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HpH Supermarine Walrus - Operation Torch - 1942


Out2gtcha

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Thanks Mirek!  I will keep that in mind.

 

This really is a beautiful kit, and I started it the same way I generally do with all my resin kits, with a good dunking in Westleys Bleche Wite - This is quite caustic, and can stand to be diluted, so I used a former zip tie container, and some tupper ware to house all the resin parts including the wings and fuse.

This does a wonderful job of getting rid of any grease, grim, and mold release agents present. I will let these soak for a few days at least:

 

 

 

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Although it looks like a barbers comb container, it worked out well to hold the large and long fuse:

 

 

 

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Tiz all for now guys. HOPEFULLY some actual build progress soon...............

 

Cheers!

 

I'm sorry to step in with bad news but your kit is serious flawed. You should return it :crying:

 

Look: The Walrus is an amphib and supposed to stay afloat, while your one submerges immediatly... :help:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really sad.

 

:rofl:

 

 

Keep on building! :thumbsup:

- dutik

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wow

 

such lovely details and nice casting.....I am sure it would have cost a bomb.....great progress Brian ......will be tracking your progress and awaiting to see the final product.....

 

HpH got some beautiful subjects.......always wanted the Beagle ......but shy away at the last minute. One day I will take the plunge .....

 

rgds

mr b

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Haha! nice...............thanks guys. yes Dutik, I will attempt to make sure mine is water tight before completion..............or at least water resistant.

 

 

On to a bit of actual building progress!  FINALLY.  Although, with the first stages of builds like this (highly complex resin kits) they do make you work for it. In this case all of the internal bulkheads and ribs are on a thin sheet of resin, and they all have to be cut out, and everything has a bit of flash on it to be sanded or smoothed...........................this really is not that big of a deal..............its just part of every resin kit, and if you build them, something you will just have to come to terms with.  Just part of the game.

 

 

In this case it was slightly more tedious than normal, since a lot of the interior would be integrally structural rather than aesthetic.  But first.......................

 

 

I had to christen the build!!

19,497.635 miles and god knows how long in storage at HpH then Hannants, but still...........

 

Mmmmmmmmmm

 

 

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Got all the parts out of the Bleche Wite, and washed them one by one with soap and water, including every single little part and piece. BIG kit, although it doesnt look like it from this layout:

 

 

 

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Took me 3-5 hrs or so of just tedious cutting, sanding and smoothing, but got all the ribs and one bulkhead cut out:

 

 

 

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I got a good start on cutting out all of the fuselage openings and gluing in the front 5 or 6 ribs (read in 12 total ribs, one for each side). I also filled a bit of a small gap around the top of the rear cockpit bulkhead. HpH provide some nice OOB detail in here, including the steps the front gunner stands on:

 

 

 

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I also got in my Gaspatch 1/32nd Vickers 7.7 model K machine guns:

 

 

 

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Looking at my own documentation, I came to the quick conclusion that the OOB Vickers model K machine guns from HpH were unusually inaccurate and not very well molded. This is the exception to the rule, rather than the rules, as most parts I have found to be very well molded and accurate.

 

This Vickers model K however is not the case. You can see here a picture from the HpH documentation provided in the kit, and a subsequent comparison to the OOB K model Vickers VS the Gaspatch K model:

 

 

 

VickersK_Walrus.jpg

 

 

 

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There really is no comparison, as the GP Vickers are extraordinarily well molded, especially for resin, and the handle and barrel are accurate for the Vickers K on the Walrus.

 

Well Im off back to the man cave for some more rib fitting!

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

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Guest Peterpools

HI Brian

You're off to a great start and looking forward to enjoying the build. The detail of the GP Vicker's MG is surely beautifully molded.

I'll be joining you in the bi-plane resin build arena once I finish the Sea Fury with Silver Wing's Curtiss P-6E Hawk.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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Guy, Peter, thanks for dropping in on me! This one will be a long journey, but worthwhile IMHO. It will be by far the most complex paint job I've ever attempted, and things are slow going atm due to the nature of the molding on the resin parts.

Hopefully more progress this week/weekend.

Cheers!

Edited by Out2gtcha
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Guest Peterpools

Brian

I'll be with you through the entire journey and looking forward to each and every update

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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What sort of references are you using on this beast? I just checked, and it seems I only have three references on the Walrus, MMP/Stratus, Osprey and Hall Park. Given your "thing" for planes that float, I imagine this too will be a real stunner.

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Hi Brian,

 

The chocolate hasn't lasted long in my HPH kits either. How's the fit of the parts?

 

I'm working (slowly) on the Silverwings Bristol Bulldog and am learning to make sure everything fits before even thinking about glue. Having said that, I enjoy the process of building a resin kit, even though there is a lot more work involved.

 

I'd also like to know if anyone could suggest a cleaner available in NZ that would be suitable for resin. Dave J, what will you use for your big Cat?

 

Thanks for the help. I always enjoy your builds.

 

Paul

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Peter, Justin, Dave, K2, Paul, thanks for the kind words of encouragement, and for looking in on me.  :D

 

 

 

What did you use to clean up the ribs?

 

I am waiting to pull out my Catalina... soon!

 

 

 

I found using a straight razor blade worked best for me, as I could keep it really flat, and sort of "scrape" it along the edges of the ribs so that each rib maintained its 90 deg angles on the edge of each rib, allowing it to seat like it should.

 

Any cleanup was done with a stiff metal file, as to continue to maintain the edges flat surface.

 

 

 

 

What sort of references are you using on this beast? I just checked, and it seems I only have three references on the Walrus, MMP/Stratus, Osprey and Hall Park. Given your "thing" for planes that float, I imagine this too will be a real stunner.

 

 

Thanks K2

I had our own PhilB go down to take pics of the Walrus at (??????? Dont remember where he snapped them at in the UK) and ended up having a TON of great pics. Surprisingly enough, HpH also provide some great pics of the 1:1 as well............or at least enough for me.  I should really get better about picking up references and as you pointed out, I could use some floaty plane pics and documentation as this definitely wont be my last sea/float plane.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Brian,

 

The chocolate hasn't lasted long in my HPH kits either. How's the fit of the parts?

 

I'm working (slowly) on the Silverwings Bristol Bulldog and am learning to make sure everything fits before even thinking about glue. Having said that, I enjoy the process of building a resin kit, even though there is a lot more work involved.

 

I'd also like to know if anyone could suggest a cleaner available in NZ that would be suitable for resin. Dave J, what will you use for your big Cat?

 

Thanks for the help. I always enjoy your builds.

 

Paul

 

 

Hey Paul thanks,

 

Ive got the SW Gladdie, He-51,as well as their new Boeing model 75, and have their P-6E on my wish list for SURE. The chocolate was probably much fresher when the kit was made but was still delicious. So far the fit of the ribs is excellent, even with some amount of flash.

 

 

 

 

 

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There's two sets of walkaround photos on the site, some by me, the others by Phil, of the Walrus at Cosford in that London.

 

Good catch on the Vickers, the one at the front is different on the Cosford example, but no doubt the best they had to hand. You going to scratchbuild the bombsight? - looks a piece of cake...  :whistle:

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