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  1. While the weather continues to be unfavourable for gardening or hiking, and with no play to rehearse for, it seems there’s ample opportunity to start another kit. I’d considered a couple of others including the Kinetic Harrier T-bird and a crud n’ custard Zvezda Herc, but with two of these Javelins in the stash I fancied getting one on the shelves. The now familiar box. The moulding and finely engraved panel lines look excellent. Big colourful decal sheet. But will there be aftermarket alternatives? Of course there will! And reference material. The Jav is one of my favourites so got a few books to use. I’ll be doing it in the Xtradecal markings for 25 squadron, this aircraft, XH909/R based at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire in 1960-61.
  2. This will be my third build for the GB - I have another two possibles but that depends on how things go as I will probably be involved in one or more GB at the same time. Ok, I know this has a lot more parts but the box is enormous - at least 3 times the volume of the boxes for the original Airfix B-25 and the Frog one, though in fairness it is quite full. As I mentioned elsewhere I pre-ordered it when first Airfix announced the release so it is the first boxing and I am not altogether happy with the two colour schemes offered. As I will be doing the old Frog one in RAF markings this will almost certainly be a US one, and as it seems they preferred the B-26 for Western Europe then I suppose it will have to be something appropriate to the Western Desert or Italy unless I go for the Far East., so I will have to have a think about that. Airfix have subsequently reboxed it as an RAF Mitchell II, a B-25B, and another desert version, and looking at the parts breakdown I suspect one of the later versions may be on the cards. Pete
  3. Hi, Folks, latest one from me. By a coincidence I received this recently for my birthday and it come up on my Sultan thread as SMM models were suggested for 12m masts by @ivan-o, which happen to be made for the Ferret, so I also ended up getting their Ferret upgrade kit as well. I meant to re-do this for a while as I confess I rushed the first one I did. The upgrade kit includes new hatches, replacement extinguishers and shovel, PE exhaust covers, reflectors and a new exhaust fish tail. I really like that I can choose to have the drivers small hatch open. I would definitely get another one if I decided to re-do it again. I also widened the grills on the kit part and replaced the rubies with clear resin. SMM do load of extras and you could easily fork out twice the kit price in upgrades. Paints are a mixture of Tamiya, Humbrol and Mig as were the weathering pigments. Gloss coat was Quick Shine, Vallejo matt varnish. The jerry cans are from the spares box. Water was left over from the Academy Warrior and the fuel was from the Hobby Boss Jackal. The straps were tape and the buckels come with the upgrade kit. Pleased with how the exhaust come out. It was the first time I used rust pigments. Bill
  4. Tower, this is Theplasticsurgeon, requesting a flyby. . . Rejoining the circuit with this Mustang kit, bought in 2020 for £8.99. To build like this, modified as a two-seater. Instructions, strangely blang, not saying anything about the Mustang's history or performance. Parts. Familiar - as this is my 5th build of this P-51D kit. And scheme, with superb decals.
  5. The Airfix Blenheim has been built a few times in BM and I previously built a both a MkI and a MkIV of 771 NAS based at RNAS Twatt. So a quick look in the stash revealed this one as well. I had laid down some paint previously but that’s all. I have some aftermarket, the masks are vital for the Blenheim’s glass house and turret, while I’ve got a selection of transfers. I’ll use the markings for 787 NAS the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit. I’ll add in some etch seat belts but otherwise OOB.
  6. This is my latest completion, the Airfix 1/72 kit of the Messerschmitt BF 110E Trop, built using the kit scheme for a machine from 7/Zerstörergeschwader 26, Derna, Libya, 1942. It’s also the first of my many builds in the WW2 Twins GB I’m running to make it over the line. Pretty much OOB, I added the crew as the cockpit detail was a bit on the sparce side, and the nose guns were replaced with brass tube. Paint is Mr Hobby acrylics, and weathering is a combination of oil paints and pigments. The WIP is here. James
  7. Hi folk's should be enought time to do another 1/48 build for this GB so instead of the common sense route of Tamiya's offering's I'll head back to Happy childhood days and Airfix's at the time much lauded release.KK have a dozen in stock so not sure which boxing will arrive if the decals are unusable AM will be bought.
