Vickers Vimy, 1931 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FROG The Trail Blazers Series F.163 Vickers Vimy, Alcock & Brown First non-stop trans-atlantic flight,
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Air Lines 12901 Vickers Vimy, Lines Bros Inc., 1964
Air Lines
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| 12901 | Vickers Vimy IV |
FROG model aircraft 1932-1976, R. Lines, L. Hellstrom
FROG The Trail Blazers Series F.163 Vickers Vimy, Alcock & Brown First non-stop trans-atlantic flight,
with Gold Tokens, International Model Aircraft, 1965
JS-033:350 Vickers Vimy, British Royal Army Bomber 1917, Hasegawa FROG,
ハセガワ フロッグ JS-033 イギリス陸軍爆撃機
ビッカーズ ビミイ 1968
Hasegawa/Frog
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| Boxes | ||||
| Old | New | Qty | ||
| JS-033 | Vickers Vimy IV | x | ? | 35000 |
FROG model aircraft 1932-1976, R. Lines, L. Hellstrom
FROG The Trail Blazers Series F.163 Vickers Vimy, Alcock & Brown First non-stop trans-atlantic flight,, Rovex Industries Ltd, 1968-1970
FROG F163 Orange series, Vickers Vimy MkIV, Rovex models & hobbies Ltd, 1974
KIT COMMENT
A BETTER BUCCANEER
MATCHBOX MODEL OF RAF STRIKE AlRCRAFT AND TWO NEW FROG KITS AVAILABLE
RETOOLED VIMY
Frog have supplemented their range of early aircraft by including a retooled version of the Vickers Vimy Mk.IV which was originally put out as a model of the Alcock and Brown aircraft making the first Atlantic crossing.
Many modellers will have adapted the kit already as the job was a fairly simple one but now that Frog have done the job for us there is no need to have to produce a slightly different undercarriage, bomb racks, additional windows and guns.
The kit itself has been cleaned up a little in that, the detail on the wing ribbing and fabric areas has had some attention. This is still slightly too heavy, particularly on the wing ribbing but it is within acceptable standards.
The additions include the extra work on the undercarriage and particularly the turrets which now have nicely detailed Scarff rings and Lewis guns. Bomb racks have been provided for the underwing positions.
This was a favourite kit of ours when it was first marketed some five years ago but it has become more valuable now that a more popular variant of the basic aircraft has been produced. The modeller can either use the decals for an all-silver Vimy of No. 70 Sqdn. stationed in Egypt in 1921 or a WW1 camouflaged aircraft used by RAE Farnborough for experimental purposes during the same period. It is interesting to read that the latter was used for automatic landing trials at RAE in 1921 proving that only now have we achieved the ultimate in this art and succeeded in getting an automatic landing system in everyday use by the airlines.
The kit is well-worth the 70p asked.
The Frog model of the Vickers Vimy has been retooled from the original release. It is seen here in the kit markings which depict an aircraft in service with the RAE just after WW1.
Aviation News Vol 3 Num 10 19-31 october 1974
NEW AND IN VIEW
The Vickers Vimy Mk. IV HEAVY BOMBER
By Harry Woodman
The writer is firmly of the opinion that to some, kit reviewing has become an end in itself. It is one of the most prolific sidelines of the plastickit industry and it must presumably be lucrative for we even have magazines which apparently consist of nothing but kit reviews. Whether anyone ever takes any notice of the reviews is another matter for the greatest percentage of those who buy kits are children who are not particularly interested in accuracy or anything else. Manufacturers do not produce kits for modellers, their product is a 'toy' and that is the market that they have to aim at in order to exist. Once the basic truth is understood certain aspects of kit production become clear.
