Kit restoration
1
April 10, 2022This will be an ongoing thread of some pre-built models being restored and/or resurrected from scrap. I've been asked to provide some WW2 aircraft models to hang from the ceiling in a former coastal Fort now a museum. As all mine are usually cold war/modern era and built wheels down, I'm repurposing some old models I acquired in various stash purchases over the years. The idea behind using this approach is as follows; 1 I thought repainting already built models would be faster than new builds; 2 I hate throwing anything away; 3 they all deserve a second chance!
Whether my theory on saving time actually works remains to be seen. Here we go....2
April 10, 2022Mr Muscle oven cleaner bath for the well built but rough painted examples.3
April 10, 2022Matchbox Wellington. One of the Matchbox kits I never did as a kid.4
April 10, 2022Not sure what paint was used for the black. Nothing will shift it.5
April 10, 2022Matchbox Corsair and original tooling (1950s) Airfix Lancaster. I've a feeling the Corsair is a step too far.6
April 10, 2022Very well built (but unfinished) Me110. I think this is one for the shelf rather than the ceiling, it's too good.7
April 10, 2022While attempting to rub down the Lanc it literally fell apart. I have no idea how old this is but was acquired with a stash of 40 year old kits.8
April 10, 2022I put a call out here and on ARC forum for some replacement kit decals to restore basic markings. Got a good response for several.9
April 10, 2022Rough mossie.10
April 10, 2022Looking even rougher is a Matchbox Beaufighter but build quality is good. If it is, as I suspect, built by the same teen or pre-teen hands as the Airfix mossie, it shows how Matchbox made it easier to get their kits together without as much mess (or melted plastic)11
April 10, 2022Stripped back to bare plastic, a quick fill/n/sand and some tamiya lacquer paint satin black as primer. Humbrol dark earth and modern dark green enamel sprayed freehand.12
April 10, 2022P-47 (as seen in first pic) Humbrol olive drab and 64 light grey.13
April 10, 2022More modern Airfix kit decals applied after a few coats of brushed on Johnson's Klear.14
April 10, 2022Looks much better now15
April 10, 2022Canopy was glue damaged but the original builder made a decent effort with thin strips of black electrical insulation tape. I didn't think I could improve anything here so left it as is.16
April 10, 2022Tamiya matt coat, lacquer paint again. This is brilliant stuff.17
April 10, 2022Quick spray of some matt grey and rubber black. Enough for the place it's going.18
April 10, 2022And don't forget the bottom, the bit that will be seen.19
April 10, 202220
April 10, 2022I've actually impressed myself with how well this turned out.21
April 10, 2022P-47 again. I've cut off the remaining 3 prop blades to give the impression of a spinning propeller.22
April 10, 2022Tried cutting discs from clear plastic. This worked well on the P-47, but was a disaster on the lanc. I abandoned the ides fairly quickly.23
April 10, 2022And finally in position. It will do for now. Hopefully some other modellers will be inspired to add better examples for this display.24
April 10, 2022Decals are old spare Matchbox kit ones. Again I'm impressed myself how well it turned out considering what I started with.25
April 10, 2022Arg-hhh sounds about right!?26
April 30, 2022Three more sad examples lined up for possible resurrection in the Fort. Matchbox, old tool Airfix and Italeri B-25 Mitchell bombers. Already started disassembling and attempted paint stripping on the Matchbox. The other paint is not too bad so I'll just give a light spray over. Surprisingly judging by this pic they are mostly complete. Most are missing some elements of landing gear but they will be wheels up anyway. The biggest issue so far is the lack of ailerons on the Airfix. I think I have spares somewhere in the attic though.27
April 30, 2022This is the one with most work ahead. Believe it or not though I've got most parts except some gun barrels.28
April 30, 2022This will get what's left of the U/c cut off, a few spots of filler and a fresh coat of aluminium.29
April 30, 2022The Italeri is the best built of the three. The paintwork is actually decent too but the underneath is duck-egg blue! So repaint is in order!30
April 30, 2022Not sure what was going on here with captain red....31
April 30, 2022Enough here for all three versions, although as the matchbox is a short nose, it will get fictional markings.32
April 30, 2022It's like a lucky dip. I'm travelling to the Fort Monday, can I get one (or more) finished by then? ??33
May 3, 2022Both main wheels broken off and one missing. At least the two small doors are present. Remains of u/c legs to be cut off and doors closed.34
May 3, 2022Tried removing the 40 year old decal with the strongest adhesive tape in the house. Won't budge. Yet, a modern expensive aftermarket decal, with added sol/set and sealed with clear, will lift if it gets a sniff of low tack tamiya tape anywhere near it. Typical.....35
May 3, 2022Hole to be filled. It won't be seen when hung from Ceiling so a small bit of aluminium tape will cover it.36
May 4, 2022Spent the longest single sitting of this project so far masking the Italeri canopy and nose glazing. Nose glued back on, canopy tacked in place and Humbrol 88 olive drab, 64 light grey.37
