Subject: Re: Gallery submission (S-3A Viking)
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Jim Ward" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 19:02:33 -0700

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Ward" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 11:51 AM
Subject: Gallery submission (S-3A Viking)

Steve, here is another article.  Thanks again!

Have a great weekend!

Regards, Jim Ward
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Gallery Template #05

"1/48 AMT/ERTL S-3A Viking Sub Hunter/Killer"

by "Jim Ward"
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Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here

I've always been a big fan of the S-3 and when I saw Ted Taylor's S-3
entries in the ARC gallery, I knew I wanted to build one.  I found one in a
local hobby shop and bought it immediately.  Upon opening the box, I was
immediately impressed with the size!  This is one big model!  I was also
quite pleased with the level of detail.  I have not compared this kit to the
new Italeri S-3, but I don't think there are too many areas that could be
improved upon!  The kit contains beautiful recessed panel lines, tinted
canopy, large easy to read instructions, nicely detailed weapons, etc.
While I have heard complaints about the cockpit - which is pretty sparse -
the tinted canopy prevents anyone from seeing inside.

The overall fit was excellent, the only tricky spot being the engine pods.
There are several nasty ejector-pin marks at some very visible places on the
inside of the pods, where they are nearly impossible to fill and sand flush.
I learned this the hard way!  After sanding, scraping, filling, re-sanding,
and painting the inside of the pods about 10 times, the kit originals were
beyond repair.  However, thanks to the kindness and generosity of Patrick
Spitaels, another set of engines were received and I managed to finish the
kit.  The only other trouble spot was the landing gear - very fragile and
easily broken (again, learned this the hard way despite warnings from
others!!)

Click on images below to see larger images

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.
Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg

  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
04.jpg

 Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
05.jpg

Having read that the early S-3A didn't have the capacity to carry harpoons,
I chose to leave them off and instead put large fuel tanks on the outer
pylons.  These particular tanks came from an old Tornado kit and may be
slightly too large, but I like the effect.

The decals came from Superscale.  As a sidenote, I intended to do this
Viking in the markings of VS-21.  However, as soon as the large vertical
stab markings for VS-21 were put in water, they disentigrated into about 20
small slivers.  I contacted Superscale, sent them what remained of the
defective decals and they kindly replaced the sheet at no cost.  But, as I
was trying to finish this kit in time for a local contest, the replacement
decals didn't come in time.  So, I used the stencils from the kit decals and
the VS-32 markings from the first sheet.  Now that its done, I think I
prefer the VS-32 markings.  Gotta love the blue checkertail!!

Hope you enjoy!

Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here

Photos and text © 2003 by "your name goes here"