The preamble is not irrelevant, for when the writer is asked to review a kit he looks at it to see if it can conceivably be made into a scale model which can be a very different thing to an assembled plastic kit. In consequence it should be explained that the writer looks at a kit with a very simple formula in mind. If the amount of work required to convert the plastic pieces into a reasonably accurate scale model is estimated to be more than 55 - 60% then the kit is poor and the writer would probably consider that a better model could be built from scratch (to use the popular term). However, if the amount of effort is less than 50% then the kit is not too bad. There are no extremes, no kit is ever absolutely awful for the wheels at least can be used as a rule. Similarly, despite the effusive vapourings of юте of the more sycophantic reviewers, no kit is ever 'superbe -best ever - the greatest - etc., etc., etc'
In consequence of the above, it can be said that Frog's offering of the Vimy can be described as not too bad, some effort and a little hard work will be required to make it into a scale representation of the Vimy bomber. This last remark might put some people off in which case those who are not should read on.
The kit is of course a re-hash of the old Alcock and Brown Transatlantic Vimy issued some years ago. In general size and shape it is quite accurate for it appears that the main reference was George Cox's drawing which appeared in the Aeromodeller of June 1959. Cox did all his research at the Science Museum.
Unfortunately ...... to convert it into the bomber versions requires more than a round hole punched in the rear top decking and the nose. The Transatlantic Vimy had extra fuel tanks which gave the machine a very considerable hump. This was not so on the standard machine. Presumably to keep costs down, Frog decided not to remake the whole fuselage but they have fallen betweeai two stools, for, having left the original hump in place, they have punched the rear gun position much closer to the tail than it should be, as are the two side windows. The nose panels are blank, the transparent sections being represented by black decals.
The nacelles of the Transatlantic Vimy were also slightly odd inasmuch as the upper side panels were sunken in as opposed to the flat panels on the standard machine. The wings are O.K. and despite the remarks of a reviewer elsewhere, the dihedral angle is not wrong (dihedral was 3 ). The rrose rib lets are not apparent but in 1/72 scale the upper leading edges can be sanded smooth to give this impression. The original kit was issued at a time when all-moving control surfaces were the vogue. This feature was often disastrous as far as scale appearance was concerned but in the case of the Vimy it is not bad at all for the control surfaces should always be cut away from the main member if the model is to be considered 'scale' at alL
The vertical fins are very clumsy and are best replaced by plastic card, the undercarriage vees are just too much spread apart at the tops and the rear receiving holes in the lower wings should be drilled about 1/1 Oth inch more forward. Struts are reasonably acceptable provided that some effort is made to make them sharper at the edges and the double mould line is concealed.
Frog did not go mad on the fabric covered surfaces, the ribs are not exaggerated too much and the original kit was presumably issued before the completely spurious fabric finish craze started.
Holes have been placed on the under-surface of the lower wings for the bomb racks and small lumps have been the result. This need not bother anyone too much for the entire under surface of the wings has to be sanded down in any case to remove the rather silly fine lines representing lower rib tapes. Frog are by no means alone in not being able to represent these features.
The way to clean up the undersurfaces of the wings and tail surfaces is to take a tube (cardboard one used for storing drawings or posters) wrap a piece of plastic foam around it and then a sheet of fine wet-and-dry paper over that and use this convex sanding block to not only flatten out the under surfaces but to ensure that the trailing edges are sharp. The rib tapes on the under surfaces can then be more realistically represented by first drawing the rib lines in pencil with ruler and set square and then lightly inscribing a double line (about 1/16th inch between lines) over each rib area.
The racks, bombs, gun rings, control wheel and windscreens can be gently dropped in the waste paper basket. The fact that manufacturers need to include such items in a kit is proof of what the reviewer said earlier about the main custom. The principle task is of course to remodel the fuselage and correct the nacelles and these are dealt with below in connection with the sketches.
The writer has on many occasions seen models where it is very apparent that the creator has not done enough research on detail. It should be said that these models were not just those of some of our members but in other areas including museums (the phrase 'museum standard' is another of those meaningless cliches, some museum models are appalling). It should go without saying that before a modeller starts work on what he hopes will be a scale representation, he should try to collect as much information about the original as possible. As far as the Vimy is concerned there is little difficulty for it has been very well covered in recent years. The most obvious starting points are the excellent Profile by Jack Bruce and the Aeromodeller drawing of the Transatlantic Vimy by George Cox available from M.A.P. (plan pack No. 2722). The latter is very useful for showing structure and rigging as well as detail sketches of the dashboard etc. More expensive (try to borrow from Library) is the section on the Vimy in the Putnam book on Vickers aircraft by C.F. Andrews. A most useful publication is the book 'The Vickers Vimy' by P. St. John Turner, published by P.S.L., this small book contains some excellent illustrations.
