
The model depicts the aircraft that was statically displayed at a demonstration of German aircraft held at Farnborough in 1945. The model will be finding a home at the FAST Museum in Farnborough who have asked the IPMS chaps in Farnborough to build up a 1/72 model representation of that 1945 display.
The model is by Heller and, even though it was produced in the mid 1970s, goes together nicely and has some fine raised surface detail.
A real pig of a kit. It's dimensionally inaccurate with lots of important features from the real aircraft ommitted from the model. Still, I perservered and got it finished with some of the glaring ommssions corrected.
The kit was originally produced by FROG in the early 1960s and was re-released in the 1990s by Revell. I5t's still obtainable under the Eastern Express label. I will not be building another one.
Having foght the Skua into submission, I then decided to complete an easy "quickie". This is the Fieseler Fi.103 Reichenberg which was a manned version of the V1 "cruise missile". It was never used operationally.
The model depicts the aircraft that was statically displayed at a demonstration of German aircraft held at Farnborough in 1945. The model will be finding a home at the FAST Museum in Farnborough who have asked the IPMS chaps in Farnborough to build up a 1/72 model representation of that 1945 display.
The model is by Heller and, even though it was produced in the mid 1970s, goes together nicely and has some fine raised surface detail.
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 10th February 09:33
Nice ones, Eric.
I'm sure there was a manufacturer, back in my wasted youth, who specialised in all the German V-weapons, dead ends and oddities from WW2, in 1/72.
I remember building an Owl (HE 219?), at least one assymetic Blohm & Voss effort, a Dornier Arrow and various ultra-long-nosed FW 190 variants, but there seemed to be dozens of them, all from the same range.
I'm sure there was a manufacturer, back in my wasted youth, who specialised in all the German V-weapons, dead ends and oddities from WW2, in 1/72.
I remember building an Owl (HE 219?), at least one assymetic Blohm & Voss effort, a Dornier Arrow and various ultra-long-nosed FW 190 variants, but there seemed to be dozens of them, all from the same range.
The German oddballs (real and imagined) have been covered quite well by many manufacturers - especially in 1/72.
Airfix did the asymetric Blohm and Voss Bv.141 in the 70s. It's one I'd like to do some time but I haven't seen it around for ages.
In more recent years, Revell have helped fill the gaps of some of the odd Messerschmitt 262 variants and derivatives and a lovely Horten 229 (single and twin seat variants).
FROG released a Do335 Pfiel (Arrow) in the miod 1970s which was klunky but accurate. Revell re-released it in the 1990s. Dragon have a much more modern but complicated series of Do335 kits.
FROG (and later Revell) also released the Arado 234 Blitz and , again, Dragon have released more modern mouldings of the 234.
The Fieseler model actually came in a double kit with a Bachem Natter. I presume Heller boxed them together because the models are so tiny in 1/72. I've part finished the Natter and hopefully will complete it over the weekend.
I have been allocated a Messerschmitt Bf110G Night Fighter as my next project for the German Aircraft Display. It will look odd as it is in normal 1945 period German nightfighter camouflage but carries RAF roundels.
The German company Huma probably has the most extensive range of German weirdos.
Airfix did the asymetric Blohm and Voss Bv.141 in the 70s. It's one I'd like to do some time but I haven't seen it around for ages.
In more recent years, Revell have helped fill the gaps of some of the odd Messerschmitt 262 variants and derivatives and a lovely Horten 229 (single and twin seat variants).
FROG released a Do335 Pfiel (Arrow) in the miod 1970s which was klunky but accurate. Revell re-released it in the 1990s. Dragon have a much more modern but complicated series of Do335 kits.
FROG (and later Revell) also released the Arado 234 Blitz and , again, Dragon have released more modern mouldings of the 234.
The Fieseler model actually came in a double kit with a Bachem Natter. I presume Heller boxed them together because the models are so tiny in 1/72. I've part finished the Natter and hopefully will complete it over the weekend.
I have been allocated a Messerschmitt Bf110G Night Fighter as my next project for the German Aircraft Display. It will look odd as it is in normal 1945 period German nightfighter camouflage but carries RAF roundels.
The German company Huma probably has the most extensive range of German weirdos.
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 10th February 10:21
It's the wings and tailplanes that are the main problem with the Skua. Both have too narrow a chord, and, as you spotted, the ailerons are completely the wrong shape. I don't know what the FROG mould designers were up to back in 1964 but they certainly didn't seem to have much aquaintance with any engineering drawings of the real thing. They may have been hampered by the fact that back then, there wasn't a single remnant of a full size Skua anywhere to be found so they couldn't measure up a real example.
The other major problem with the kit is that the bomb recess in the underside of the fuselage and the V shaped arestor hook were simply left out by the mould makers. I fabricated the recess and hook as well as a bomb cradle and I found a correct shape resin 500lb bomb from Pavla. None of these items are visible in the photos because they're all underneath the fuselage
I have that Revell V2 in my unbuilt stash. It dates back to the early 1960s too and is a non-standard "fit the box" scale, so doesn't fit in nicely with my other models. Revell didn't make their models to standard scales until the 1960s so a lot of their older kits are in these odd scales. It's not a bad model for all that. The version I bought dates from 1984 when Revell released some of their old kits in a series called "History Makers".
