1/32nd scale Avro Shackleton - scratchbuild project

[mozart]

A critical section as you say Tom towards the achieving the correct overall look of the Shack but you've certainly come up trumps with it.  I'm contemplating the best way to do my Anson canopy, Evergreen strip placed over a balsa mould is one option.

Max

[brahman104]

Excellent progress Tom! Your handiwork on the canopy definitely paid off; as someone that's gone through several iterations of trying to achieve the right "look," I know exactly what you mean!

 

Can't really see any obstacle as being too hard for you

 

Craig

[XOPCT]

an ambitious project and excellent performance.
I take my hat in admiration

(грандиозный проект и превоÑходное иÑполнение.
в воÑхищении Ñнимаю шлÑпу)

[Scotsman]

Tom.. I've got a bone to pick with you , and your builds,

 

You come here , and pretend that these builds are within the ability of anyone with a skip load of styrene, 10 Gallons of Primer filler, and a few dozed knives.. when you know very well that the models you build are works of the highest standard, with a level of building that at times is barely credible for mere mortals such as us.

 

Just stop it will you , smear a paint job , mis engrave a panel line, something, anything to give us poor kit bashers hope that some day we could get to within 100 miles of your ability ...

 

Now with tongue out of cheek -- what can I say .. another astonishing piece of work .. we sit as students at the feet of the master , ( well I do at least)

 

ColinR

 

 

 

 

[chukw]

Absolutely delightful!  Your work is so sharp- cheers!

[tomprobert]

Cheers for the kind words chaps 

 

There won't be much to report for a while as I'm off to France for a school leavers' trip and then it's head first into end of year reports - oh the joys.

[allthumbs]

I love these ambitious builds...another stunner in the making.

 

I ran across this old girl recently at the Pima Air Museum in Arizona (USA). Up close, it's a very impressive aircraft - brutish yet elegant, if that's possible!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Rich

[tomprobert]

I haven't had any time at the bench to work on this project, but thought I'd share some 3D printing that's been helping with this build...
 
I'm indebted to Kev67 for his help here - he's done some beautiful prints of the main wheels:
 

 
And the engine nacelles, exhausts and spinners:
 

 
And after a gentle sand and priming:
 

 

 
In sort, this'll save a whole lot of complex scratch-building 
 
Tom

[Chek]

This accessible;e 3-D printing lark is rapidly entering game changer territory....

[ClumsyDude]

Wow ... just when you thought that some decent skills with styrene and brass would get you 90% there ...

 

This stuff is amazing. I am really looking forward to what'll happen as this stuff gets into the commercial world - look at what Norbert's done with his amazing Reedoak figures. Amazing time to be alive and modelling!

 

Jim

[tomprobert]

Nosing around - Part I:

 

Afternoon all - time for a long over-due update on the Shackleton project...

 

I've recently been focusing on the nose section where the observer/gunner sat:

 

 

On the AEW2s the 20mm cannon were removed but the seat remained. This was on a stilt-like structure which was raised above the bombaimer's window below, which when in it's MR2 guise gave him access to the bomb sight fitted below. I scratch-built this from plastic card and Milliput, and pictures showed some nice leather upholstery so stitching was replicated with a rivet wheel while the Milliput was still wet:

 

 

With the interior of the nose being black, and very little being visible with the seat in situ, I haven't bothered to detail this area and it would be a waste of time. Here's a test fitting of the seat which sat below the transparency:

 

 

Next I made a roof section for the flattish area on the top of the nose from 1mm plastic card, and added the more curved sides from plastic card 'planks':

 

 

This was then blended in with automotive filler:

 

 

After this was all sanded smooth I began working on the upper fairing:

 

More 'planking':

 

 

Part II to follow...

[tomprobert]

Nosing around - Part II:

 

An initial sand to remove any rough edges:

 

 

More automotive filler:

 

 

Halford's filler-primer applied and a good rub down with some fine grade sandpaper:

 

 

And finally I had a passable resemblance to the real thing:

 

 

 

Slowly but surely, what started out as a 'let's give this a go and see how we get on project' is starting to come together:

 

 

 

The gun turret itself still needs to made, but that can wait for another day.

 

Until next time...

 

Tom

[alaninaustria]

What an outstanding scratch building tutorial!!

Cheers

Alan

[monthebiff]

Brilliant progress, inspirational scratch building work!!

 

Regards. Andy

[Shawn M]

outstanding work