BarryW's Hawker Typhoon Airfix 1:24

[Ian M]

This is seriously making me want one.

Great work Barry

Ian M

[Guest]

Barry thats great stuff,getting all those seams filled in with little colateral damage to the surrounding fine detail ! Nicely done Sir!

[flyjoe180]

Nice work Barry, enjoying watching this come together.

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Barry

Been away for a while (decorating) and I'm just catching up with the builds.

Fabulous work on the big Tiffy - the cockpit does indeed look the dog's doodahs! This build is really making me want to start my Typhoon now (but this won't be started until at least the summer now). Your build log will prove really useful and thanks for the heads up on the fit issues etc. You've tackled these issues really well and I'm really looking forward to seeing this excellent model finished.

All the best

Paul

[BarryW]

Thanks everyone. Made a bit more progress

I was surprised to find that the cockpit side panels are a poor fit and that can only be down to Airfix. I had to cement in sections with starting tight into one corner making sure it was flush, then when dry cementing into the other corner and when that was dry apply pressure to bring the top into position to cement flush in place.

[ATTACH]98737.IPB[/ATTACH]


At one point I used cellotape to hold it in place as show because I needed its strength but cellotape and cement do not mix therefore I kept the two well apart!!

[ATTACH]98738.IPB[/ATTACH]


There is a bit of a gap that will need a smear of putty. Again I don't think sanding will be needed just the cotton bud dipped in ipa.

Some shots of the inside with one wall on before I cement the other in place

[ATTACH]98739.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]98740.IPB[/ATTACH]


According the instructions as below I am supposed to fit a piece before attaching the other wall. It looks easy, it is not!!! After a lot of fiddling and trial I decided I can fit it after the other sidewall is on through the top.

[ATTACH]98741.IPB[/ATTACH]


So here it is with the other sidewall fitted. Again it was a poor fit and I had to decide where to have the gap. I close the bottom as again a smear of filler and an ipa clean up should suffice.

[ATTACH]98742.IPB[/ATTACH]


As you can see it will still have some clean up between the panels to do.

[ATTACH]98743.IPB[/ATTACH]


That is it for now

Worth adding that the dirt on the footrests in the cockpit is AKI european Earth pigment. I also used some dust effects wash. Together they look very effective to the naked eye.

[spanner570]

The cockpit looks excellent Barry.

However, considering the hoo hah, and publicity this kit was receiving before release, I'm quite shocked at the poor fit, forcing far too much remedial work - which you are making a superb job of, so top marks to you for perseverance.

Considering the cost of the kit, I would have expected a far better quality model emerging from the box.

My comments are not a criticism of your excellent workmanship ( I'm sure the end result will be terrific ) just an observation of the far too much extra work that should really not have been necessary.

Ron

[BarryW]

Ron - sometimes I have found kits that really fight you but this is not one of them... Despite the issues this kit really wants to get built and the problems are all minor in the scheme of things. Do not let anything I have said put you off one of these, it really is a joy.

[Vaughan]

Barry I tend to agree with Ron after all the hype about this model you would expect a better fit I can see you have over come these problems but all the same I can see what appears to be a miss alinement at the front where the canopy will fit. Good luck with the rest of the build.

[Guest]

That's a great-looking cockpit Barry, the detail really brings it to life.

For the best part of 100 nicker, I'm disappointed with the fit - Airfix are dropping the ball badly here.

But sometimes the ones that take the most fetteling are the most satisfying once finally finished.

[BarryW]

I mentioned in another thread that I suspect that this soft plastic can have a tendency to shrink in the mold which would explain the fit issues and the 'dirty' sprues so to speak. With these large kits this matters more than with 1/72 or even 1/48 scale simply because of the size of the parts and more complex engineering.

[papa 695]

Just caught up on this one Barry some very impressive work looking good

[BarryW]

I have painted the area around the cockpit with Vallejo black primer to check the seams. This is because when I spray the main primer coat I will be masking the cockpit area with a spare canopy and need to deal with this first.

[ATTACH]98839.IPB[/ATTACH]


As you can see I am now in the process of treating those seams along with a couple of others.

I have also been getting on with sub assemblies and once again some issues have arisen.

[ATTACH]98840.IPB[/ATTACH]


Issues include some sinkage on the rockets

[ATTACH]98841.IPB[/ATTACH]


And on the prop.

I finished some extensive sanding on the wheels to correct the fit issues. But then found another more unforgivable issue.

The main wheel axles looked as if they had some flash but it was rather more than flash it was some very poor quality molding. It made the axles way too big and I had to do some extensive sanding, not just a touch to ease the fit, a lot of surplus plastic had to be removed and the axles reduced quite significantly in size. I had great difficulty on getting pics of this on my iPhone and needed a better camera to do so but I think you can at least get an idea of the amount of sanding I had to do from this pic.

[ATTACH]98842.IPB[/ATTACH]


It would be interesting to see if the others of you with this kit have the same issue and whether I just have a rogue kit.

[spanner570]

Barry, yes, this last episode, along with the others is unforgivable....Due to it's relatively large size, I could half accept a wonky panel, but this undercarriage, rockets and prop. issue is totally unacceptable. O.K. on an early release, in the bag, 1/72 kit, but not a model of this scale and well reported so called quality.

Surely such a gross error as the axle stubs would have been spotted on the prototype and then corrected?

It's just not fair having payed serious money, to find it really seems to be an average kit.

If I had to go through what you are at the minute, a very strong email would be going off to Airfix............

Yes, it would be interesting to see if others have the same issue - I suspect they will.

I'm sure the end result will be right, but to fight it to get there is wrong.

Ron

[Dave W]

[ATTACH]98868.IPB[/ATTACH]

Barry.Have you seen the Rockets that 'Master' sell for this kit?

[BarryW]

[ATTACH]100435[/ATTACH] Barry.Have you seen the Rockets that 'Master' sell for this kit?

Thanks Dave

I will take a look