174 Sqn Typhoon up-date, 1/32nd scale.

[Airframes]

This is not intended as a GB entry, but, as it's a 'D-Day' striped Typhoon, and topical, I thought I'd commence this update now, in this section. Hopefully, it might also benefit Daniel (109 Roaming), who is intending to carry out a similar conversion.
This is a conversion from the 1/32nd scale Revell 'car door' Typhoon, which I built back in 1989, and never did get around to finishing properly!
It had always been the intention to mount the 60lb RP's and rails to the model, as 174 Sqn were rocket equipped; however, just as I reached that stage in the build, the only available aftermarket RP's, in white metal, were discontinued! Consequently, as a temporary measure, I mounted the kit-supplied bombs instead.
Having recently purchased a set of resin RP's, and a four-bladed prop, from MDC (Model Design Construction), I can now finally complete the conversion, whilst at the same time correcting and improving a few areas of the model, and giving it a bl**dy good 'spring clean' - afterall, it's been standing gathering dust for twenty years!!
So, a little bit about the model itself, just to set the scene.
The fuselage sides around the cockpit and car doors were 'plated' with plastic card and then filled as required to provide a single 'skin', as per the 'teardrop' Typhoon, eliminating the door openings and a rather irksome, though slight, depression along the fuselage at this area. This depression is very similar to the shape of the 'insert' found on the Hasegawa 1/48th Typhoon kits, and I always wondered if Revell had intended to release a 'teardrop' version at some point which, AFAIK, they never did. (strange they haven't re-released the kit again too - yet.)
The kit-supplied cockpit is actually quite good, with the basic 'tubular' framework included, but this was enhanced by some scratch-building, particularly around the seat and the pilot's armour plate, and the addition of switches, taps, brackets and levers etc.
There is a fair representation of the big Napier engine, with removable cowling panels, but this was hidden by the closed cowlings on my example, and extra detail added around the radiator and oil cooler inlet, and also at the exit vent for this. The landing gear struts and wheel bays received some scratch-built detail and, the final fuselage modification, a 'teardrop' canopy was moulded, and 'temporarily' fitted, the intention being, eventually, to have this posed open.
As this aircraft, in the MN serial range, had the slightly larger Tempest tailplane (horizontal stabiliisor), and a four bladed propellor, I had, at this stage, reached another slight stumbling block, inasmuch that those aftermarket accessories had also been disscontinued! So, slightly disgruntled, the model was completed with the 'standard' tailplane and prop, and then brush painted. The decals are a mixture of kit decals, and a few from the spares box, plus 'Letraset' rub-down letters and numbers for the serial number, whilst the code letters were hand-painted free-hand.
And so it has remained, for a touch over twenty years, until now!
And now, 'The Plan'!
The first job will be to give the model a really good clean, and then review the surafce detail and condition.
If it is possible to alter the tailplane without damaging the rest of the model, then this will be done. If not, the overall difference in dimensions will hardly be noticed - I hope - but the reinforcing 'fishplates' around the tail - unit joint will need to be removed anyway.
Next, the home-moulded canopy will be removed, as will the bombs and pylons, and the undersides of the wing prepared for the rocket launcing rails. Very small holes had already been drilled here, to serve as markers for the attachment points of the rails, which should make life a bit easier. I have yet to decide whether or not to make a new canopy, this time in the open position, but either way, the model will be re-painted in some areas, and some new stencil and serial number decals made and applied, and possibly new code letters, if the hand-painted examples become damaged.
Once all that's done, the very nice MDC rockets and rails will be carefully assembled, painted and fitted, followed by the huge, four bladed prop. The latter will take a little thought, as some modification to the prop shaft (on the model) will be required, in order to utilise the moulded-in shaft of the resin prop hub.
Minor detail will then be attended to, some of which will entail close study of film footage of 174 Sqn aircraft, in order to ascertain, for example, if the landing lamps were faired , a common feature on RP Tiffies, to prevent scorching of the lenses.
Given that all goes to plan, the model should then be a more accurate representation of MN371, XP-A, as it would have looked at Bazenville, France, in July 1944.
The pics below show how the model looks at present, and the MDC resin parts.
Thanks for your interest, and I'll post an up-date soon.

[Airframes]

I've finally made a start, and also decided to totally change the identity, and re-paint the model, with new codes and serials, as the original brushe-painted finish looked rather tired and worn after cleaning.
PIC 1. The first task was to record and catalougue details of the various stencils on the airframe, as these will need to be replaced by home-made decals.
PIC 2. The bombs and pylons, which were only tacked in plave, had to be removed, along with all the delicate parts such as antennas and step. the landing gear is to complex to remove without damaging it, so will be masked during clean-up and re-paint.
PIC 3. The first pylon removed, with the area ready for clean-up. Just discernible in this shot are the tiny pilot holes for the rocket rail mounting points.
PIC 4. the prop shaft will ned to be removed, and a hole drilled thriough into the engine block, to accepth the shaft moulded onto the back of the repalcement, four blade prop. A dust filter will also be fabricated and fitted to the oil cooler intake, in the centre of the 'chin' radiator. These were essential for operations from dusty strips during the Normandy campaign.
PIC 5. One of the landing lamps, which will be faired over and painted.
Next step is to thoroughly clean the model, before lightly sanding and applying a promer coat, ready for re-spraying in fresh camoufalge colours.
Thanks for looking, and I'll pst another update soon.

