Iconicair Supermarine Attacker FINISHED.

[Scale32]

[Jankowski]

Wow great work, 

[ericg]

Thanks!

 

More work. I wanted to depict the wings extended to give an overall impression of the size and unique shape of the aircraft. I am not a huge fan of folding the wings on my models as you lose the look of the real thing in its flying form. Although this would save a bit of space in my bursting at the seams display cabinets it was extended wings for me.

 

The kit comes with some resin pegs to position the wings folded or extended and are a nice fit bit I needed to glue the wings in place and wanted to make the fit a bit more refined. I also needed to make the join stronger to avoid it snapping off if the model was picked up by the wingtip as it is now fairly heavy. As can be seen, there isn’t a whole lot of surface area to hold the two parts together.

 

 

The first thing I did was make the peg significantly stronger by drilling and inserting brass rod along its length.

 

 

I then drilled  a hole into one of the sides of the aileron and inserted a short piece of brass rod that had been sharpened to a point that sat just proud of the surface. This then enabled me to push the parts together, leaving a small mark (just visible) on the other side of the aileron.

 

 

The short rod was removed and replaced with a longer piece and a hole drilled where the mark was. As I am using superglue to assemble the model, there is very limited time to locate parts against each other. Not only does the brass rod provide greater strength across the join, but it allows precise alignment of parts whilst assembling them given the short period of time that superglue allows for fixing errors!

 

url=https://ericgalliers.smugmug.com/Attacker/i-9srVLpF/A][/url]

 

The wing tips joined to the wings. They join up O.K ish , but as is the short run nature of the kit, some rescribing of panel lines was required so that everything lines up. I didn’t want to re scribe the wing where it folds through the original joint, so I scribed a new line very close to it so that I wasn’t running my scriber through superglue and resin.

 

url=https://ericgalliers.smugmug.com/Attacker/i-wmKpNb6/A][/url]

 

 

[ericg]

Now that the majority of the major work has been completed it was time to start to focus on some of the smaller details. Close examination of photos reveal details that by themselves are no big deal but combined will certainly add a lot of realism to the model.

 

Not sure what role it performs,  but there is a small round circle under the cockpit represented with an engraved line on the kit. Most pics show this to be inset and not flush with the fuselage skin.

 

 

I drilled it out and installed a flat disk punched from plastic card.

 

 

The next detail that I wanted to add was the small fold out step used to gain access to the cockpit. Like most tail draggers, entry is by climbing up over the wing and this step is right where it’s needed. Represented on the kit by a nicely engraved panel.

 

 

I chiseled out the hole required 

 

 

I made the step by filing down some brass plate and added the outer cover from thin aluminium window blind shaped to exactly fit the previously chiseled out hole.

 

 

Dry fitted

 

 

A small but important detail that will bring the model to life.

 

[Out2gtcha]

Cool stuff. I love using brass and the like for smaller details like that step.    Will be a very unique model when done. 

[ericg]

I put this model aside to concentrate on finishing my Boomerang. Now that project was completed, I am onto getting this one finished.My first task was to `lock in' the MK. number that I am intending on doing by filling and removing the 4 vents on the rear of the fuselage near the exhaust pipe that belong to a F.2/FB.2. This model will now represent an F.1. 

 

After sanding the wing to fuselage join, I masked up the fairing that covers the wing root and sprayed it with MRP fine surface primer to build up that panel and give it the appearance of an overlapping panel.

 

 

 

 

I did a few small fixes and then primed the model with Tamiya fine surface primer, directly from the spray can. I have marked the model with lead pencil, identifying many small areas that will need rectification before paint. 

 

 

More soon.

[LSP_Ray]

Nice work as usual, Eric. Looks like an Attacker now.

[ericg]

Cheers Ray.

 

Some more work.

 

The kit comes with resin inserts to simulate the parachute pack and seat cushion, with photo etch belts. I reckon these were going to look a bit stiff so have started to create my own, adding a lot of extra detail to the seat. Here is the photo I am working off.

 

 

I built up the pack and cushions from Tamiya two part epoxy and sculpted them in place. I will add some more detail before adding the belts.

 

 

The large belly tank is a major feature of the model and could do with some extra detail. I added raised rivets to the entire circumference of the tank using Archer resin/decals. 

 

 

I painted the bottom of the model using black surface primer up to where the demarcation between the two paint colours will be, followed by pre shading the the top surface panel lines.

 

 

 

I mottled the base MRP sky colour

 

 

Followed by 3 or so highly thinned coats to leave only a small amount of the mottling visible. This assists to break up the solid colour.

 

 

I have gone for a slight change in MK. No. As I really could pass up on the red nosed aircraft. I discovered that early model F.B MK.2’s had most of the features that I was looking for.

 

The top side was masked and painted MRP Extra dark sea grey, with the red nose masked and painted Gunze ‘red madder’.

 

 

[Simmo.b]

Wow!! Great progress!

[Out2gtcha]

Nice! Those are the exact MRP colors Im going to need for my Torbeau TF Mk X.   Well done 

[Kagemusha]

Very nice, as per, Eric, great to see something out of the ordinary.

[Troy Molitor]

I certainly agree.  Something out of the ordinary and must welcomed.  Thanks for sharing this with us Eric.   

 

Troy 

[LSP_Ray]

That is turning out very nice, Eric!

[Breaker]

to my eyes eric, your marbling needs a bit more blending, in some areas it's a bit too 'obvious' and I'm not sure it'll fade that much with subsequent weathering/clears. 

[ericg]

Cheers guys.

6 hours ago, Breaker said:

to my eyes eric, your marbling needs a bit more blending, in some areas it's a bit too 'obvious' and I'm not sure it'll fade that much with subsequent weathering/clears. 

Thanks for your input Breaker, much appreciated. I do have my eyes on the marbling showing through and am blending it in with further post shading and effects.

 

Finally decided on a particular aircraft, WP304 of 803 sqn whilst it was embarked upon HMS Eagle during the early 50’s. It didn’t last too long after this photo was taken.

 

 

I made up the 109, J and the roundels on my mask cutter and sprayed them. I will do the underwing serials, and the smaller stuff a bit later.