1:32 scale - Port Victoria P.V.7 'Grain Kitten'

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The four wing support struts supplied in the kit do not have internal support rods, as the upper wing, although solid resin, is small and therefore light weight.
Normally I would use the kit supplied struts. However one of the struts was missing the locating pin at one end.
Possibly it could have been drilled and pinned, but I decided to replace all four struts with micro-tube and internal support rods.
As before, I used the 'Strutter' tool to create aerofoil sections from 1.2 mm diameter micro-tube with internal 0.5 mm rod supports.
The rods were soft soldered in the aerofoils sections,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The four wings struts have been test fitted.
Now it's on to making the four fuselage to upper wing cabane struts,

 

Mike

 

[LSP_Ray]

That is looking good!

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The four fuselage to upper wing cabane struts have now been created, using the same method as for the four inter plane struts.
Being resin and small, the upper wing tends to flex slightly in the centre section, which is why it is slightly clear of the cabane struts.
When finally fitted it will seat fully onto the struts, 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[scvrobeson]

Now I need someone to come up with a WIF version of this with a bunch of these attached to an O/100 as parasite fighters.

 

 

Always excellent work on these resin kits, especially fixing them to strengthen them.

 

 

Matt 

[sandbagger]

Hi Matt,

I guess if they had continued developing these aircraft that might have been option.

If fact they were designed to be launched from pontoons towed behind ships, to intercept Zeppelins over the Channel before they reached the English coast.

Something later tried with Sopwith Camels,

 

Mike  

Edited May 1, 2020 by sandbagger

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The only weapon intended to be fitted to this aircraft was a Lewis machine gun, fitted over the centre cut-out of the upper wing.
However there are no photographs or details of this weapon fitted to the PV.7 and the kit does not supply any weapons for this model.
The only comparison I could find were photographs of a Lewis machine gun fitted on the Port Victoria PV.8, the  ‘Eastchurch Kitten’. 
The Lewis machine gun fitted to the PV.8 was offset to the right, presumably to allow easier access to the cockpit for the pilot.
As can be seen on the following photographs of the PV.7, there is what appears to be the front mounting for a Lewis machine gun, located on the forward centre line of the wing.

 

Therefore I decided to fit an aftermarket gun.  In this instance it was the Lewis Mk.II (13-32056) from ‘Gaspatch’.

I drilled through the pivot mounting point of the Lewis, then modified a swivel mount from my spares box.
That was also drilled through and a 0.4 mm diameter tube was inserted through both to allow the gun to pivot on the mounting.
The front support for the gun is 0.5 mm diameter tube, secured into the upper wing then flattened with pliers.

 

Mike

 

Port Victoria PV.8 'Eastchurch Kitten' (Ser No.540).

 

 

 

Port Victoria PV.7 'Grain Kitten' (Ser No.539).

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The undercarriage strut assembly has been fitted.
I had to shorten the span of the axle fairing as it was too long, causing the two undercarriage struts to spread too far apart at the bottom.
This meany cutting off the pre-moulded stub axles, so those were added afterwards using 0.5 mm diameter rod.
Another problem is that the material used to mould the undercarriage parts seems to be neither styrene or normal resin.
Whatever it is the finish is moulded smooth and hard and the parts will not join using CA adhesive.
In the end I resorted to using two part epoxy adhesive, which did the trick,
Locating holes needed to be drilled into the underside of the fuselage as they're were none,

 

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Thought it was about time for an update.
The model has now been primed and painted, using 'AK Interactive' white primer and filler, 'Hataka' lacquers and 'Tamiya' acrylic paints.
Once painted it was sealed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen lacquer, then given a coat of 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt fine clay wash.
This was removed as desired to leave a weathered effect then re-sealed with the 'Alclad' lacquer.

 

Now it's onto pre-rigging before fitting the upper wing.
Then I'll be final rigging,

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

[Shawn M]

looks great!

[LSP_Ray]

Nice paint job!

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The fun begins.
Pre-rigged flying, landing and strut cross bracing wires for the wings.
Also the two aileron control lines from the cockpit into the underside of the upper wing,

 

Mike

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I've now rigged the wings and undercarriage.
Not as easy as I'd thought - small model and resin.

 

Anyway now it's onto the ailerons and tail unit,

 

Mike

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Rigging complete.
Just the windscreen, Lewis machine gun, engine, propeller and spinner to go.

Getting there,

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The engine and propeller are now finished.
As the kit only supplied the two cylinders and induction pipes, I added the two valve push rods (0.3 mm Nickel-Silver tube) an an ignition lead (0.3 mm lead wire) to each cylinder.
The propeller was base coated with 'Tamiya' Deck Tan (XF55) then given two coats of 'DecoArt' acrylic oil paint (Burnt Umber).
Finally it was airbrushed with 'Alclad Semi-Matte lacquer (ALC-312) mixed with 'Tamiya' Clear Orange (X26).

 

Just the windscreen, pilot figure and display base left now,

 

Mike