Airfix 1/72 Canberra B(I).6

[RangerNeil]

As I'm waiting for the upgrade kit for the Stolly to arrive I had a dig through the stash and pulled this out - the 1973 release of the English Electric/BAC Canberra. Something different.
First look its from the glory days of Airfix - no flash, no sink marks, no short-shots, nicely detailed crew figures. Still got the moveable control surfaces but I'm thinking I'll fix these in place. Options are for a B(1).6 of the RAF or a B.20 of the RAAF. I'll be doing the B(1).6 version So - the intro:
The instructions












Sprues - and detached parts!!








Decals - these look to be still useable!


Next job is clean up and then the build can begin.

[digger303]

[Stokesy44]

You beat me to it. What a grand old kit and a classic subject

[cor]

Those decals look almost new

[digger303]

You beat me to it. What a grand old kit and a classic subject

I'm up about and before you

[runnerUA]

Looks good! reminds me of the plane in James Bond Thunderball. Maybe not exactly the same but close.

[RangerNeil]

Looks good! reminds me of the plane in James Bond Thunderball. Maybe not exactly the same but close.

Wasn't that a Vulcan in Thunderball - a rather larger bird!!!

Back to the build - Airfix called the cockpit to be Matt Black throughout and - unusually for a 1970's kit, provided decals for the instrument panels! Bomb bay and undercarriage were called out as Silver so I used Tamiya's "Flat Aluminium"












Once the fuselage was joined it became obvious the only parts of the two rear crew that would be visible are the tops of the helmets!! Something I forgot to get a photo of was the creating of a relacement pilots control yoke (part #11) which was missing!! Kit was sealed in a bag so it obviously went missing before Airfix bagged it. I took a piece of 0.5mm plastic rod, cut a settion to length, then took a shorter length, dunked it in a pot of very hot water for a few seconds then bent it around the edge of a lollipop stick. Let it cool so it set in position then joined it to the upright with TET. Gave it a coat of Matt Black then added it to the cockpit.

Whilst the fuselage was setting the other major assemblies were built - tail planes and wings.


Fuselage seams were sanded smooth and the main wings added - this was left to set overnight. The joins will need filling as its a case of "fits where it touches" on both sides

[DRUMS01]

Everytime I look at one of those aircraft, I always think the wings came from some other aircraft because of how big they are. While there is no doubt it was indeed a successful aircraft, it will not be confused for something like F-16 or F-104, that's for sure!

Should be a good canvas for painting......

[RangerNeil]

Everytime I look at one of those aircraft, I always think the wings came from some other aircraft because of how big they are. While there is no doubt it was indeed a successful aircraft, it will not be confused for something like F-16 or F-104, that's for sure!

Should be a good canvas for painting......

Biggish aircraft - iddy biddy little crew area. I've sat in one. Pilots seat isn't bad but the two crew seats behind are cramped. If you suffer from claustrophobia its NOT the place to be......

Got all the seams filled and sanded so its ready for priming. Wing tip tanks are assembled as at the bomb payload - 6 in the bomb bay and 2 on underwing pylons. These will all need sanding and an ejector pin mark appeared of the pylon that was off the sprue so I need to address that too.


Test fitted the main sheels - and its VERY tail heavy with very, very little space in the nose where lead weight can be added!!!

[Stokesy44]

Good work, well on the way to painting time.

[RangerNeil]

Every things on hold for a while - wife got rushed into A&E in the early hours today and is being kept in for now.

[Stokesy44]

Every things on hold for a while - wife got rushed into A&E in the early hours today and is being kept in for now.

Sorry to hear that. I hope she's on the mend.

[DBMiller]

You are working fast! Those instructions look a bit primitive though. Are they hard to follow?

[digger303]

Every things on hold for a while - wife got rushed into A&E in the early hours today and is being kept in for now.

Oh bugger, I've got my fingers crossed for as speedy recovery.

I guess it's too late to add any weight under the cockpit floor. Might have to insert a pin into the front wheel and nail it down.

Pass on all our best wishes to you missus.

[Kevthemodeller]

Fantastic aircraft, I've seen them doing loop the loops, the engine noise is amazing

[Stokesy44]

Fantastic aircraft, I've seen them doing loop the loops, the engine noise is amazing

Bit of Trivia

Rory Underwood, the famous England Rugby winger, was an RAF pilot and he flew Canberras.

[Kevthemodeller]

Bit of Trivia

Rory Underwood, the famous England Rugby winger, was an RAF pilot and he flew Canberras.

