Airfix Devstator - finished

Got the decal canopy frames on, and had my big oops, carefully counted the sections, marked them out on maskling tape so I could line them up, got them on, then started the horizontal frames, and hmmmm, somethings not right, arrgh I missed a section...... so this devastor has one less section in the canopy. I also havn't got all the frames there should be on, it started to look busy enough to me, and I'd had enough. I did notice the pilot and his seat with rollover frame is too far back, I'm not sure if I made a mistake, but will check when I do another one. Knocked up a prop shaft and boss for the prop blur, popped on the tail wheel, hook, and torpedo, and added some torpedo holding cables?, I think, not sure if they are right but hey.

A fun build, an the camo scheme is a change to the yellow wing, though I am looking forward to a yellow wing one.

Airfix Devastor - flat coat

I do like Valljo varnishes, thin with water and are quick drying, anyhow Vallejo flat on, and tried put some daylight bulbs in my photo setup..

Airfix Devastator - paint and decals

Well it has been primed and painted, gloss coated and decals added..

really surprised how the decals behaved, they were really thin and placed onto brushed on Klear, really snuggled them down over the corrugations..

a wash ont he control surface panel lines, and then I'll flat coat and do exhaust staining.

Airfix Devastator - Vac Canopy

Well I have been battling with the canopy, and a overwhelming lack of interest due to having to make a replacement canopy, but I have pushed through it and come out the otherside, or some such bumf...

Started with this ...

a big gap at the rear, so I cemented all the pieces together added some plasticard sections to the rear fo the canopy, then sanded all the frame lines off. Reattached the front windscreen and rear section which came adrift... cemented a section of plastic card across the bottom, and a section of drop tank to support the windscreen, a squirt of primer and a sand, then vac formed some plastic this afternoon..

Not bad, a few speaks of dust in it, and a stray hair, good enough for me.. a trim with some nail scissors, and she's a good un..

I'll lay a few strips of stretched sprue to give a lip for the canopy to rest against, then cement it on.

Airfix Devastator - Canopy short?

The canopy has been worrying me, I thought it could be a problem: three sections and heavy framing, good prospect for a vac replacement. I cemented all three sections together and then laid it on the fuselage..

rightio, it's a bit short then....
My plan is to add to the rear section with plasticard, sand off the framing and then vac a replacement.

Airfix Devastator - wings and cowling

Had a 'can't think of anything to do around the house' time this afternoon, and got a couple of hours in on it.

And I was devastated when I clamped the fuselage together, one of the clamps slipped and took the rear guys arm and the DF loop with its base off. The arm I recovered, the smallest bit knocked off, but the DF lop and base have been digested by the carpet monster..

so made a new loop and base.

Finished up the engine and got it in the cowling..


Modified the cowling as the cooling flaps (to me) are not very well defined and they are moulded open..

So using my newest favourite tool a tamiya etch razor saw, I circled around the front edge of the cowl flaps and then cut down each one, and sanded the 'openess' off. Its meant I've had to sand the fuselage a bit as it took on a decided bulged look with the cowl flaps closed looking.

Also attacked the wings, now why did they attach the wings like this..

sprue gate and a long one right on the leading edge with that lovely ridged detail.

So I was puzzled what to do about when I thought of my new favourite tool (I did mention my new favourite tool didn't I?)..

sliced off the sprue gate, the fine teeth means there is no pressure on the joint and doesn't distort the plastic.

Sanded along the length of the wing..

until level with the existing ridges and..

gently trimmed the excess out with a sharp knife. Repeated for all four outer wings sections.

There is a folded option, which means each wing is in fours pieces, and it looks to me, to have them spread its a butt joint. So I attached the outer and inner quarters of each wing together and have reinforced the joints with sections of plasticard.

So we've managed to keep the top and bottom surface level, and hopefully won't have to sand the joints and loose wing ribs.

Airfix Devastator - innards

Hi folks,

I've decided to do a quickish OOB Devastator, and intending to do the blue over grey scheme, I have another Devastator for the cool yellow wing scheme.




So a couple of nights work on the innards and she's ready to button up..

Ditched the middle crew man, I read somewhere they didn't always fly with him when they torpedo on board. Animated the rear guy a bit, reaching for the radios, which I've added and raised the DF loop a bit, just to add something to the decking, and made a new ring for his seat. I keep wanting to add bits, but restrain myself as you can't see too much through the canopies.