Bedders

FWIW I've spent quite a while, over a number of occasions in recent years, staring at MT847 and wondering why it looks so ropey (besides the paint job). I don't think there's an engine in the front (the pic shows a Griffon on a trolley next to the airframe) and the propeller seems to be mounted in a very ramshackle way with all the blades set at different angles of pitch. The cannon shrouds are too long for the mark and are poorly mounted, and the supercharger intake is missing a bit at the back. So for my money it's not the best example to base references on: it's all probably held together with string and the angle of the exhaust pipes and perceived thrust line are both probably way off.

Does the yellow handle denote an ejection seat? Didn't know they had those. Justin

Excellent work. As well as the colour scheme, the radio gubbins behind the seat looks great. J

Apologies- I am. Emoji added. Looks exquisite. See above. Looks excellent!

This doesn't look very good at all.... 😍 J

Hiya, I'm still slightly stuck in the research phase but almost ready to get moving on it again. I've been using drawings to get a better sense of the canopy proportions so I can make a buck for a plunge-mould. More updates soon I hope. Justin

Those canopy masters look exquisite. I just wish someone would make one for XP-51F, G and J. Would help immensely with my group build entry... Justin

Looking really great Cookie. Particularly lovely flappery. J

Can I like this more than once? In any case the 1/48 will also enable a better nose to be put onto the Airfix XIX. Justin

Can we have a group build?

There are plenty of decal sheets out there, but their accuracy is not always the best. Some are old and could be updated (e.g Micro-/Superscale). Other more recent ones are incorrect (e.g. the code letters on KitsWorld 4FG subjects are too tall). Others again have been produced in short runs and are now hard to find. And others again might have fitted old kits reasonably well, but might not work well on new, more accurate kits. Over the years more original photos have come to light enabling more subjects to be decalled in theory. But decal firms are perhaps reluctant to decal subjects that are not linked to well-known pilots or units, hence the range remains somewhat limited. I had hoped that the Arma Hobby B-model kits would generate a new swathe of decals for these great kits, but not much has happened. That gives Arma space to issue a wide range of boxings if they choose to do so (as KP have done incidentally with their less-than-perfect B-model kit). Let's see what happens when Eduard issue their Ds. There's money to be made if someone wants to. Justin

Phwoar...

Lovely Hunter - very well done. Justin

Looking very niiice Cookie. I've got one of these kits but am slightly loathe to start it as I have too many others still in progress. But I'll be following along enviously..l J

I agree it's a bit of a mess at the moment. Probably struggling to find its way as the demographic of both staff and visitors changes. And coming to grips with design mistakes made the past. With the balconies/galleries now closed, it's not really a patch on what I remember as a kid. The first world war stuff is good though. J Justin