  8. Gonna add an Indian Spitfire to the Indian Tempest. Would have preferred to do the camouflaged "96" with the Chakra roundels. There are Iliad Design and Model Alliance decals for this scheme, but the Chakras are on white ground. Actual info is that the chakras on camouflaged aircraft were on yellow ground. So gonna do the silver Indina scheme with the normal cockades included in the kit. DSC_0008 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0009 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr
  9. Westland Sea King HAS.1/HAS.5/HU.5 (A11066) 1:48 Airfix The Sea King is one of the most enduring rotary-winged aircraft of the post-war period, the original Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King flying for the first time in 1959 under the company code S-61. Although no longer in production, the Sea King continues to serve with air arms around the world, including those of Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the until recently, United Kingdom, although they still fly in private hands. The WS-61 built under license by the then British-owned Westland was substantially different from the American airframe though, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshaft engines, which were a development of a General Electric power-plant, so not entirely new. British air-sea warfare doctrine required other changes to equipment fit of the Westland built Sea Kings, which were further sub-divided depending on what tasks they were expected to undertake. The first British Sea King flew at the end of the 60s from the docks to Westlands to act as trials and patterning airframe, going into service first as Anti-Submarine HAS variants, and adding more capabilities as time went by. The HC4 Commando played a part in the Falklands War, alongside other marks that were transported into the islands aboard the ships of the Task Force, where one was lost, presumably due to a bird strike, with the crew and SAS passengers killed on what should have been a routine ship-to-ship trip, sadly. During the Gulf War conflicts, the Sea King was deployed again, providing important inter-ship transport facilities, although their AEW facilities weren't needed due to the blanket coverage provided by other assets. A further crash during Gulf War II highlighted the need for better night operations equipment, and throughout the type’s service, one constant has been change, with earlier variants often upgraded to the same standard as their replacement, which is evidenced by looking at the history of XV666, which started life as a HAS.1, was re-engineered as a HAS.5, and finished up as a HU.5, going through many livery changes, and changing operator into the bargain, as you’ll see later. Many Westland build airframes have been sold to overseas operators, including Norway, Australia, India, Pakistan and Belgium amongst others, and although the Sea King has been retired from operations with the British Armed Forces, they still fulfil a training role under the auspices of HeliOperations, training German crews to operate the Sea Kings that are still on charge with the Marinefliegerkommando. The Sea King remains in the skies of Britain thanks to Historic Helicopters, who have restored several airframes, some of which still fly. The launch event for this kit was held at their museum, but we were unable to attend due to my health, however Dale from Airfix has sent us out an advanced sample for review, so we’re only a little behind. The Kit As mentioned above, this new tooling was announced with a flurry and is currently all over the internet, having created quite a splash and for good reason. For years the choice of British Sea Kings has been poor, and the available tooling pretty old, so the large fanbase for this old girl has been wishing and hoping for a new kit for quite some time. Airfix did a good job of keeping it quiet that has paid dividends, and I expect the pre-orders to be massive, especially now the sprues have been seen around the internet. The kit arrives in a large red-themed box with great artwork on the front, and the decal options on one side. Inside are three bags containing seven sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, a long decal sheet, and a thick instruction booklet that has colour profiles slipped inside, printed on folded A3 glossy paper, with one side for each of the four options throughout XV666’s long career. Airfix have clearly put a lot of effort into the tooling, as evidenced by the detail that is visible on every part, of which there are an impressive 348. The exterior is covered in fine engraved panel lines and rivets, with lapped panels in places, and stiffener plates in raised relief where appropriate. The seats and cloth elements have folds and wrinkles to give them a more organic look, and the detail extends from the tip of the tail to the end of the nose, including masses of avionics and equipment boxes, much of which will remain visible thanks to some crisp-and-clear transparencies. There are also some parts that will remain on the sprues for as-yet unreleased options, which will be pleasing to those still waiting for their preferred mark. The good members of the forum have been discussing the ins and outs of the design and what can be achieved from the sprues in detail since the launch, so head over to the Rumourmonger thread if you need to update your Sea King knowledge, as we all need a little help at times, especially if you have my kind of memory. Construction should sensibly begin with choosing a decal option, as each livery of this single airframe comes with a different sensor and equipment fit, so you need to decide right away. The first four pages of instruction steps have you opening up the rotor head and drilling out many holes in the