The box art of some kits is quite useful, however that on the Vimy box is not. The main painting on the top is rather poorly drawn and misleading as far as colour is concerned. The Profile gives the best representation of the wartime P.C.10. Instru-tions on the reverse are equally misleading, everything is either 'semi-gloss' (obviously a trendy phrase at present) or matt black-both being wrong.
Whatever the finish of a machine just after it has been rolled out of the factory, the gloss did not last for long. As for a Vimy serving at Heliopolis being finished in a semi-gloss — well presumably the artist has never been to Egypt (the writer has). The finish of any old R.A.F. fabric covered machine serving in the Middle East in those days was 'washed out - faded - shrunken -brittle silver'. The correct colour should be a washed out silver (basic Humbrol with matting agent and a touch of white added). Any IPMS member knows that tyres should not be painted matt black and information on the correct colour of the bombs is given elsewhere.
It should be said that the writer considers that it would be a great deal easier and indeed quicker to fabricate a completely new fuselage from plastic card for the work required to reshape it as it should be is quite considerable. However, for those who still appear to be afraid of trying to build from plastic card the following remarks allied to the sketch drawings may be helpful
The top drawing shows the fuselage as it is provided in the kit, the dark areas are those which must be removed. This clearing away includes the 'bulwarks' surrounding both gun rings and the lump behind the cockpit which was a fuel cock on the Transatlantic Vimy.
The lower sketch shows several things, the first is the fuselage after the areas noted above have been sawn and cut away. To obtain a better looking nose section a piece of thin acetate sheet is cut to shape and size and folded as shown (the original kit fuselage still has the rounded nose). It is then stuck in place using Mek-Pak very carefully. The acetate does not stick as readily as plastic card and some time is required before it is dry. The masking tape panels come later but are mentioned now. Before the fuselage is painted these panels cut to the correct size are placed over the acetate sheet, this applies to the new side windows midships. Paint is applied over the panels (not too thickly) and when the paint has dried the panels can be stripped off leaving a neat integral window.
The reconstruction of the top and sides of the fuselage is quite evident from the sketches; incidentally the easiest way to cut a perfectly circular hole in plastic card is to use a pair of inexpensive dividers to 'scribe' a circle and then just press it out.
The sides are a little more complex and require especial care partly because 5 thou card is recommended (the fuselage as moulded is a little narrow in any case). When using such thin card Mek-Pak is the best, used sparingly and applied with a fine brush. The whole fuselage side area should be roughened up by light sanding before the fuselage (and indeed nose) panels are fitted. A thin piece of acetate is stuck on the inner side of the panel and the hole cut into the fuselage side to accommodate this should be large enough to take the acetate sheet. Careful measurement is essential to this operation and it is suggested that paper templates are used first.
The side panel should abut on to the acetate sheet at the nose, the subsequent join can be hidden by filling lightly with Brummer Stopper (available from all hardware and plumbing shops — cheap — effective and better than all the expensive fillers marketed so eagerly to the inexperienced). The stopper is also used to fill in any small step where the acetate sheet is stuck on to the nose.
To represent the stitching several methods can be used. The lines can be lightly scribed which is simple but effective in small scales but a better method is to emboss the lines lightly with a large darning needle on the reverse of the panel. In the small scale an attempt to represent the actual stitching should be avoided, it is necessary only to make a neat line of tiny dimples and it is important not to make these too near the edge or it will make it curb It will be noted that the side panel unlike the upper panel, does not carry along the full length of the fuselage. This is to avoid the awkward job of making a small neat slit to accommodate the tail surfaces. Where the panel ends there will be a very slight 'step'. The rear part can be painted with about two coats and when dry, sanded to make it flush with the paneL
Nacelle
This is of course the Transatlantic nacelle and the upper panels are cut back. The standard item has flat panels and the drawings show how this can be achieved with card (5 thou suggested). The top panel should be cut to a pattern from the bottom panel and the side panels (bent in one piece) first tried in place to check size and then the exhaust holes drilled. This new side panel is also more accurate than the kit version.
