Masochistic build, the 1/48 Fonderie Miniatures Halifax III

[Sir Desmond Glazebrook]

To me this thread is called, No moon tonight.

[Wingco57]

Some more work being done. Portside frames and stringers ready. Time for some interior detail.

Cees

[woody37]

Lovely progress Cees, that interior framework looks spot on.

I'm working on forming a new canopy at the moment then I'll work the fuselage around it to make sure everything fits.

[harv]

On 12/11/2019 at 5:50 AM, Old Dog said:

That's some crazy detail (and excellent work as well)   If I ever get around to building mine it will no doubt be a gutless husk.

I concur.  Excellent scratch work. Some day I hope to grow up to this level.......harv 

[GazzaS]

love the results of the huge amount of scratchbuilding you're doing!

[Wingco57]

It needs it, but it is fun.

Following Neil (Woody37) I will use as many kitparts as I can such as the navigator and flight engineer panels. Making a bulkhead gives some much needed  to the fuselage.

@ Neil, I saw your canopy master, it looks promising.

Cheers

Cees

[GazzaS]

It's amazing what can be brought to a kit with knowledge and patience.  For those rare ones I'd like to do, I lack both!

[Clunkmeister]

Inspiring work, Cees.  I’m enjoying this greatly.

[Wingco57]

Made a new frame 7 and the bottom part of the engine controls box behind it.

Cees

[woody37]

Hi Cees,

That's looking superb. I'm making notes as I've put the interior to one side until I get the canopy done. I'm planning to form it tomorrow so fingers crossed :)

 

How are you intending to do the side windows below the canopy? 

 

[Wingco57]

Hi Neil,

Good question. I haven’t made up my mind yet. The kit side windows are very brittle and not very clear. We’ll see when I get to that part.

in the meantime I have started on the pilot’s floor, mostly done from memory just for the fun of it. Here is the basic floor.

Cheers

Cees

[woody37]

Hi Cees,

I'm enjoying watching this. Yours is a lesson in how to do it properly, mines more of a butchery at the moment. Thank God for P38 filler 

I'm not far off with the canopy shape now but it needs a bit more work to get the taper in to the upper canopy towards the windscreen. The width fits the kit well and the length can be adjusted to suit if you want one when I'm done? I was thinking about forming frames in to it, but it can distort the plastic around it, so I'll simply be masking and painting them in.

 

[Wingco57]

Hi Neil,

That canopy looks very nice already, but as you say the slope at the front is quite steep. For more information see the drawing I posted in the thread.

I see you fuselage windows for the WOP and navigator have already been fitted, are those the kit parts?

Cheers

Cees

[Wingco57]

Some more scratchbuilding.

Lower part of frame 5

Getting there

Cees

[GusMac]

Looking very good Cees. Would be impressive in 32nd scale but even more so in 1/48th.

[Wingco57]

Thanks Gus,

I actually did that twice in 1/32. Both are online IIRC. But the first attempt ended up in the bin as a result of the ABS, it was made from, kept

breaking due to age (I was working on it for 14 years) and the second one (the fuselage) ended up in Tom Proberts fantastic Halifax model.

Cees

[Wingco57]

The masochism continues....

I made the WOP and navigator tables and almost finished the engine control box behind the pilot’s bulkhead.

 

[Wingco57]

Some petite progress....

Made the oxygen box and lid which fits behind the pilot’s bulkhead. This also serves as a step for the navigator to use the bubble sextant.

I also made the rail on which the two folding seats for the navigator will be fitted. In order to fit this I had to cut away part of the starboard stay of frame 7 otherwise it could not be fitted.

[woody37]

Great work Cees and a Happy Christmas

I've reworked the interior on mine several times but quite happy with the general layout now, just detailing it with bits of plasticard. It's amazing how many detail differences there are across different photographs of the interiors.

Comparing a figure from the Tamiya Lanc, those seats are rather small that come with the kit so intend to scratch build a new pilots seat.

I'm building a late war (built Sept 44 ish). Is it likely to have a black or green bombardier area?

Cheers

Neil

[Wingco57]

Hi Neil,

The bombardier section walls were black as was the facing side of frame 5. However the floor was green.

Some glacier progress. Spent an hour filing the top arch for frame 7 as the very fragile starboard section kept breaking off. It should be stable now ( I hope). Here’s a comparison photo of my 1:1 cockpit ( now at East Kirkby).

[Sir Desmond Glazebrook]

Wonderful stuff. Your work is lovely. 

[Wingco57]

Thanks Mylord

My last update for 2019.

Made the basic folding seats for the flight engineer, these need some tubular frame details yet to add.

 

[Wingco57]

Some more work in the new year.

The area next to the pilot is taking shape with the undercart and bombdoor fairing, which needs the levers,and the elevator trimwheel housing.

The interior really begins to look like a Halifax.

[JeroenPeters]

Beautiful work!!!

[Old Dog]

Most excellent ! I always liked the "beer tap" handles they used for the throttles and mixture controls on the Halifax