floor, lower fuselage, sides and roof, for which you will need drills of size 1.5mm, 1.1mm, and 0.8mm depending on which choice you have made, plus a little filler to hide some recesses in the lower fuselage near the nose and along the keel near the rear. It would be a sensible idea to cross through the diagrams you won’t be needing in advance to prevent any mistakes at this stage that could have you cursing yourself later. The real building starts with the interior, and is based upon the full-length floor with a step up into the cockpit, adding a nicely detailed bulkhead with a separate equipment box at the step-point, then building one side out with an equipment storage that slots into the floor and aligns on a ridge on the back of the bulkhead. On the other side of the hatch, a shallow step is placed on two holes to locate it, then the crew seats are built from a back that has a pair of front leg extensions and braces that support the seat pan, which has grooves moulded into it, and a rear pair of legs that are stiffened by the moulded-in brace, making it look a bit like a folding chair found in most schools. To keep the pilots’ bottoms comfy, an L-shaped seat cushion is laid into the completed seat, hiding those nice grooves. The seats fit into holes in the cockpit floor, and the leftmost one has a suitcase shaped box fitted to the rear, plus collective and cyclic sticks for both crew, and a pair of foot pedals for them toward the nose. The instrument panel is based on a T-shaped former, adding three detail skins to form the side of the centre console, and topping it off with an extremely busy central instrument panel, for which a decal is provided, the panel and decal choices differing slightly between options. The same is true of the main panel, which has a choice of coamings and panels, one having an additional centre panel over the main one, with decals to match. Your choice of centre console assembly is glued to the floor in the nose, and covered by the coaming and instrument panel assembly appropriate to your choice, then either one, two or three more seats are made in a similar manner for the rear crew, depending on variant, although these have a bottom rail instead of extra legs at the rear. The instrument housing and panel for the rear crew that are common to all variants is made next, with decals to depict the radar screen in active or off conditions, building into a well-detailed sub-assembly. Another console with more decals is made for two options, as is a winch mechanism, all similarly well-appointed, and the latter including the dipping sonar buoy that is suspended from the winch. Sadly, you can’t wind this one up and down by rotating the rotors like the old 1:72 kit I built as a kid. The sonar winch is fitted to a palette once complete, and a cowling is placed around the winch mechanism for safety’s sake, with the console butted up to it and set to one side while two equipment racks are built, one having a map of the UK and Ireland on the table below an instrument panel. The later decal options have passenger seats aplenty, starting with a three-seat set with separate backs, all of which have creases that show their canvas structure moulded-in, separated into seat and back cushion, and adding tubular legs underneath the front edge, as they can be folded away. Another longer run of seats for nine people is made in a similar manner with more legs that are shown in a scrap diagram below to prevent confusion, after which another raised rack is built with legs on one side for insertion next. The instructions show the early variant first, adding the radar and dipping sonar assemblies around the hole in the deck, fitting a rack to the front, and two seats to the rear, then placing the panel with the map behind the seats with another seat if you are portraying decal option B, plus a canvas bulkhead at the rear where the floor tapers. For the two later options, the radar unit and seat are fixed in place, with the long row of seats on the opposite side, and the shorter three seat set behind the operator’s chair, filling the space forward with the rack on legs. All decal options have the rear bulkhead fitted to a tab on the rear, although option A won’t be seen thanks to the fabric bulkhead further forward. The passenger compartment has an interior wall skin fixed to both sides, and there are a few ejector-pin marks that will need dealing with if you think they’ll be seen, and it’s almost certain that some of them will be obscured by the internal equipment. The port side has a stepped equipment rack glued onto a pair of ribs before closure, then the peculiar smooth fuselage assembly is completed by inserting a narrow ceiling strip where all the ejector-pin marks will be invisible. Three side windows are fitted to the fuselage halves, and an insert is added over a hole in the port side to give it depth before closure. You can pose the door open with this model, but if you have opted to close it, the door, window, and ladder insert are fitted at this stage, again on the port side. Before the fuselage can be closed around the interior, the exhausts must be made up from two halves, plus a tapered lip, fitted to a bulkhead with the lips facing outward and toward the rear, then slotted into the top of the interior without the use of glue. The port fuselage half is brought in first, locating on a pair of lugs near the centre of the lower edge, and mating with the exhaust bulkhead, as illustrated by a scrap diagram nearby. An insert is added to the open rear of the rotor cowling, then the starboard fuselage is brought in, locating in a similar manner, and allowing you to glue the whole assembly, dealing with the seams in your preferred manner. Option A has two rectangular recesses in the floor insert