Armament
The accompanying photos and drawings should give some indication of what the various fittings actually looked like. The side drawing is of a Westland built machine and the two views illustrate the true shape of the fuselage in side profile and the position of the bombs when carried.
There were varying bomb loads and arrangements and the one illustrated is merely a typical layout. The Vimy was a great weight lifter and the Eagle powered machine had provision for the following bomb load: twelve 112 lb. bombs or twelve 250 lb. bombs stowed internally (these were suspended from their noses in the compartment between the two main fuel tanks behind the cockpit); eight 112 lb. bombs under the lower wings (as illustrated); four 112 lb. bombs under the fuselage (these were suspended under the lower longerons at position 'C on the drawing, two single racks at each side, behind each other, and two 230 lb. bombs under the lower forward fuselage as shown in the drawing. These last two bombs were carried on modified 520 lb. tubular racks.
The correct colour for the H.E. bombs was dull buff, practice bombs were black with blue rings around them.
Racks and run rings should be gunmetal dark grey and slightly shiny for they were coated with grease.
Miscellaneous
It will be noticed that the machine drawn has extensions to the exhaust pipes. These were early flame dampers and were merely metal tube extensions, flattened vertically at the ends.
The rigging was less complicated than in the case of other machines of the time and reference will have to be made to some of the publications mentioned above to understand it alL One point to notice is that the outboard control lines to the rudders pass through holes in the vertical fins (the prototype had no fins). When fitting the rear gunner's side windows do not forget to add the crossed wires which were in fact the internal bracing.
Those able would be well advised to see the excellent replica Vimy in the R.A.F. Museum and take a sketch book. .The side screens were not always fitted nor was the pilot's head rest.
One way to represent the small semicircular foot holds in the fuselage is to use 'full stops' from Letraset (there is one sheet with nothing but black discs in varying sizes) cut away half of the disc on the reverse of the sheet and apply. The effect is neat and realistic in small scale and better than a clumsy hole.
The IPMS magazine, january/february 1975
MODEL ENTHUSIAST
A contrasting pair from Frog
If not exactly flooding the stockists with new releases, Rovex is at least working its way steadily through the kits announced in its current Frog catalogue, and the latest to be received for 'processing' on our workbench consist of one entirely new kit and a modified re-issue, both to 1/72nd scale. The new kit is for the Supermarine Spitfire and may be assembled as either a Mk VIII or the more numerous Mk IX, and we welcome it as undoubtedly the best Spitfire kit to this scale yet. We have been unable to fault it anywhere as regards outline accuracy and the component parts assemble well, although we must voice our oft-repeated complaint concerning lack of cockpit detail. Alternative rudders are included in the kit, both being applicable to either mark, there being little to distinguish them externally except for the retractable tail-wheel and tropical filters of the Mk VIII. An interesting additional item is the long-range under-fuselage 'slipper' tank which was employed for ferrying. The most attractive decal sheet covers a Mk IX of No 72 Sqdn, RAF, in Southern France, August 1944, and a Mk VIII of No 457 Sqdn, RAAF, operating from Morotai Island, SW Pacific, early in 1945. Introduction of the necessary cockpit interior detail should not present a major problem, and any modeller worthy of the name should be able to produce a really convincing Spitfire from this kit, which is priced in the UK at 40p. The other Frog offering is the Vickers Vimy Mk IV bomber, the kit having first appeared some time ago as one of the "Trail Blazers" series and originally depicting Alcock and Brown's trans-Atlantic machine of 1919. The kit, as now revised, has been given guns, bomb racks and bombs to turn it into the standard bomber version. The vertical bomb-aiming windows, clearly depicted by the boxtop illustration, have not been incorporated in the kit, however, being represented only by black transfers on the decal sheet. Fortunately, it is not too difficult a job to cut the openings and insert pieces of clear plastic. The two machines for which decals are provided are a silver-finished example from No 70 (B) Sqdn, based at Heliopolis, Egypt, in 1921, and an aircraft employed by the RAE Farnborough around the same period sporting chocolate brown upper surfaces and sides and clear-doped undersurfaces. These form a nice contrast and the decals provide the appropriate roundels for the period in the correct colour shades. The UK retail price of this kit is 70p.
