AlexBB

Really sorry to hear this Paul, you have always been one of the better if not the best vendors at the shows with such a great variety of great tools that no one else ever seemed to stock, and your website was always well stocked and most importantly quite logical in actually finding stuff.. When I came back to modelling several years ago your guidance and advice at the shows was a really great help to me and likely saved me wasting a small fortune on things that would have likely sat in a drawer and never got used and gave me great advice in respect to airbrushes and the modifications and conversions I could do with the H&S Airbrushes which set me off in the right direction. I very much understand the impacts of Long Covid as I myself have been treated for this and still suffering, and now needing to use steroid inhalers and now a CPAP machine at night. Our local doctors have been a bit rubbish, though I should say that the 'Self Care Management Programme' I had to attend was actually quite beneficial even though the Long Covid clinic doctors keep trying to 'sign me off'! I hope things improve for you and your new business ventures become fruitful and wish you the best for the future. Gutted that the 'Best' Modelling tools store is no longer there 😞 😞

Great Review of these kits @Mike... I was musing if to get this kit or not..and now its a def 100% gonna get one... I was wondering however if anyone knows if there are any aftermarket tracks that will fit? I have looked at the scalemates listing for A1373 and that identifies Spade Ace SAT-35121 however these seem impossible to actually find for sale! I wonder have they gone out of business? Friulmodel list ATL-043. Does anyone know if these will fit?

@Tbolt Yep... I will try and find out the ingredients of the Wilko Screen Wash or as that seems be hard to get may swop to another brand like Holts which has contents by Volume stated on the label and calculate out the IPA % by Vol in my mix... Edit - Have just checked the Holts data sheet and does not state IPA as a component, just Ethanediol & Methanol... But does not give any other components listed.. maybe on the bottle so will have to check!!

Hi @Tbolt, Many Thanks for the pointer on the supply of the Butyl Glycol... I placed an order for 1 litre last week from APC and expected it to be a while but it arrived this morning 🙂 So now to do some tests with a variant on your mixture with a little glycerine added. In order to do some qualitative tests I have got some 125 ml bottles and will be using those with accurately measured volumes of each of the chemicals. Trial Mix 1 will be; 70% (87ml) Deionized water 25% (32ml) Butyl Glycol 5% (7ml) IPA 10 drops Glycerine EP Trial Mix 2 will be; 50% (63ml) Deionized water 25% (32ml) Butyl Glycol 20% (25ml) Screen Wash Concentrate (Wilko) 5% (7ml) IPA 10 drops Glycerine EP May be a few days till I get around to doing the tests but will update here with my findings when I do.

Hi @Tbolt I realise this is an old thread but only just fund it when looking for info on 'Home Brew' airbrush cleaner recipes. I have tried a couple of other recipes and find that they don't work very well with Vallejo Model Air, the residual paint goes all gloopy and sticks in globs in the AB bowl and needle chamber, from tests I guess this is due to the higher concentration of IPA in the recipes (25%+). Where do you get the Butyl Glycol from please? Having difficulty finding a supplier for this thats not in 25 or 205 Ltr drums lol...

My wife's son is at Nottingham Uni and I understand there is a Model Club there as I saw that mentioned in the paperwork when he went.

Hiya Sam, Someone local :-) Are you in IPMS ? Do you go to any local Model Clubs?

Hi Troy, many many thanks for your help and information. I have to admit to a bit of a 'Schoolboy' Error!! I have never done an Eduard kit before and I am used to using the Airfix and other paint call outs and did not realise the 'Call Out' at the front of the Eduard instructions listed all the paint for all of the paint scheme options!! I should have read ALL the way through!! I am going to be doing the paint scheme B so now realise I do not need the flat red in any case! and will be ordering the vallejo paint set 71.189 WWII British Aircraft Colours RAF/FAA The flikr pictures are brilliant :-)

Hiya All, I hope this is the right place to post this item.. I Would be grateful of some help with the Paint call out on Eduard kit 8281 - Spitfire MK IXc late version.. I have managed to convert a lot of the GSi Creos (Gunze) Aqueous / Mr Color references that are listed to Vallejo Model Air or Model Colour... But I am struggling on the following; H13 / C3 Flat Red - vallejo says 71.039 but that is no where near as bright a shade as H13 ?? H94 / C138 Clear Green - cant find anything H330 / C361 Dark Green - cant find anything C362 Ocean Gray - cant find anything C364 Aircraft Gray Green - listed as BS283 should = 71.126 but shades look way off looking at online ref's? maybe should be 71.010 Interior Green?? (this is cockpit interior) I have checked the internet for sites I know and used the 'Ultimate paint Conversion Chart' web site mentioned elsewhere but can't find anything... I may be not using it right, but have tried different ways of searching! C361, 352 & 363 are in Mr Color RAF Mid to Late WW2 Set Ref: CS-684 but I cannot find them available on their own or so far any conversions to other paints. I need to use Vallejo as I can get that local and can airbrush it without a spray booth and mainly and more important my wife don't moan about the smell!!! which is why I can't spray Tamiya or Mr Color at present till we move house and I get my own Hobby area....

