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Like many other people, I'm finding myself at home quite a bit more than usual so have decided to get some of my older models finished. I'm starting with this one, the 1/48 Airfix Buccaneer. It's been a challenge at times, but is building into a respectable model. Here's the fuselage, assembled sections and the bits still on the sprue: A major sanding session is next on the list of things to do...

Hey, So I started this amazing kit and finished the cockpit. Pictures of the result: Many thanks!

Hello all, Here is a project that I've been planning for some time and one which will run along side other builds for the foreseeable future. Quite simply, it's a homage to the RAF's Quick Reaction Alert and some of the aircraft that have been used in this role from 1940 up until the present day, in 1/48 of course . So without further ado: Best to show each chronologically ... so first up, Tamiya's new tool Spitfire MK1, in the markings of 19 Squadron (X4474) during the summer of 1940: Not much aftermarket here as the kit looks simply outstanding - Xtradecals and an AML paint mask (and the obligatory Squadron patch!) Decals and paint scheme: Next up, Airfix's new tool Hunter F.6, in the markings of 92 Squadron (XG226) in 1960: Again, not much aftermarket other than a Quickboost seat, Xtradecal set and some paint and canopy masks which I'll get once they're released (Squadron patch also to follow!) Decals and paint scheme: Airfix EE Lightning F.1 is next, in the markings of 74 Squadron (XM143) in 1962: Quickboost seat, Montex canopy masks and QMT FOD cover is all the aftermarket that will be used. Decals and paint scheme: Followed by a Revell (Hasegawa) Phantom FGR.2, in the markings of 56 Squadron (XV470) in the late 1980s. Aftermarket includes Quickboost seats, Airwaves canopy etch, QMT FOD covers, Montex canopy masks and Eduard etch (patch to follow...) Decals and paint scheme: I'm not the biggest fan of the sharks mouth on this jet, so will be doing XV470 a bit earlier in its life. She'll be fully loaded with 4x Skyflash, 4x AIM-9, 2x fuel tanks and SUU-23/A cannon pod. Revell again; this time their recent Tornado F.3, in the markings of 111 Squadron (ZE158) in the mid 2000s. Eduard etch, Pavla seats, Model Alliance decals, Master pitot tube, some RBF tags, resin BOL rails and wing seals cast by Shaun, along with 4x AIM-132 from a Revell Eurofighter (spot the patch). Decals and paint scheme: She'll be fully loaded with 4x AIM-132, 4x Skyflash or AIM-120s (to be decided) and 2 gas bags. Finally, Revell's Eurofighter Typhoon, in the markings of 1 Squadron (ZK306) in 2018. Aftermarket here includes an Airwaves seat, Eduard Etch, Phase Hangar Resin FOD inserts (not pictured) and numerous Xtradecal sheets to cobble together to get the right markings and tail code. Decals and rough idea of paint scheme: Will be fully loaded with 4x AIM-132, 4x Meteor and 2x fuel tanks. This ought to keep me busy! As I've said, this will run along with other builds, which will mainly be Group Build entries. There'll also be several firsts in this for me; first 1/48 Spitfire, first EE Lightning and Hawker Hunter (in 16 years of modelling!) and the first time I'll spray Xtracrylix. Should be an interesting ride Dave

Kit was a dream to build. Some of the parts fit so well, a coat of paint needed to be removed before fitment. For some reason, it took me longer to build than expected, weird. Please enjoy. Comments/questions always welcomed. Thanks for looking, Mark

Hi everybody, With the dreaded COVID grounding me for the past few months I’ve been working my way through my stash. Here is the new-tool Airfix Hunter F.6 in the markings of 63 Squadron at the 25th Anniversary meet of the Hunter at Greenham Common in 1976. I originally painted this model in the Red, White and Grey scheme of 4 FTS but I couldn’t get a finish I was happy with so I stripped it back and repainted it as you see here. It took a bit of research to find a camouflaged Hunter minus the guns and sabrinas (I had already removed them) but fortunately I found this one. The kit is a pleasure to build however I replaced the pitot tube and ejection seat as well as adding a ladder from Brengun. The paints were Hataka and the decals were from the spares box. I added a picture of this model with my previous Academy Hunter that I built last year as a comparison. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed building them! Chris

