BLACK VIKING

The 
The 8 x 8 partially painted in green before the final assembly

Assembled and ready for painting

Painted in the standard 3 color camo

All 3 are now ready for finishing

Thanks for following, comments and likes

Very interesting build you have going here Greg, and I’m really enjoying your log. Like the round modeling vice.
 
Gary
 

And later; the tracks, I just need to sand down these little injection ports 

Hello,
so, it is done! The head is ready. 😃
The painter has to fix some things, because the man from the admiralty would come and inspect the work. He was very pleased and spend a beer for the crew 😮 Yes one beer 😕
For the next days the crew had some days free and after that, they have to cut the deck beams for the fore castle.

The Indy pre orders will all be shipped next week. I am expecting the printed material to be with me today or tomorrow. The pre orders are all already packed and just need the plans and instructions added.

Thanks again for all the likes and comments.
 
I made the jib a little while ago with all the lower yards, stuns’l booms, mizzen gaffs and some of the spare masts. I will cover these as we go on.

The jib was made to the specification in the AotS as were all other yards and masts. The bowsprit cap was made from scratch because the kit part did not allow for the holes to be changed to the correct angle. It was also too narrow to fit a jack staff.

I used the kit dolphin striker which was glued and pinned to the cap. Before fixing the jib, I added the 'lead' saddle for the spritsail yard which unfortunately doesn't show up well in the photo. This was simply made from a piece of paper (200gsm I think) painted iron grey. The heel lashing is 7 wraps of 0.5mm rope. I wasn’t sure of the order of rigging for the jibboom so followed the order given in Lees, starting with the guy pendants (0.4mm) followed by the horses and the martingale. The horses (0.75mm rope) are knotted with figure-of-eights every 10mm. The horses and pendants are left hanging for the moment. The martingale stay and back stay (0.4mm) are one piece and lead back, via a fall, to the port side of the bowsprit.

 
 
The mizzen topgallant stay is made from 0.4mm rope and leads through a thimble in the main topmast head and finishes with thimbles and lanyard at the main top. According to Lees the royal stay wasn’t introduced until after 1810 so I have left it off. The back stays lead to the stool abaft the mizzen channel, the topgallant to a 2.5mm deadeye and the royal to an eyebolt. I realise that there is some inconsistency here in that there is a royal backstay but no stay. Maybe I should have left both off and I may go back to it later but I quite like it as it is.


The main mast topgallant stay (0.5mm) leads through a 3mm block on the fore topmast head down to the forestay where it is tied off at the collar of the topmast stay lead block. I should have made the strop so that it stood more proud of the mast to improve the run of the topgallant stay but too late now. The royal stay leads through a 3mm block at the fore topmast head and ends in a thimble which is connected by a lanyard to another thimble fixed with a span to the fore topmast cross trees. I realised, too late, that the span should be tied into the inside of the cross trees before fitting the masts, so I have had to tie them to the outside. Back stays run down to the stool abaft the main channel.

The foreamast topgallant stay leads through a 3mm block on the jibboom and runs back to the forestay collar where it is tied of with three seizings,

The royal stay leads to the end of the jibboom where it is tied off. Backstays are set up in a similar manner and lead down to deadeyes on the foreward channel.
 
 
I have looked again at the main and fore topmast shifting backstays and decided to re-rig them in a way more in line with the description in Lees. I’m puzzled when Lees says that the pendants were half as long again as the burton pendants. I interpreted this to mean that they would end high up off the deck which didn’t seem right and wasn’t in line with the drawing in AotS. I have rigged the pendants to come to within 90mm of the deck. The falls are set up as in Lees with a long tackle block hooked to the pendant and a single 3mm block hooked to an eyebolt in the channels.

The main topmast shifting backstay falls are tied off to a belay pin but the foreward shifting backstay, according to the Caldercraft plan, is tied off to a shroud cleat and would lie across the shrouds. This seemed wrong to my eye so I have fitted a deck cleat, not shown on the plans, to tie it off which I think works better.

