Colin @ Freightdog Models

Hi Jan, Proportions of roundels not quite right (blue is thicker) and underwing serials are not in correct position. I will send you separate email. Colin

Look forward to seeing you progress late 80's style! I had both the Hunters in the stash but sold the two seater regrettably. Still have the single seat Hunter but never had the Lightning. I suspect it will be less work than getting an accurate Lightning out of the Trumpy one. Colin

I believe AlleyCat will be doing a T.17 conversion with decals based on the S & M/MikroMir kits. Colin

Well thanks for thinking of me! Unfortunately you will have to rule me out, the Air-Graphics ones are done by my pattern maker, so I've missed the boat on that. I will suggest it to Christopher at High Planes, he is doing some CAD bits for the S & M kit so it might be on his to do list already. Colin

Hi Jan, good choice of subject. I'd imagine as your masters are finished and Mikro-Mir is still in CAD then you must have started before them. I wish you luck with this one! Colin

Alec Smith at AlleyCat bought all the remaining masters, I think some had been disposed off by Ian before the deal was done but I don't know. Certainly the two seat Hunters were in the ones Alec got. However he got a lot, and almost everything needs re-working/repairing to bring up to current standards, or modified to fit different kits in the case of the T.7/8 sets. Alec does AlleyCat part time while managing a disability, and outsources pattern making and casting, so he is at the mercy of others (I know the feeling!). Good pattern makers and casters are always busy so you have to wait your turn. I took the helicopter sets from the Heritage range from Alec as he had no interest in them, in return he took a few of mine (like the 1/32 Seafire FFR47 conversion). The helicopter sets for the Merlin, Apache, Wessex and Chinook will eventually get re-issued under my Rotor Craft brand. The issue of clear resin for canopies mentioned by homebee is more complicated. Changes in the formulation of the clear resin used has meant that a number of casters are having to change type, compounded by the fact that very few casters can do clear in a timely manner due to demand (I have been waiting for some for over 4 months, Alec waited almost a year for a batch from the Czech Republic) make the future of clear casting uncertain for people like me who have to outsource. It also costs a lot more and has a very high failure rate. My future kits will revert to vacform canopies which are done by Rob Taurus, in PETG which does not yellow and produces clearer mouldings than most can in resin without risk of bubbles, and be will provided in pairs to avoid mishaps cutting out. Thanks! Colin

The Heritage 1/48 Hunter (two seat) conversion masters are now with AlleyCat, they will be revised to fit the Airfix kit in due course, at least that is what Alec told me. Thanks, Colin

Hi everyone, just looking at the pictures from IPMS Germany there is what appears to be a 1/144 Mosquito sprue shown. It mentions RS Models, but does anyone know who is releasing it? http://ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2018/Bilder_VH/Nuernberg_VH_RSmodels_01.htm http://ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2018/Bilder_VH/Nuernberg_VH_RSmodels_02.htm Thanks! Colin

Hi Chris, I got the RC-135U masters (and the other KC-135 derived sets in the Maintrack range) from Whirlybird last year to be reworked, just hoping that Italeri re-issue a suitable C-135 base kit soon. Colin

I wonder if the 4e trimester items on the bottom will be announced at Nuremburg, maybe they are the new tool items? Colin

Hi everyone, just noticed the Heller 2018 catalogue is available to view on their website now; https://www.heller.fr/img/cms/catalogue/catalogue_heller_2018.pdf Can't see anything new aircraft wise, but some nice re-issues like the Warning Star (probably at a decent price) , Safir, Lansen and Fennec. Does seem to be a few cars but might be re-issues to? Thanks, Colin

Very true, but I asked Airfix a couple of years ago, and was told the 1/72 Javelin tool is not in their inventory, so I reckon Heller did the dastardly deed. On the up side, you never know they might re-issue the FAW.9 at Nuremburg next week in a Heller box (wishful thinking I know!) Colin

Hi Duncan, I did the nose correction for myself and cast a few up to cover the pattern making costs, but demand for its was very surprising. I've sold a few hundred so far which outstrips sales for most of my correction sets for newer kits. I put this down to the thirty five thousand Frog kits produced back in the day (according to Richard Lines Frog history book) when modelling was more popular, the number of Javelin kits still in stashes probably exceeds the number of new Phantoms kits Airfix will sell this year! I've also done the same for the Frog Sea Vixen, need to put that on my website. The old Maintrack conversions for the Heller/Airfix Javelin are still available through Whirlybird. High Planes were working on a CAD tail section correction for the Airfix FAW.9, this like my Frog nose for me was a personal project for Christopher Brown at HPM, to date he hasn't finished it but I'm sure it will be popular when he does. Thanks, Colin

Nice work so far. I make a replacement resin nose for this kit (slightly longer and better shape), and Model Alliance did a nice sheet that is still available from Hannants. Colin

Very sad, sorry to hear. My condolences to his family. Colin