Airfix 1:144 Concorde refurb

[tor lives]

Hi guys,
Well.....in addition to the Entex/Nitto 1:100 Concorde prototype refurb which I currently have underway, (inspired by the magnificent Capt Eric 1:48 Concorde build), I have now re-commenced work on the refurb of a very old, very banged-up and broken original-issue Airfix 1:144 Concorde prototype. She is in a pretty sorry state, but certainly recoverable. As the 1:100 Concorde refurb project will represent the French prototype F-WTSS "001", this project will represent her sister ship the British prototype G-BSST "002". Decals courtesy of F-DCAL once again.
Here is where she is at to this point:



Lots of bogging, sanding. and re-scribing to go, but here is how I hope she will look







As maybe noted, the colour schemes between 001 and 002 are similar but different.
BTW.....does anyone have a spare, broken, unloved, and unwanted old Airfix 1:144 Concorde, as I am trying to find a parts donor.
TOR

[Adam the Akrodude]

Kick ass Ray! You've sure been motivated!

[tor lives]

Custom decals have just turned up

TOR

[tor lives]

And that's the great thing about modelling.....you never stop learning.
I never knew this about the Concorde engine nacelles and intakes.....am I the only one who never realised this???


And here I thought the engines on this kit were mis-cast and I was going to have to "heat-treat" them
TOR

[hrtpaul]

Great work mate

[tor lives]

Just to keep the Concorde build momentum going and juices flowing, here is a short doco that I though was pretty good. I SO miss this most beautiful and phenomenal aeroplane. My biggest regret is never getting to fly on her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqr1pB_CG4k
In the year 2000 Space Shuttles would routinely go into space and back again, and you could fly across the Atlantic at the speed of a riffle bullet....yet in 2015 none of these things are possible. I fear that, for the first time I our history, human kind is regressing
TOR

[Adam the Akrodude]

One of the saddest talks I once attended was given by a ex-RAAF test pilot at a AHSA night. It started with a PowerPoint presentation with a Concorde in bits being floated down the Rhine on it's way to a museum - an aircraft only 50% through it's airframe and engine life. He went on to say how in 60+ years, we've not progressed much faster in civilian mass passenger transportation than flying much faster than around 500 mph, with the exception of the Concorde now retired to museums. He as a test pilot found this utterly tragic.

It will be some time before any of those "hypersonic" transports fly - if ever. Outside of the economics (cost per seat), I think the shear cost of development would kill these concepts outside of military use. I think it's a matter of kicking back, ordering another gin & tonic, select another movie on the in-flight entertainment system and accept we're pretty lucky and privileged to be cruising at 500+ mph in comfort. At least we've been able to see the Concorde in action.

A start will be to see if LM can get the SR-72 flying, even though it's supposed to be un-manned. Perhaps then civilian versions may appear in years to come - long after I'm pushing up daisies I'm guessing!

[tor lives]

Thread drift alert!!!
Call me a pessimist, but I think we have peaked as a species. And if anyone doubts me, just ask yourselves, back in the 80s and 90s when you imagined life in the 21st centaury, did you honestly think 2015 would look like it currently does???.
I say bring on the zombie apocalypse and be done with it , (World War Z or The Walking Dead here we come....seems like a fitting end for our species ). Just gotta get all these model projects finished first, (and no stinking zombie better break any of em).
TOR
PS: Speaking of the zombie apocalypse, I have often imagined that, when it happens, it will look/smell much like ya typical Model Expo swap and sell :D

[F-27pax]

On occasions the Expo swap n sell makes the Zombie apocalypse seem like a rather genteel picnic. On that topic, I agree. We can't have the apocalypse until I've got my projects done too. After that... fine. I wonder if there are mutant zombies who eat plastic and resin. I hope not.

Leigh