Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
This is my winter project – the Airfix Short Stirling in 1/72nd using the White Ensign interior and exterior P.E. sets.
I decided to start with the wings which have been sanded vac form style on a piece of wet and dry to reduce the thickness of the mating surfaces and trailing edges. First P.E. section is the wing bomb cells and here they are partly assembled and will soon receive a spray of matt black and then the remaining details such as the release gear and the steady arms will be fitted.
Those that are used to Eduard P.E. will find WEM parts more of a challenge as they rely on stiffening pieces as seen here where as a lot of Eduard P.E. is self bracing by the use of multiple folds – there is not too much of that here and without bracing pieces some assemblies will flex.
Thanks for looking
Mike
I decided to start with the wings which have been sanded vac form style on a piece of wet and dry to reduce the thickness of the mating surfaces and trailing edges. First P.E. section is the wing bomb cells and here they are partly assembled and will soon receive a spray of matt black and then the remaining details such as the release gear and the steady arms will be fitted.
Those that are used to Eduard P.E. will find WEM parts more of a challenge as they rely on stiffening pieces as seen here where as a lot of Eduard P.E. is self bracing by the use of multiple folds – there is not too much of that here and without bracing pieces some assemblies will flex.
Thanks for looking
Mike
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
A short update today that includes a before and after of the kit wing cells, and the assembled oil coolers.
Till the next
Mike
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
One last update for today; I’ve completed the P.E. undercarriage bays and most of the wing cells. As you can see the P.E. is very flimsy and tomorrow I will have to add some stiffeners and bulkheads to avoid see through issues and structural weakness.
Till the next and thanks for looking.
Mike
Till the next and thanks for looking.
Mike
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
In this update I decided that the WEM P.E. looked too flimsy and needed beefing up to look better inside the wheel wells.
I’ve also put in plastic card bulkheads to stop see through issues and extra stringers inside the well roof. The oil coolers are tacked in with double sided tape to check fit issues. The photos are before and after shots. Once the wings are closed up I’ll add more stiffeners to the P.E. to give a better look and feel of heavy engineering.
Thanks for looking
Mike
I’ve also put in plastic card bulkheads to stop see through issues and extra stringers inside the well roof. The oil coolers are tacked in with double sided tape to check fit issues. The photos are before and after shots. Once the wings are closed up I’ll add more stiffeners to the P.E. to give a better look and feel of heavy engineering.
Thanks for looking
Mike
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Here’s the base coat of black and interior green and it’s time to add details to wheel wells and landing lights.
Till the next
Mike
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
This shows the interior of the port wing with the starboard wing closed up. I’m a great believer in detailing only those parts that can be seen. Hence only the wheel wells will receive more additions later on when the heavy duty sanding is finished and risk of damage is reduced.
The kit ailerons are useless and are glued in place with tube cement as were the wings glued together as a strong joint is required to resist the heavy sanding. Milliput was used as the filler and as you can see it sands to a smooth finish. Most of the raised detail has been taken off and rescribing can begin once the blemishes have been taken care of.
Till the next, and Happy Christmas
Mike
- highnoon1966
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:50 am
- Location: Rushden, Northamptonshire
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Great build CavOk I was following it over on britmodeler but Goggle Chrome won't let me navigate there anymore because of a mallware alert.
- K4KittyCrew
- Air Chief Marshal (RAAF)
- Posts: 3635
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:55 am
- Location: Gold Coast, Queensland - Australia
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Looks like we have another 'professional' on the forum board .................... and not before time. Anything that will bring that Max chappy down a peg or two!
Love the detailed work there, Mike.
John
Love the detailed work there, Mike.
John
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
-
- Group Captain
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:05 pm
- Location: St Neots, Cambridgeshire
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Thanks for posting Mike, BM is being a pain in the **** at the moment
John L
John L
Re: Airfix Short Stirling with White Ensign P.E. sets.
Now Xmas and the New Year celebrations are over its back to the workbench. Here’s the latest update.
This shows the work done to the wings and tailplanes which is a good deal of sanding using wet and dry with a sanding block and plenty of water.
Sometimes the plastic becomes too thin and has to be reinforced with filler. At times I was tempted to build these items from scratch so as to avoid what seems to be the constant problem of the plastic becoming too thin and unworkable.
This shows the wing tip navigation lights made from scrap clear sprue, installed and sanded smooth ready for masking prior to undercoating and painting.
This last view shows the work done to improve the undercarriage as the kit parts are badly moulded and lack definition. I’ve used plastic rod and foil from wine bottles. In the end I opted to use the kit engines, I know some haven’t but I think with careful dry brushing and adding a little detail once enclosed in the engine nacelles they will be good enough.
Depending on which drawing you refer to the propellers are either just right in length or 2 mm too long? I’ve left them as is but cleaned up.
Till the next.
Mike
This shows the work done to the wings and tailplanes which is a good deal of sanding using wet and dry with a sanding block and plenty of water.
Sometimes the plastic becomes too thin and has to be reinforced with filler. At times I was tempted to build these items from scratch so as to avoid what seems to be the constant problem of the plastic becoming too thin and unworkable.
This shows the wing tip navigation lights made from scrap clear sprue, installed and sanded smooth ready for masking prior to undercoating and painting.
This last view shows the work done to improve the undercarriage as the kit parts are badly moulded and lack definition. I’ve used plastic rod and foil from wine bottles. In the end I opted to use the kit engines, I know some haven’t but I think with careful dry brushing and adding a little detail once enclosed in the engine nacelles they will be good enough.
Depending on which drawing you refer to the propellers are either just right in length or 2 mm too long? I’ve left them as is but cleaned up.
Till the next.
Mike