AMG 1/350 Saunders-Roe SR.45 Princess

[Frank3k]

I recently bought the AMG (Arsenal Model Group) 1/350 Saunders-Roe SR.45 Princess directly from AceUA/AMG through their EBay shop:



I've always liked this plane, so I moved it to the top of my build pile. AMG makes their own kits but also reboxes kits from other manufacturers, so the quality of the kits can vary from fair to excellent. All the AMG kits I have have been finely molded and this kit is no exception. The fuselage and wings went together well, with a tight fit between the wing and fuselage. Some of the engine radiator details were obscured by the gluing, and there's some slight flash in spots, but overall it's been an enjoyable build, with zero cursing:





The props are PE, though. I've separated them all and they're ready to attach after the plane is painted.

I'm torn between building it OOB or whifing it. There was a proposed jet version, the Saunders-Roe Queen:



But it looks brutish and vaguely Russian.

The engine mounts and intakes on the Princess look vaguely jet-like... but horror of horrors, I 'm leaning on build it OOB.

[GTX_Admin]

Maritime patrol version perhaps?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

There is certainly a lot of detail in that 1/350th scale Princess so much so that it does not look to be that small of a scale.  Did you acquire only one kit? 
 

[Frank3k]

I only bought one kit. They have a version with wheels - but it just looks odd. It is a big model - for the scale - but just right for handling.

- Greg, do you mean something like a Short Sunderland? Painting would be a lot simpler...

[GTX_Admin]

- Greg, do you mean something like a Short Sunderland? Painting would be a lot simpler...

Either the Sunderland or Avro Shackleton schemes given an operational Princess would be in service in much the same timeframe.  Therefore, either of their post war schemes would probably be applicable.

[Buzzbomb]

Interesting elegant niceness. It will look quite stunning in a collection either canon or whiffed to some degree

[The Rat]

Water bomber...

[finsrin]

Wondering out loud:  will 1/200 Spruce Goose props work on this beauty ?
Avro Shackleton scheme seems proper to me.
Rear stinger ala P2/P3 ?

[Frank3k]

I thought about the Spruce Goose, but the props on the Princess are pretty close together:

[finsrin]

Spruce Goose props measure exactly one inch tip-to-tip.   If too long could stagger depth of engines.   Used those props on OV-17 which has staggered engines.   Of course do as you like.

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3760.msg57383#msg57383

[GTX_Admin]

Water bomber...

 

[robunos]

Could do the Convair nuclear powered version :-


https://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=4532


If you want to spring for a Patreon subscription, there's a ton of information on the 'Retromechanix' site . . .


cheers,
Robin.

[Frank3k]

Spruce Goose props measure exactly one inch tip-to-tip.   If too long could stagger depth of engines.

The props on the Princess are 14mm/0.56" across - it would have to be a twin engine plane or a push-pull

[Dr. YoKai]

This should be wonderful to behold-the original certainly was. In another continuum, the original was purchased by Clark Yo jr.,  (The "Man of Modern Materials"as the pulps and press styled him.), for use as his second 'Airborne Science Plane'.
(The first was the Couzinet Arc en Ciel, re-engined with BMW 801 radials shortly after WW2, and just
before the start of the Secret World War [1947-1958]).

I like the original paint scheme, myself, but an long range ASW aircraft would make for some interesting possibilities.

[raafif]

I wrote somewhere (on BtS?) that the prototypes were bought by Russia as no-one else wanted them & more licence-built as troop & tank carriers to invade the USA

[Frank3k]

That's actually a good scheme!

I've gone the boring route and I'm building it OOB with the BOAC decals - which aren't responding to the decal setting solution.

[Frank3k]

I finished the Princess. The PE props, and especially the propeller cones/hubs were tough to fit.

Top view. There's a 1/350 figure under the forward support for scale. I added minimal weathering and forgot the exhaust whethering:


It's odd that it looks better under harsh sunlight:


The various small decals were pretty easy to add. I cut the white stripe decal under the wing, to make it easier to attach:


Thanks for all the suggestions!

[ericr]

 

what are the dimensions of the kit?

[Frank3k]

Wingspan is a little over 180mm and length is around 130mm

[The Rat]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[raafif]

Such a shame it wasn't taken up by some airline .  Such a beautiful airplane.

[Old Wombat]

Lovely build, Frank!

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys.

It really is a gorgeous plane. Overall, it was a fun build. The props were annoying - a good whif would be to turn it into a jet version, with embedded engines.

the Princess reminds me of a greatly enlarged flying boat version of the B-377.

[finsrin]

Home run of a build.         Everything is right.   Hints of Brabazon wing.
If was 1/200 or 1/144 would be candidate for 1/72 kit-bash.

[Dr. YoKai]

Beautiful build of a beautiful plane. As many times as I have seen pictures of the plane over the years, I never really noticed the wing form before-I know there were probably sound aerodynamic reasons for the shape, but I can't help but think it would have looked better with a continuous taper to the leading edge. Amazing to think of the size of this thing, even in this scale.

[GTX_Admin]

 

[Buzzbomb]

Most Excellent

[Robomog]

Beautiful aircraft, stunning build. Putting the figure in the photographs gives it some serious scale. Nice one 

Mog
>^-.-^<

[John Howling Mouse]

That is an outstanding result, especially so, given that scale. You must have incredible eyes and steady hands.

[Frank3k]

Thanks JHM - it's a pretty big model, even in 1/350 scale; about the size of an average 1/72 WWII fighter.

[KiwiZac]

Exquisite work Frank, she looks superb. And I agree that including the figure is a super-helpful indication of scale.

[raafif]