 
The standing rigging is now complete and means another milestone in the build is reached just over two years from when it began.
 

Thanks for looking in
David

 

Yes 😉
Nice work on these engines.

So we are all probably old enough to remember the horrible soft plastic from Airfix, and according it’s bloody hard to work with. I’ve cut and sanded for hours so I could improve on the cylinder heads to look a little better. I’ll do the wiring once I’ve painted it. 

{chuckle} ......
 
Been there done that... It always pays to keep the pre requirements completed... (well worth the process if I might say)
 
I'm always down for carrier aircraft.... And the Buc's a big one....

Hi Gang,
 
Well as discussed at the tail end of my Sea Harrier log, I am very fortunate that a good friend on mine bought me an Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer for my birthday last week, so putting up a build log which I hope some of you will enjoy.  @CDW also has this kit and hopefully we could have two build logs going at some stage.  Though I need to say this one might be something of a slow burn as firstly the Admiral has got me decorating the hallway and lounge at the moment and also I am determined to finish my Caldercraft HMAV Bounty this year, so I am trying not to get distracted - going well huh?! 😆
As mentioned on my Sea Harrier log I'm largely going to build out of the box, with some upgrades to the ejection seat/cockpit at most.  Also going to have the wings flat and air breaks closed as I have made the 1990's version of Airfix's previous 1/48 Bucc. where I had all that visible.  As for which scheme I am drawn to, thinking the S.2C - XV162 as it appeared onboard HMS Hermes in 1969, serving with No.801 Naval Air Squadron.
 
I have some more pictures to share next of the real thing.

Frank: Yes big quality difference indeed – just starting work with lantern housings will post comparisons between vintage and current kit's product as well.
 
Patrick: Thanks – PS: your new log looks to be another great build!
 
Peter:  Thanks as well for your much appreciated comment. – welcome aboard – so nice of you. I have, in fact, blended some of the Amati decorative pieces into this build. Have you started your Sovereign?
----------------------------
I did not think that they (all the outer gallery windows) would SO “blacken out” all interior details. SO have decided add LED’s – needed to remove the poop deck as well as the upper stern facing cover for better inside access.
 
Just purchased LED’s from Evan Designs (a vendor here at MSW) as I did for my Santisima cross section. His lights require a small flat coin battery 2032 holder - as well as incorporating a small on/off switch, or I could use his AAA battery holder, but how to place that inside as well as needing later access – have not figured that out yet. Work in progress….with the coin battery holder could just leave it under the poop deck grating. Tiny on/off switch will need a hidden spot as well. Adding lights should have been thought of - a long time ago - not at this stage of this build so far. Yikes 😁
 
Regards,
 

Shipman, is this the Vasa model at the Science Museum with a telescope to the interior?

Thanks all for the likes and thanks Mike for the comment.
 
I've been working on the lower wings but have more to do.  The picture below shows the current state.   You can see that I still need to add the extra strip on the top and bottom of the last 5 ribs on each wing.  There are then a few more details to add and of course some more diagonal tension cables and then the ailerons as well.  I've made a few minor negative comments about this kit so to balance it out I'll praise the laser cut ribs.  I cannot imagine how time consuming and tedious it would be to try to cut those by hand if doing this from scratch.  And the laser cutting seems to be really well done, with no char marks on the front or back surfaces of the wood and just a couple very small tabs to hold the parts in.   And also the parts fit together well....each rib has two notches that go over the lengthwise wood pieces.  Many of them fit nicely without any adjustment and a few needed just a little bit of filing to get a nice fit.  At least in some cases they also supplied an extra rib in case you break one.  So, it has been a pleasure work on this part of the model.
 