Hi Dennis, Thanks for the Welcome :-) What clear coat do you use? and is it Matt or Gloss?

Hiya to everyone on the Forum, Well I am going to dip my toe in the water (or should I say Brush!!) and say hello to everyone here or should I say Ow Do and ow's ya doin! I am just getting back into models after some years. I Built quite a lot (badly!!) when I was much much younger (10 to 15'ish, before I got into 1:1 motorbikes lol..) these were mainly American I think, like the Polar Lights ones, I do remember Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy etc which sat butchered on my bedroom shelf splattered in a selection of Humbrol enamels, glue runs, finger prints, hairs and the odd bit of skin!!!! in pride of place!! My best remembered favorite model I built at the time was the Jaws in a Bottle, so I guess that may have been around about 1977. I took a break for a few years until my first son was born (OMG..He's now 32!!), I then had an excuse to check out the toy shops and build models for his nursery!! ;-) ;-) and then I built a few not so bad (as I thought at the time!!! ) Motorcycle builds during the winters of the late 1980's when my eldest son was very young and going out in the cold winter months was a little restricted; If I remember my best ones were an HD Electraglide, a Manx Norton, and the Easyrider Chopper etc... All were brush painted except for the Manx which I tried using car paints for the yellow petrol tank which sort of worked but nothing like the quality of finish I have seen on models these days... I spent some time doing Warhammer stuff with my youngest son about 8 years back, mainly LoTR stuff which he was into at the time, he is 18 now and doing A levels so doesn't have much time for them anymore, though he has started some WH Space Wolves after a trip to the model shop the other Saturday, so I know he still has the bug!! lol...... Anyhow, I dug the modelling stuff out late last year and thought I would give it a go again, following a few conversations with a mate in the pub who is really into his tanks and AFV's. This time though I have decided to get a better Airbrush (Much Better!!!) and get into it a bit more if my skills will allow... I live in Walsall in the West Midlands and it seems a lot of the old model shops have all now closed as it used to be a favourite pass time of mine to visit a couple on a Saturday afternoon and drool at the cool new items, tools & kits... I guess the internet and changes in peoples hobbies have killed them off... When I built models in the past what always frustrated me was the poor quality of paint finish I could achieve with the old enamel paints. I had a short period with an airbrush and tried the Humbrol Acrylics which was a bit of a failure & I gave up with the Clark Tools (Machine Mart) airbrush some years ago as I found it almost impossible to work, however this time after spending many hours watching YT videos and reviews etc.. I have realised that a lot of the errors of my ways I can quite easily put right... So I am going to try again... I am Looking to use Vallejo Model Air mainly though once I can get my head round these new Alclad paint I may try those as well.... I am however quite a bit confused as to all the matt & gloss coats / varnishes now available though as only ever used Klear (Future Floor polish) in the past and that was limited to sealing before adding decals.... Now I see that some gloss coat before adding decals using Microset & Microsol then add matt coat before weathering.... so not really sure about this as had some issues in the past with Klear screwing up the paint!! I then tried the Tamiya one and that was worse!! Though it may be not suited for brushing I now realise! I found this forum after having decided to join IPMS yesterday and I noticed a link when I was searching for any local shows to attend and came across some videos on YT which mentioned Britmodeller in the comments..... Anyhow I have started back with a couple of small Tamiya builds in 1/35....Willy's Jeep 35219 & WLA45 35084, Though I am finding that I really need the glasses and magnifier for the smaller parts I guess the eyes aren't what they used to be!!.... Due to the old eyes I also have an Eduard Spitfire #8281 on the way 1:48..... and the Airfix Specialist Spitfires is likely my next little purchase..... Anyway, I will keep reading through the posts and trying to pick up a few hints & tips from all you guys.... Just love the quality of the work on here... I am humbled!! Cheers Alex