Victor kits XL231. W.I.P Finished!

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ianf
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Victor kits XL231. W.I.P Finished!

Post by ianf »

Hi it has been a long time since I posted any kit on here, as I lost my model mojo a few years back and tend to work in a larger scale these days namely 1-1! :grin: just under 2 years ago we were approached by Airfix asking to measure Andre aircraft with a view to a B2 version coming out. This of course happened just before Christmas and I was delighted with the look of the new kit. I had always intended to build a kit of Lindy and indeed I managed to get a Revell version and detail sets to improve it. With the knowledge Airfix was releasing I held fire. Now I've decided it is time to build both kits. I've done quite a lot of research on Lindy and found she has appeared in at least 7 different schemes or markings.

So I am going to build her in all schemes. First scheme will be a pure B2 as she was at Wittering in 1962. Which of course will be the Airfix kit and the Revell one will depict her as the development K2. So first the kits.

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The after market bits.

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Airfix kit

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Revell kit.

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I will add pics or the B2 version, but here is the development scheme. Pic is courtesy of Andre Tempest's archives it has my copyright on only as I remastered it.

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I think I may be able to do a little cross kitting on the Revell kit, I'm not sure time will tell. My reference material comes from the lady herself.

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This was taken Sunday (22-1-17) as I checked in to work on her. So I have zero excuse on lacking detail etc. If anyone is interested or building a Victor I can if you wish put some walk round shots that may be useful? Right I've committed myself to build ! keep me going on this please, as my stash needs to be whittled down!

Ian
Last edited by ianf on Mon 25 Jun 2018, 8:01 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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Takamota
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P

Post by Takamota »

Looking forward to seeing these progress bud... Good luck with the Revell kit. Built that a few times now and she's a bit of a chore!!
Http://www.tomsaviation.co.uk Updated 11th January 2016

FarnboroJohn
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P

Post by FarnboroJohn »

Takamota wrote:Built that a few times now and she's a bit of a chore!!


Don't tell him that.....

John

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P

Post by ianf »

John it's no problem, I have built two in the past so are aware of its faults. Interestingly my first was just after the kit was released by Matchbox and the fit was actually very good, so much so I did not glue the wings so I could store/move it easily. Thanks for the comments keep them coming as I say my intentions are good but mojo is still low. It is actually a fairly accurate kit only out in the odd thing. The pods are crude as where the wheels. You will see I have after kit replacements. I am going to attempt using the Airfix slipper tanks. Hopefully I will have some build pics soon.

Ian
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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Fumbles
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P

Post by Fumbles »

Ohh a new Victor! I'll be keeping a watch on this thread... Just look at all those goodies!

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 1st update

Post by ianf »

Well almost a year on and my first update! :shock: Last year was a busy one on the jet which meant I didn't get to look at the kits. Then before Christmas I built the Airfix Buccaneer in the museums marking on the newly restored XN974. This got my mojo back so I got going on the Victors. Also as Airfix have announced this Tuesday their second Victor release, you can now see why I haven't gone for the current scheme as we were told our lady would be next :yahoo:

The Bucc and lindy tail plane, showing how big it is compared to the Buccs wing.

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One thing the delay did was allow me to sort my research on the B2 cockpit and decide the Revell one was going to minimally changed as I am shutting the door on that one.

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The only thing I added to the cockpit was the rear table and used the airfix decal sheet instrument panel, which you will see is smaller than the revell cockpit.

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Ive used the eduards detail sheet for the B2 only things they got wrong was they added panels for the controls on the right as you look at the rear table as you can see I have removed those controls. Because those controls are the refuelling controls, hence not applicable.

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Airfix have done a nice job of the undercarriage.

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The revell outer wings and fin.

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Airfix's main wing.

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Revells inner wing is being heavily modified with the intakes replace with resin.

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Having dry fit wing to intake they fit okish but when I try to do so to fuselage they don't, so this is going to be tricky, I think I have sussed a way of doing it. I think with other items pre painted progress, should now accelerate. We have an even bigger year on Lindy this year, so I have to press on with this now. Happily I do have the appetite to do this. Oh and the Revell kit has been nick named the frankenvictor as the amount of work need on it will be huge.