I flew missions with the Buccs of RAF Sqdn 208 at a Red Flag, Nellis AFB, NV,  in 1978 or so. I think a few were painted for desert ops, the rest in the gray and green look. They looked like they were flying right on top of their shadows across the desert. We escorted them to a range up in Utah. Tried to follow them through a mountain range but had to climb up to cross the ridges but still below the ridge tops. Very impressive flying. Always enjoyed working with the RAF; always professional on the job, fun off the flight line. 👍😄

main topmast staysail
 
Before setting up that sail I installed the stay tackles. And after all those years I finally found the correct and logical position of them: One over the main hatch and the other over the fore hatch. When not in use both tackles should be fixed to eyebolts on deck. To better show the complete tackles I hooked them to two eyebolts in the launch - the same that would be used to lift that boat. My explanation is that that the boats are actually not covered and will be  used soon. Therefore both tackles are already being prepared for the lowering of the boats.
 
Fortunately the sail itself is another rather simple one. It however potentially conflicts with the - yet to set up - braces of the fore- and the fore topsail yard. Therefore I attached most lines only provisionally.
Where to fix the whips (tackles) of the sheets needed thinking. The kit's instructions say to fix the standing part to an eyebolt 'on deck', while the running end is brought to the pin rail abeam the main mast. This looks strange, and would mean to fix a eyebolt near the pin rail which I dare say would cause quite a few stubbed toes.
Lees fixes one end to an eyebolt in the boat skid and the running part to the boat skid or a cleat close to the standing part. Boat skid? Perhaps this means the beams, where the boats are stored but that location is already a bit crowded. However this would be a different position, nearer to the centerline of the ship and probably a more logical position to operate the sheets.
As a compromise I bent both ends to the forward quarterdeck rail, as much to the side as possible.
 
Some time I pondered about how to bend the sail to the stay: Rings, hanks and robands in different forms are methods shown in my clever books. Finally I used robands in a figure of eight form as implied but not specified in Lees.
 

tackles and staysail added
 
 

fore hatch stay tackle fixed to the launch
 
 

main stay tackle
 
 

staysail with robands
 
 

where the port side sheet pendants are belayed
 
 

overview of the deck with port staysail sheet
 
 

in the meantime the carpenter also found time to fix all the gun port lids

I have bought the Beagle in the last 3 month, and a couple of things have changed.
 
-The stained plywood was changed to solid africain walnut
-The other mixed sheet was changed to solid wood (unknown)
-The launche's sheet was changed to mdf
-The blocks have changed again to (box?) wood
-The little cylinders made from brass where changed to (box?) wood also.
-The stained plywood stand was changed to unstained plywood.
 
See photos

A huge amount of appreciation goes to Marc's log and his knowledgeable commenters. I've learned so much in the last few months from going back and reading from the beginning. 

It might be that it wasn't just the figure carvings that were removed in preparation for war. I have a strong suspicion that the panels of the "bottle" quarter galleries may have been removable, too. There are several surviving line drawings and illustrations that show that some galleries on some ships were pierced with gunports. I have a feeling that the glass lights in the galleries wouldn't have gotten along well with cannon fire. All that flying glass must have made using the officer's heads exciting during battle. In all seriousness, maybe this is why Tanneron chose to "open up" the galleries on his model instead of making them the typical closed "bottle" galleries seen in the drawings of the Second Marine ships.

Is there any documentation that would confirm/deny my suspicion?

Everything best,
John O

Thanks, once again, everyone for the kind comments and likes!
 
Well, this proved to be a rather quick little build, especially with the simplified paint scheme. Applying the multitude of stencils proved to be the most time consuming task. Had I the proper materials (and a little bit of practice under my belt), I would have tried maybe adding some chipping and done other weathering effects to beat up the paint a little bit, but I only have pastels on hand. I may add tome brownish burn streaks from the exhausts, just to liven things up a little bit, but for all intents and purposes, I think I will call this build done!.
 

 

 

 
To me, the all black makes for a rather striking, and not often seen (unless you google "Airfix Defiant"), paint scheme, and that shark mouth really stands out! Unlike it's contemporaries, the Hurricane and Spitfire, the Defiant had an underslung radio antenna. One fixed arial was located between the main landing gear, a second arial was located just forward of the tail wheel, with an antenna wire strung between them. The rear arial would retract when the landing gear was extended (for obvious reasons). 
 