This is my latest build, It is for the IMPS(UK)hurricane SIG display at Telford (2020 or 2021), which is hoped to have one aircraft of each Squadron in the Battle of Britain. This one is 242 Squadron machine and meant to be one of the ones flown by Sub Lt 'Jimmie' Gardner. The Airfix kit is pretty much oob,I just added seat belts. The decals are from Xtradecals and went on perfectly as did the Airfix stencils and roundels. I was unsure how to finish the model as the Xtradecal sheet shows LE T having the signal flags on the port and starboard sides and no serial. The Osprey Royal Naval Aces book shows a picture of LE T with the serial V7203 with no signal flags, there is a close up picture of the flags but it shows no other detail and only shows the port side. The colour illustration shows the port side with the flags and the serial. So unless I find something different I went with flags on the port side and no serial on the basis I can add easier than remove. Thanks for looking and if you know the answers to the above please let me know.

Hi guys, I will build the 1/48 ESCI F-8E. As I collect from memory it was my first build. I got the model then from my dad then when I was boredat his work and it would take hours before we could get home. I found this model earlier this year at a model meeting. It was out of nostalgia that I bought it and now I can use it. I will build it with the wheels up on a standard. It will have a aerobonus seated pilot in it and some better armament. O, and also some better decals. The rest will be done straight out of the box. I will place some pictures soon. Cheers,

Hi all I have a few on the go after I caught the gotastartalotofkititus virus . I have finally started my first Classic Airframes Kit. I bought the kit on BM as a Part started kit as below The Cockpit is the kits supplied resin one and really is very detailed The kit was missing the seat mounting frames and I will be making those shortly following some measurements from a fellow BMer. The rudder pedals were broken so I added a simple bar and pedals and two levers from brass rod Drilled the top Cannon mounts and added fairings to the lower ones made out of cut hollowed sprue as per Moa's method on one of his amazing builds. The cut out the tail area for the clear housing for the aerial wire and replaced with clear sprue I am also building a Special Hobby 72nd scale Sea Fury T20 at the mo but have not got anything worthy of photographing yet and I have started rigging my long term 32 scale Tiggie so have a few on the go now.. Thanks for looking Chris

Hi All May I present my 1/48 scale Westland Whirlwind fighter. I bought this as a part started kit for a reasonable price from a vendor on here. The fuselage, tailplane and wings had been assembled. This one ha taken a while as sat on the shelf of doom for a while twice and has occasionally sapped my Mojo however I have finally finished it. I am pleased with the result. The kit supplied cockpit is absolutely cracking and fits in very well. I added seat armour and the brace bar for the seat roll over bar and scratch built the seat mounts from photos with measurements from a fellow BM'er, thanks Scott A.K.A @Jinxman for your assistance. The other additions in this area are Scratch built rear view mirror, and some additional internal frames bits to the sliding portion of the canopy. I also added shrouds to the lower canons from hollowed out sprue as taught by Moa who's a modelling master, thank you The undercarriage is white metal and I cut off the rear parts of the jacks and scratch built these to represent more true to the original. The model is brush painted in Humbrol enamels with oil paint wash and chipping using various coloured pencils. The machine modelled is P6974 of 263 squadron in August 1942 in the Dieppe raid markings. The decals for this came from another BM'er however I have checked my messages and it is no longer there so sorry but, who'm ever supplied the decals a big thank you goes to you too. I have been inspired by the people building shelf of doom models whilst in isolation and so thought I would finish this off. I may have to pick up the 32nd Tiggie I still have to finish or the 32nd spitfire again to finish before I start a fresh kit, I am also doing another shelf of doom build a Trumpeter 48th Sea Hawk too. The cockpit details can be seen in the WIP which is linked here. Anyway enough of the chit chat here's some pics Hope you enjoy, thanks for looking All the best Chris

This is my attempt on the 'famous' (relatively speaking) 109G-10 known as '5F+12', photographed in colour at Furth in 1945, after flying in from, I believe, Hungary (someone will correct me, I'm sure). 5F+12 was a U3 recce variant, but I have built this out of the standard and basic Revell kit - so as long as you don't look for the camera window under the fuselage, you'll be fine Building this a/c was mostly about trying to replicate the various colours and shades which appear on the real thing. The build thread is here, with period pics: As mentioned, the kit went together mostly ok, but the canopy is appallingly out of shape, which seems to be a recurring complaint about this kit, as far as I can tell. The Avalon 5F+12 decals are heavy and didn't like bedding down into the panel lines, despite being plied with copious amounts of decalfix. The 1945 pics show a heavily weathered a/c without undercarriage doors or drop tank - but I opted to fit them as the plane would presumably have had both at some point in its working life. Anyway, on with the show. Comments and critique welcome