[vikingBerserker]

This is going to be VERY interesting!

[rochie]

good stuff Terry

[Wayne Little]

Have fun Terry!

[Vic Balshaw]

Quite a challenge your setting yourself here T, good luck mate and you can be assured I'll pop in from time to time to see how your progressing.

[Wurger]

With all here Terry.

[Airframes]

Thanks guys. Should have some more in a few days.

[r2800doublewasp]

Looks great so far! I am gonna be honest- from my point of view it already looks fantastic, but if youre gonna make it better thats fine with me. Good job

[Airframes]

Thanks Jack, very nice of you to say so.
Not much to photograph at the moment, as it's mostly 'destructive construction', preparing the lower wings for the RP rails. I need to prepare mounting points, so that the rails can be fitted after the model is repainted, plus plan some other areas which will need carefull handling. It's a bit awkward, with the landing gear still in place, but I should have some progress shots soon.

[Airframes]

Sorry for the lack of up-dates, the Messerschmitt 'restoration' went on longer than I anticipated.
The model has now been sanded down, after a thorough degreasing, and is almost ready to be re-painted. Whilst working out the best way to mount the new resin prop and spinner, I carefully removed one of the engine cowling panles, which looks like it will 'clip' back in place quite nicely, making it possible to display the starboard side of the engine when or if required. I'd forgotten that the kit's representation of the huge Napier Sabre engine is quite good, and I'm considering adding some scratch-built detail to this now - after all, I've got 1,200 metres of copper wire to use up!
At present, the model is looking sorry for itself, with flatted paintwork and decals, but I'll post some pics of the re-painting process soon. I've decided on an entirely new identity for the Typhoon, which will be from one of two from squadrons which served with 2 TAF, but retained the 'Sky' spinner, rather than the normal black item associared with the Tactical Air Force. To this end, I've purchased the Xtradecal 1/32nd scale sheets for the 24 inch 'Sky' code letters, which seem an odd dark shade to me, especially when compared to that company's 1/48th scale version of the same decals. But, time will tell, and I'm sure I'll be able to do something to match the colour with the tail band and spinner.
I should have some pics posted either very late tonight, or sometime tomorrow.
Thanks again for your interest.

[Airframes]

OK, here's a few pics of the work done so far.
PIC 1 Is how the model looks, with all small items such as antenna and gun bay doors removed, and the paintwork cleaned and sanded down. The landing gear was a bit tricky to remove without damaging it, and is quite sturdy, so this will be carefully wrapped in foil or cling-film, and masked during the re-painting.
PIC 2. The areas for the RP rail pick-up points are being scraped down to the bare plastic, to ensure a clean and firm joint when the resin rails are eventually fitted. When done, the small rectangles of cleared area will be masked.
PIC 3. The engine, 're-discovered' under the removed cowling section. This will have engine bearers made and fitted, and some other detail added, so that it can be displayed if required.
PIC 4. The original kit was issued as the 'car door' version, and had a moulding depression along the central part of the fuselage, around the cockpit, not unlike the insert area on the Haegawa 1/48th scale kit. This was possibly something related to the eventual release of a 'bubbletop' version, which never did appear. The depression was sanded down when the model was first built, but still showed feintly after painting, when it was too late to rectify further! It has now been totally removed, and the fueselage should now look even across its length.
PIC 5. The 'bubble' canopy was home made, being moulded from clear plastic sheet, and this has now been carefully removed, revealing the scratch-built gunsight in the cockpit. I can't remember how I attached the canopy and blended it to the fuselage, but it was stuck like sh** to a blanket!! This will either be cut to pose in the open position, or possibly be replaced by a vac-form item from Squadron, also posed open, which wasn't around when the model was first built.
PIC 6. With the canopy removed, it's possible to get a glimpse of some of the scratch-built detail in the cockpit which, for some unknown reason, I painted in Cockpit Green. Apart from the seat and some framing, It should be predominantly black, at least on the side walls anyway, and I'll attempt to rectify this when the time comes.
So, the next job is to clean the model again, and then mask the neccessary areas, before spraying overall in a light grey primer.
Thanks again for your interest, and I'll post another up-date soon.

[Crimea_River]

Good going Terry. Looks like it's been through the ringer! Should be entertaining getting the engine mounts in.

Can you tell me how you molded that canopy or point me to a "how-to" link?

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy. The canopy was moulded by carving, sealing and polishing a balsa 'male', then pushing it through clear plastic sheet fastened to a 'female' mould template, after heating the sheet until it becomes ...er...floppy!
I've been meaning to post a tutorial on how to do this for some time, so I'll try to get it done soon, as I may have to mould some clear and 'solid' parts for other projects.

[109ROAMING]

Thanks for the thread T , looking good mate. Look forward to more on it