Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: Old Wombat on August 07, 2026, 06:10:26 PM

Title: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 07, 2026, 06:10:26 PM
This is my build for the The Antipodes/ANZAC GB over on What If Modellers.

The build will, in some small way, I hope, honour our Kiwi comrades & one Australian (Kiwi Zac, Ian the Kiwi Herder, Rick Lowe, & the late Wardukw (Phill Harrison) & Rickshaw (Brian Ross), who both passed away earlier this year).

I started it on the 2nd August.

This is my starting point;

The In-Box pic's;

The Box with the bits;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-JH2FKSV/0/MGZgjcvnv2xqgcmWGv7D759KFxc7kPjWngkNJW9sh/X4/DSCN9614-X4.jpg)

The bits in The Box;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-XxN7F6j/0/KFsWdFc4kwjrRb8P68vMMfHdvPXD5HWFH6Z8M6Wdx/X4/DSCN9615-X4.jpg)


This is where I was at on the 5th ;

Top view giving an idea of the planned general lay-out;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-3VbtJnb/0/K8JLMwxBqvkFfV6zqbXGc989f7kV5vBZrqzKzWK8g/X3/DSCN9616-X3.jpg)


She's currently trussed up like a turkey while the wings (hopefully) bond with the supports I've stuck through the fuselage.
 
More pic's as the advancements become photo-worthy! ;)
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 07, 2026, 11:05:49 PM
Well, here we are with the latest update, whereby I double the number of photo's so far:

Wings are partially attached & I've done some work on the tail.

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-Q46TXV9/0/MrsXDz5WscNJgsRMjctXxRMMKRNdKmDkG4jMrntmF/X4/DSCN9622-X4.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-P6PW36F/0/M7BnTRshhzbL8qmk3XTFvSPZrWzTnnhVjXgp4DgrK/X4/DSCN9621-X4.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-jvp7mkr/0/MrZgM6t7wMDzrQLkPMjg2Wg3KMwdN7bph2qxCDwk6/X4/DSCN9620-X4.jpg)

At this point I think she's looking pretty cool!  8)

Now to not stuff it up!  ::)

Still lots to do.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Frank3k on August 07, 2026, 11:51:00 PM
Wow! Those wings are a perfect match. It reminds me of the F7U Cutlass.
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 08, 2026, 12:57:03 AM
Thanks, Frank!  :icon_alabanza:

You're not the first to make that comparison, though.  ;)
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Kerick on August 08, 2026, 04:43:15 AM
You forgot to drop the slats, flaps and ailerons!  :o ;D
I don't know where this is going but I know it will be cool!
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Claymore on August 08, 2026, 06:05:04 AM
Nice one - looking very business-like so far.  Looking forward to see how things develop!  :smiley:
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: apophenia on August 08, 2026, 09:11:43 AM
... At this point I think she's looking pretty cool!  8)

I'll say! And then some  :smiley:

Wow! Those wings are a perfect match. It reminds me of the F7U Cutlass.

I was going to say the same thing ...

... You're not the first to make that comparison, though.  ;)

... making me the umpteenth, then  :-[
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Frank3k on August 08, 2026, 09:51:11 AM
The last two remind me of the B&V P.215:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Blohm_%26_Voss_P_215.jpg/960px-Blohm_%26_Voss_P_215.jpg)
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 08, 2026, 10:58:06 AM
Thanks, everyone!  :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza:

I forgot to mention that the wings are from a Revell 1/72 Arado (E) 555 - Although you'd probably figured that out.  ;)

My initial plan was to stick them on a Tamiya 1/48 Douglas F4D-1 but the Fords are getting more difficult to come by.

So, I looked at sticking them on either a SEPECAT Jaguar (Heller Jag A) or this Tornado. Turned out the Tornado was the easier to convert to a tail-less design.

Then the The Antipodes/ANZAC GB came along &, considering I'd been discussing this build with Wardukw (Phill), someone (Rick Lowe, actually) mentioned "what if the continent of Zealandia hadn't sunk", & that, I figured, was the perfect opportunity to build this beastie.
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 08, 2026, 11:10:11 AM
Still pottering away. Indoors weather today, so I'll try to get something done.

I'll probably work on the forward section, get the cockpit done. It'll be a bit basic because I'm only using kit parts & styrene stock for the build, plus, maybe, a few of my generic cockpit dial decals.

Then I can put the completed forward section aside while I finish off the rear & wings.

Oh, man, is there going to be some PSR there!  :o
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 08, 2026, 03:48:06 PM
I've figured out the primary load-out for the BR-26 ... 2 x Sea Eagle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Eagle_(missile))s & 2 x ASM-3A (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASM-3)s.

The Sea Eagles are from the old-mould Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer, the Orange Hobby ASM-3As have just been ordered from BNA Model World.

I may add drop tanks but, if you look at those big lumps off to either side of the fuselage as wet wings, that's a lot of fuel she's carrying!
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 09, 2026, 02:20:39 PM
Well, because of the 504/502 Gateway issues over on What If Modellers, I'll put this here first.

Cockpit assembled & ready for the halves to be jointed around it;

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-XchzNXd/0/LVHrg3cFMcNQ2h8SgMMZH3hP7F6WqzFK3QDRfvFd3/X4/DSCN9623-X4.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-wrfdQjc/0/LkwxC3h9rDchXm53jgJ7k89Ss3R2LvcnKRC2JR2b4/X4/DSCN9624-X4.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-g6W9cpW/0/MD7zQmpWJCzsvKpGwqX567CsRHw2FT4C8LrVKVBDr/X4/DSCN9629-X4.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-JqSGJ9c/0/LcXN8fn5dX3Pmr5pvhMGRdb4SM6xCDJwbQJC6dh9Q/X4/DSCN9626-X4.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Zealandia-Aircraft-Corp-BR-26/i-ztgT8Pt/0/LL9Fx5ZQPBXKNFjjsFpndrHpDBFhNr4M7rjB8dFL3/X4/DSCN9630-X4.jpg)

Is currently rubber-banded & clamped together waiting for the glue to do its thing. The bang-seats are, of course, going in just before she's buttoned up & the paint starts going down.
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Buzzbomb on August 10, 2026, 06:56:37 AM
Nice bit of office work :smiley:
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 10, 2026, 10:23:08 AM
Thanks, BT!  :smiley:
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 12, 2026, 12:39:52 AM
Day Four since the wings went on & the high-risk option I took to get the wings to stay on has resulted in some issues.

Against my better judgement I used sprue-goo to fill the gaps between the inner surface of the wings & the rectangular styrene bar stock I used to support them. I knew the better option was to work out the gap & make a triangular structure to support the wings & act as a gluing surface. Instead I took the "quick & easy" option.

After four days, I thought I'd gotten away with it but, tonight, just after I glued on the front fuselage, there they were - five sink marks of varying levels of embuggerance.

I'll start working on them now, but I expect to be adding more layers of putty over the next-few-days-to-a-week.

So much for "quick & easy", hey!  ::)
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Claymore on August 12, 2026, 02:19:50 AM
Fingers crossed that it all works out, mate! 🤞 :(
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Old Wombat on August 12, 2026, 10:05:02 AM
She'll be right, mate!  :smiley:

It's just annoying having to fix up issues caused by my own laziness.  ::)
Title: Re: Zealandia Aero Corporation BR-26
Post by: Jeffry Fontaine on August 12, 2026, 04:41:40 PM
The Arado wings on the Tornado remind me just a bit of the Vought F7U Cuttlass