HS Buccaneer PSS Build (Part 3)

The 1/72 scale Airfix kit that I build in Part 1 and Part 2 provided me with a lot of information but did not include a much needed front view of the buccaneer. I had to revert back to a Google search to find a drawing that contained cross sections of the fuselage. With the aid of this drawing I then scaled the 13 formers to I/7^th scale that I required. Six of the Formers (where the jet engines are situated) were too big to print on a normal A4 (unless you tile them) printer and I had them plotted by my brother on his A2 plotter.

After cutting them out and pasting it on thin Formica I will cut and shape those to the outlines of the plotted formers to make up templates for my hot wire foam cutter. Up to yesterday I managed to do 5 of the smaller formers with the bigger 8 still to be done.  Once all the formers are done I will order the foam and proceed cutting it, building up the fuse in sections as per Formers 1 to 13.

This technique differs somewhat from the top view /side view approach and may require more work but I think that I will end up with a more accurate / symmetrical fuselage especially more so because of the complex curves of the buccaneer’s fuselage.

For now I am happy with progress and I am including some pictures of the build as up to this date.


I don’t know when I will make the next posting and therefore would like to this opportunity to whish all the BERG Blog readers a Merry Christmas and a happy new year (2011)-May all your landings be good ones.