Hopefully I will not take another year to update!
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 1st update

Post by ianf »

Good progress this week on both kits.

Part H56 as shown below is the tail wheel of the Victor and the lamps for the HDU. As the kit is a B2 the two outer lights should be removed.

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A general view of whats built, I am modelling the bomb bay open, fortunately Airfix do supply the doors and the mechanisms for their opening plus the bomb petals in the open position. It isn't in the instructions but easily used.

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I have both fuselages now largely complete.

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This shot shows the major differences. the Revell tail is to wide in cross section and the fuselage is longer than the Airfix one. The Air brakes on the Revell are a poor fit and the fins needed re shaping.

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Over all the shapes of each part is refined much more on the Airfix kit which is to be expected with about 35 years difference in manufacture. The moulds are showing signs of wear also. After looking at the nose bay on the Revell I will add side walls to improve the appearance. Below is the Airfix and Revell tails, plus the Airfix underwing tanks which are replacing the Revell ones.

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The wing has progressed.

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Now fitted to the fuselage.

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hopefully more progress soon.
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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Fumbles
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 2nd update

Post by Fumbles »

What a update! The detail on the cockpit is very well done. I'll gladly wait for another update like this one. :up:

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 2nd update

Post by ianf »

Thanks for the reply Rod. I finally seem to have my mojo back. Work is steady, I think I have got over the big log jam namely the inner wing of the Revell kit.

You can see why I call it Frankenvictor. It now has resin and etch brass air intakes a white metal nose probe and resin RATs

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I've also boxed in the forward nose wheel bay.

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The Airfix kit is now being cleaned up prior to washing then masking for paint.

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I need more and more room to photograph them together.

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I've also painted the resin wheels for the Revell kit.

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Because I am making the B2 in it's purest form, the Revell kit will benefit from the refinement over its refuelling probe.

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Hopefully the next update will see both at the paint stage.
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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Craig
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 3rd update

Post by Craig »

Outstanding. These are both looking the business. The standard problem with the Matchbox/Revell is the canopy glazing, hopefully it don't cause you too many problems. You've certainly been more than a match for everything so far!

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 3rd update

Post by ianf »

Thanks Craig for reminding me of the delights of the canopy I had forgotten! :sad: lol The difference in standards are huge. That said I have picked up on a few snags on the Airfix one, for example if you fit the flaps up, which is the normal configuration on the ground the instructions say you cut off the outer flap track rail fairing, you don't you trim it flush horizontally. I've since added the outer wings to the Revell kit and compared them. There is correctly a half inch difference in span. The B2 being 120ft and the K2 being 117ft another Tip for anyone building a K2 both ailerons are set 5 degrees up when in neutral position or 3 inches. this is to aid wing flex and cut fatigue. The B2 is neutral to the wing. Hopefully this week I will bring both to the paint stage, most of the work now is on the Revell kit.
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 3rd update

Post by ianf »

Another update for you. I know this build is taking forever, but I am determined to finish it, with the pace on Lindy now getting busier with the warmer weather, time on this build seems to get shorter! With our first main engine run tomorrow, I thought I would get the update in today. A lot of the time spent on the kit since the last update has been research and the Revell kit. The development phase had Lindy with various non standard bits and I needed to get my fact right first. As Tom said the Revell kit is indeed a bit of a chore and needed a lot of filling!

First up I added the Airfix instrument panel, and this is the first time I didn't like how Airfix went about this. It is very fiddly to fit with out damaging anything and the lugs designed to seat it are to small and not easy to get it into position square.

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A general view of both models largely complete.

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I then added the canopy, which I had pre masked and begun painting.

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Lindy had an anti spin parachute fitted so I had to scratch build it. The photo doesn't do it justice as the rough appearance isn't the case.

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Next I added the under wing flood lights, one on each side. which meant cutting holes each side and building a boxed in section painting it and glazing it.

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This and the last picture shows how much filler was needed as there are a lot of sink marks in the kit now.

