Tim’s Hobbyboss 1/48 Fleet Air Arm Avenger MkI

[Tim Marlow]

I well remember when I first started modelling a member of the old MMod forum used the term "fret fillers". Since then I've always taken a very critical look at PE. Often I don't use half what's on offer. Having said that PE can be a real improvement.

Well aware of fret fillers Jim, seen it loads of times. Doesn’t stop it winding me up. That box one is my pet hate though. I’ve been using etch for about thirty years, and have only ever seen the box issue taken seriously by a couple of manufacturers. It’s just lazy design, propagated by someone that has never tried to actually build something. To make a box that way fold lines must be on the inside, and the ends must overlap the sides. The worst offenders even expect you to make things like railway box wagons that way…..the best remedy has always been to cut the ends off, solder them up with plenty of solder, then dress the corners back. Shan’t bother in this case though, I’ll just replace it with plastic

 

[Geoffers]

Superb looking engine Tim

I’m trying to wean myself off photo-etch. I used to buy a lot of it but as like you I rarely use all of it.

Geoff.

 

[Valeron]

Nice detail on the engine Tim. Looking forward to seeing the rest.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Superb looking engine Tim

I’m trying to wean myself off photo-etch. I used to buy a lot of it but as like you I rarely use all of it.

Geoff.

I still think an instrument panel, radio fronts etc really lift an aircraft build Geoff, but could do without the rest of the impracticality…….it just clutters the fret and slows the build.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Nice detail on the engine Tim. Looking forward to seeing the rest.

Cheers Mike…..you and me both

 

[yak face]

Great job on the engine tim , adding the ignition wires really lifts the look of the engine. Completely agree about the etch , most of the time I only use at most 50% of a fret , the rest is either no improvement ( or often less realistic as its flat!) or too small to physically handle or glue.

 

[Mark1]

As far as etch goes my attitude of i bought it so im gonna use it has gone right out the window for the above reasons.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great job on the engine tim , adding the ignition wires really lifts the look of the engine. Completely agree about the etch , most of the time I only use at most 50% of a fret , the rest is either no improvement ( or often less realistic as its flat!) or too small to physically handle or glue.

Cheers Tony. The wires were actually off the etch fret. Best thing about acrylic paint is that it’s flexible enough for you to paint the wires on the flat and then bend them to shape without the paint flaking off. Couldn’t do that with enamels. The trouble with etch is that the bits worth having are really worth having, but the rest is simply a waste of materials. I wish they would just do simple frets with just the most useful bits on it,….perhaps they could put more effort into the instructions then….

 

[Tim Marlow]

As far as etch goes my attitude of i bought it so im gonna use it has gone right out the window for the above reasons.

Never quite had that attitude, but I do keep the spare bits for some reason…..what I’m ever going to do with them I really don’t know…..

 

[Mark1]

Never quite had that attitude, but I do keep the spare bits for some reason…..what I’m ever going to do with them I really don’t know…..

Well you could always melt it down and make yourself a nice shiny doorknocker.

 

[Lee Drennen]

Tim sorry I missed this very nice updates and look at those Goodies to add to it. Seated and watching.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Tim sorry I missed this very nice updates and look at those Goodies to add to it. Seated and watching.

Cheers Lee. Glad you like it, and hope I keep you entertained.

 

[colin m]

I do like a good engine, and this is one. Splendid stuff Tim. I'm just wondering, if that's the engine I think it is, I reckon nearly every aircraft modeller on this forum has probably made one, or more.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I do like a good engine, and this is one. Splendid stuff Tim. I'm just wondering, if that's the engine I think it is, I reckon nearly every aircraft modeller on this forum has probably made one, or more.

Cheers Colin, very kind of you. The engine is a Wright R-2600 Twin cyclone (apparently, I had to look it up). Fitted to quite a few aircraft…..including the Havoc, the Helldiver, and the Mitchell. Full info here…

Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

First one I’ve made…..

 

[adt70hk]

Currently plodding through the internals on this big bird, so not much to see yet….however, I have had a “you gotta be kiddin” moment…..
View attachment 481660
Parts 43 and 44 are supposed to be rolled, and then used to replace the machine gun barrels……like that’s going to happen……how do you disguise the join, for one, then how do you get this piece of half thickness etch into the gun body without destroying it…..just madness.

