Handley Page Hampden (Airfix 1:72)

[AlasdairGF]

Build thread - such as it was - was at http://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/airfix-1-72-handley-page-hampden.20153/.

So, I'm done. An education - an old model which wouldn't go together without some fighting. I'm not 100% satisfied with this, but I'd not spent any time on it in the past 5 weeks what with work piling up, so I wanted to get it off the table before Xmas. (Happen to know that Granny has bought The Boy the Revell 1:72 Lancaster Mk.I/Mk.III which he's going to want me to get into come Boxing Day...!)

Realised I don't have the set-up to take decent photos, so I'm afraid I started messing around with these to compensate...!

Couple of points - broke a tiny thingy off the top of the stbd engine just as I finished the durned thing... curses. Also, the pose is a little odd as I didn't have executive power over this - my 6-y-o insisted bomb bay doors open, crew in, wheels down. Not sure when this would ever have happened but there you go!

View attachment 75046

View attachment 75047

View attachment 75048

View attachment 75049

View attachment 75050

View attachment 75051

View attachment 75052

View attachment 75053


I'd really like to get some feedback on this - if you're willing and have the time, will you indulge me in the sort of feedback exercise I inflict on my students...? Would love responses on the following questions:

1. What do you like best about this Hampden?
   
2. What do you think is its weakest point?
   
3. What one change would make the greatest difference? (May include me needing to skill up in certain areas!)
   

Don't feel you can't respond to the thread if you don't want to follow format, but if you can I'd be grateful.

 

[Alan 45]

First let me say what a great build and I can't answer your questions because I think it's very well painted and the weathering is spot on.

Not knowing anything about this aircraft it's difficult to judge for me it's a great build

 

[Dave W]

I think you've made a really good job of that.having done a couple of these in the past I can appreciate the amount of work that's been done to get it looking as good as this.Cant give you any advice on improving it as I couldn't have built it any better than you have!.

 

[flyjoe180]

Great build Alasdair. My feedback in order of your questions:

1. The paint and weathering. Subtle yet clean and effective.

2. Weakest point, and not your fault for me is the pitot tube under the nose. I quite often re-fashion tubes for these kits as they are either too large (as here) or moulded onto the sprue in a way that they will break. Maybe the venturi tube on the starboard side could have been painted black at the ends, or drilled out a bit. Minor points which don't detract from an otherwise great build!

3. See 2 above.

I'm a regular builder (when I do get around to building) of these old Airfix kits and they require a lot of hard building and preparation work to get them up to a standard that can be displayed with confidence. I think you have done a sterling job on it. Onwards and upwards!

 

[Bunkerbarge]

As I've said on here before I'm a great fan of building up the old kits with new ideas, materials and techniques to take them to a new level. I think you have done a cracking job on this and make a really good model from a very old and challenging kit.

If I was to offer suggestions it would probably only be in the area of scratch building some parts to enhance the detail levels in such areas as the undercarriage and cockpit internals. I think masks would make a cleaner edge to the cockpit painting or, as I did when I was a youngster with these, was to paint tape and stick it to the glazing. The trouble is glazing from this time did tend to be a bit inconsistent in thickness and the frames were not the sharpest edges to I suspect that masking then painting would be best. That would also allow you to put the internal cockpit colour on first which would be then seen through the glazing, which is surprising how realistic that looks, especially with such a large glazed area.

I'm not completely sure from the pictures but it does look like you have put the transfers over the weathering so they tend to stand out a bit too clean. If this is just the pictures then I apologies.

They are only suggestions, I would be very proud of such a build and would now be looking for a similar old Airfix kit of a German counterpart such as a Heinkel 111 or a Ju 88!

 

[AlasdairGF]

Thanks for the responses, gratifying to get positive responses (though I should know by now to expect them here, such a positive bunch!).

The point about scratch-building is well taken - it's something that I'm keen to do if a bit nervous about! Actually, the light on the leading edge of the port wing was fashioned from a bit of Fairy Liquid bottle as the original bit pinged off into who-knows-where. Looked better before masking, seems all cloudy now (perhaps the glue I used?).

View attachment 75055


Richard I think you'll see in this clearer photo that the decals are below the weathering - as I say, the photos are a bit odd, and with the roundels as the only bright colour I think they're represented strangely.

View attachment 75054


Sadly for my technique, though - the canopies were all painstakingly masked, with interior colour as bottom layer and everything! I was worried about removing the canopy masks, though - they'd been on a looooong time (6 weeks or so in the end!), and had layers of gloss varnish x 2, [mask], interior colour, grey primer, exterior base coat x 3 (thin brushed layers of the earth colour), exterior second colour x 2 (slightly thicker layers of the dark green which was a bit gunkier), gloss varnish x 2, weathering, final matt varnish (thin spray coat). The masks were really thick when they came off, and I'm not that surprised that they came out not looking their best...

Thanks for the comments though!

 

[papa 695]

That looks great Alasdair like the rest have said the weathering is very good

 

[yak face]

Great job alasdair , i like it very much. Heres my take on your feedback exercise - 1 . I like the paint job best , the way youve weathered and faded the paintwork and the wash picking out the raised detail is great , not an easy thing to achieve. 2. the weakest point? Like Joe i think the overscale pitot , plus the bomb bay door edges are a bit thick , and maybe the machine guns would benefit from replacing with brass tubing, very minor and easily sorted points , that only really show up under close up photography . 3 . The adding/ refinement of little details as mentioned in the previous point , would make a nice difference . All too often people dismiss older kits because they are basic in detail but a lot of the time a few well chosen scratchbuilt additions and cleaning up/thinning of the kit parts really lifts them to another level .

Its a great build and you should be chuffed , i bet the build supervisor ( 6 y-o) was!! I'm going to have to get me one of these to do in soviet markings! cheers tony

 

[colin m]

I like it loads. For me the weathering is spot on. Nice job.

Colin M.