erniewise

Chapeu to Dave and Pat for running and this Group Build, even as a total newbie to one of these events I could tell that it was a biggun! Thank you to you both. I think you've earnt the right to sit with your feet up and tipple of choice in hand, even if it's just until the next GB! Cheers Erik

Garr... There's always one bit you forget isn't there? Too late for the gallery, but as I've made it I present.... ...1 flare. Where? There, on the port wing Can you see it now? That's all folks.... Cheers Erik

PK-112 Fairey Swordfish Mk.I - 824 Sqn Taranto Raid Hello Folks This was orginally going to be my only entry to this GB but I sort of got caught up and swept along with the excitement of it all so ended up with three entries. This is my last entry. I bought the kit for this well before the kick off date for the this GB so had plenty of time to research and work out what I wanted to do. I plumped for an aircraft from the Taranto raid in the end as I think it was one of the Stringbag's finest hours. My Haynes Swordfish Owners Worksup manual was a constant companion and I found plenty of ideas & inspiration from previous builds on Britmodeller by @Heather Kay and @TheBaron. All finished in a combination of Vallejo, Humbrol or Hataka acrylics. Everything either from the Matchbox kit or scratched, other than the torpedo which was an Airfix example from the spares box. Thanks for looking. Build thread below. Cheers Erik

PK-405 B25 MkII 342 Squadron RAF (Free French) Hello All Second entry to the gallery. Finished as a Fee French aircraft and used as an opportunity to try out some finishing techniques that I have not used before. Pre-shading; which I think went OK for this but will do slightly differently for any future builds. Chipping; which I am happy with. And @stevehnz's kleer/pledge decal application method which I can definitely see myself repeating in future. Thank to @Rabbit Leader and @JOCKNEY for their cheerleading and @Markh-75 for his B-25 related encouragement and advice. Link to the build thread below. Cheers Erik

Decals on. As this is a technique experimentation build I used @stevehnz's kleer/pledge method and I have to say it worked a treat. Silvering is minimal given they were applied directly to a matt coat. If I had more time available I would have matt varnished post application but I want to get this finished this weekend I'm happy with my first attempt at paint chipping and the first weathering pass, but a bit disappointed about all the crud that seems to have gathered underneath the canopies. I'm away for work until the weekend but I think I'll be able to get this up in the gallery on Sunday. Cheers Erik

Various greeblies attached and first run of weathering done. It's getting hard to pick up what with all the stuff hanging off of it! Away for work for a few days but I will be adding this to the gallery this weekend. Cheers Erik

I'm told Double Diamond works wonders!🍺

Hello Folks. Nearly there. Just the bomb and flare racks to go on. Then some touching up, some weathering followed by posh photos for the Gallery, hopefully mid next week. Radio aerial added. Torpedo and cradle attached. Torpedo sighting apparatus attached, need to be be touched in. Gratuitous cockpit shot. Just noticed that the extra range tank is on the squiff, luckily it's only held in by white tack! Cheers Erik

Topsides painted. Need to tidy up the wing leading edges but I'm moderately happy with how the preshading has come through; I may try some tonal lowlighting when I do that. Cheers Erik

My original intention was that this would be my only build for this GB, I confess I got swept along in the let's see if we can build all of them euphoria. Therefore I was feeling a little guilty that I had consequently commited to another two builds as the 5th June deadline loomed; as I felt I may not be able to do justice to my other builds becaue of the time I was spending on this. So it was with some relief that I saw notice of the deadline extension on Saturday morning. I think I would have been satisfied to submit this to the gallery as it was but the extra time will enable me to add those few extra details that I had decided to omit without detriment to my B-25 build. State of play is top wing on. (No issues due to the rugged Matchbox engineering @JOCKNEY!) Rigging added, with a combination of Ammo rigging line and a generic elastic thread finished with a Gundam marker pen. Various sub assemblies added to the airframe and some prepared for later finish and attachment. (The torpedo and sling were ready to go but I've detached them to add a little more detail.) Cheers Erik

Phew!! A deadline extension. I had resigned myself to just getting it to a presentable condition. Hopefully I can now do this a little more justice. I've now masked the undersides and hope to get the topsides painted this week, after I've reinforced the udershading over the aluminium paint. Yes. As well as pre-shading I'm going to try paint chipping as well, a true voyage of discovery! Cheers Erik

PK-39 Northrop F-5B Klu Hello all. My first gallery entry for this GB. It was a very basic kit but went together in a flash. Decals were slightly out of register but went down quite nicely. Got to say thanks to @JOCKNEY and @Rabbit Leader for both hosting and providing encouragement and feedback to us all! Link to WIP; Cheers Erik

Undersides are painted. Masking for the topsides at the mo. Hoping to squeak it in by the deadline!

I think that I have taken this as far as I want to now. Decals on with a satin varnish topcoat. A bit of tidying up to do and then masking off the canopy. It's going to join the circuit on my ceiling and I think the finish for it will be adequate for that. Hopefully the next time this appears it will be in the Gallery. Cheers Erik

Components assemble! Only a few more to complete and then hopefully I will be able to get it into the gallery before the deadline. Cheers Erik