Evening All,
Like many others (it seems) I have returned to modelling after 30+ years break. I restarted about 15 months ago and while rooting around in the roof last summer found two unfinished models: one was a Vickers FB5 Gunbus and the other was a derivative the FB 9 or Streamline Gunbus. These were conversions from the Airfix DH 4 (wings, wheels, struts, gun,) with engines and props from the Airfix Avro 504, and moulded fuselages. I found them in an advanced state of construction, ie I had to put on the booms and tailplanes, top wings and undercarriage and paint and rig them. Having completely forgotten that I had ever started them I decided that perhaps it would be a good idea to finish them. Having looked at the quality of work on this site I am not sure whether these are up to the mark, but as I have had positive responses elsewhere I am taking the plunge here. The FB 5 build recently appeared on Modelling Madness if anyone is really interested in modelling masochism, or just wants an different challenge from super-detailing. These models are in God's Own Scale and are rigged with copper wire - just a foible of mine - I prefer it to other media especially on models as delicate as these where thread would probably put too much strain on them.
This is how I found the FB 5 except that I had made the skids just before I took the image:
These are photos of the completed model:
These are images of the much less known Streamline Gunbus: I have not seen images of any models in any scale of this particular aircraft but perhaps I have not looked hard enough. There is no serial because the photo on which based my model had the rudder obscured. It was a two-seat trainer - hence the two control horns on the nose. This model was in a similar state to the FB 5 when found except that I had attached the lower wings to the fuselage and fixed the booms to the wings.
The FB 5 represents a machine from 5 Sqdn at Abele in the spring of 1915: I am not sure of the camouflage colour as it could also have been earth or PC 8: the pattern is representative because this too was unclear in the photo that I used. The underwing roundels should probably be inboard of the alerons but I had painted them before I realised my error and I was not going to try to correct them. Apart from the serial on the FB 5 everything was hand painted. There are some minor errors on the FB 9 too but this is the best that I can do and I am pleased with the results - in fact I am now going to have a go at some more RFC/RNAS pushers.
Thanks for looking.
