Hi all!

Now I have started the build, but first let me I’ll tell a nice story, so please bear with me for a moment.

I found this kit at my LHS in the spring of 2006, and as I hadn’t seen It since the first time I built it in 1970 and the price was fair; I couldn’t resist the kit.



When I opened up the sealed kit at home, I found all parts "packaged" Airfix old-style!



All the clear parts were tinted a stark yellow colour, and the windows were filled with air-bubbles and sink marks, ouch!



Well, I wrote a mail to Airfix and explained my dilemma and asked to buy new parts.

We all know what happend then; Airfix went belly-up and was out of the loop for a long time.
I buried the kit in the stash and forgot all about it.

A few months ago, I was re-organizing the stash and this kit surfaced again.

Now when Airfix was up and running again I took a long-shot and sent another mail.

After a few weeks I got a small parcel in my mailbox (the real one!) containing a new clear sprue.
These parts were still slightly tinted, but no air bubbles and the sink marks was much smaller too.
No roof tough, but now I could build the thing.

The day after I got a mail from mark Lodge at Airfix where he regretted he couldn’t find any better parts, but the kit was OOP since several years.

Two days later I got another package from Airfix, and this time it was too large for the mailbox, so I had to get it at the post-office.

In this package was not only another set of clear parts, but also the big roof!
This time the parts were crystal clear, free from any scratches or imperfections whatsoever and looked as they were moulded yesterday!





My guess is that they actually were!

I asked how much I owed for the parts, but I only got “It’s with compliments from Airfix”!

This shows that Hornby Is taking care of Airfix and are continuing the tradition with the very BEST costumer service you can imagine!

Many thanks to Mark at Airfix for helping me with this kit!

Now we can get on with the build!

Well, I haven´t done so much yet but I have fitted the car deck to the lower hull plate.



More to come!

Cheers!

Stefan E

Hi Stefan

That's fantastic customer service! Three cheers for Airfix!

Keep us posted on how the build goes. It's a real bit of nostalgia for me, because while saving up the money to go to college, I actually worked on an 'N4 in Cowes when it came in for a major overhaul at the end of the 70's.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Stefan

One question: Why Aeroscale?

o.k you could probably say this is an "air craft" but it does not fly (unlike the Ekranoplan ground effect craft) make at least a copy over at MSW ...

cheers

Steffen

Hi Steffen

One could just as fairly ask "Why MSW?" - it doesn't travel in the water.

All the best

Rowan

Well, If ships would actually travel in the water we would have more Titanic-like movies and their existence would be pretty useless for air breathers like myself ..

It is really not important enough to me to stress my brain to discuss this in a civilized way. I personally think this is not really the right spot to discuss a Hovercraft .. but You rule and see previous sentence.

cheers

Steffen

Hi!

Why did I post It here?

Because this is the site I frequently visits, much more then the others in the kit-maker network.


And because I actually see a Hovercraft as beeing more an air-craft then a ship, thus It should belong here.
If the Ekranoplane that uses the ground-effect to float over the sea is regarded as an aircraft so should a Hovercraft that uses a "controlled" air cusion to float over either land or sea.

OK, It´s a civilian subject and not another Me109 or a Fw190 (Gasp! ), but it´s interesting, cool, and a real nostalgia trip for us in the Airfix-generation.

Sorry if I offended you, Steffen (absolutley NOT my intention), but I will continue to post my build here as long as Merlin thinks It is OK.

You are welcome to follow my build, but you don´t have to!

Cheers!

Stefan E

Hi Stefan

Well, I hope I did not upset you.

While I believe it does not belong here I but to MSW I am not in charge but just a small light and if the staff is o.k. with it there is no problem.

I suggested to post a copy on MSW, because there is the knowledge about ships (and a HC is a ship IMO) and probably this kit too, so you could profit. And when the umpteenth 109 or 190 question is posted the th e knowledge is here.

Rowans staff car review did result in more answers here, but it was also published on Armorama - just to give an example - and Dave who provided the best stuff is mostly seen on Armorama. .. this is the best part of kitmaker that you have several modelling communities connected.

Anyway no hard feelings on my end and I hope also not on yours

all the best

Steffen

Ahhh Stefan you bring back fond memories of summer holidays travelling to France on the HoverLloyd or SeaSpeed hovercraft.
I also have this in my stash so will watch your build closely.

Regarding if this is posted in the right part of the site I believe that Hovercraft are one of those items that could be in either as they are not aircraft or ships. Either way continue with the build and please continue to post.

Ciao
Luciano

Hi again Steffen!

No hard feelings here!

I was just a bit surprised, but you´re right about where the knowledge are, so I´ll make some posting on MSW too, just to be sure.

To be honest, I didn´t know where the post really belonged as the Hovercraft is something inbetween ship and aircraft.
But for the reasons above, I posted here.

Remember, Even friends can have different opinions sometimes!

Cheers!

Stefan E

There is a saying here in Germany, which is not totally true IMO but has something to think about:

When two are in complete agreement, one is dispensable.

cheers

Steffen

Nice one, Airfix finally got their Mojo

Iwill watch this as I have the original moulding ,as part of a stash Dad left me when he passed away.....

Good luck!

You wouldn't believe this but while building my new bed this morning I found this kit as part of the stash that was under the old bed can't wait to see the outcome of this kit.

Surely if theres the arguments as to whether this is a plane or a boat ( and likely to be the same over on MSW) then Why not post in modelgeek as this would be the area for anything that doesn't fall into the categories of the rest of the network.

Just my 2 pence

Allen

Hi all!

Now I have started the construction in earnest!

Each hull sides consists of two sections, one forward and one aft, each one assembled of two parts.

All parts fitted surprisingly good and with no need of filler.
Then I glued all hull sections to the hull bottom plate.
Again, the fit was almost perfect to the bottom plate and between the sections.

Please excuse the poor pics, but my camera doesn’t like all the white parts!







Then it was time to give the skirting some attention.
Many parts and many different sections, but all assembled very well.



I started by gluing the fore section first, the only one with any locating pins!
Then I followed by each side from fore to aft, concentrating to get a good fit to the hull outside.



Now I had the first fit-issues, gaps between the skirting sections appeared.





On the other hand, the joint to the hull sides was very good indeed.







I let the glue set for a day or so before I proceeded.

I stuffed the gaps with plasticard and when the glue had set, I trimmed off the excess with my trusty sprue-cutter.









Final trimming with the scalpel and the skirting was gap-free!



To get some relaxation, I assembled the propeller towers and the fins with the air-rudders.
The rudders had some sink-marks that needed to be filled, but the fit was fine.



All that white plastic makes me feel like a snow-blind Eskimo in a blizzard, phew!

But I have decided to assemble as much as I can before painting as it’s easier to get stronger joints.

Now I have some sanding and filling to do on the skirting before I can proceed with the interior walls!

This is a real oldie, but the fit is remarkably good considering the vintage of the kit!

But it’s a really FUN kit that has pushed all other projects on my bench aside!

More later!

Cheers!

Stefan E

hello, nice build, is this the one that went from uk to france? if so, my grandads brother (or cousin) managed the company in the 70's but, i have been on the royal marines hovercraft, ( they were at the same beach as me, and i got a ride down the beach)
and it seemed safer than this looks