filled, and the skin for under the nose is different from the others, gluing the appropriate one in place at the front of the fuselage keel, then inserting a short tunnel under the floor of the fuselage before gluing the keel into position with or without the blanking plate for your chosen version. The rotor cowling is completed by installing a large insert over the rear of the hump, and adding a curved part to the front, both of which have fine mesh panels moulded-in, then the intakes are built, starting with a central divider that has the curved cowling glued to the top, after which the intake trumpets are inserted, their part numbers depending on which decal option you choose. The side cowlings are common, as is the panel at the top rear, each covered with detail, then behind the rotor, a choice of radome cowlings and bases is provided, and some spine details are removed for some options, flatting the area back to profile, which is best done before they are glued onto the model. Three options have an additional trunk applied down the port side of the tail, mounting on small lugs that correspond with recesses on the boom side. Returning to the front, there is a choice of nose cone for the decal options, two of which also have a small rectangle sanded flush on the port side, and a flashed-over 1.0mm hole drilled out from inside. The boxy interior of the main gear sponsons is created from roof and four sides, and the assembly is slotted into the outer half of the fairings, aided by a scrap diagram, then they are closed by fitting the other halves, one having an insert for a light in the rear floor, and both having inserts in the roof appropriate to their location, plus handed noses. The aerofoil sections that link them to airframe are similarly handed, and made from top and bottom parts, plugging into a recess in the inner faces of the sponsons. The diagonal support struts are made from two parts and are installed after the sponsons have been plugged into the fuselage on two pegs, nestling into recesses in the sponson and fuselage sides, with their correct orientation shown in overhead views. You can build your Sea King with the gear up or down, although as the wheels and struts are still visible in the bays, there’s not much work to be saved, but it’s your choice! The gear struts are adjusted at the top by removing the peg and a pivot point there, then adding tie-down lugs and oleo scissor-link at the lower end, fitting a pair of two-part wheels, one each side of the axle. The retraction mechanism is inserted flat into the bay roof, and the legs are inserted retracted into the bays, locating the main pivot on the support moulded into the front of the bay. For gear down, the legs are built in the same manner, without adjusting the tops, and using different shaped retraction inserts that have the strut projecting from the bay at an angle, as demonstrated by the scrap diagrams. The legs fit into a hole in front of the bay roof, locating the upper retraction arm in the pivot point, and the diagonal leg to the back of the lower end of the gear leg. The fixed tail-wheel is two parts, as is the strut and yoke, the wheel flex-fitting into position, and slotting into a hole in the stern of the fuselage’s keel. Another choice is ahead of you, allowing you to fold the tail of your model if you wish, cutting off a small tab on the two tail halves, as demonstrated in the scrap diagram. The two halves of the fin are glued together, inserting a mesh panel in the top, and the stabilising fin and rotor cowling on either side of the fin’s tip, with a choice of clear light added to the fairing on the fairing. The fairing is assembled from upper and lower half, trapping an axle between the halves before it is mated to the fin, which should allow it to rotate freely if you’re careful with the glue. The fin is completed by choosing the straight link between it and the boom, or adding the two open bulkheads on each side of the break, making for a strong connection between the two assemblies. We’re back at the nose again, glazing the canopy with two side sections and the combined windscreen/roof, which has an overhead console glued to the inside before it is installed. There are two windscreen parts, one with moulded-in windscreen wipers, the other without for those that want to take advantage of PE detail sets when they build their models. That’s rather considerate of the designers, especially as it isn’t even their concern. There are two choices of intake filters for this boxing, split between three of the decal options, the first of which is a simple deflector with fairing behind it, the second a sloped box that is built up from individual faces, and filters the air before it reaches the engines. Both types fit over the same portion of the roof, and are shown from the side in scrap diagrams to assist with placement. Two more side windows are installed, the port one having a choice of flat or blistered parts, while the larger one under the sponson support on the starboard side is flat and appropriate for all options. Two small landing lights are installed into recesses in the sponson supports, which is done with the model inverted. Now the fun begins. There are four pages devoted to the aerial fit for the decal options, one for each choice, so pick your fit and get started. This includes some items such as a crew step that were added during the type’s long career, as well as radar warning fairings as technology became available. When you come out of the other side of that, option D has a three-part FLIR infrared turret mounted on the fuselage side under the port sponson, depicted with the window closed. Three options have a SAR winch suspended over the large side door, the fairing formed by a single part into which the winch