72modeler

Sorry- I didn't realize what I had done until it was too late. my mistake! Mike

Oboy, oboy, oboy! Thanks, SJ! The color photos are perfect for getting the various metal tones correct. Much obliged! Mike

Say it isn't so! Mike

Stumbled upon this while exploring the IWM photo collection. Very interesting Spitfire, markings and camouflage-wise! Anybody have more on this one? Amusing artwork, to say the least. According to the photo caption, picture was taken in 1943 and the Spit in the background is a 309th FS, 31st FG machine. Mike http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205371218

I have attached a link to a photo of an FJ-2 being restored for the USS Hornet Museum; you can clearly see where the wedge-shaped piece was attached to the ammo bay access door, as well as good details of the nose gear and gun ports- I'm guessing the ridges in the gun ports had something to do with attenuating gun gases during firing? On a 6-3 wing Sabre, the wedge was attached to the wing LE at the root and was removeable because the increased chord of the 6-3 wing at the root would have interfered with the opening of the access door. On an FJ-2, the wedge was necessary because the ammo bay access door was larger than a Sabre's to accommodate the larger 20mm ammunition tanks, not because of interference from increased wing chord. Mike http://www.skytamer.com/1.2/2005/5057.jpg

Tbolt, Very nice! Fresh from a repaint and very subtle exhaust staining, which I thought you did very well. Sure do like this scheme! Mike

Wow! Just found this while looking for the history of B-17G Madras Maiden. Tons of color and b&w photos of all the Memphis Belle replicas as well as numerous photos of the real Memphis Belle being restored by the Air Force Museum. Wondering if the original nose art will be preserved as it appears in the restoration photos and painted around, or of the art work will be used as a reference to re-apply it after the airplane has been repainted? Like the Lancaster, truly a majestic bomber! I hope you enjoy these. Mike https://www.flickr.com/groups/1933752@N25/pool/page1

Whoo boy- tell me about it! Is this a great hobby or what? Mike

What T-bolt and others have said about the kit is correct, from what I have read. You can add the 3mm to the rear fuselage easily by cutting at the rear angled transport joint just in front of the stabilizers and putting in a 3mm spacer; the other length issue is almost impossible to correct, which is why I think many modelers have opted for one of the replacement fuselages. If you do the 3mm splice, your Spit will look pretty good- really only apparent if you put the finished model next to a more accurate kit. The Eduard overtrees or week end editions would be another alternative, and if you order a couple or go in with another builder, the cost is pretty decent, plus you won't have to make any corrections or rob another kit for a correct spinner. Mike

Ha! I would much rather be building than blustering, Stuart! Gotta go check the mailbox to see if my FJ-2 has finally arrived, so I can see what all the furor is about! Regards! Mike

Zac, IIRC, both sets of wings were blue, but I don't have an FS equivalent or other color reference- sorry. See if these links help. I have the CMR kit, but they only list both wings as being 'royal blue,' with no FS or other equivalent. The aircraft is displayed with the long-span wings, IIRC, and the 'short' wings are in storage. I seem to recall an article in either Wings or Airpower way back that covered the restoration by the NASM, and I think both wing sets were blue. Somebody who knows for sure will log on, hopefully! Mike https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/hughes-h-1-racer http://old.sandiegoairandspace.org/gallery/album.php?id=100

Here we go, again! Looks like we will have to perform the commonly accepted procedure to make a slatted non 6-3 wing- take the slats from an Academy/Hobbycraft Sabre, remove the 6-3 section from the Sword wing, and graft the slat well and slats onto it, rescribing the slats to match the wing fold. Or, if you have them, I guess you could remove the slat sections form an Airfix or Hasegawa F-86D- you would still need to make the slat wells, though, (Pretty expensive and wasteful!) or use the slats/wells from a Cutting Edge Sabre conversion set, but they are LONG OOP! You would still have to remove Sword 6-3 extension, however. I would gladly forgo cockpit detailing and/or resin bits for a proper slatted wing for any F-86 or FJ-2 kit. I do have two Airfix and two Hasegawa D's as well as two Cutting Edge slat sets that I have been hoarding all these years,as well as three Academy/HC Sabres, but it's a shame a company like Sword that certainly has the ability to mold a proper wing with positionable slats couldn't do this, especially on an aircraft that almost always had the slats deployed while on the ground. I mean, I'm sure we can all do the surgery, but with today's state-of-the-part mold-making capability, a modeler shouldn't have to! (That scraping sound you hear is me putting my soapbox away!) I'm still waiting for my kit to arrive so I can see for myself what you all have discovered and commented upon. (Like Roseanne Rosanna-Danna used to say on Saturday Night Live- "It's always sumthin'!" Mike

OK, I know we are all getting pretty fired up to do FJ-2's right about now, and I'm sure this question isn't new, but selfishly for my benefit, could Sabrejet or Tailspin Turtle elaborate on this query? I want to get this one right! Regarding the FJ-2, on a natural metal VMF-235 Fury, would these colors be correct? Did Sword get the longer windscreen correct? Did I get this right? cockpit below consoles, seat: FS36231 dk. gull grey wheel bays, speed brake bays: FS 34151, chromate green landing gear doors, speed brake door interior, including edges: FS 31136, insignia red inner surface of slats, slat wells on wing leading edge: unpainted or dull, anodized aluminum Glad I have some spare Academy Sabre kits and Cutting Edge slat sets, as it looks like I'm going to need one of them! Mike To SJ- I'm betting the raised panels you illustrated on the kit fuselage are due to a non-original airframe being used for research, just like when they did their F3D kit. I'm looking through museum photos to see if I can find out which airplane, if any, matches the tooling on the kit.

Simon, The elevators on all Lancaster variants, IIRC, have angled ends to allow for full rudder deflection without interference. See the link to a pretty good kit comparison for details. An easy fix, all things considered! Mike http://www.hyperscale.com/2013/reviews/kits/airfixa09007reviewmd_1.htm

Howdy, troops! As usual, while looking for something else entirely, I found this really good photo collection of assorted U.S. and RAF aircraft; many are probably familiar, but many are new to me, and several of the oft-seen ones are in a much larger and sharper format. I hope you enjoy them! Mike http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?start=60&finish=15&name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=14429