ThomasProbert Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 This build has been on and off (more off than on to be fair) the bench for the last 7 years! It finally crossed the finish line earlier this week and thank Christ for that! Fonderie kits have a poor reputation but when I first bought this and fellow modellers imparted their horror stores I didn't think it could be that bad. I was wrong. It was worse. It didn't look too bad in the box to be fair - lots of flash but nothing a good clean up with a new blade and a sanding stick couldn't put right. It was when I started building the thing that the true horrors emerged. The fuselage was badly warped, the interior parts simply didn't fit, wings were different thicknesses, one stabiliser was positioned higher on the fuselage than the other, the vacformed canopy and tail turret were hopelessly inaccurate and not worth using, the rear fuselage had the turret faring missing and it was too narrow, props were completely the wrong shape, most white metal parts, including the undercarriage legs, were badly warped and mis-shaped, dropped flaps fouled the bomb bay doors and the decals, probably due to age, had yellowed and broke up when I tested them in water. In short, it was a nightmare and was a resident on the Shelf of Doom for long periods as I plucked up the courage to do some more work to it. 7 years later and it was finally done. Work completed is summarised here: - Interior mostly made from scratch - Scratch-built bomb-bay and wing bomb cells - Bomb load from the Tamiya Lancaster - New vacformed canopy (thanks Neil!) - Rear fuselage widened and new turret fairings made - Sanger vac rear turret transparency used - Prop blades slimmed down and rounded (I'm still not happy with the shape!) - 100 Group aerials added - Xtracolor enamels - DK decals Anyway, it was fun I suppose and she's not come out too badly. My model represents Handley Page Halifax B Mk III MZ913, Z5-N of 462 Squadron RAAF, Foulsham (100 Group), April 1945. All the best, Tom 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Looks great Tom. After all your comments and Cees' on his build I'm surprised no-one else has come out with a better kit by now. It was such a workhorse you'd think someone might give it some love. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanzerWomble Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Truly a labour of love but a great finish . Nothing about the Halifax is easy , even just seeing one . The lack of survivors no doubt has a lot to add to the lack of models. People are less awre of it , and it's not a case of measure and scan as even Elvingtons is a bitsa , great though it is. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 What a great result you achieved with this kit. The pics show none of the difficulties you had through your build and what's more to praise than that. Just recently I was tempted to buy a Fonderie Do-24, because I really like the plane, but luckily let it pass. Cheers Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 Great result from a really "challenging" kit, if a mainstream manufacturer was to bring out a modern 1/48 Halifax I would buy it in a heartbeat. Cheers Dennis 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators James H Posted January 15, 2023 Administrators Share Posted January 15, 2023 That is beautiful! So a silk purse CAN be made from a sow's ear 😆 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinM Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 My Hat is off to you....seven years?After a couple the trash bin would of been it's new home.Great result! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockieYarwood Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 On 1/15/2023 at 6:15 AM, James H said: So a silk purse CAN be made from a sow's ear 😆 And Tom is an expert when it comes to doing that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 Tom Awesome build, beautifully done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HubertB Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 On 1/15/2023 at 2:15 PM, James H said: That is beautiful! So a silk purse CAN be made from a sow's ear 😆 Actually, comparing the FM kit to a sow’s ear is not very kind for that poor sow … But Tom nevertheless is a new kind of super-hero for vanquishing this one 👍 ! Hubert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landlubber Mike Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 Wow! This really turned into a beauty. Given all the apparent kit issues, this is a testament to how skillful you are 🙇♂️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasProbert Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 Thanks for the kind words, chaps. It was indeed a bit of a struggle and therefore it one of those builds that I dabbled in when I felt brave enough. It certainly is not a kit for the inexperienced builder but a decent result can be obtained if you give it time - as Cees is so ably demonstrating. And yes - a modern tooling in 1/48th would be a good seller for sure! A very underrated aircraft in need of some love and recognition! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomber_County Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 Tom, absolutely stunning congrats. Either a Halley or Stirling in 48th would be phenomenal……….someone was building a big Stirling…… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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