Handley Page Halifax

First time I have seen a multicolur sprue Matchbox kit. 

 

Conversion to radial engines will need some work and imagination. Resorted to Pratt&Whitney 14 Cyl Double Row from DAP Beauforts instead of Bristol Hercules 14 Cyl Double Row, pretty close... 

 

Getting there 

My 'filler' project while waiting for things to dry on the Halifax (mainly putty/filler). MiG-29 will be in Ukraine camo, decals from Foxbot. 

 

 

Engine nacelles conversion coming along, need to add the longer curved wingtips that come in on the Mark III. MiG-29 is tiny in 1/144 scale, but the kit has nice details. 

The Mig-29(1/144) is going to be a simple build, the digital camo will most probably be the hardest part. 

Adding a few features to enhance the Matchbox kit. The bomb bay PE is for the Revell kit so need a little fettling in the wing mounting area to fit. Had to buy some bombs as well. 

 

Engines should look nice at the end. 

 

Assembly and painting to go !! 

Wings are on, just barely fits in the lightbox. 

 

It would have been nice to have the wing bomb bays Photo Etch as well but wasn't available where I got the Bomb Bay PE. Open bomb bay causes a bit of flex in the wings, so a bit of scrap plastic card to tie the wings together helps, as will ... 

... the PE bomb bay once it goes in between the weakest part of the fuselage. Only 2 bombs per row of 1000lb RAF bombs in the PE, though most photos seem to have 3 bomb per row. Created my own Bomb bay actuators from plastic rod into brass tube. 

New PE Bomb bay installed, the doors are not one piece like most, but should be in 2 pieces stacked one next to the other, as I discovered later 

 

Final coat of Tamiya NATO Black(XF69), which is a nice off black. The camera lighting shows it a bit lighter than in real life. 

Panel highlight then air brushed in with Tamiya Flat Black(XF01) 

Porcupine exhausts added from a Beaufighter. 

Camouflage begins with freehand airbrush of the Dark Earth from Vallejo RAF Bomber collection.  

The Vallejo Dark Earth is less red/brown than some other brands.  

 

 

On the final run after a break for holidays 

Making the propellers fit the resin engines 

The final product  

Eduard RAF WWII bombs turned out nice. 

 

 

The End