mechanism slots, while the two support arms are mounted on the inner side, fitting onto the transition between side and roof above the door. The door itself is a single part that accepts a window with radiused corners, and this can be posed open or closed, as can the door on the port side behind the cockpit. If you selected the closed option it was done early in the build, but for the open option, the door halves are detailed with a ladder in the lower part, and a window in the upper, gluing them to the top and bottom of the aperture, as shown in the scrap diagram. Whether you fit the fin folded or not, you have a choice of two types of rotor for the decal options, both of which have their own actuator crown in the centre, using the same parts for both folded or straight options. The main rotor can be posed folded or open and ready for flight, the instructions starting with the latter, building up the details of the rotor mechanism, then skewering it and the lower portion through the centre with the axle and adding actuators to each blade root. The spinner cap is glued over the centre for all options, the colour differing between them. To finish the main rotor, you have a choice of early blades for option A, and later blades for the other options, all of which fit to the blade roots in an overlapping half-joint for strength. To build a Sea King with folded blades, a different rotor-head is used, with the blade roots positioned accordingly, as are the detail parts, following the stages exactly, only ending with all the blades facing in the same general direction, except the two outer blades that splay outward a little. The last job is to glue the completed rotor into position in the cowling, although you could leave them loose for storage or transport. The only thing missing from the folded arrangement is the curiously shaped bracket that supports the weight of the blades near the end, but you could either make one from scratch or wait until the inevitable aftermarket support arrives from Eduard or someone else. Markings This first outing of the kit has a special set of markings that depict the career of an individual airframe with the tail code XV666, which was first ‘born’ in 1970, so is currently over 50. I know that feeling. Getting the nickname Damian was almost inevitable, but she’s far from an unlucky bird, having survived all these years and been upgraded numerous times over the years. There are four marking options from her career, and you can build her as one of the following: XV666 HAS.1 No.826 Naval Air Sqn., RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall, England, 1970 XV666 HAS.5 No.814 Naval Air Sqn., RNS Culdrose, Cornwall, England, 1988 XV666 HU.5 No.771 Naval Air Sqn., RNS Culdrose, Cornwall, England, 1995 XV666 HU.5, Heli-Operations, Portland, Dorset, England, 2022 Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Decals for the exhaust hider patches, tail-rotor tips and tramlines on the main blades are included, as well as several decals for the flight and operations instruments that are all printed on clear backgrounds so you don’t need to match any colours. Conclusion I’m really sad to have missed the fun of the announcement the other Tuesday, but it was a sensible decision on my part, and it has been worth the few days wait to get our review sample in the mail. The detail is fabulous, the options well-researched, and the choice of depicting the career of this single aircraft in this first boxing was inspired. I can’t wait until everyone has the opportunity to lay their hands on one or more this summer, and then for the next boxing to fill more gaps. Extremely highly recommended. You can pre-order one or many from Airfix by visiting the link below, and set up a stock alert so you don’t have to wait behind the door to ambush the postie. Review sample courtesy of
  10. I know we have a few days...I just want to roll this one onto the tarmac before I forget. This'll be OOB as I have no clever aftermarket decals. No bother. This is fantastic enough, of course. And a nice kit, as I recall. I've built it before. That was a post-war Uruguayan. I am looking forward to adding this one to the lineup. And I just took a quick inventory...I already have three Mustangs in the cabinet---Uruguay, Switzerland and one from No.19 Sqn RAF. So it is essential I have an American bird. Nice plumage... I think I'll be painting the red and yellow decal bits. It always looks better than the decals which, for me, never quite fit right around the edges. Btw...for those who have been paying attention...I have new airbrush compressor so I will be making headway on the three jets already on the bench. I have been eyeing a Hunter for a second build in the Boomer GB...19 Sqn? --John
  11. Another work in progress but its likely to get shelved.Its just been a drain the two jags im doing are much more fun and isnt that what its all about? That said i"ve done some extra work to populate the nose bay and im 99% sure I have the correct aerial fit for what was a basic and new Sea king on 772 NAS at Portland in 1990 & 1991 ....a fabulous draft for a young person. Some of you will notice the main blades are incorrect and painted as metal blades and not composite.The head is frankly dismal so im waiting to find an older airfix or fujimi kit and then I can assemble correctly and perhaps add some busyness to the sometimes troublesome hydrulics and electics which gave rise to the automatic blade fold system. Need to make a SACRU ....not seen one built SK with a SACRU fitted to a kit yet.Having the SACRU or cargo hook was part of the mk4s primary role....looks odd without it. Finally the windscreen is a mess and awash with swarf so I guess im going to have to carryout surgery. Anyway take look criticism is welcome .