How interesting I used to know several Lightening pilots all well in their late 70s early 80s some sadly no longer with us. To look at them you'd have no idea they flow what still is a very fast jet

[RangerNeil]

OK - what will henceforth pass as "normal" service can resume. OH has been discharged from hospital diagnosed with Spinal Arthritis. Can't move much and is on a heavy dose of pain killers.
Anyways - more positive thoughts - the Canberra is now primed and drying at least overnight before doing the undersides light grey




As is always the way whilst doing the primer I found sink marks I had missed in the main under carriage doors. Which of course will be highly visible so more filling and sanding to do.....


Its good to be back at the bench though!!

[DRUMS01]

I believe a variation of this aircraft was also used by the U.S. Air Force from the Korean war, through Vietnam, and even NASA. With several modifications I think is was call the B-57 Canberra in North America.

Nice to see it coming together....

[RangerNeil]

I believe a variation of this aircraft was also used by the U.S. Air Force from the Korean war, through Vietnam, and even NASA. With several modifications I think is was call the B-57 Canberra in North America.

Nice to see it coming together....

Indeed - it was the Martin B-57 and RB-57, built under license by the Glenn. L. Martin company. Used extensively in the Vietnam war. The type left US Military service in 1985 whilst we retired the last of our Canberra's in 2006. NASA still have three WB-57 variants in use for high altitude research/satellite calibration - amongst other things.....

[Tomcat64]

Great work on another older kit - I remember building one of these back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Best wishes for Mrs Ranger - hoping the pain meds kick in and give her some relief

[RangerNeil]

Underside is done in Light Aircraft Grey. Can't see it in the photo but I goofed and the airbrush got too close around the nosewheel and puddled the paint so its going to need sanding and touching in once dry.


The orange in the photo is the prop Airfix provide in the kit to stop it tail sitting as there's nowhere to put enough weight forwards of the main undercarriage due to the interior cabin parts and the glazed nose!!

[RangerNeil]

Upper surfaces have had the first coat of Dark Sea Grey applied by brush. Hataka Blue Line works well this way followed by a sprayed finishing coat which will be done tomorrow.

[Stokesy44]

Looks good but I'm curious, why spray over a brush coat? Seems counter-intuitive to me.

Colour me intrigued

[RangerNeil]

Looks good but I'm curious, why spray over a brush coat? Seems counter-intuitive to me.

Colour me intrigued

Might just be me seeing things screwball but - I find spraying can require or 4 coats and has been known to lift the edge of masking tape. Whereas if I apply the first coat by brush it only needs a quick waft with the airbrush to get a good finish. Plus the brush seals the edge over the masking tape so the airbrush doesn't lift it.
Probably totally cock-eyed - but it works for me!
So - this is the finished Dark Sea Gray top coat and canopy. The nose canopy will be done once in situ so it matches the main scheme. Letting it dry overnight as the weather is rather damp here and I don't want to risk losing patches of grey when the panzer putty goes on to mask for the Green.

[RangerNeil]

A bit more progress today - the Canberra was "masked off" with Panzer putty ready to apply the Dark Green overlay:


And then the Dark Green was applied:




This is being allowed to dry overnight then tomorrow the wing tip tanks get painted together with some small details and then it will be gloss varnish time followed by the decals.

[Stokesy44]

Nicely done Sir

[Kevthemodeller]

Looking good

[RangerNeil]

Looking good

Thank you for the kind words!!

Decals are now on, wasn't until the upper wing roundels went on that I noticed they are very slightly out of register! Damned annoying but I'll have to live with it Tail cockades and the red emergency tools one were the same.
The other annoyyance was the yellow dashed line decals came as 4 long strips that had to be cut to length to suit!
Leaving these to dry overnight them tomorrow a coat of satin varnish all over followed by final assembly..

[Stokesy44]

Looking good with the decals on. There are milestones with an aircraft build, one of them is when the decals go on. They add character and make the build come alive.

[RangerNeil]

OK - calling the Canberra done now. It's had a coat of satin varnish, the undercarriage, armaments and glazing are all on. Not been too bad a build given the age of the kit, actually quite enjoyable. My only gripe is that yellow dashed lining on the wings was supplied as 4 continuous lengths that had to be measured -carefully - and cut to size. These days it would either be 4 pieces per wing top and bottom or 1 complete decal on its own. Still, hasn't turned out too bad I think.

[Kevthemodeller]

Very nice, lovely clean build

[DRUMS01]

Two thumbs up for for you!

[Stokesy44]

Two thumbs up for for you!

Is that a Nixon joke?

[Stokesy44]

looks good with the decals on, despite their issues.

[Quax]

for an old girl she turned out great

Paul

[digger303]

Very sleek and slick.

[RangerNeil]

Thanks for the kind words folks - really are much appreciated.