Airfix 1/48 TSR2

[Dave W]

Last night I fitted the undercarriage doors and wheels.The main wheel assemblies look like they could be a weak point on the model.In the future I may have to drill and pin them.On the real aircraft there was an actuator mounted between the top of the main gear leg and the back of the wheel bogie.You can see it clearly in the photo below.These actuators are included in the kit.But there are no instructions where to fit them.So I'm going to have to work that out.Next job is a bit of restrained weathering.

[papa 695]

Great work so far Dave looking very good indeed

[Guest]

That is llooking great dave the u/c bays look good

[Dave W]

I glued the main gears onto the pins on the legs.But the wheels are canted at an angle when I think they should be vertical.Most photos I have seen show the wheels mounted vertical.Although in one pic the tyre is badly worn on the inside.Either way the model doesn't look right to me.So I'm going to remove the wheel assemblies,drill the legs and put them back on vertical with metal pins.

[Dave W]

I said in the previous post that I wasn't happy that the main wheels were not sitting vertical.Infact they looked like a BF109 undercarriage.So I've removed them,drilled holes and used cut down panel pins as axles.They look much better now,plus the undercarriage is stronger.Ive done a bit more research and found out that the struts/actuators mounted between the top of the main gear leg and the rear wheel were only fitted to XR220.They were fitted to cure undercarriage problems experienced on XR219.So I don't need them on my model.Also,The gold finish is only on the canopy transparencies and not the windscreen.So I could have fitted the windscreen before I painted the model.Thats typical of me.Doing the research when the models nearly finished.The Gunze clear gold paint my wife ordered came yesterday.£3.89p inc postage all the way from Taiwan!.So I should finish the model soon.

[Guest]

well rescued and sometimes it takes the build to be nearly done to spot a mistake,or something like undercarriage not sitting right to be spotted.so i say awesomely done

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Dave

Magnificent work on the UC it looks much better

Thats typical of me.Doing the research when the models nearly finished.

- ooo, I hear ya buddy! That feels very typical of me.Can't wait to see the finished thing

Cheers

P

[eddiesolo]

Excellent recovery Dave, this really is looking a superb build with the paintwork and decals in place it really does bring it to life.

Si

[Dave W]

I've just tried giving the canopies a gold tint.First I sprayed the Mr Clear Color gold thinned wth cellulose thinners.I had a feeling this might attack the plastic and tried it out on an old spitfire canopy first.Sure enough it reacted with the plastic.So the two week wait for the gold to come from Taiwan was a waste of time.Luckily it was cheap.Next I tried some Tamiya clear orange that ive had for years.Thinned it with some Tamiya thinner and tried it on a test piece.Quite pleased with it so I took the plunge and sprayed it on the kits canopies.

[eddiesolo]

That looks really good Dave, gives a lovely finish and is unusual to see on an aircraft. Nice job, pity about the first product but as you say tested and didn't work out, at least that saved you from a nasty surprise.

Si

[Guest]

That tint looks really effective, and to think you already had the paint all the time.

[Dave W]

That tint looks really effective, and to think you already had the paint all the time.

I didn't try the orange before as I wanted a proper gold finish.But this will do as I want to get the model finished

[flyjoe180]

The Tamiya paint has worked well Dave, thank goodness you didn't use the Mr Color on the canopy after all that. Glad this has worked out for you.

[tr1ckey66]

Yeah.... cellulose thinners and plastic are never gonna be best buds.

You know what Dave, I think the Tamiya clear orange is probably a better 'scaled' representation of the gold anyway.

Looks great, very effective. As for the Mr Color I'm sure it will come in for some project or other.

Cheers

P

[colin m]

I think the orange is spot on Dave. Thank heavens you tested the gold stuff first. That's the sort of thing I might forget to do !