gengriz

Two more Swedish aircraft join my collection in this 100th Anniversary year of the Flygvapnet. These are both Heller Viggen kits, but with 3d home-printed cockpits/ejection seats. Painting was done by hand-brushing Humbrol enamel, then hand brushing again, then hand brushhhh...... I really don't think there is any easy way to do Viggen camouflage, plus the heat over the last week has been an issue as well ! The RBS-15 missiles came from a Gripen kit and may not be appropriate for this particular AJ-37 (although later AJS Viggens definitely carried them), but although I had 2xRb05s ready to go and tried to separate the Rb04s from my Airfix Viggen, I had clearly attached them too securely to do so without damage! The Heller decals were typically useless. Misaligned colours, stiff and brittle, with apparently no adhesive properties whatsoever. My expectations were low and they proved correct, but otherwise these were fun kits to build! And with 4 new builds added, I think my Swedish theme for this year is exhausted! FredT

I'm currently playing with a newly acquired 3D resin printer, and the first few models to complete are these 1/700 scale RN Warships. My last job before retirement from industry was on the Type 31 project, and one of my last jobs in the RN was on the precursor to the Type 45, the Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF) and then the backup plan that became the Type 45. STL files for printing came via Cults 3D and the Type 45 has some small details taken from a Dragon kit of a Type 42. Both models have some plastic card/rod extras added where needed. The NSM launchers on VENTURER are a genuine option if the Mk.41 strike length silos don't actually get fitted (they exist on the Danish ships and the structure is ready to accept). The finished ships aren't perfect, but have been a good and relatively easy introduction to 3D printing, and my painting skills at such small scales can only get better! F12 is HMS VENTURER, the first of the Type 31s to hit the water and D93 is HMS DUNEDIN, intended to be one of the six cancelled hulls that never were and a replacement for HMS EDINBURGH......

Yes it is. The attack decal option (different nose) was a bare metal/aluminium finish and I much preferred to do it in green.

These are my first two builds to celebrate 100yrs of the Swedish Airforce, a Heller Lansen and an Airfix Draken. Both fairly simple kits, with the Lansen quite a bit newer than the Draken. Both have been replaced on the model shop shelves by more modern options, but I still feel that these two have scrubbed up nicely! Some Viggens next - there seems to be 5 in the stash!!!

Message sent - hope they are helpful. FredT

After 4 years of open warfare, T-72s now make up the majority of the remaining Russian tanks fighting in Ukraine, where they have suffered very substantial losses. Although tank on tank encounters have been rare, it is believed that over 1,200 Russian T-72s have been destroyed so far (according to open-source intelligence group Oryx), mainly by Javelin/NLAW top attacks. Meng's model represents the current version, with comprehensive reactive armour modules attached to the turret. Its an easy build, well engineered with excellent fit. Pictures of T-72 turrets exploding into the sky have become an iconic image of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion (the Turret has an alarming tendency to fly upwards when the tank is hit, partly because of the tank's ammunition stowage arrangements). Ukraine has also operated the T-72, with approximately 380 tanks lost to date (Oryx). .....and of course, a T-72 in Ukraine needs to be accompanied by a suitable battlefield recovery vehicle, operated by an Ukrainian farmer...........

This was my most recent build of one and might be helpful: https://www.gengriz.co.uk/2017/may17.htm#top Rotor head mount needs trimmed down (it sits about 4mm too high, but can be trimmed easily) Tail rotor direction reversed - later Lynx variants reverse against the main rotor down wash to give greater control in the hover. Top and bottom door rails added - simple styrene strip suffices. The kit doors have been substituted for those from an Airfix kit, since the Hobbyboss window sits in the wrong position) The RN inflatable internal seat provided by Airfix has replaced the kit tubular seats (these are OK, but the inflatable one is more commonly used) IR/laser detectors added to nose and flanks, plus the “disco ball” IR jammer has been added under tail Flare launchers have been added to undercarriage sponsons top and bottom Wire MF aerial added (the overly skinny and inappropriate I-band radar transducer was used as a mast) CPI disc added to top of tail Rear flotation bags added to sponsons. Engine top deck modified to reflect hot weather mods Several wires/cable details added to weapons pylons

Thanks, I would really like to see someone else do one and find out whether the issues are endemic to the kit, or were a result of my style of building! Notwithstanding the very signifcant differences in the fuselage shape of the Lynx & WIldcat, I have to say that putting it alongside the Airfix & Hobby Boss Lynxs reveals just how misshapen the Hobby Boss one is.

Purchased at Telford in November, this is the Air-Graphics resin kit of the AW159 Wildcat. Sadly, I think it would be fair to describe the kit as "challenging" and "frustrating", but it is entirely buildable, it just needs modifications and careful assembly. This issue is a full kit, which has quite a few differences from the previous conversion kit - some areas have definitely been improved and the standard of moulding of the small parts is very high - whilst 3D alternatives are provided, with the exception of the winch they really aren't needed. Unfortunately there are still no instructions available for the full kit, but the conversion ones are sufficiently similar to enable most people. There are also some difficult issues - for example the rotor blades bear no resemblance to any real life blades, almost as if the final master was never completed (I modified some old Airfix Lynx blades by adding some correctly shaped "paddles"). An even bigger problem was the nose (both of them as there is an Army variant nose included in the kit). These both had very bad twists, with the effect that the windscreen was badly misaligned with the nose sensor platform. I think the nose is angled upward too much as well, although that could have been my fault during assembly (then re-assembly after correcting the twisted nose). There are other assembly challenges, largely driven by the awkward shape of the real thing, plus some strange faults that may have been inadvertently copied from the Hobby Boss Lynx kit - like the main rotor hub sitting way too high. I also used the Air-Graphics decals, which were fine as far as they went, but I had hoped that they might supply the cabin roof walkway (which is not the same as a Lynx) and maybe decals for some of the missing grilles on the tail pylon, or the danger triangles on the float fairings, or the rescue markings on the cabin doors. I have to confess that my enthusiasm for this build waned quite seriously as my frustration grew. The final two faults (the kit's rotor hub vibration damper is way too big and my replacement blades are too long) didn't become appprent until near the end. By then I was fed up trying to fix things and just wanted to complete. But hey, it looks (mostly) like a Wildcat, it's a resin kit intended for the experienced modeller and no-one else is going to produce one!!!!

