Next on the bench is the Airfix Fokker F-27 converted to a Laser Airborne Depth Sounding aircraft operated on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy.
I will be using a Hamilton Hobbies conversion as well as some replacement white metal under carriage legs.
Decals are from Southern Sky
From Wiki
The Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) Flight was a unit of the Royal Australian Navy. Unlike the rest of the flying units of the RAN, it was not controlled by the Fleet Air Arm from HMAS Albatross (NSW), but instead fell under the operational control of the Australian Hydrographic Service at HMAS Cairns (QLD), providing a platform for the operation of the laser airborne depth sounder system. in 2009 the F-27 was replaced by a DHC Dash 8 which operated until 2019.
I spent a few hours this morning making a start on the F27. The conversion includes parts missing from the Airfix kit like intake scoops and a couple of fairings at the rear of the horizontal stabs. You also get a replacement tail fillet, MLG legs and wheels (copies of the ESCI kit parts) and the fuselage plugs to make the -200 into a -500.
The parts were separated from their pour blocks and cleaned up
I also have white metal gear legs which are also copies of the ESCI which I will use instead of the resin parts
It was then time to do the surgery on the fuselage making the cuts and removing the undersized tail fillet
My preferred method is to use Dymo label tape to mark the line, scribe a line as a guide for a razor saw and then to finish off making the cuts with the saw.
I glued each subassembly together and then started to connect the parts
Some putty added, which was sanded
Which was sanded and round two of putty going on, this time also puttying the cabin windows as they are undersized and I will be using decals anyway.