Hello! This is my recent project, a classic WW2 warbird. Nice kit, everything went well. Unfortunately, the clear part, which would allow to build a full open canopy, came damaged beyond repair. It had a L shape hole right on the top. So, I had to make it half open. Anyway, the plastic is very thin and clear so we can see a lot of details inside. Eduard PE were used. Hope you enjoy! Cheers!

For my own benefit - and others who may be interested This is the 'relatively simple' Revell 1/48 Bf109 G-10 kit, to be built up as the much-discussed U4/R2 reconnaissance variant discovered by the advancing allies at Furth in 1945 - "5F+12". It won't be precise, because as a camera-carrying machine, I don't think there are any options for a 1/48 conversion which includes the camera panels under the fuselage. The only ones I could find were in 1/32. If anyone knows of a 1/48 conversion - it's too late now and I don't want to hear it But really, the point of this is to try to represent the myriad of colours that appear to have been thrown onto this aircraft, either before or during service. It really has got the lot. Anyway, the kit: 5F+12: The pic at Furth shows no drop tank fitted, the undercarriage doors removed and frankly in a bit of a state. However, my take will be of the aircraft in 'happier' times, with doors on, tank fitted and perhaps not quite so weathered, but we'll see... Anyway, we're off. Quick OOB build, as I want to get to the painting stage asap. The default wing angle on this kit seems to be 'flat', so some intervention required. Seams are pretty shocking too, but the plastic is actually quite easy to work with: More to follow

Hi folks My latest build is an F-5B in 1/48 scale from Kinetic. -The kit shape is good but to me it was a little challenging in some parts. -Colors are Hataka and Gunze painted free-hand. -Decals are from Print Scale. -Resin ejection seats are from Wolfpack Design This aircraft entered in service with the Imperial Iranian Air Force in mid 1960's and the IIAF became the first Air Force to receive Freedom Fighters. The two-seaters were in high demand in order to train new pilots locally. Hope you enjoy Barzin 2020_06_14_IMG_8080 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8072 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8073 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8081 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8090 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8092 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8095 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8097 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr 2020_06_14_IMG_8083-1 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr Last Iranian two-seater Freedom Fighter produced, 01613, at Ramstein (Germany) on 12-06-71 still in USAF markings. photo_2019-08-20_19-42-00 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr IIAFF-5B2-328_jpg by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr IMG_0214 by Freddy Pilot, on Flickr

Hi Chaps, I have the opportunity to join in this GB as we are still locked down and my Buccaneer is progressing faster than expected. Initially I didnt think I had anything qualifying for this period then realised that this was appropriate. This follows on from my Fairey Fulmar in the Navy GB earlier but I won't be folding the wings on this one. I did manage to buy the correct kit this time as a lot of the resin is included. This is my second kit as I bought the Sierra Scale Vacform many years ago. The vacformed plastic is OK but the 'injection moulded' accessories leave a little to be desired. I think this is the worst example of 'Flash' seen in 40 years of modelling. I doubt I'll be using any of this but the Sierra Scale kit includes some excellent instructions with pictures and drawings so I'll get something from it anyway. Colin

I don't think I actually signed up for this STGB, though I have some 50 (stopped counting) Spitfire kits in the stash, mostly 1/72, and have built around ten Spits since returning to modelling. I'm going to join in with the Eduard Profipack Mark.VIII, which was the first Eduard kit I bought some years ago though in the usual fashion not built yet, having said that I've done a few of the 1/72 ones. Hopefully it'll be fairly straightforward, at least the PE should be easier to see than on 1/72! Although fortunately I am still working (reduced pay), this is from home so modelling time has gone up due to no commute and less other things to do, other than walk the dog. So if this kit goes well (if I apply myself I can do a Spit in two weeks) I should be able to work on another more unusual version later...we shall see. I think I'll build the lovely aircraft on the box art, though the US MSG over PRU Blue one looks nice. I've got the Aussie 8 1/72 boxing in the stash for when I want a nurse...oooooh, Matron! Cheers Will

