RichG

I don't know if its any help or perhaps reassurance but there is an illustration of XV477 "C" here. It shows it wearing hi-vis roundels. A little annoyingly it has it dated as 21 November 1972 whilst other sources have 20 November as the date of the fatal accident - not sure which is correct. The crew identified are however those tragically killed and so I would guess it does represent the aircraft on the day of the accident. Hope that helps Rich

fantastic - and as far as i am concerned truly inspirational! Rich PS spigot = a short cylindrical projection on one component designed to fit into a hole on another.

more evidence of dreadful QC (or is it QA?) at Airfix... is it now going to be unbuildable - hehe

I'll wait for the full Director's cut edition on DVD Rich

I think there is a grey area between an omission and enhancement. And to be fair, Eduard do seem to issue multiple photo etch and resin detail sets for just about every new kit on the market, irrespective of whether they are really needed or not. It is not necessarily a guide or indication of deficiencies in the base kit, mainly these are required as percieved "enhancements". A few years ago I purchased the Wolfpack Design resin "Flaps Down" set for the Fujimi Phantom F-4K. I didn't percieve that as an omission from the base kit but an enhancement I needed - this is of course something that is now included in the Airfix kit as standard. Eduard announced sets Eduard Undercarriage set Are detailed airbrake door interior linings an omission or not... hey I've bought them anyway! Rich

Phabulous!

Well of course it should probably be 43 (41 was an FGR.2 equipped unit) particularly after your deliciously painted slotted stabilators, a distinguishing feature of the FG.1. You could always try painting the slanted fin flash of 43. The stripes seem to be parallel - just a bit of careful masking - your masking elsewhere looks great. By the way, phabulous pholding of those PE ladders - they look absolutely gorgeous . What's their fit on the aircraft like? Rich

Looks phantastic! I think the Airfix Phantom is going to turn out to be something of a "Marmite Model". People seem to love it or hate it. What I find slightly odd is why people have a problem with it having too many options... (the usual complaint is "why didn't they include this or that feature"). And also issues about finesse of panel lines and soft plastic - at the end of the day it is an Airfix produced kit and no matter how much we wish it otherwise, that's their style so should be no real surprises. Personally I love it and as the FGR.2 tops the Airfix pre-orders I'm possibly not alone! Rich

You're in luck - Xtradecal have just released a new set for the Phantom FG.1 / FGR.2 (Part 4!). It includes the 43 Sqn markings from 1970 (including the slanted fin flash). https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72293 - talk about just in time Rich

Not something I've ever really noticed before, but now you mention it looking at photos of early camoflaged aircraft the pylons do seem lighter/brighter than the LAG undersides and whilst it could be a trick of the light they do look white; possibly a consequence of their Royal Navy heritage the pylons were all delivered in white. Rich

... sorry . I meant to add its a cracking build. 43 Squadron? What roundels will you be putting her in red/blue tactical or old school red/white/blue? I've a soft spot for the original style - going to go for this myself. Rich

Strictly speaking I think the cat hooks should be there on the FG.1 (Royal Navy or RAF) - like the nose legs and slotted tail planes they were retained by the RAF aircraft.

Whilst I agree that the Fujimi British Phantom is a gem of a kit, state of the art in its day and has aged very well (the kits do have fit issues and take a bit of work to get together in my experience) - whilst some of the R&D omissions were disapointing, to say the new Airfix Phantom FG.1 lags behind in detail seems a little harsh. I suppose it depends on what is meant by detail but with the alternate parts included I think you could probably build this kit 20 times and not have two in the same configuration. Added to which there is nice cockpit detail, full intake trunking, extended flight refuelling probe and a detailed radar unit. With the forthcoming FGR.2 incarnation almost every stores option too. I quite like the surface detail too as it happens - beauty in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I would certainly take an Airfix Buccaneer S.2 of equivalent standard (and by the same designer...) any day of the week - in fact my mouth is watering at the prospect . Has to be a dead cert for their Cold War series in the next couple of years... doesn't it?

The squadron disbanded in 1972 and the aircraft retired; apparently on the last morning at sea prior to the final disembarkation the squadron carried out a certain amount of adornment of the aircraft with flowers, for sale signs, skull and cross bones, sharks mouths and flight refuelling probes painted like barber poles. E/136 (XS587?) received a pink "flower power decoration" on the nose and even had its code repainted in pink!