F J HENDERSON
Air Enthusiast 1975-02 vol.08 no.02
It should be said that the writer considers that it would be a great deal easier and indeed quicker to fabricate a completely new fuselage from plastic card for the work required to reshape it as it should be is quite considerable. However, for those who still appear to be afraid of trying to build from plastic card the following remarks allied to the sketch drawings may be helpful
The top drawing shows the fuselage as it is provided in the kit, the dark areas are those which must be removed. This clearing away includes the 'bulwarks' surrounding both gun rings and the lump behind the cockpit which was a fuel cock on the Transatlantic Vimy.
The lower sketch shows several things, the first is the fuselage after the areas noted above have been sawn and cut away. To obtain a better looking nose section a piece of thin acetate sheet is cut to shape and size and folded as shown (the original kit fuselage still has the rounded nose). It is then stuck in place using Mek-Pak very carefully. The acetate does not stick as readily as plastic card and some time is required before it is dry. The masking tape panels come later but are mentioned now. Before the fuselage is painted these panels cut to the correct size are placed over the acetate sheet, this applies to the new side windows midships. Paint is applied over the panels (not too thickly) and when the paint has dried the panels can be stripped off leaving a neat integral window.
The reconstruction of the top and sides of the fuselage is quite evident from the sketches; incidentally the easiest way to cut a perfectly circular hole in plastic card is to use a pair of inexpensive dividers to 'scribe' a circle and then just press it out.
The sides are a little more complex and require especial care partly because 5 thou card is recommended (the fuselage as moulded is a little narrow in any case). When using such thin card Mek-Pak is the best, used sparingly and applied with a fine brush. The whole fuselage side area should be roughened up by light sanding before the fuselage (and indeed nose) panels are fitted. A thin piece of acetate is stuck on the inner side of the panel and the hole cut into the fuselage side to accommodate this should be large enough to take the acetate sheet. Careful measurement is essential to this operation and it is suggested that paper templates are used first.
The side panel should abut on to the acetate sheet at the nose, the subsequent join can be hidden by filling lightly with Brummer Stopper (available from all hardware and plumbing shops — cheap — effective and better than all the expensive fillers marketed so eagerly to the inexperienced). The stopper is also used to fill in any small step where the acetate sheet is stuck on to the nose.
To represent the stitching several methods can be used. The lines can be lightly scribed which is simple but effective in small scales but a better method is to emboss the lines lightly with a large darning needle on the reverse of the panel. In the small scale an attempt to represent the actual stitching should be avoided, it is necessary only to make a neat line of tiny dimples and it is important not to make these too near the edge or it will make it curb It will be noted that the side panel unlike the upper panel, does not carry along the full length of the fuselage. This is to avoid the awkward job of making a small neat slit to accommodate the tail surfaces. Where the panel ends there will be a very slight 'step'. The rear part can be painted with about two coats and when dry, sanded to make it flush with the paneL
Nacelle
This is of course the Transatlantic nacelle and the upper panels are cut back. The standard item has flat panels and the drawings show how this can be achieved with card (5 thou suggested). The top panel should be cut to a pattern from the bottom panel and the side panels (bent in one piece) first tried in place to check size and then the exhaust holes drilled. This new side panel is also more accurate than the kit version.
Armament
The accompanying photos and drawings should give some indication of what the various fittings actually looked like. The side drawing is of a Westland built machine and the two views illustrate the true shape of the fuselage in side profile and the position of the bombs when carried.
