ReccePhreak

Troy, THANKS for the very informative post. I will have to print it out so I can keep it in the kit's boxes, for when I get back to working on them. "Too many irons in the fire" for me. One nice thing about being permanently retired, I can work on whichever kit I feel like, whenever I like. It will also help me reduce my "stash" faster, by cannibalizing other kits for parts. Larry Larry

Thanks Bruce, I may just use the Ocidental Spitfires ( 2 ea Mk.IXe, 1 Mk.IXc) as "practice bleeding" Paint Mules. I also have an Otaki Spitfire Mk.8, 3 ICM Spitfires (One each Mk.VII, VIII & IX), 5 Airfix Spitfires (3 PR.XIX, 1 FR Mk.XIV & 1 Mk.I), an Airfix Seafire Mk.46/47, an Academy FR.Mk.XIVE, 3 Eduard Spitfires - a Mk.Ixc Late Version ProfiPACK, a Mk.IXe ProfiPACK, and a Mk.Ixc Early Version WEEKEND, 2 Monogram British Spitfire Mk.IXs, 4 Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I & 1 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop. The one kit that should be "unmentioned" is my sole Hobbycraft Vickers Supermarine Seafire XV. Now that doesn't count the aftermarket recce Spitfire conversion sets I also have. Larry

Thanks Troy (And Graham) for the great information. I think I will just stick with my plan of using one of my Ocidental Mk.IX Spitfires to use my Airwaves PR.XI conversion on. I really need to finish something, so I can show the model club guys I actually DO finish kits, once in a GREAT while. Larry

Thanks for that quick response. I looked over both kits and their instructions, and BOTH of them have identical top pieces. At first I just looked at the instructions, which showed what appeared to be "bulged" cowling tops. When I pulled the kit pieces out, they actually look fairly flat overall. Makes me wonder why I added the "bad nose shape" comment to my database. Oh well, I will just try to make these "Fun Builds", with at least one Recce bird among them. I just noticed that I have 2 IXe kits in the same box. Have to look through my stash of Spitfire decals, to determine which of the 3 kits to build first. Larry

A search of the forums didn't find the answer(s) to my inquiry, so here goes. I have both the Ocidental 1/48 Spitfire Mk.IXe & Mk.IXc kits, along with an Airwaves 1/48 Spitfire PR.XI conversion. My model stash "database" (Actually an Excel Spreadsheet) lists the IXe as having a "bad nose shape". Does the IXe and/or the IXc have a "bad nose shape? If so, which Ocidental Spitfire kit be the best choice for the conversion? Will just using the Airwaves conversion overcome the bad shape? I will also be using my Almark decals sheet A48-26 "PR Markings Europe" for the conversion. Any & all help/comments will be appreciated. Just don't tell me to dump the Ocidental kit(s) and go buy some other "Newer & Better" Spitfire kit. At 71 years old, I need to concentrate on building what I have in my stash, NOT increasing the stash. Larry in Florida

I'll have to look for pictures of that installation, so I can put it on my Thai T-Bird. Larry

Glad I have everything I need to do an accurate (MOSTLY) 2-seat Harrier in Royal Thai Navy markings. I agree with the previous post that Scooby's "research" leaves a LOT to be desired. Larry

I have the DK Decal sheet shown in that post. Will probably be doing a few birds from that sheet. Thanks for the suggestions on Novascale. Larry

I have a few of the Xtraparts 1/48 Photo Lighting conversions and was looking for decals to use on them. The versions I have are F-4-1, F-4A, F-5A & F-5B Photo Lightnings. The only stuff available appears to be for the F-5E Photo Lightning, probably because there is an actual kit of that version. On a related issue, does anybody know if the Nationalist Chinese Air Force used any recce Lightnings besides their F-5Es, for which I have the nice (OOP) Third Group decal sheet (48-047)? I am ashamed to admit that my research hasn't turned up any data to support a "YES" answer. Larry

Looks good to me, as well. I know there are a few guys in my local model club, who'd like to print them out in different scales. Larry in Florida

Thanks for those links, ESPECIALLLY the color walkaround pics of the Chinese Migs.

I am about to start on building a 1/48 Shenyang JZ-6 reconnaissance aircraft, by converting the Historic Plastic Models 1/48 S-105/MiG-19S Farmer C. This is the aircraft I plan to model: https://www.airliners.net/photo/China---Air/Shenyang-JZ-6/1618438/L The kit instructions have the cockpit color as "Grey-blue", with no other references. I do have a Post-It note in the kit that says the colors are the same as on the F-8-1, but that might just be the exterior off-white color. Does anybody have an existing model paint that would be a good match? If it's a brand I don't have, and can't easily get, I can always try to match a different brand using various model paint conversion charts. Thanks in advance. Larry in NW Florida

I've always liked this scheme: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/img/siam-scale-decals-ssn72004-hu16b-albatroscl215-rthai-navy-x47-44144_0.jpg Someday, I need to get back to working on mine. Larry

A LOT of GREAT discussion here! While looking through my PDF copy of Camouflage & Markings - Tomahawk, Airacobra & Mohawk, I blew up some of the clearer photos, that "appeared" to have non-round (Fishtail?) exhausts. The aftermarket exhausts I have on order don't have as pronounced a "Fishtail" look to them, so I think I will go ahead & use them. It's not like I'm going to enter my model(s) into an IPMS/USA contest, they're mainly for my satisfaction. Again, THANKS for all the comments & replies to my questions. That's one of the main reasons I like Britmodeller, all the helpful people here. Larry

After reading all the interesting replies......