Been a bit sparse around here this year, partly modellers block after completing the Sanger Stirling, partly as I've been busy with other stuff but just finished the Airfix 1/48 Blenheim and ready to get stuck in to something a bit more challenging. Last year, @crobinsonh kindly gave me an FM Halifax (thanks Colin ) that he'd started and it's a kit I've wanted to build for a while....well I tell a lie, it's the aircraft I've wanted to build and this is the best way of doing it! Colin has done some great work on it already so it's taken some of the sting out and the fuselage halves look to be pretty aligned too so I'm going to be brave and say that assembly looks pretty straight forwards from here 😬. I always find a way to stuff something up however! I'm currently thinking about the clear parts and the possibility of moulding some new ones but will do more thinking about that before jumping in feet first. So the aircraft in mind....some time ago I got talking to a chap called Michel Darribehaude (can't remember if you're on here Mike but if you are, pop by and say hello and feel free to expand on the story ) and his father Sergent-Chef. Christian Bernard Darribehaude was a wireless operator on this aircraft from Dec 1944. From my research I believe the aircraft was manufactured by London Transport in Nov 44. It received flak damage both on the 24th and 26th Dec resulting in emergency landings at Carnaby and all crew survived the war but I know little more than that. Inspired by conversations with Mike and trips to Elvington, the choice was quite easy to make. I've not come across any photo's of this aircraft so if anyone has come across one, I'd love to see it/them. First steps will be to continue work on the interior as per usual and figuring out the rest as I navigate my way through the parts. Having seen a few of these beasts built at the various shows, it's quite an imposing aircraft once finished.

AV-8B Harrier II VMA-214 'Blacksheep', Yuma, Arizona, 1992 This is the old 1/48 Monogram kit built straight from the box except for decals, which were Microscale. This was unusual for me in two ways. Firstly I normally stick to 1/72, and secondly I would normally spend a long time re-scribing a kit that has raised panel lines. In this case I went for a quick build (is there ever such a thing?) as the kit only made its way from the attic because I needed the drop tanks from it to finish off my old UPC Skyray which I posted onto this site earlier. So it was lying around and I thought I might as well build it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Firstly to my eye it looks just right for an early AV-8B. The detail was all there in typical Monogram style and it went together very nicely without much filler. I kept wondering when I was building it whether I should have scribed in the panel lines but now its finished I'm glad I didn't as it looks fine. It's made me re consider re-scribing in future. Maybe I don't always have to do that! The old Superscale decals worked perfectly well, except that on the sheet I used there were no stencils except for the air intake warning so I had to search the spare decal stocks and found something that was roughly right from some F-18 sheets. I'm very tempted with more 1/48 Harriers now - a couple of those Kinetic Sea Harriers might be first on the list.

As previously mentioned, I bought the IDS version of the Tornado before the GR4 was released. I stupidly bought the Airfix kit several years ago, so anything the IDS boxing is missing I'll steal from the Airfix kit. I don't think I'll need much other than tanks and pods? I'm following General Melchett's build closely ut have started conventionally with the seats and cockpit using the Eduard detail sets. I'll be using the CMK wheel bays, too. Not sure how much butchery is required for that...

Finally done. I see I started this around Christmas 2017, so it's been over three years in the making. There are lots of scratchbuilt mods and replacements, most of which are covered in the WIP, which can be found at: Just some are: Modified the main and tail rotor gearboxes and drives to more accurately represent their appearance Modified the attachments for the main rotor grips to give a more realistic appearance and provide a droop to the blades Removed the weird hump from the engine deck and scratched a tray in lieu Cut the engine up, placed joiners in the sections and added almost everything else you see from scratch Modified the oil cooler to look a bit more like the real thing using plasticard and wire mesh Scratchbuilt the hydraulic services on the forward left side of the deck Added hoses/wires/pipes to the engine, main transmission and hydraulic services Completely scratchbuilt the landing gear Scratchbuilt most of the interior and instrument panel Removed the Wasp bulges on the fuselage and added Scout ones, where applicable Scratchbuilt the horizontal stabiliser and attachments Removed the Wasp fin and scratchbuilt a Scout one in lieu Scatchbuilt the tail stinger and supports Cut open the steps in the fuselage and blanked them off Added landing, nav and anti-collision lights from sprue/spares Scratchbuilt the cargo hook and attachments Added/made all antennae (except the two on the nose which are kit items) Made the ground handling wheel mounts from scratch and modified the donated wheels to suit Painted with Humbrol enamel Oxford Blue, Tamiya acrylic Clear Blue and Modelmaster enamels flat black and silver. Clear coats of Future (gloss) and sightly flattened Future using Tamiya X-21 for the top coat. Modelled as N8-102 earlier in her career and before she was painted in the high-vis dayglo orange colours prior to her loss and subsequent recovery overboard from HMAS Moresby using the Hawkeye Models decal set (which was great) and some of the kit decals for the rotors (which were absolute rubbish but sort of worked in the end). Lots of faults but it'll do for me. I'll add the windscreen wipers after I retrieve them from my other workbench back in Adelaide as they're on the Fujimi Kiowa sprue I used for some AH-1P Cobra its in a previous project. Lots of frustrations along the way and there are still a heap of issues but I'm happy enough with it in the cabinet. Someone's sure to release a good 1:48 injection-mouilded Scout now but I won't be buying it as this will suffice.