There were varying bomb loads and arrangements and the one illustrated is merely a typical layout. The Vimy was a great weight lifter and the Eagle powered machine had provision for the following bomb load: twelve 112 lb. bombs or twelve 250 lb. bombs stowed internally (these were suspended from their noses in the compartment between the two main fuel tanks behind the cockpit); eight 112 lb. bombs under the lower wings (as illustrated); four 112 lb. bombs under the fuselage (these were suspended under the lower longerons at position 'C on the drawing, two single racks at each side, behind each other, and two 230 lb. bombs under the lower forward fuselage as shown in the drawing. These last two bombs were carried on modified 520 lb. tubular racks.
The correct colour for the H.E. bombs was dull buff, practice bombs were black with blue rings around them.
Racks and run rings should be gunmetal dark grey and slightly shiny for they were coated with grease.
Miscellaneous
It will be noticed that the machine drawn has extensions to the exhaust pipes. These were early flame dampers and were merely metal tube extensions, flattened vertically at the ends.
The rigging was less complicated than in the case of other machines of the time and reference will have to be made to some of the publications mentioned above to understand it alL One point to notice is that the outboard control lines to the rudders pass through holes in the vertical fins (the prototype had no fins). When fitting the rear gunner's side windows do not forget to add the crossed wires which were in fact the internal bracing.
Those able would be well advised to see the excellent replica Vimy in the R.A.F. Museum and take a sketch book. .The side screens were not always fitted nor was the pilot's head rest.
One way to represent the small semicircular foot holds in the fuselage is to use 'full stops' from Letraset (there is one sheet with nothing but black discs in varying sizes) cut away half of the disc on the reverse of the sheet and apply. The effect is neat and realistic in small scale and better than a clumsy hole.
The IPMS magazine, january/february 1975
MODEL ENTHUSIAST
A contrasting pair from Frog
If not exactly flooding the stockists with new releases, Rovex is at least working its way steadily through the kits announced in its current Frog catalogue, and the latest to be received for 'processing' on our workbench consist of one entirely new kit and a modified re-issue, both to 1/72nd scale. The new kit is for the Supermarine Spitfire and may be assembled as either a Mk VIII or the more numerous Mk IX, and we welcome it as undoubtedly the best Spitfire kit to this scale yet. We have been unable to fault it anywhere as regards outline accuracy and the component parts assemble well, although we must voice our oft-repeated complaint concerning lack of cockpit detail. Alternative rudders are included in the kit, both being applicable to either mark, there being little to distinguish them externally except for the retractable tail-wheel and tropical filters of the Mk VIII. An interesting additional item is the long-range under-fuselage 'slipper' tank which was employed for ferrying. The most attractive decal sheet covers a Mk IX of No 72 Sqdn, RAF, in Southern France, August 1944, and a Mk VIII of No 457 Sqdn, RAAF, operating from Morotai Island, SW Pacific, early in 1945. Introduction of the necessary cockpit interior detail should not present a major problem, and any modeller worthy of the name should be able to produce a really convincing Spitfire from this kit, which is priced in the UK at 40p. The other Frog offering is the Vickers Vimy Mk IV bomber, the kit having first appeared some time ago as one of the "Trail Blazers" series and originally depicting Alcock and Brown's trans-Atlantic machine of 1919. The kit, as now revised, has been given guns, bomb racks and bombs to turn it into the standard bomber version. The vertical bomb-aiming windows, clearly depicted by the boxtop illustration, have not been incorporated in the kit, however, being represented only by black transfers on the decal sheet. Fortunately, it is not too difficult a job to cut the openings and insert pieces of clear plastic. The two machines for which decals are provided are a silver-finished example from No 70 (B) Sqdn, based at Heliopolis, Egypt, in 1921, and an aircraft employed by the RAE Farnborough around the same period sporting chocolate brown upper surfaces and sides and clear-doped undersurfaces. These form a nice contrast and the decals provide the appropriate roundels for the period in the correct colour shades. The UK retail price of this kit is 70p.
F J HENDERSON
Air Enthusiast 1975-02 vol.08 no.02
NOVO Cat.No.76071 Vickers Vimy MkIV, NOVO Toys Lrd, 1979
Vickers FB.27A Vimy IV (modified)
FROG model aircraft 1932-1976, R. Lines, L. Hellstrom |
