Subject: Re: Article
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 14:35:21 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: catherine vickers 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 3:39 AM
  Subject: Article

  Gallery Template #02

  1/72 Airfix de Havilland Chipmunk

  by Catherine Vickers
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here

  The Airfix de Havilland Chipmunk is an old , but nice , little kit which I very much enjoy building , helped by the range of colourful paint jobs on offer .  Having previously built one in the original RAF scheme of silver with yellow trainer bands (featured on ARC back in 2004) , I decided to do this one in the Canadian scheme also offered in the kit .  

  Since I’d built the kit before , it went together without any problems .  I built it pretty much OOB , though I replaced the seats with a pair of Aeroclub white metal ones which were much more convincing in shape & fitted etched harnesses to them .  The only other mod was the undercarriage legs – whilst Airfix offer the frameless Canadian canopy in the kit , they don’t supply the unfaired undercarriage legs of the Canadian aircraft .  I cut the locating lugs from the kit legs & glued them into the holes in the wing , added a spot of filler , sanded the area smooth & then drilled new locating holes for a pair of more appropriate legs from the spares box .  I’m told they’re from an Airfix F-86D Sabre , but they’re the right length & thickness & did the job nicely .  

  Once the filling , sanding & priming was complete , I commenced the paint job .  All the main colours were done with Halfords automotive touch-up aerosols – Fiat Golden Yellow , Ford Radiant Red & generic satin black for the anti-glare panel .  Being car paints they dried with a hard glossy finish , so I could apply the kit decals with no need for a gloss coat .  I’ve said before that Airfix decals are much better than people give them credit for , assuming you get a sheet that’s in register , & this was the case again , the decals all going on without a hitch .  They were , however , rather flat & a little on the thick side , so I brushed on a considerable number of coats of Future to gloss them up & help conceal their thickness . This produced a deep glossy finish to the model , of which I was extremely proud .

  Once the canopy was de-masked , I brush painted the undercarriage legs & fitted the pre-painted wheels , exhaust & propeller .  

  I’m delighted with the finished product , which looks great & contrasts nicely with my RAF version .       

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

  Photos and text © by Catherine Vickers