Getting into the boom sub assembly. Wow, there's a lot of engineering going on in there. Fit is crisp, but it may need a littl sanding to makes sure everything mates up smoothly.

These silver vampires are definitely an example of the Herman Melville school of stencilling...

Have to approach this piecemeal.

I was about to compliment airfix on their decals when suddenly the roundels betrayed their transparency.

So many decals... I would love to do the new airfix gnat up to match this one but I can't see myself starting another kit from this golden age of stencils...

Hi All,

Just joined. Here's my start picture.

Made some quick progress.

Ansel, that is coming along well. I like your cockpit detail, and the booms didn't seem to slow you down! Keep it up.
Thanks,
Sean H

With 3 months to go, I thought I'd better get started on this build. This first pic shows some of the unpainted PE that has gone into the cockpit.


This one shows the colour in the cockpit, Dark grey and Black mix, highlighted with Shadow Grey (citadel), and then washed with black ink.
Next, weights added:


Bang seats with belts added, and holes for the ejector seat handles, which I will add right at the end of the build.
Here is a close up of the printed PE instrument panel.

And finally, the fuselage is together!


Oh yes, I found a better picture of the airframe I am doing, and coincidentally, it is flaps down.


Cheers everyone!

Nice! The seat belts are fantastic. How much weight did you use? The kit calls for 7 gr, I put in 9, figuring that the instructions assumed that I'd be installing the crew, so I added some to replace their weight.

I used 7gms just as the instructions suggested, but I will be using white metal replacement undercarriage, which will add to the weight.

Cheers!

I've done a little work on the flaps today. Eduard's instructions for the PE would have you thin the top section of the wing and then install the PE flap boxes. Instead, what I have done is to completely remove the areas from the upper wing, build the boxes and then glue them onto some thin plasticard, and then cut them out and install them into the wing spaces. After a tiny amount of filling and sanding I will scribe the new plastic parts to blend in with the rest of the wing.

Lee you're really giving us it with both barrels eh! Can't believe that instrument panel.

Here's mine. Virtually finished. Just need to get one of the roundels to settle down and I can clearcoat it.

That's as done as its going to get!

Looking good there Richard, that orange really pops!

Looking great everyone!

Just a friendly nudge here, but your campaign still doesn't have a ribbon.

Michael

I said I was slow, got a few family things going on and it is eating my build time. Decided to build this one OOB because otherwise I'll never get it done.

OOB means including the crew, not my best photos

Nose weight os a convenient lump of lead, I didn't weigh it but it will be way over 7g

Cockpit together, air intake in and intakes added to the front.
Next installment soon(ish)

Hey, any progress counts. I'm guessing you're at the toughest part of the build anyway, I spent a couple of sessions trying to get the booms to mate to the top wing smoothly.

Thanks for the warning, and there's me thinking this is a well fitting kit

maybe it's just my example, but there are a couple of wedges on the booms that caused the booms to set well below the upper wing. I sanded them down quite a bit til the top wing matched the 'wing root' on the boom.

Thanks for the warning but assembly completed tonight with no problems, photos taken but will have to wait till the weekend to upload. Next stop, paint shop

Just my luck, I get the clinker.......

Can't wait to see the photos.

Calling this one as complete.

Vampire by anselneo, on Flickr

IMG_20140511_104139 by anselneo, on Flickr

IMG_20140511_104152 by anselneo, on Flickr

IMG_20140511_104101 by anselneo, on Flickr

Sorry for the absence, my mother had a stroke in early March so my build almost stopped. Anyway she is improving slowly so I'm also back to the bench, slowly!

Andrew,
Best wishes for a good recovery for your mother.
As for your plane, the gap in the front of the canopy makes me nervous. Any chance some touch-up will be required when you check inside?
...and you haven't broken off the pitot tube on the tail yet! I was so paranoid about that throughout my build-- bent it pretty badly a few times, but never broke it off.
-Sean H.

Nice work Andrew, that Hi speed silver has gone on very smoothly. Fingers crossed for your Mother's speedy recovery.

Now, a little something for everyone. I took a trip to Duxford last week, where they have this:






As for my effort, I should be ready for the paintshop tomorrow. Cheers!

A bit more progress - I really am a glutton for punishment as far as PE goes. Check out the inside of the canopy - believe it or not, there are 5 separate bits of PE on there!



I think I'm ready for some masking and spraying!