general melchett

Thanks Longhorn, apprecited.

Thanks fellas, yes, the Trumpy canopy isn’t right…what’s new? Interestingly Keith, with the CA kit’s resin parts fitted the fuselage lengths match. It’s been a while since I checked them against published data but if I recall the Trumpy kits dimensions are good. Not so sure about all the shapes but I’ll deal with that when the time comes.

Thanks again chaps…apologies for not replying sooner but we’ve been floating around the Lofoten Islands as of late, soaking up the 10/10ths clag. What a magnificent place Norway is….bit disappointed we didn’t bump into Slartibartfast though as I wanted a quiet word with him… Thanks mate, I used the excellent Quinta Studios offering. The kit part is perfectly OK but the QS are better detailed and more refined. Cheers Keith, I’ll be adapting a CA vac canopy (one that’s still perfectly clear) that John (Adam’s) was kind enough to let me have a while back. He also gave me one of his white metal props that includes the correct blade shape/ length and accurate boss detail. I have a feeling a high quality canopy replacement may well be making an appearance at some point….but don’t quote me on that. Other items I’ve acquired include the Quinta 3D interior (full) and Vickers K gun (got a few extra for the upcoming ICM Hampden), and CMK’s corrected wheels. Very tempted to open the wing bomb bays and add a few ICM bombs. First job will be sorting out the weird slot detail under the central fuselage! Will start building soon.

Thanks everyone, very kind of you. Thanks WIP, sounds like you’re getting stuck in, good man, a great little kit. I look forward to seeing the result. Spending time on the control surfaces is time well spent. The QS Vickers is also a good investment. Hey Ian, thanks, (not sure where the bar started from!), Good to hear from you old fella. How’s NZ treating you? Thanks Marcin, that’s good to know, what your country went through and gave back should never be forgotten… I promise to try harder…….be careful though, right now, you’re sitting only one well-aimed cream doughnut away!

Thanks chaps, always appreciated, Rich, so true, in my case two fingernails ruined and a sore big toe during four years, not a bad tally really for a grizzled old war veteran...mind you, to be fair, the sore toe occurred when I stubbed it on Field marshal Haigh's drinks cabinet as we were manhandling it closer to Berlin.

Hi all, a little puddle-jumper from me and another Bomber Command subject in the form of Fairey's underwhelming Battle, light bomber. This is the new(ish) 1/72nd Azur-Frrom Fairey Battle Mk.1 that I recently finished for last month's issue of Airfix Model World. We've been after a decent Battle for some time, especially in 1/72nd and this one didn't disappoint. A delightful little kit that builds up quickly and really looks the part when finished. The only down side, for me anyway, was the overdone fabric effect on the ailerons and elevators. This was relatively straightforward to sort out. Rather than endlessly trying to sand down and reshape the kit parts I did what I normally do and raided the spares box. I managed to find some suitable replacements (can't remember which kit, unfortunately) that just needed reshaping and the addition of the three actuator hinges, per wing. Unfortunately the wing tip nav lights also needed a bit of work as they were moulded into the wing which I don't particularly care for. These were removed and small pieces of clear runner were shaped to match the profile of the wingtip. Before being glued into place, 1mm holes were drilled into each piece and Tamiya clear red and green, poured in. The landing lights were also replaced using a pair of Little-Lense reflective lenses and a superb Quinta Studios resin vickers K gun replaced the kit item. Another slight issue was that if you wanted the canopy open, due to the thickness of the styrene the pilot's sliding canopy didn't fit down over the rear section and sat too high. I opted to use a Falcon vac canopy (designed for the old Airfix abomination), which was hacked up and shaped to match the kit part. Due to it's inherent 'thinness' it sat perfectly. All in all very impressive, for what is a short-run kit.....hopefully Frrom will consider releasing the more successful trainer and target-tug variants in the future. I'm sure a few of these will certainly find a place on our Bomber Command SIG table. Finished as GR-F, L5048, of 301 (Polish) squadron, based at RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire in August 1940. This was really just built as a prelude to the 1/48th Trumpeter version which will be started soon, now that all the replacement parts have been gathered...and there's a lot! Anyway, hope you approve and thanks for looking. 'Bomber' Melchie...(terror of the local swimming baths). Obligatory black and white...

She has a habit of doing that (only to close friends, you understand). Regarding the ointment, you'll be able to see for yourself in a couple of days, when we descend upon you. I had a few canisters of the stuff knocking about in the arboretum, for keeping the peasants under control....I'll lob one in the old jalope for you to try out. Are you ready for us.........I mean, really ready?

True, here's an image of trials of the delivery system performed by His Maj's wallers of the 51st Foot & Mouth Division (Oral Hygiene Unit), RA. I'll get Darling to sort out an EVRI delivery which will include admittedly vague instructions on how to avoid serious injury.

If you live to the west Keith....yes. Don't worry though, the influence doesn't quite reach as far as Leicestershire.....yet, although I could be wrong, best check your water supply.

Just you try sir…..not while I still have breath in my body, you won’t! I’ve heard all about you chaps, west of the Lincoln by-pass. Good job Johnny, very inventive, great result. I really must look at getting one of these as my personal transport.(1.1 scale, naturally).

Oh good lord...OOB, I mean OOB!.....

Only when there’s an r, j or a in the month….and as for Sarah Jane’s monthly wine bill and Lady M’s servicing costs, well, that’s a matter of careful fiscal responsibility and a sound thrashing, twice a month. Don’t go near it man/martian, Baldrick’s ‘Olde Peculiar Piledriver’s Revenge’ (Grapes of Wrath, limited edition) haemorrhoid emollient is not for those of a delicate disposition or acute colonic laziness, it’ll scar you for life, in more ways than one. As for the sock…it got homesick, attached itself to some poor blighter’s foot and blagged a ride on a National Express, last seen heading toward Poole. Beware.

So true CC, so true. Truly paradise lost, summed up eloquently at a Mother's Union MENSA meeting held at the Britishodel Museumibold, back in the day..

Oh deep joy Martian. Much hooray and huzzah on the quicklodey neccessibold of the plastickybylodes and the of the injectionybole twinkly tacks. I'm greatly temptyfind encodiment of such in Micrasole Wordiho. Once keybty bash out in full on the computato, one presses the buttlymost and behold! Transfigglyhold of your text so plainimostfold into such befuddlence! Good job on all that hole filling....keep going.

Yes, yes, everyone get him started...one small step for mankind, one giant shove for Martiankind. Light the blue touchpaper and retire, tin hats on.