  12. Hi all, I recently noticed that the paintwork on my Airfix Sea Vixen from a few years ago was starting to craze and fade somewhat. As I have fond memories of building the kit and it’s not exactly easy to get hold of a replacement I decided to give it a refresh. MRP provided the paints, the EDSG being a much better match, and the decals came from a variety of sources. The stencils mainly came from print scale, probably the most traumatic three day decalling odyssey I ever hope to endure! Thin and extremely “grippy”! I used VMS satin varnish for the final finish which I have to say is absolutely lovely stuff - very very smooth! In the process of gluing the last few bits back on I managed to crack the windscreen, fortunately I too cracked and bought another kit along with the FAW.1 conversion from Alleycat which includes a new windscreen. The spare kit one will eventually find its way onto this model. Hope you like the model ! I think she needs a Phantom and a Buccaneer for company…. First the original: And now the 2024 refresh:
  13. After the HC.4 variant ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234972969-airfix-a04056-westland-sea-king-hc4-172/) Airfix is to release a 1/72nd Westland Sea King HAR.3 kit - ref. A55307 Source: http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/jet-provost-and-sea-king-updates/ V.P.
  14. With the Jet provost done and the other activities out of the way, it’s time to get back in the saddle and do some more modelling. For a bit of a mojo boost, I watched Top Gun, Top Gun Maverick and The Final Countdown on DVD’s. So tonight, out came the Airfix F-14A Tomcat (blueprint box) and the Revell F-14D Super Tomcat from the stash - both 1/72. I’m going to try to build them both together stage by stage (rather than build one and then the other). The Revell is better in detail as it’s a much later kit, but the Airfix one still has a certain charm to it - even with the raised panel lines which I’ve decided to leave to see how it turns out. So, the first stage was to build the two cockpit tubs. The Airfix one is much longer then the Revell and both have raised detailing in the some consoles in roughly the same depth. The ejection seats are worlds apart in detail, so I might see if I can 3D print something a little more interesting for the Airfix kit. Otherwise the offices are fairly well detailed considering….. Both tubs were painted with Tamiya XF-19 Light Grey (as it’s what I had to hand) and are drying off. They will both receive other colours to highlight the consoles and IP’s. I’ve also bought an extra set of Airfix F-14A decals which offers two options - TopHatters and the Black Aces - to go with the Bounty Hunter and Grim Reaper options for the kits.
  15. I had a lot of trouble at home one weekend and out of frustration I curled up at home and retreated to my model building corner. It's quiet at home, which I can't stand at all, so I turn on the TV and listen to MTV: 80's hits To get back down, I opened the cupboard and looked to see which model should be in... then I found my already prepared project Spitfire Type 389 and Type 390... now I won't let you die ignorant. This is about the P.R.XIX, of which there were/are two versions. Since I have two kits of it, it was clear that both versions should be built. First of all, I decided on the lesser-known version, Type 389. How is this different? Sure - in the engine or compressor system. Unfortunately, some people on the Internet don't know for sure what type is, so you have to take a closer look! This is it, the Supermarine Type 389 / Spitfire Mk XIX (Early), two cameras in the fuselage directed on gull wing area downwards, one camera on the left side behind the cockpit, fishtail exhaust pipes (unfortunately I don't have it yet: QB 48191) Literature on this type can only be found in the following editions: KAGERO SPitfire #40 The model from Airfix was easy to build, little rework, the parts fit very well. A good recommendation for all Spitfire fans.
  16. A third entry, and for me an iconic Baby Boomer, following the release of the film Goldfinger, the Corgi version of James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 became the must have toy back in the mid-60's. For this build I am using the 1/43 Airfix starter set version which should make up into a nice little representation of this classic Grand Tourer, by John L, on Flickr Here are the main sprues, by John L, on Flickr and the clear parts decals, paints and glue. by John L, on Flickr John.
  17. For this GB I'm going to build a "Sexy American Singles in South American Service" subject, a Bolivian P-51D. Sexy American Singles in South American Service involves building American WWII single-engine aircraft to represent eight South American nations. So far, I've built representatives from Chile (A-24B); Argentina (F4U); Brazil (P-47); and Uruguay (F6F). Bolivia will be the next addition. I had hoped Arma would have their P-51D out by now, but since they don't I'll use this Airfix kit I picked up. One day I want to build the Korean version from it, but for now she'll be Bolivian. I will use decals and the profile from Aztec:
  18. Airfix is to release in 2014 a new tool 1/72nd Supermarine Swift FR.5 kit ref. A04003 I'm really really disappointed by the scale... So not for me. Source: http://www.airfix.com/shop/new-for-2014/172-scale-military-aircraft/a04003-supermarine-swift-172/ V.P
  19. Another build from me, and a switch back to Civil Aviation for this one. This is the Airfix boxing of the Boeing 727 kit and a quick check of the measurements indicate that it scales out to around those for -100 short body version and I will be using a set of 26 Decals for this classic Lufthansa Scheme. Here is an image from Airliners.net of D-ABIB at Stockholm -Arlanda in August 1964. Boeing 727-30 D-ABIB 18360 Box and contents photos. by John L, on Flickr The fuselage parts have some slight warping but should pull together OK. by John L, on Flickr The wing parts will need a bit of tidying to remove a bit of flash. by John L, on Flickr Here are the remaining parts including a stand, obviously issued when these came as a standard item in Airfix kits. by John L, on Flickr And finally my choice of decals for this build. by John L, on Flickr by John L, on Flickr Hope to get started on this soon. John
  20. Expected in Spring (May ?) 2024 - ref. A09010 - Consolidated B-24H Liberator https://uk.airfix.com/products/consolidated-b-24h-liberator-a09010 V.P.
