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1/72 Airfix Vampire T.11 - 45 Sqn. 'Operation Firedog'.


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2 hours ago, Darby said:

Ruddy marvellous! I say, do you think I could exchange the Bentley for one?

Deal - I'll wait for you at the Brisbane docks... it could take a while to get here though!! 

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24 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

RL,

I echo what ToT said regarding your Vampire- she's a beaut! I loved the helmets on the w/s...planning to do the same when I do my 8th FBG F-86F, as the Sabre pilots liked to perch theirs on top of the w/s, too! Nice touch, sir! Planning on a Jet Provost in the same scheme to park with it?

Mike

Perhaps! I did buy four as soon as they came out and have finished two already. I must say, although I thought that this Vampire was a great build, the Airfix JP is one of those kits that falls together very nicely. There's enough colourful schemes to fill a whole cabinet shelf. 

 

Regarding the helmets, I agree Sabre jockeys were prone to leave their bone domes either on the windshield or placed on the wing leading edge. I'm no armour modeller, however does anyone know if there is a set of 1/72 helmets that may pass as post war pilot helmets? Hollowing out the kit pilot heads is not exactly a fun task. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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11 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I'll happily take either a DH Hornet or a Venom for 2018? I've got this wild idea to kit 'most' of 45 Squadrons aircraft (though cannot see myself rigging a Vimy or Vernon!!) I'm afraid. 

 

I've looked at the SH Hornet and although I could probably knock it out to look something like a Hornet, I'm not a great fan of resin or PE bits as yet. 

 

Cheers and fingers and toes crossed... Dave 

Absolutely.  Hornet and Venom kits (in 1/72 of course) would be splendid.  I did build the SH Hornet F.1 a few years back and I seem to remember it went together pretty well although I don't remember it having too much in the way of resin bits.  However more recently I built the SH Sea Hornet NF.21 which did have a lot of resin replacement parts and the fit was terrible.  In fact it would have been binned if I hadn't wanted a Sea Hornet so badly! The kit does include the original plastic parts and I wish I had just used those in retrospect. 

 

I've also got the Aeroclub Venom FB.1 somewhere.  Built it quite a few years ago now and I think it was a pretty straightforward build.  The only things I remember needing to do was to hollow out the jet pipe a bit and, of course, cut out the vacform canopy.  Oh, and also the decals (45 Squadron funnily enough) wouldn't adhere at all so I built it as an 11 squadron machine.  Apart from that it wasn't much different to mainstream kit.  The biggest problem with it is its lack of availability. 

 

Anyway, here's hoping. 

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Great subject and excellent execution......Well Done, Sir !.

 

One quick question, if I may......Where did you source the Land Rover in Photo 4 ?. Is it a heavily modified and nicely finished Airfix example or from somewhere esle ?

 

Cheers

 

Mark 

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26 minutes ago, Tiger331 said:

Where did you source the Land Rover in Photo 4 ?. Is it a heavily modified and nicely finished Airfix example or from somewhere esle ?

Mark, 

No, I'm afraid it's no Airfix kit - I cheated. It's a readily made 1/76 diecast model from Oxford. Here's one from Hattons - http://www.hattons.co.uk/173835/Oxford_Diecast_76LAN188021_Land_Rover_Series_1_88_Hard_Back_RAF/StockDetail.aspx

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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On 18/08/2017 at 10:09 PM, Rabbit Leader said:

Good luck with your Aeroclub Venom. I've never had the pleasure to own one, although if your going to source parts from a donor Vampire kit, then it does not sound like it wont be an easy build. I'm trying to figure out (besides the undercarriage) what else could you use? 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Using the undercarriage and some others small parts - gun carriage - air intake parts and some cockpit parts to add some more detail to the model.  Some of the decals may be handy too but not sure of the squadron and scheme yet (will be RAF for sure). 

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  • 5 months later...
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I like this one Dave. It is spot on for a 1/72. I remember seeing these when I used to visit my dad at the airbase. He served in Malaysia for two years I think during the emergency as an airforce photographer mapping the jungle. 

   I don't know how I missed it earlier.  like the tiger moth,  I wish Airfix did a 1/48 scale of it.

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16 hours ago, Greg Law said:

I like this one Dave. It is spot on for a 1/72. I remember seeing these when I used to visit my dad at the airbase. He served in Malaysia for two years I think during the emergency as an airforce photographer mapping the jungle. 

   I don't know how I missed it earlier.  like the tiger moth,  I wish Airfix did a 1/48 scale of it.

Thanks for the comments Greg and I agree 100% - a good quality 1/48 Airfix kit would/should sell by the bucket load.

Cheers.. Dave

 

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  • 3 years later...
3 hours ago, tonyot said:

Love it Dave,... just came across this,..... looks superb pal.


Thanks Tony, kinda embarrassed this thread got sucked out of the old RFI vault again, still my only No. 45 Squadron completed model, although I did recently find a SOD Mossie that really ought to be finished… might think about that one. 

 

 

3 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

I missed this one, what a cracker Dave, a wonderful model. Great work,  I take it the Domestic authorities didn't find out about the dusting comments!!!😉

Chris


I now look at this 2017 build and wince a little, although it did come up fine in some of the photos. To my knowledge the Authorities’ didn’t quite find out about my terse dusting comments, although I seem to be doing more domesticated chores these days…. so perhaps they did? 
 

Cheers and please move on lads, there are far better Vampire builds on here! .. Dave 

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