Airfix A05038 Canberra to B.2

[Ratch]

I am building this as an E.E. Canberra B.2 of 100 Sqn. RAF Wittering, April 1954 – 1st September 1959. I purchased the conversion set initially, direct from Heritage Aviation Models Ltd. and then the kit. The kit was tooled in 2008 and delivers a level of detail not previously seen on Airfix 72nd scale aircraft. The light grey plastic is carried on six runners. The panel lines are a little deep and I’ve read of other inaccuracies, but I’m not concerned with absolute accuracy; for me, if it looks right, that’s good enough. The instruction sheet is clearly illustrated in 38 exploded schematics. A 3-page full colour paint and decal guide is also provided. The decal sheet looks good quality being in register and with good colour density.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24696027/412212233.jpg

The conversion set provides resin nose halves, cockpit floor, engines, rear bulkhead, instrument panel and fuselage plug; white metal seats and crew door; vacuum formed canopy and nose. I also secured Modeldecal sheet #85, which carries markings for a 100 Sqn Canberra (September 1983) that are not exactly the same as those on Wittering aircraft, but may (at £3.71) suffice. I have also along the way acquired the Flightpath PE set of ladders and FOD guards.

 

[John Symmons]

Hi Ratch

Looking forewad to your build, as you always deliver an interesting and unusual build and can be relied on to finish it, good luck. This is not my primary era of interest in aviation, but I'll be following your build, maybe you can convert me. 

Have you grown tired of Spitfires? I must say you do make an electic range of models never know what to expect next, keeps the interest going.

Waiting with, to quote Dr Frankinfurter "wait for it      a-n-t-i c-i-p-a-t-i-o-n."

Remember we do this for fun    John the Pom

[Rael]

I forgot Airfix did th 1:72 Canberra, I always thought they only did them in 1:48. I might build one too!

Happy building!

[Ratch]

Runner A

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418511.jpg

 

Runner B

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418512.jpg

 

Runner C

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418506.jpg

 

Runner D

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418508.jpg

 

Runner E

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418510.jpg

 

Runner F

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418509.jpg

 

Runner G

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412418513.jpg

All washed

[Matthew72]

Following with interest.  I always preferred the bomber canopy Canberras to their fighter canopy equipped stablemates.  I've built the B(I)8 in 1/72and outside of the cockpit paneling it went together well.  I have the PR9 in the stash as well.  It's length of service, many versions, multitude of color schemes, and numerous foreign users really endear it to me.  Good choice for your build!

[the F-111C dude]

cant wait to see how itl turn out

[Ratch]

I'll try to keep you interested then.

The resin was removed from the plugs

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412420878.jpg

 

White metal bang-seats added

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412420879.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412420880.jpg

 

With black primer

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412420881.jpg

[Ratch]

The resin was easier to work with than I expected. I dry brushed over the black and added a little colour

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412424459.jpg

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Before putting them together

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412424463.jpg

 

I cut off the corresponding section of the nose, fitted the bomb bay, joined the fuselage and crammed about 15g of tyre weight above the bomb bay before adding the new nose...

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412424464.jpg

I just hope its enough weight as the instructions call for 45g to be placed in the nose and I'm hoping the resin and white metal will make up the difference.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Looking good so far Ratch,

I've always wanted to build a 1/72 bomber nose Canberra ( I've built the Frog B(I)8, and have a Corgi B2, but it's not the same). This conversion looks fairly straightforward, was the replacement resin expensive? If I do build one it will be an Argentine Falklands War bird as I have decals for this.

[Rael]

Nice!

[Matthew72]

Looking great!  My out of the box B(I)8 had every availabel nook and cranny in the nose filled with lead and it was still a tail sitter.  Hopefully yours works out.

[Ratch]

 Thanks, the Heritage conversion set cost me £10 a few years ago.

Resin intakes fitted

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412431796.jpg

 

Then wings on

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412431797.jpg

 

At this point I decided to spray the chequerboard on the fin panel

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412431798.jpg

Not too bad on the port side, but the starboard I managed to mess up by removing the wrong panels of masking tape

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412431799.jpg

I've sanded it back and restarted the process.

