In progress: Kit-Bashed BE12b

Brad Cancian · 1 December 2005, 02:59 AM

G'day all,

I recently picked up the 1/48 Aeroclub BE12 as well as the datafile on the BE12 / BE12a / BE12b. What has perked my interest up as an interesting subject to model is the BE12b. Whilst the BE12 was a single seat derivative of the BE2, the BE12b was a derivative of the BE12 but fitted with a Hispano Suiza engine (the same engine fitted to SE5a's). The BE12b was almost exclusively used as a night fighter in home defence squadrons through 1917 and 1918.

After inquiring around the traps if anyone produced a kit of the BE12b and getting many "nope" type responses, I figured I could model a BE12b by kitbashing the Aeroclub BE12 with a Roden SE5a to form the basis of a BE12b. This would be a bit of a challenge and would involve a good degree of work (Aeroclub kits tend to be a bit of work anyways).

Well I've made a small start on this fairly long term project. The first thing I did was cut the cowl from the Aeroclub BE12 in the right spot:

And next the cowling of the Roden SE5a was removed:

Next I spliced in some plastic as filler at the rear of the SE5a's cowling, and sanded the remainder of the cowl to shape. This included removal of all of the surface detail.

Once the general shape was correct, I added cowling details from sheet plastic, and scribed the appropriate panel lines. The cooling louvers were added from metal foil. Here's a pic of the cowling dry fitted to the fuselage and radiator demonstrating the completely different cowl arrangements between the BE12 and BE12b.

At the moment I am finishing off the starboard side of the cowl, then work will commence on the cockpit. My references here are scarce (including the datafile...)

I'm planning to update this thread as I proceed through the project but y'all let me know if this is borin' ya! All feedback welcome.

BC

GrzeM · 1 December 2005, 04:58 AM

Hey! Though it's not my scale (I build 1/72) it's veeeeery coool! I love kit-bashing!
My first WWI model was kit-bashing of Revell Fokkers Dr.I and D.VII into D.VI.
Result (a little damaged) is here:
http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/Maz...man/index.html

Cheers!
G.

PeterL · 1 December 2005, 08:35 AM

Good for you Brad! You've already done the most difficult bit in taking a razor saw to a twenty five quid kit in the first place (not to mention the Roden SE). This is one to watch. Keep it coming.

Ross_Moorhouse · 1 December 2005, 11:24 AM

As PeterL said. I have been too scared to do this myself but knew it was the only way to make this plane in 48th.

Keep it coming mate. Maybe you could cast the fuselage halfs in resin and offer then as conversions.

1 December 2005, 05:40 PM

Please allow me to welcome you over to the shadow-world of kitbashing Brad! I checked with the Grand Poohbah of Bashing and he in his munificence has authorized our small, secret order to accept accolytes from those of you who build in the "manly" scales of giantism.

Seriously Brad, I love your work and I think your current project has the makings of a real stunner! Also, it would look interesting in comparison to my current kitbash, a 1/144 Curtiss H-16. All I have left to do is the rigging and given my love of it, you may well beat me to the finish line! Best of luck on a cool project and thanks for keeping us updated on your progress!

Brian da Basher
(4th Degree Mason of Squadron Putty)

PeterL · 4 December 2005, 04:03 AM

Brad, I've read this over and over. I really am taken with the idea, and have been since you first suggested it in another thread, so much so that I fancy having a go myself. As I have neither a BE2C nor a BE12 kit at the moment I can think about taking a different path. A BE2C would leave me with a spare engine of more use than that in the BE12. Apart from the additional task of filling in the front cockpit opening, would you anticipate any additional problems arguing against starting with a BE2C?

Old Man · 5 December 2005, 12:46 AM

It is always a pleasure to see someone taking things into their own hands to get a model they want. It is a very interesting subject you have chosen for the effort; quite off the beaten path.

Brad Cancian · 5 December 2005, 09:09 PM

Peter L - The BE2C and BE12 / BE12a all shared the same engine IIRC, so both kits will leave you with the same engine no matter which you converted to the BE12b. As far as converting a BE2C to a BE12b, I see no problems with filling the forward cockpit area and modifying the cowl to come up with a BE12b. As I will be doing with my conversion, the only other major additions required will be a headrest and some mechanisms for mounting the lewis guns on the top wing. So as you can see, it's not a big project once the cowls are done (the hardest part is detailing the Aeroclub kit which you would need to do anyways!).

Progress report on the project: Both sides of the cowling are now completed, I am working on thinning the fuselage halves to commence work on the cockpit (because the Aeroclub kit is a limited run kit, the plastic on the fuselage halves is about 2mm thick!

).

BC

PeterL · 5 December 2005, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Cancian

Peter L - The BE2C and BE12 / BE12a all shared the same engine IIRC,

Not sure about that Brad. AFAIK the BE2 has a V-8 RAF1a, the BE12 a V-12 RAF3a in common with the RE8. The RAF1a is kind of Renault-ish and might be useful in other projects. Thanks for the overview. That's most likely the way I shall go.

Brad Cancian · 10 December 2005, 05:14 AM

Just a small update, not much progress has been made in the last week or so (hey it's summer here...)

I have thinned the side walls, corrected the shape of the cockpit opening with sheet styrene and bashed together a bit of an internal framework from strip styrene.

The structure is based on what little info I have on the interior. Here's where I've hit a little bit of a snag - there isn't too many pics of the interior details around (even in the datafile), and there isn't much on the net that I have found - does anyone know of any websites / books with pics of the interior of any BE12s (or even BE2s as I'd imagine the interior of the pilot's cockpit would be similar to that of a BE12)? If not some creative / logical guesswork may be needed...

BC