By the way, part 50 won’t get used either. It shows my pet hate with lazy etch design. How on earth you make a box out of that part which will actually look like a proper box? You could get a nice baroque box with scalloped edge detail, perhaps, but a crisp cornered plain box…..I think not! Get a grip designers…..either the sides or the ends needs to overlap by the thickness of the metal. If you don’t do that, YOU CANT MAKE A BOX OUT OF IT!!! Oh, and fold lines are supposed to be on the inside of folds……so that handle detail is a bit pointless.

Bonkers! Aside from that Tim how's the rest of the build going?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Bonkers! Aside from that Tim how's the rest of the build going?

Going OK Andrew. The fit isn’t stellar, and there is a little flash in places, but it’s going together…..done the cockpit and bomb bay and am part way through the turret at the moment. Still got the fuselage sides, navigator/bomb aimer position, and the tail wheel area to do, and all of it to paint, before I can start thinking about zipping it all up. I’ll post more at the weekend…..

 

[colin m]

Cheers Colin, very kind of you. The engine is a Wright R-2600 Twin cyclone (apparently, I had to look it up). Fitted to quite a few aircraft…..including the Havoc, the Helldiver, and the Mitchell. Full info here…

Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

First one I’ve made…..

Good link. I was wrong. I was actually thinking of the double wasp. But they are 'practically' the same .

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good link. I was wrong. I was actually thinking of the double wasp. But they are 'practically' the same .

Certainty looks very similar and has similar applications…….

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well, just to prove I haven’t been sitting on my hands……
I like to get the internals built before I start painting…. Then once the paint is out of the way I can just assemble the fuselage and worry about the seams……

Fuselage sides with some added bits…..I used the PE boxes down where they won’t show much…..the higher up one has been replaced with plastic card. The coloured etch parts will be added after painting.


Cockpit floor, turret base and front, and bomb aimed/rear gunner seat. Again, any coloured etch goes on after paint.


Bomb bay, rear wheel and rear gun position, and turret. The wonderful etch gun was supplied by our own Andy, who had a spare. Top bloke he is


Smaller bits. I’m going with a torpedo as main load, well, why wouldn’t you. The other bits are cockpit sub assemblies that will be easier to paint before I stick them in place. All fits have been checked so they should go together without issue. The IP is supposed to be like that, but the way….I’ve scraped off the detail ready for the Eduard pre coloured one…

Well, there you go. Painting next, then we are up to the first real milestone….getting the internals in place and the fuselage zipped up…..

Cheers all
Tim

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Well, just to prove I haven’t been sitting on my hands……
I like to get the internals built before I start painting…. Then once the paint is out of the way I can just assemble the fuselage and worry about the seams……
View attachment 482393
Fuselage sides with some added bits…..I used the PE boxes down where they won’t show much…..the higher up one has been replaced with plastic card. The coloured etch parts will be added after painting.

View attachment 482396
Cockpit floor, turret base and front, and bomb aimed/rear gunner seat. Again, any coloured etch goes on after paint.

View attachment 482397
Bomb bay, rear wheel and rear gun position, and turret. The wonderful etch gun was supplied by our own Andy, who had a spare. Top bloke he is

View attachment 482398
Smaller bits. I’m going with a torpedo as main load, well, why wouldn’t you. The other bits are cockpit sub assemblies that will be easier to paint before I stick them in place. All fits have been checked so they should go together without issue. The IP is supposed to be like that, but the way….I’ve scraped off the detail ready for the Eduard pre coloured one…

Well, there you go. Painting next, then we are up to the first real milestone….getting the internals in place and the fuselage zipped up…..

Cheers all
Tim

Nice one Tim,
It's interesting to see the comparison between our 2 different manufacturers,some are incredibly similar,(i.e. the bomb bay), whilst others are gone about in a very different manner,( for instance the Turret base).
The turret assembly itself,whilst being slightly different to mine,looks just as fiddly!
Interesting to see that you're going with the Torpedo as pay load... that's my preference too.
Good stuff this,I look forward to seeing the painting begin