  21. Release expected in Spring (April) 2024 - ref. A05141 - Bristol Bulldog Mk.II https://uk.airfix.com/products/bristol-bulldog-mkii-a05141 V.P.
  22. OK slight change of build plan, I said that the next on the bench would be the HobbyBoss Scammell Commander with the Amusing Hobby Centurion AVRE for a load well whilst at the South West Model Show at the Bovington Tank Museum I was given the Airfix Austin K2/Y by the friend that I shared a table with as he had ended up with two. He has built one as in the film Ice Cold in Alex but didn't want to build a second one so thought I might like to have it so it has made its way onto the bench and will be built out of the box using the Northern Europe markings in the kit. A start has been made with the basic chassis being assembled completing build sections one and two That's as far as its progressed more soon I hope Thanks for looking in your time is very much appreciated Stay safe Roger
  23. de Havilland Tiger Moth (A04104A) 1:48 Airfix The de Havilland Tiger Moth was one of the most important and widely produced trainer aircraft to have seen service with the RAF. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland himself in the 1930s and was based on the Gypsy Moth, suitably redesigned to meet Air Ministry Specification 13/31. In comparison to its predecessor, the Tiger Moth's wings were swept and repositioned, and the cockpits were redesigned to make escape easier. The airframe was also strengthened and the engine exhaust system was redesigned. The Tiger Moth entered service with the RAF in 1932 and remained in use until well after the war. Over 8,000 examples were completed, and the type also served with the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force as well as a great many other military and civilian operators. In service it proved itself to be ideally suited to its role, being easy enough to fly, but challenging enough to weed out the weaker students. It was also cheap and easy to maintain. Further variants would be the DH.82C fitted with an enclosed hood for cold weather operations in Canada, and the Queen Bee, which was an unmanned radio-controlled target drone that resulted in a thinning of the herd of surviving airframes. Always popular with civilian users, many Tiger Moths found their way into private ownership after the War, with many maintained in flying condition to this day. The Kit This is a reboxing with new decals of the 2019 tooling that made many quarter-scale modellers very happy. We didn’t get chance to review the original release, so it’s good to finally see one in the photo booth. The kit arrives in a suitably sized red-themed top-opening box with some dramatic artwork on the top, depicting the last landing of a biplane on a British Carrier in 1964, which involved HMS Eagle and an airframe from Britannia Royal Naval College in Plymouth wearing a silver dope and dayglo striped scheme, as shown here. Inside the box are three sprues of dark grey styrene, a small clear sprue, decal sheet and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on matt paper, with painting and decaling profiles on the rear pages, plus a comprehensive rigging guide that extends to two pages of the booklet. Detail is as we’ve come to expect from Airfix, including restrained scalloping of the fabric surfaces, detailed cockpit and even an engine details inside the nose with the option to open one side of the cowling, and the afore mentioned rigging diagram should go a long way to calm any modellers that are rigging-phobic. Construction begins with the cockpit floor, fitting the rear seat and bulkhead, then making up the front seat and its bulkhead, which is a strange shape due to the seat being half-buried in the bulkhead, giving both crew a control column before it is inserted into the port fuselage after doing some detail painting, ensuring that a tab on the front of the floor fully latches in a slot moulded into the firewall in the fuselage halves. A set of rods are inserted into the half engine moulded into the port fuselage, with a scrap diagram showing it from the front, then the two instrument panels with their dial decals are painted and installed in front of each crew member, again after detail painting. The starboard fuselage side has a pair of crew doors moulded into it, but with the perimeters thinned to ease cutting them out if you wish to open them, although you don’t need to retain the cut-out doors, as extra parts are included on the sprues. Engine detail is glued to the flat side of the engine moulded into the fuselage half, and if you plan to use an Airfix stand, there are two flashed-over holes under the cockpit that you can cut out, painting the sidewall detail before you close the fuselage halves and deal with the seams. A curved fairing is fitted to a depression in the port side of the fuselage behind the engine, and on the starboard side the exhaust is attached to the engine, then after drilling a 0.4mm hole in the firewall, the A-frame engine mount is fitted over the engine details after painting and weathering them according to your taste. A top cowling panel is mounted over the top of the motor, fixing the front cowling with intake port and prop fairing, fitting the lower and port engine cowlings in the closed position, then