A little more airbrushing

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412431801.jpg

[John Symmons]

Coming on nicely. How did you mask the chequerboard. Did you spray yellow first then mask out with little squares of tape then do the blue. I've oftern thought about cheques but never quite dared to try and worked out how to go about it, so any indecation would be helpful.  Looking forwards to more.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[Ratch]

For the chequerboard I sprayed a white primer then yellow. I masked the whole area then made horizontal and vertical cuts to the size required. I then removed alternate pieces and then sprayed the blue. After the remainder of the masking tape was removed any (the few) touch ups required were made with a fine pointed brush.

[Ratch]

The re-spray

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442779.jpg

The green dot represents 100 Sqn.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442786.jpg

VMA Silver

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442790.jpg

Masking removed

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442795.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442799.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412442802.jpg

[DavidJC]

The tail is quite amazing. But did you know instead of sanding and destroying any surface detail to get rid of the mistakes, you can get a paint remover from Revell? Don't whatever you do get it mixed up with 'clean' which is a hot product and will melt plastic. I know.

 

It's called Paint Remover (not Painta Clean) and even sparingly it's very good for getting paint off whilst leaving the surface unharmed. Although in the way of all good warnings, try on an inconspicuous area first.

[Ratch]

 When I say sanded, it was very fine grade and didn't remove any detail.

[Matthew72]

Coming along nicely, Ratch!  Can't wait to see the finished aircraft.

[John Symmons]

Looking good so far. Thanks for the chequeboard info I'll save that tip fot a later project.

Keep up the good work.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Hi Ratch,

 

Looks good, nice silver finish, were early Canberras painted High Speed Silver, or left natural metal? The dihedral on the tailplanes looks a little flat, is that down to the camera angle?

Good job on the tail checkers by the way, I would never have the patients to paint and mask that by hand! Why can't someone, anyone, just produce a decent Canberra B2 boxing, or other bomber nosed variant, it's got to be one of the most produced post war British military aircraft?

 

Keep 'em coming Ratch

Cheers

PMM 

[Ratch]

I think I've fitted the tail the wrong way round. I'm sure I followed the instructions, but there's no way I can check now - but there are a couple of wrongly numbered parts on the sheet that are obvious and noticeable. The wing-tip tanks were numbered incorrectly so the tail assembly may be or I just got it wrong. I'll correct it later. 

I've got stuck into the dreaded PE.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412454707.jpg

There are two of this type of ladders and two for PR Canberras

 

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412454709.jpg

Either of these FOD guards can be used with the B.2

 

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412454710.jpg

All bombed up

[Ratch]

Decals on, PE sprayed, undercarriage ready...

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412456927.jpg

 

Nearing completion

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24713806/412456928.jpg

[Ratch]

Despite the weight of the resin, the metal and the 15g of tyre weights I crammed between the bomb bay and fuselage its still a tail sitter. To counter this I cut a short piece of clear plastic rod and stuck it into the back of the bomb bay to support the back end.

I used:

Heritage Aviation Models conversion setFlightpath FOD guards and laddersModel Alliance sheet MAS-729024, Black Squared Codes & Serials for the EE Canberra.Roundels and fin flashes were taken from Xtradecal sheet X72041 RAF Post War D Type and Low Vis Pink/Pale Blue Roundels. RBF tags are from Astra Decals sheet ASD7221. I used Humbrol Acrylics, Vallejo Model Colour and Vallejo Model Air paints.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24706940/412473062.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24706940/412473060.jpg

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http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24706940/412473058.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24706940/412473063.jpg

E.E. Canberra B.2, RAF 100 Sqn. RAF Wittering, 1954 – 1959.

The first jet-powered bomber to serve with the RAF, the Canberra was the backbone of Bomber Command until replaced by the V-bombers. The fin carried a blue and yellow check pattern denoting the Wittering Wing. 100 Squadron was identified by a green disc (40 Sqn by a red disc).

[John Symmons]

Looking good A nice clean build, well done & thanks for sharing the build.

Even though I did follow your build with interest and learnt something I think I'll stick to the planes with fans in front. Although I do find the early jets very interesting. Keep them comming.

Remember we do this for fun   Jhn the Pom

[Ratch]

 Thanks John, glad you enjoyed it.