Jonny

Tony ... How can you make so skilled a technique sound so simple? I've tried recreating 'scallops' so many tines in different ways and all have ended in disaster! Occasionally the aeroplane has made a one way flight into the trash (entirely my fault, too little patience). I'll try your 'two thin pencil lines' approach - bound to give better results than anything I've tried before! Thanks for sharing your technique, much appreciated. Jonny

Oh wow! I thought I'd searched Hannant's website carefully (several times, actually) but missed this Techmod sheet. Thank you VERY much, WIP. Order placed already! Jonny

Apologies if this has been asked already, but I want to build the Revell 1/32 Spitfire as an early (Dunkirk era) Mk 1 - the sort with the black port wing. Can someone please suggest a 1/32 decal sheet which includes the WHITE under-wing stencils e.g. the 'trestle' ones? I've got everything else - I think- but I'm not sure which decals include what I'm after. Thanks & regards, Jonny

That's GREAT news! Since my last post I've acquired (astonishly cheaply, given that it was from the USA and includes postage costs), AND also 'the book', sourced from a UK online bookshop. I've been thinking what to do with it - the kit, I mean. It obviously needs a cockpit of sorts, which, in my opinion, means removing the kit's moulded and minimal "detail" and sourcing something looking a bit like the ejection seat fitted to the aeroplane. I'm planning on a closed cockpit, not as flown by an amazingly brave test pilot. My kit is an original Lindberg boxing, which had the original shrink wrapping. It has some flash and the decals are rather past it. I'm looking for suitable replacements including the Convair logo and propellor logos. Other than all that ... I'm almost ready to go. I hope you (Matt) don't mind if I watch your thread? Cheers,, Jonny

I'm rather looking forward to seeing more of this, S5 ! This aeroplane fascinates me. I did a quick search on the Interweb for cockpit photos and one I found mentioned that the seat swivelled to give the pilot a better view of the ground when landing ... Heaven knows how THAT worked! I'm sympathetic to your banishment from the new table. I'm banished from anything to do with modelling except from my 'tip' (SWMBO's term) aka my workroom / "home office" / the spare bedroom. One reason why my modelling output has been about zero for the last year. Good luck, Jonny

Absolutely right! This looks 'right'. I don' like seeing heavily emphasised panels on any model. Exhaust stains, yes. Heavy chipping on Japanese WW2 models, yes. Scuff marks on wings adjacent to cockpits and gun bays yes. But not over-worn props etc. Just my 0.5P worth. Jonny

Wow! Thanks, everyone, for your thoughtful replies! Jonny (Original Poster)

I've only recently started to acquire 'armour' kits. So far I've three Tamiya and one Airfix kit. The Tamiya kits are 1/35 scale. The Airfix one is 1/32. Please excuse my ignorance but how out of scale would the Airfix one look if placed next to the Tamiya ones? any answers will be helpful! Thanks in advance, Jonny

That's fantastic! I don't often try to build armour kits - though I have a couple of 1/35 Tamiya and an Emhar WW1 Mk. IV Male in the stash. I went on a FoD open day last year and we were given access to the workshops at the back of the Armour museum building. There's a White half track there, being reassembled from components obtained from an east European country (sorry, I forget which). Apparently it had been cut up so the workshop has had to rejoin parts before trying to reassemble them! Seeing your mini diarama is tempting me to try one of the Matchbox kits ... Jonny

Very nice photos, AlphaDelta! I was hoping to visit Duxford myself (to exercise my rights as a FoD before my subscription expires) but decided to wait a little. I've a new camera I want to try ... . I agree absolutely with you about the shop. I did rather hope they might restock on kits but the Management there seems more interested in stocking 'kitchen related items' as you so aptly put it. One would think they'd realise that with a predominantly aviation based museum, with significant armour *and* the Airborne exhibits, that anyone seeing them might be inspired to try modelling them too, and offering kits accordingly! Unfortunately the Management there (or it might be in London) seems to have adopted a 'we know better than mere visitors and supporters' attitude. To return to your photos, I really do like that of the V1. The angle and lighting is perfect. Next time I go I'll try to copy it! A happy new year to you and all BM'ers, Jonny

You might be interested in "The Eigth Passenger", by Miles Tripp. He was the Bomb Aimer of a 218 Gold Coast Squadron Lancaster, and the Rear Gunner was a West Indian, Harry McCalla. Tripp and McCalla stayed in contact after World War 2.

And a very happy new year to you, too, CC ... and to all BM'ers too. CC - at the beginning of December SWMBO and I visited Liege for a couple of days to go to the Christmas Market there, and slipped over to Monschau and to Maastricht to visit the Markets there, too. I was able to track down one of my favourite meals (Rognon) in Liege, first sampled I forget how many years ago in Brussels. A lovely start to the month and lead-in to Christmas! Take care, keep up the good work on the Walrus and the Spitfires ... !

Kashiide, FWIW, the last time I visited the RAF Museum in Hendon, over a year ago, and before the BoB hall was stripped, I was able to look down on the Museum's captured CR42. I'm 99.99% sure the cockpit colour was a light grey. I might have a photo (taken from the balcony, looking down onto the CR42). If you're still interested, let me know and I'll send a copy to you. I'm having HUGE problems with email so please don't expect it very quickly. I hope this helps, Jonny

DELIGHTED to see you back, Tony. A small world - SWMBO and I had a long weekend in York starting November 3. We had a noggin or two in the 'Golden Fleece', I think it was, also reputed to be haunted. Is that the one you stayed in? We, or more correctly, *I* enjoyed the noggins while SWMBO drank a coffee. Lovely place. Your Wellingtons do look good, Tony (unsurprisingly!). I started one a while ago, But got bogged down trying to scratch the cockpit. However, (imitation being the sincerest form of flattery), I've taken aboard a lot of what you've shown us in this thread so I might yet carry on,with it, when I get my mojo back! Cheers, Jonny