About 6 weeks left and I reckon it's not too late for another entry - or two in this case. A pair of Hasegawa 1/48 Skyhawks. First up is an A-4C. This will be a Naval Air Test Center aircraft, using Two Bobs decals: The NATC used Skyhawks to test ordnance at China Lake in the 60s and 70s so it needs something to test. I found a photo online of the aircraft in question carrying an orange and black Walleye guided bomb, so I'll be using a Daco resin Walleye. Other aftermarket will be a Quickboost seat and Hypersonic corrected nose undercarriage door. The second one will be a Brazilian Navy TA-4KU, known as an AF-1B in Brazilian service. This is the Hasegawa TA-4J with a resin conversion by Phase Hangar. I built an OA-4M using the Phase Hangar conversion late last year - it was pretty straightforward, this should be the same, if not easier, as it's slightly simpler as i don't have to replace the kit's nose. I'll be using Quickboost seats on this one, and decals from FCM. I've made a start already - a bit of paint on the interior, fitted the jetpipes and so on. Nothing that's really worth photographing yet - will post an update soon. cheers Julian

Hello chaps, Here's entry number one, the Airfix pliable rendition of the Big, Bad, Beautiful, Banana Jet: Only one kit in my box!! That is a scratch built CBLS at top right of the box, might give you a clue as to which scheme I'm going for. And some reference and a few extras. Cheers, Mark. P.S. It'll be from 208 sqn Red Flag '77 in the trial Dark Earth/Mid-Stone scheme, its been done to death but I've always wanted to have one in the collection.

Hi all, My last build in the Nordic GB took about 3 months, so with the looming deadline of this Group Build I will have to speed up my build to 3 weeks instead! I have chosen the Special Hobby Seafire II in 1/48 scale. This is a nice typical multimedia limited run kit from the Czech manufacturer. Won’t be a shake and bake but should turn out very nicely. I got the kit of Fleabay for a bargain sum due to how there were no instructions and broken transparencies. A quick email to Special hobby solved the latter Issue as they quickly posted out a replacement clear sprue! Kudos to them! I have started assembly with the cockpit (where else) and wheel wells, spraying them with RAF interior green. Next I will pick out the finer black details with a brush, then drybrush and then give the interior a grey wash. The interior is very nicely detailed with lots of PE to liven it up so I will probably display the model with the canopy back and access door open. Cheers Ash

Fairly standard offering - bit of resin here and there, OOB markings, very enjoyable build. Mojo up and running now. Factory fresh too, a first for me

Hello all, Here's my entry another Tamiya 1/48: Haven't decided on which of the schemes to do yet, not that there's much difference between them, but I'm erring toward the box art as I do like a bit of yellow! I have got the Eduard zoom set and that's about it really, looking at the kit its very nice...I don't think it needs much extra at all. Cheers, Mark.

This one has been sat in the cupboard for several years, so this GB is a good excuse to actually build it! As it seems there is no aftermarket etch still available it will be mainly be OOTB but with some Reskit rocket launchers (the originals were used for my Colonial Navy entry in the Phantom GB. Having once lived in Yeovil, the "Simon's Sircus" livery is appropriate. With two other GBs currently being entered, this might not see much progress for a week or two. Mike