air fix Cutty Sark

[Dave1973]

What the heck am I doing here? This is the last place I thought I'd end up, but my wife bought me this kit, thinking I'd have the skill set to actually do it.


Well, I guess I'll try, I'm really not anywhere close to the league you guys are, so this may end up looking more like the Cutty sark when it was re-docked in Woolwich!!


First thing I have to say is, this is my second air fix model and I was (mistakenly) under the impression they were excellent kits. But the triumph I built was a terrible kit, the condition of the parts was horrendous, half the bits were poorly moulded, and the larger parts bent.


Same as this kit.


The hull is bent like a banana, I glued the back part yesterday, and now I'm holding the front part together hoping it's going to hold.


If it does, I'll have to file the mismatch off the hull, and use filler to sort the rest.


Looking at the instructions, I'm not looking forward to this rigging stuff! View attachment 121024

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[Paul Davies]

Take your time with it I'm sure you will do a good job with it.


Unfortunately airfix kits have fallen way behind with quality compared to a lot of kit manufacturers. Even the new airfix kits which are a lot better than they used to be are far from good.

 

[papa 695]

Think I may watch this one ( in a sick twisted way )


Just take your time like Paul says and you should beat this one into shape Dave.

 

[dougie]

A lot of the airfix kits are old and poor. However if you look on line, the new ones of aircraft are apparently fantastic. Some second to none I think. Laurie has been building a dio with the herrick ground stuff and it looks OK. Don't know what he thought about the kit quality


Think you need to look at a lot of reviews these days to make sure you get good kits but that doesn't help with gifts!

 

[takeslousyphotos]

I'll be interested to see how you get on with this one Dave.


Although, I have to say that I absolutely dispise the Cutty Sark kits............. They bring back memories of "dicing my finger" and three stitches when I attempted one some years ago. If I'm honest, it wasn't really the kit's fault, it was me being a twat ............. But I hate them all the same.


Good luck with it.

 

[peterairfix]

I will be watching from behind the sofa (aaaaagggggghhhhh) :P as i have a lot of airfix kits but to scared to touch them

 

[Bigfoot57]

Dave just take it a step at a time rigging a boat is just a matter of patience it basically three types you have the ratlines which fix to the sides of the ship and masts then you have the fixed rigging which was usually black as it was pitched as it was used to secure the masts in place then you have what they call running rigging which was usually the lines attached to the sails and the pulleys for hoisting and lowering the sails and turning the mast spars into the wind one thing do it symmetrically if you attach a line on the side of the ship do the other side at the same time this way your rigging should come out straight and true I will be watching this one good luck

 

[Dave1973]

Thanks Bigfoot, you've just scared the utter bejeezus outa me!!

 

[Dave1973]

Ok, bit more done, but this has really made me think do I quit now?


I got the hull together with lacky bands, and ended up having to fill so much


So then while that dries I made the stand, so I have something to sit it on!


Then I tried fitting the inner website then the deck. Was a nightmare, as air fix don't seem to make anything fit!


Once it was in, fitting the front part (whatever it's called, pointy thing out the front) I found the moulding was atrocious, if you sit it on the deck properly, it's miles away from the stays on the hull, if you lay it on the hull stays, it's a mile away from fitting properly to the deck! Really? Looking at the rest of the sprues, looks like this is junk. Nearly all the pieces are so poorly made, it's a wonder Humbrol bought them out! I know I'll never buy Airfix again, regardless of whether they're better now or not. This is so poor, I'm considering junking it.


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[Dave1973]

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[Deleted member 3568]

Stick at it mate the hard parts nearly done (apart from the rigging that is) and of course you don't have to rig it you could have it in dry dock, honestly mate stick with it, it is a stunner when complete, such graceful lines, I bet if you stick it out you will be so chuffed you will buy another tall ship, they are addictive you know, ask me I know the la reale was going to be my last that was 2 ships ago and the rigging is getting more complex. But it's not put me off, I'm even uming and ahhing over getting the soliel royal or the 1/100 victory.

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Oh Ps the pointy bit is the bowsprit.

 

[Dave1973]

Hey Kpnuts, I know i should stick with it, but what do I do with the bowsprit? Just a really shitty mouldy I think, and I'm dammned either way. Will be really hard to filler the deck to blend it.

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Put the filler on the underneath of where the bowsprit attaches to the deck then when you glue it inplace the filler will squish out just wipe the excess away with your finger then when it's set you will only have a tiny amount of cleaning up to do.

 

[Dave1973]

Ok you convincing little beggar!


I'll try your very good and experienced solution and give it a go!


See, this is why I'm here!!

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Oh I wouldnt call me experienced more like the blind leading the blind.

 

[Dave1973]

Have you seen my glasses???

 

[Deleted member 3568]

I'm busy looking for mine.

 

[takeslousyphotos]

Put the filler on the underneath of where the bowsprit attaches to the deck then when you glue it inplace the filler will squish out just wipe the excess away with your finger then when it's set you will only have a tiny amount of cleaning up to do.

I`m afraid Ken, that "squish out" doesn't seem to be a very technical term to be using ........ :D :D:D

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Well I thought of splodge out or squidge out but thought squish a slightly more technical sounding word, of course I could have used more than one word like use the hydro-pressured vertical force to efficate the dispersal of the chemical constituents of the gap filling substance, but I was trying to keep it concise, and not bore a new member with all our technical know how.