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The outer wing joins was a problem on both sides and needed a lot of attention, I also addressed the trench that was suppose to represent the wings fixed leading edge droop. It was to deep so filler was added. The shot also shows I used the Airfixs under wing tanks. They are a good fit and a big improvement on the old ones.

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This shot shows the extra panels and holes I have drilled for the different Arial fits on Lindy. You can also see the after market metal nose probe and Aifixs refuelling probe which looks miles better to me.

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Both kits are now ready for a last general clean up, wash and mask ready to paint.

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I still have one more problem to solve and this is on the Mk20b refuelling pods and pylons. I am using after market ones, but discovered they are not accurate, in that they lack the lighting blisters on the pylon. these should be a teardrop shape. Indeed the Revell version do have them on. So for anyone using the after market ones, you will have to scratch build some blisters. Fortunately for me the development pylons did not have the blister they had domes with what appears as cameras in. I am still trying to sort this out, which is why I have not yet added the pylons to the kit.

Hopefully next time I post they will at least be painted! I have to speed up as work on the jet gets busier and Airfixs K2 comes out in the Autumn and I will be building that!
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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Craig
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 4th update

Post by Craig »

These are looking absolutely superb and really do show the care and attention to detail. Really looking forward to the finished article!

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 4th update

Post by ianf »

Thanks Craig it is appreciated you took the time to comment. I am certainly determined to finish them this year. With that in mind I better up the pace a bit as Myself and the team are starting a major project on Lindy; which will take a lot of time up.

I can give you a small update. After I posted last time, I realised I had one more item to add. The tanker has a periscope. It wasn't hard to scratch build it's housing.

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It was also time to add the pitots. As you can see from the picture the revell one was oversized.

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I put them on a diet and they look better for it.

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It was at this point I had a disaster. I had rubbed down ready to paint and gave both models a soapy water wash. When I got to the Airfix one I rinsed the model down under the sink. only to see the nose probe clip the tap & fall off straight down the plughole! So the plughole monster is as efficient as the carpet one! :sad: Luckily I contacted Airfix and yesterday they sent me a replacement :clap: I am hoping at least to have the major painting done this week, then all the final detail to do. It is possible to get it done this month I hope.
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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ianf
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Re: Victor kits XL231. W.I.P 4th update

Post by ianf »

Well I did not get them complete inside the month as I said. the reason was I have a habit of going into more and more detail as I finish, which resulted in 2 items taking longer to complete.

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The tow bar is a nice white metal extra but bugged me because it did not hve the axle and clamps that connect to the jet, So I scratch built all the detail I mentioned. Plus when I built the houchin, it felt wrong. So I looked at ours and sure enough it was, the steering axle was on the opposite end to our version. So that and scratch building the exhaust, the instrument panel and making the second tow bar location. took me several weeks to do. That said this Sunday after almost 18 months I finished! :yahoo:

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Of course ther was only one place to take the finished pictures....

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The lady herself had to join in the fun.

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Mini Houchin meets big houchin!

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Is this the ultimate Victor model display case?

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Underside view of both kits showing off the bomb bay on the B2 and the non standard scheme on the K2 development.

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The real tow bar with the model sat on it shows the extra detail I added at the back of the bar.

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One shot when I got home showing the anti spin parachute and our ground equipment in a bit better detail, please note the ground equipment is made to todays colours as it represents our present equipment and will be used with my Next Lindy, when Airfix releases the K2 with her on the box art :rock:

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It did take me far longer than I expected to build in part because the Matchbox/Revell kit needed a lot of work. The Airfix kit had a few items that when I build the next one I will take more care on, Namely the wing to fuselage fit, the intakes and the cockpit control panel. I've spoken to someone who had built it to and he had a good solution to the last problem, so should be no problem next time. That said this year as I got into the detail the mojo started to return and I certainly enjoyed building them. I think I know what my next builds will be and it will be another double header, however this time it won't take as long and they are a lot smaller models!
Victor XL231 Lusty Lindy, crew chief.
Our face book page. https://www.facebook.com/LustyLindy231/?ref=bookmarks

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