Anson Mk 12

[Bruce]

My next model project is another silk -purse to sows ear limited edition kit conversion (in reality, "assisted scratchbuilding is sometimes more accurate!)
The subject is not a terribly exciting aircraft, but if I pull it off it will be quite a rare model. Its an Anson Mk12, and will be completed as PH600, one of two such aircraft operated by the RNZAF onbehalf of the British High commission. I am using the 1/72 scale Airmodel Vac - form conversion for an Anson C19, which uses the Airfix Mk 1 as a donor kit. The Mk 12 was an interim model fitting somewhere between the two, with the later models tapered wings and molded fuselage, but with big square cabin windows instead of the C19s oval portholes.



The Airmodel "kit" barely fits that description consisting of 1 very basic vac form sheet with fuselage halves, upper wings and engine cowls, accompanied by a single A5 sheet with a side view of an RAF C19! no transparencies, lower wing panels, scale drawings etc - Nothing!. Checking internet reviews this is how the kits was actually marketed It was the very first product airmodel produced - Thier later C60 lodestar conversion, which I have built, although basic isnt too bad.
Fortunately Warren Russells RNZAF NZPAF aircraft book has some reasonable 3 views of the Mk 12 - I wouldnt consider this project without them.
The engine cowls on the kit are slightly damaged, but should be repairable.


I have started cutting and sanding the fuselage halves and opening the Mk12 window holes - the molding marks for the C19 portholes will be filled and sanded later. Here are the two fuse halves with an airfix Mk 1 equivilent section. Note the Vac form sanding board - essential to get good straight join lines.



As the big windows will allow some internals to be seen, I have constructed a basic interior (Not worth superdetailing 1/72 vac forms!) as info on the interior of a MK12 is non - existant, this is based on Mk1 interior layout and guestimates based on window arrangements etc. I have used some of my many surplus Dragon Rapide seats in the cabin (long story how I got so many - note the little bag full of them...) The colour is a fairly basic grey rather than anything too radical as it probably is wrong anyway.
Note also the thin strips on the fuselage sides to aid alignment and the false spar sections under the wing joints to prevent distortion - standard vacform practice.



this isnt going to be easy - but I like the challenge!

[Dave Homewood]

Challenge is the right word, good luck.

This has lead me to wonder, if the High Commissioner to New Zealand from Britain had their own aircrat, I wonder whether the New Zealand High Commissioner to britain, Bill Jordan, also had a personal aircraft? He was a huge supporter of RNZAF men in the UK in WWII and was always visiting RAF stations to catch up with the Kiwi airmen and check on their welfare. I wonder if he flew from base to base?

[Bruce]

The fuselage halves have been joined, filled and sanded - the fit isnt too bad overall. The tailplanes from the airfix kit have been fitted and filled - awaiting sanding.



As the conversion kit does not include any transparencies - which are quite different from the Mk1 - I have had to make a master to vacform some (fortunately I have built a vacformer) The master is made out of "Knead It" putty, filed and sanded to shape, with thin strips of tape to make the framing. I have gven it a rough coat of paint to seal the tape down and show up any irregularities that need attending to. (told you it was "assisted scratchbuilding"...)



I have performed surgery on one wing to convert it to the later tapered planform. The conversion kit once again falls short here, providing only upper outboard wing sections, and leaving the builder to invent some way of making the undersides. I decided to use the airfix lower wings, sanding off all the "fabric" contours as the taped wing was solid. the top wing panels are cut at the splice point for the vacform section and all 3 bits are glued together. The lower wing is then trimmed to the shape of the top and filed and sanded to the correct profile. A thin strip of plastic card is required to fill in the gap where the lower wing aileron would go. There is still some filling and scribing the new aileron shapes etc, required to finish everything off but the shape is correct. As the Airfix kit has retractable gear, the undercarriage would normally be fitted now, however as I want to do this later, I had to remember to cut open some of the UC mounting lugs inside the nacelle to allow the bits to fit.





lots of white plastic dust and scrapings everywhere - great messy work!

[Dave Homewood]

Gee Bruce, did you have to mention the All Blacks in that last photo?

Good progress so far.

[tempestwulf]

Well you're definatley making more progress on the Anson compared to my current projects, I'm hooked with playing Company of Heroe's online against Aus/NZ mates. CoH is a WWII strategy game - love those British 17pndr gun emplacements albeit the German 88's still slaughter.

Anson is looking good, keep it up.

[silverfox]

Brilliant work mate, you are putting me and my Classic Airframes Mk1 to shame. Keep it up.

[ianbw12]

Now that's some REAL modelling! Great stuff, watching with interest!

[Bruce]

Progress update -

Wing profile mods are now complete and the wings have been attached. As expected a huge amount of filler required for the wing roots, which due to the flex of the vacform fuse, is also a bit prone to cracking. in hindsight probably some 5min expoxy would have been better to attach them with, as that will fill the gap better and provide a more rigid attachment, but thats life... looks OK to me.



I decided I would add the tail mass balance before painting, but leave the other antenna etc until later. Note also the "firewall" angine attachment moldings have been filed right back. I will be using a couple of nice Aero Club white metal Cheetahs, and the moldings needed to go in order to get them to align properly.



The underside gives some idea of the amount of filling required, and shows how the Airfix lower wings had to have thier aileron bays filled in during the profile mod. Some panel lines added, but only enough for a general impression as I didnt have a full set of panel line drawings. (referenced of photos of Air Atlantique's Avro Nineteen)



Ready for painting now, as it is a hybrid with various types and colours of plastic, plus all that filler, I decided to spray a Grey base coat colour first (Tamiya rattle can) just to even everything out and show up any defects that need attending to before going any further. Cabin openings are bunged up with rolled up tissue paper.
PH600 had a pretty boring overall silver scheme, although it also flew in brown green Camo when it first arrived. In the past i would have hit it with a rattle can, but I thought this time I'd try the airbrush to see whether I can add some surface detail highlights etc.

[Bruce]

The Anson is finished.

I sprayed on the Silver paint using the airbrush - in practice this was about 8-10 different variations of silver to get the effect I wanted. PH600 was kept in good condition, its just that the reflectivity of Cellulose silver dope varies depending on the type of surface it is applied to, and the Anson 12 has fabric, wood and metal in the mix!
The engine cowls were repaired and I then added the lower scoops scratch built out of Knead it putty. The Vac formed canopy fitted well and the side windows were "glazed" with Kystal klear.
The engines are white metal Aero Club Armstrong siddley Cheetahs, and the props are the airfix kit ones, but with spinners built up out of Knead it. the adf loop fairing is another surplus Dragon Rapide item.
Decals are standard C type roundels and fin flashes off a stock sheet, with inkjet printed serial numbers.











All up I am very pleased with the result, especially considering the basic materials I started with. Unfortunately as a little known (and frankly quite ugly) Silver coloured light twin, its not going to attract very much attention, but really its not about that. I have certainly enjoyed the challenge of building this aircraft, which fill in another missing type from my "Scale RNZAF".

[hairy]

Congrats, the different shades of silver is very effective, you have a damn sight more patience than me.

[Dave Homewood]

That has turned out very nice.

[flyjoe180]

Nice work Bruce, I like it.

[silverfox]

Nice work, silk purse from a sow ear. Well done.

[istari]

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I am desperately searching for the plans you have here of the Anson MK12. I am looking for the side view so I can create a set of decals for a model and to use as reference, any help would be greatly appreciated!

[dewobz]

Brilliant project! Love it. Thanks so much.