These days, I'd go for one of the Condor 1/72 V2s. Condor is part of the Czech MPM/Special Hobby empire.
The other major problem with the kit is that the bomb recess in the underside of the fuselage and the V shaped arestor hook were simply left out by the mould makers. I fabricated the recess and hook as well as a bomb cradle and I found a correct shape resin 500lb bomb from Pavla. None of these items are visible in the photos because they're all underneath the fuselage
I have that Revell V2 in my unbuilt stash. It dates back to the early 1960s too and is a non-standard "fit the box" scale, so doesn't fit in nicely with my other models. Revell didn't make their models to standard scales until the 1960s so a lot of their older kits are in these odd scales. It's not a bad model for all that. The version I bought dates from 1984 when Revell released some of their old kits in a series called "History Makers".
These days, I'd go for one of the Condor 1/72 V2s. Condor is part of the Czech MPM/Special Hobby empire.
Fit the box...
Blimey Revell used to love that "style" all right
Eric, considering that years ago I swore I'd never build that Skua because of its inadequacies, I have to say you have done it greater credit than Frog deserved.
Very nicely done and looking "right"
And the flying bomb too
(What's this, building for Museum display? The dark side beckons mate
)
I'm looking forwards to seeing your Bf110, are you making the one in the picture from Wikipedia. Lots of sprue stretching in the days to come... lovely.
bill
Blimey Revell used to love that "style" all right
Eric, considering that years ago I swore I'd never build that Skua because of its inadequacies, I have to say you have done it greater credit than Frog deserved.
Very nicely done and looking "right"
And the flying bomb too
(What's this, building for Museum display? The dark side beckons mate
)I'm looking forwards to seeing your Bf110, are you making the one in the picture from Wikipedia. Lots of sprue stretching in the days to come... lovely.
bill
Edited by perdu on Wednesday 10th February 15:17
That's the very aircraft.
I'll be using the Italeri 110G4 which is the correct version and comes with the necessary nose and Telenfunken aerials.
I am pretty sure this is the 110 that is now on display at Hendon.
On the Skua front, since I bought that model about ten years ago, Special Hobby have brought out a pretty much state of the art kit of the Skua and Roc. I won't do another Skua now that the FROG/Revell one is completed but I will do a Special Hobby Roc.
I'll be using the Italeri 110G4 which is the correct version and comes with the necessary nose and Telenfunken aerials.
I am pretty sure this is the 110 that is now on display at Hendon.
On the Skua front, since I bought that model about ten years ago, Special Hobby have brought out a pretty much state of the art kit of the Skua and Roc. I won't do another Skua now that the FROG/Revell one is completed but I will do a Special Hobby Roc.
That does look like the Hendon aircraft Eric
Did you offer to make the 410, too? (it is a 410 next to it isnt it, fin and rudder seem familiar)
That seems to have almost the same camouflage pattern.
Grey mottled, what's the upper wing like is it mottle too or splinter pattern?
I'd better be careful, I feel old urgings starting to surge.....
down Bill down I say!
Did you offer to make the 410, too? (it is a 410 next to it isnt it, fin and rudder seem familiar)
That seems to have almost the same camouflage pattern.
Grey mottled, what's the upper wing like is it mottle too or splinter pattern?
I'd better be careful, I feel old urgings starting to surge.....
down Bill down I say!
SlipStream77 said:
Nice work Eric.
I'm sure you read the Wiki article during your research, I had no idea that a Skua was credited with the first 'kill' by a British aircraft in WWII.
It did. Although the kill was rather lame.I'm sure you read the Wiki article during your research, I had no idea that a Skua was credited with the first 'kill' by a British aircraft in WWII.
The poor old Skua was useless for most of the tasks assigned to it - a victim of pre-war muddled thinking by the Admiralty. I truly respect the naval aviators who had to try and fight in that contraption.
The Roc was even worse.
By 1941 the Skuas and Rocs had been allocated to second line duties as more capable aircraft like the Fulmar, Sea Hurricane and Seafire took over.
perdu said:
That does look like the Hendon aircraft Eric
Did you offer to make the 410, too? (it is a 410 next to it isnt it, fin and rudder seem familiar)
That seems to have almost the same camouflage pattern.
Grey mottled, what's the upper wing like is it mottle too or splinter pattern?
I'd better be careful, I feel old urgings starting to surge.....
down Bill down I say!
Someone else has put their name down for the 410. There are about 20 modellers working on this project. Apparently there were over 80 aircraft on display at Farnborough that day. Some were pretty impressive beasts - like the Fw200 Condor and the Junkers 290.Did you offer to make the 410, too? (it is a 410 next to it isnt it, fin and rudder seem familiar)
That seems to have almost the same camouflage pattern.
Grey mottled, what's the upper wing like is it mottle too or splinter pattern?
I'd better be careful, I feel old urgings starting to surge.....
down Bill down I say!
I haven't seen a clear picture of the upper wing of the 110. It probably was grey splinter pattern. If I don't see any further photos showing the upper surfaces, I'll go with the splinter camouflage pattern for the upper wings and tailplane. As well as the RAF markings, it carried the wording (in white lettering) "Air Ministry 30" on both sides of the rear fuselage.
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 11th February 08:09
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