May 4, 2022Matchbox canopy also masked. This was actually more frustrating than the Italeri one.38
May 4, 2022Airfix was a bit easier...39
May 4, 2022Aluminium tape over hole.40
May 4, 2022Looking ok. The original builder used masking tape and brushed the duck egg blue heavily leaving a bit of a "step" down both sides of the fuselage. Didn't really notice it until I sprayed the grey. Too late to do anything now. The olive drab went on a bit patchy leaving a lovely faded/weathered effect straight off. Pity ive to gloss it for decals..41
May 4, 2022Tamiya LP silver. Sprayed in the direction of airflow to simulate more weathering.42
May 4, 2022Still no sign of the ailerons. Plastic card may be in order...43
May 4, 2022Hu64. "Army" decal finally covered.44
May 4, 2022After multiple brushed on coats of Klear/Future, decalling started. B-25D-5 41-30058 "Lucky Bat" of 499th BS, 345th BG, "Air Apaches", Pacific theatre.45
May 4, 2022Taken from Superscale 72-691.46
May 4, 2022I like this motif. Although i broke it in 2 I sort-of got it back together.47
May 4, 2022B-25J-22 44-29655 "Toofie's Taxi" of 498th BS, 345th BG "Air Apaches". I love the Native American motif on the tail here. Taken from Superscale 72-689.48
May 4, 2022It worked!49
May 4, 2022A bit of colour. For this option the cowling rings should be yellow, not blue, but I used the blue for a couple of reasons. 1; yellow wasn't going to cover in one coat 2; i was already painting blue on the other one!50
May 4, 2022Ripped both fuse insignia with my stupid thumbs. Had plenty of spares thankfully. Off to bed now, matt coat tomorrow and some light weathering. Remove masking, add gun barrels and clear discs for spinning props, hopefully done then. Oh, and scratch some ailerons...51
May 9, 2022Never found any ailerons so 2 strips of plastic cut and shaped. They are flush at the bottom, but not at the top. But will only be seen from below so...52
May 9, 2022Closer look..53
May 9, 2022Clear discs added to represent spinning props. I'm not convinced by these but i was asked to put them on by the boss... hubs are simply tamiya silver sprue from an old Brabham BT50 1/20 kit. Unpainted and a 3mm hole drilled in the centre of the discs.54
May 9, 2022I spin them on the desk to deliberately scratch circles on them to give an impression of movement. Not sure if it can be seen here55
May 9, 2022Easiest way to square everything is to butt them up against the cowls56
May 9, 2022Toofies Taxi complete.57
May 9, 202258
May 9, 2022See what i mean about ailerons? Quick brushed on coat of tamiya LP matt aluminium59
May 9, 2022Guns are simple streched sprue60
May 9, 202261
May 9, 202262
May 9, 2022And Lucky Bat completed. Happy with this...63
May 9, 2022For what i started with....64
May 9, 2022Now for the matchbox.. not as bad as it looks actually.65
May 9, 2022Some quick brushes of Tamiya Extra Thin....66
May 9, 2022Replacement u/c doors from sheet plastic.67
May 9, 2022Masked tail..68
May 9, 2022..and top turrets69
May 9, 2022And everything glued back on.70
May 9, 2022Trying to keep wings level and even. Will leave it overnight and hopefully finish tomorrow.71
May 10, 2022Hu64 light grey under72
May 10, 2022And Hu66 olive drab upper73
May 10, 2022Found an old set of Italeri decals that i didn't even know I had. Even better that they suit the correct version B-25H. However, they are old. When was the last time Italeri spelt their name that way???!!74
May 10, 2022Here goes nothing...75
May 10, 2022Ok. It worked. A small puddle of Klear under it and a gentle touch.76
May 10, 2022After 10 mins looks good. Rock on...77
May 10, 2022All done!78
May 10, 2022Discs added and some smoke weathering79
May 10, 2022Again quite happy with how this turned out!80
May 10, 202281
May 10, 2022Gave a quick matt coat to hide the klear satin...82
May 10, 2022Packed and ready for travel next Saturday. Will post more pics when they are in position.83
May 25, 2022Update, and in flight. Matchbox.84
May 25, 2022Airfix "Toofie's Taxi" airborne...85
May 25, 2022Italeri "Lucky Bat" leading the way.86
May 25, 2022Formation flight...87
May 25, 2022
Comments
20 10 April 2022, 21:33
![](/profiles/img/44957-709-s.jpg)
You are doing a great job, there, Roy, (an impressively good outcome on the Lanc, for instance) - and for a good cause. Thumbs up 👍 👍
4 May 2022, 00:23
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Thanks Alex. The more I do the more I wonder would starting with fresh kits be faster?🏎
4 May 2022, 11:01
![](/profiles/img/44957-709-s.jpg)
It certainly would... But, then, there are reasons No 2 and 3, as you said: "2 I hate throwing anything away; 3 they all deserve a second chance!"
4 May 2022, 23:30
![](/profiles/img/12448-935-s.jpg)
And another small update folks. Thanks for the interest and encouragement.
9 May 2022, 22:09
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Should I add the 5 refurbished models to my "completed" list?
Tempted but would it be considered cheating?
10 May 2022, 19:30
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This has been a cool project to follow. I won't tell if you don't in regards to adding them to your completed list. Lol
10 May 2022, 20:13
Album info
Some pre-loved models getting a makeover...