deciding whether to open the starboard cowling to expose the engine detail, or closing it using the same part, a scrap diagram showing its opening angle. A jig is found on sprue C, and is mounted over the tail without glue, which allows you to remove a shallow section of the fuselage top to accommodate the strakes added to the elevators of decal option A. The instructions show it from two angles to assist you, and a file icon suggests what to use to remove this area. After you are happy with the job you’ve done removing the plastic, the elevators with strakes are glued in place for option A, and a different part without strakes is used for option B. Both tail styles are supported by diagonal struts that pin at both ends, plugging the rudder into the rear of the fuselage and adding a tail skid with the aid of a scrap diagram nearby that shows the assembly from another angle. The lower wings are moulded as a single part that is linked by a narrow section that slots into a groove in the fuselage underside. Once the glue is cured, cabane struts are mounted vertically on the curved fuselage sides, preparing the upper wing by adding a ribbed fuel tank on the centre section, then flipping it over to slot the interplane struts into grooves moulded into the wing surfaces. You might wish to align the upper wing with the model while the glue cures, and once everything is set, the two wings can be glued together, ignoring the rigging aspect of this model for the time-being. A scrap diagram shows how the cabane struts fit into grooves in the underside of the upper wing, either side of the fuel tank. The instructions suggest you apply the underwing codes before fitting the aileron actuators that are mounted under the wings, although the decals stop short of interfering with these parts on the diagram, then a handle-shaped part is fixed on the fuselage underside between the wings. The landing gear is created from a bridged W-shaped main strut, which is braced by a pair of diagonal forward struts, one on each side, adding another smaller pair behind the legs while slotting the single-part wheels onto the axles. Turning the model over onto its wheels for the first time, a vent is added to the fuel tank, and a choice of two prop styles are pinned to the front of the model by a separate part, which can be left mobile if you are careful with the glue. Returning to the cockpit, padded coamings are fitted to the front of the cockpit openings, adding faceted windscreens to slots in the top of the fuselage, then if you have cut out the crew doors, two new door parts are installed in the open position, leaving ‘just’ the rigging left to do. Most biplane modellers have their own preferred method for rigging their models, and here Airfix have provided two pages of diagrams to assist with the process, which would be most useful for anyone not familiar with the task. The Tiger Moth isn’t overly complex in its rigging either, so if anyone was thinking of joining the biplane community, this could be a good kit to start your journey with. Markings There are two decal options included on the sheet, with suitably different markings and schemes to broaden its appeal. From the box you can build one of the following: BB852/E, Britannia Flight, Britannia Royal Naval College, Roborough, Plymouth, Devon, 1st July 1965, the last biplane to land on a British carrier (HMS Eagle) No.9 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School, RAF Ansty, Warwickshire, England, October 1940 Please note that the Dayglo Orange decals above appeared light pink after scanning, so the colour has been approximated by eye and reference to a photo taken on an iPhone in PhotoShop Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film on the dayglo orange decals, and gloss carrier film everywhere else, cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A welcome re-release for those that didn’t manage to pick the kit up first time around, or just wanted another kit, while the new decals add extra interest, especially the last biplane to land on a British carrier, which will be a bright model thanks to the dayglo stripes, which aren’t pink on the sheet, I promise. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  24. I recently purchased this kit second hand. Unfortunately on opening the box, there were no instructions or decals. However, I managed to download the instructions from Scalemates. I then contacted Airfix to see if they could provide me with the decals. After a couple of days, I received a reply asking for my address and telephone number "to help speed up the enquiry". That was on 9th February. To date, I have had no further communication from them (I emailed them a couple of days ago, but nothing). If, for some reason, they cannot provide the decals, does anyone know where I can purchase decals for the kit? I do have a load of spare decals from other kits, so could probably find a few basic decals, but would prefer to have the whole set. Thanks in advance.
  25. Well, here's my choice .... the Airfix 1/35 Tiger 1 early .... nothing complicated and something I have half a chance of finishing! Ill fitting parts, inaccurate and vynil tracks .... what could possibly go wrong? 😟 Keith 😁
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