Fairey Albacore Fleet Air Arm biplane

Balsabasher · April 04, 2012, 09:35:47 AM

Thank you Fingers for your kind comments.
Barry.

Balsabasher · April 04, 2012, 12:39:35 PM

Well after five glorious days the British weather has taken a turn for the worse,today it is sleet and snow and its cold with it as well ! in view of this and a need to catch up on other domestic work no workshop today especially as I want to do paintwork which is impossible in such conditions as the finish just blooms.
Barry.

Balsabasher · April 16, 2012, 12:13:14 AM

Although it does not look like it here to get to this stage in the masking and start of the camo paint took three hours of tedious work especially with the masking,next stage the demarcaction and rest of the camouflage paint,I managed to catch a few hours of glorious sunshine to assist in hardening the paint,what you cannot see here is the underneath scheme which is the nearest paint that I could get to the blue/green shade,there used to be an old Hillman shade but alas it has been withdrawn many years ago,it was ideal for duck egg,the scheme is representative and suits me,there were so any variations of Fleet Air Arm combinations that would fill a book,and the Albacore is no exception !
Tomorrow I hope to continue with the painting and Frisk film the rest of the scheme,then its down to hand painting all of the markings,it will be OK on the night honest.
Barry.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINTING.JPG

Balsabasher · April 17, 2012, 11:41:43 PM

The Albacore in its camouflage,the strut positions have been pre-marked and indents drilled all ready to take the struts

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_2~0.JPG

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_3~0.JPG

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_4~0.JPG

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_5~0.JPG

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_6.JPG

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/ALBACORE_PAINT_8.JPG

Peter · April 18, 2012, 06:45:36 PM

Barry,

You are a Master Craftsman.

Peter

Balsabasher · April 21, 2012, 09:40:17 PM

The roundals were added today on the Albacore thus completing the model,the rings were first cut with an Olfa cutter utilising Frisk film as the stencil for the outer ring,the paint was then dry brushed within the ring and the mask removed immediately,there is a golden rule with masking tapes and any type of tacky masking film and that is to either remove when the paint is fully dry or straight away before any creep starts to take place.
The inner colours to the roundals were first marked utilising card discs held into place with a finger then hand filled with colour.
The paint used was my favourite Citadel,it has plenty of body to it and covers in one,you can also paint light over dark something many paints will not allow,the perfect one for the copper cowl ring was 'Tin bitz' they all have daft names to them but once you work out the actual colours then you are away.
The serial and codes were hand painted with a 000 brush.
The struts have also been added,these were pre-measured and slot into the idents drilled into the wings,a touch of thin cyno locks them solid,the inboard jury strut was to allow the wings to be folded,the strut unlocks and is positioned to keep the flying and landind wires in tension when the front toggle bolt is removed to allow the wing folding operation.
As you can see it was a tough and rugged machine and flew very well,unfortunately it was withdrawn from service while the aircraft it was intended to replace the Swordfish was still in service after its demise.
The one at the Fleet Air Arm museum was built from various parts by the late Viv Bellamy and is the sole surviving aircraft of its type.
Barry.

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/10005/20120421_2.JPG