 
I'm happy I went with the "unprototypical" green landing gear bays... notice the numerous stencils 🤪
 

 
I'm also glad I diverged with the turret interior colours as well, the small details around the gun stand out nicely.
 

 
You can see how "girthy" Defiants were in order to accommodate the turret. Notice how the plane widens as it goes aft of the engine. 
 
All in all, this was another great kit offering from Airfix, the turret definitely added a bit of interest to the build, enough to keep a more skilled builder occupied!  For the same reason, I wouldn't suggest this kit for a first time builder. The detail level is in keeping with all the more recent offerings and there were no real fitment issues.
 
I think I will be taking a bit of a break from building for a short while (until my fingers start to get itchy), but I have one more 1:72 airplane lined up, as well as some figures to try my hand at painting. If nothing else a little time is needed to catch my breath. I hope to see you all at my next build!
 
Andy

Thanks, there are a heap of reference photos of her. I got some aftermarket rivets as the kit ones are so damn rough. Here’s a good one of the underside 

Well, almost . . .

Steven
 

I always built big, its easy and you can work with large air tools,   for instance , I always wanted a Lotus 7 , I drove one when I was in Europe in the 60s, So last year I decided to build one,  Just like any model you start with plans. then make you layouts, then go to work, I bought the Lotus 7 plans and went to work, It is a full size working car, scary fast. Here are some photos, 
 
  So far I have had it up to 120 MPH and as low as it sits, it feels faster.  The v-6 is 3.4 LT. GM. @ 280 HP. but it only weighs 1350 LBS; Every where I drive it I get looks and waves, One kid in a crappy mustang was revving it engine at a light , all i said was  ' reconsider "  It was just like building the model ships I make 

My wife bought my new best buddy a Valentines Day sweater yesterday. He’s five months old now, a mix between a King Charles Spaniel and Poodle. So much life, energy, and personality. Smart little buggar, too.
 
My grandson bought his little sister and my daughter a bouquet of flowers before we all went out for a fabulous Valentines Day dinner. Dinner was fabulous.
 

Andrew, thanks for looking in.  I hope I can pull it off!  NeOmega also makes a cool 'Hurricat' catapult which is a little more detailed with a bunch of PE.  The Hurricane by itself isn't very appealing to me, but on this catapult, it looks really amazing.  I think HpH may also make catapults in 1/48 and 1/32 scale for the Arado.
 

This is where I am now.  After cleaning up the ejector marks on the bottom and sides, I installed various pieces into the bottom which included some Eduard PE.  After being annoyed about the quality of the kit from the many ejector marks, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the pieces are fitting together.  Test fitted the fuselage sides as well, and everything matches up well.  I worried about the orientation of the first bulkhead as you only attach it along the bottom of this stage, but its angle is locked into place perfectly by the two floor pieces on either side.  So, kudos to Airfix on this step - big redemption from the ejection pin fiasco 👍
 

 
The two main PE assemblies in the picture above are molded by Airfix as pretty much flat, non-descript platforms similar to the rest of the floor pieces.  The Eduard PE ends up being quite complicated/detailed assemblies for these replacement details.  Who knows if they will be seen when the fuselage is buttoned up, but it was fun making them.
 

 
Thanks for looking in!

Spent one evening soaking all the sets, and then started with the fuselage (or is it a hull if it's a boat plane?).  It's a little smaller than I would have expected - maybe a touch longer than the Wildcat and Buffalo I just finished.
 
The kit's parts seem very sharp and well defined with lots of detail.  The one crazy thing is that the bottom and side pieces have a ridiculous amount of ejector pin marks!  I don't think you can see much of the inside of the model when it's buttoned up, but I went ahead and sanded and filled them.  Here's a picture showing all the pock marks!
 

 
Thanks for looking in!