Another busy year, albeit dominated by a very large model ! First up was the very nice Orange Model 1/72 F-35C: Then something I've wanted to do for years, converting a Harrier into a Kestrel. A lot more work than you might think. This is a Fujimi AV-8A, with lots of changes and inkjet decals: Then a nostalgia build of the Airfix 1/600 HMS DARING: I had intended to build a few models to reflect the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Accord that ended the wars in the Former Yugoslavia. In the end I only built two of the planned kits, both in Bosnian Serb markings, a Super Galeb from Yumo and an Orao from Litaki: Over the late spring I had a small diversion into AFVs, having discovered some superb 1/72 3D printed kits from Osiris. First was an Archer mobille artillery unit: Then an FV434 Mainrtenance vehicle and a Foxhound LPPV: An old FROG BAC Lightning F.6 kicked off the summer modelling binge: Followed by an equally ancient FROG Sea Fury X: And two F-4U Corsairs, both from 1834 Sqn in HMS VICTORIOUS, but one from the British Eastern Fleet, then one from the British Pacific Fleet: For August I marked the start of the Battle of Britain 85 years ago, with an Airfix Sptifire (of course) and a FROG Do-17z: September saw a quick build of the new Airfix Typhoon FGR.4 kit (with some Revell spare parts added under the wings), marked up as one of 1435 Flight in the Falklands (Mark.1 Decals): October saw the reveal of the major build I had been working on since May. A 1/72 Astute Class Submarine, 3D printed. Very pleased with how this turned out ! Plus a couple of scratch-built TLAMs to go with it: November saw an interesting £1 purchase at a Flea market - A completed 1955 FROG Venom FB.4, in need of serious TLC: Then with Telford approaching, I felt guilt-tripped to build at least one of the kits I had bought the previous year - a Roden Pfalz D.IIIa: Then, the second £1 purchase, a 1955 FROG DH.110 joined the Venom. After some thought, I recreated FROG's markings (with unallocated serial) for the refurbished DH.110 as it doesn't really represent any of the real prototype Sea Vixens: To complete the year, two more WW1 icons joined the collection, a Revell Fokker Dr.1 and a Revell DH.2. The Fokker was a lovely build, but the DH.2 required some serious and very frustrating rigging! And that's all fffolks...... FredT

They are the same basic mould, but the initial Italeri 2001 issue (HAS.1 in a light blue box) was very simplified with inaccurate decals- Revell (2003) then added many extras on a new sprue (e.g. new decals, torpedoes and pylons, rear view mirrors, corrected folding blade roots) . The 2nd Italeri (2005) issue (HMA.1 - in a darker blue box) has the additional Revell parts but different and more accurate decals. The 2nd revell issue has an additional decal option, but the grey "tiger" stripes are too light.

The second of my Flea Market £1 purchases is complete. I've replicated the original FROG markings (for an aircraft that didn't exist) and left this one looking pristine with minimal extra detailing and no weathering. The model is a bit of an oddball, with features of the the two original DH.110 prototypes, but with some features of the 3rd and 4th Sea Vixen / Pirate prototypes. Changing it to either would involve more work than I wanted to do, so in the end I just tidied it up the joints and repainted, but its under fuselage cannon would make it a good potential candidate for an RAF "what-if". and together with the Venom: and what they looked like "as purchased":

Its getting there. I messed up the canopy slightly which required me to polish it again. Re-painting completed this week and decals were added this afternoon. I also found a large FROG stand to sit it on - its a V shaped grey plastic one, rather than the circular clear ones the kits came with, but should suffice. Needs a tiny bit of detailing (I'm going to leave it very clean) then a topcoat (satin I think), after which I need a bright day to take photos of it (Monday is forecast to be good here!). So some pictures next week hopefully!

Talk about luck. Spotted by me in a scruffy box at the Shepton Mallet Flea Market 3 weeks ago and purchased by MrsT as a reward for me taking her there - she bought a pine table which I had to carry back to the car. It came with a FROG DH110 in a similar state that I haven't started on yet. She paid £1 each for them. This is the 1955 FROG De Havilland DH112 Venom FB.4. The kit was only issued twice, once by FROG in the UK and once by Triang in France, both in 1955. The French factory broke the mould and it was scrapped as beyond repair. I wouldn't dare build an unbuilt one, but both this and the DH110 were already built to a reasonable standard, but showing their 70 year age (yes, seventy years). I stripped the kit by sanding (taking the opportunity to remove some over prominent rivets), removed the canopy and repolished it, painting the unpainted pilot's head. Finally I repainted it. I had hoped to paint around the original squadron markings, but that proved impractical, so I have repainted as a Suez (Operation Musketeer) aircraft operating out of Akrotiri in 1956 with 249 Sqn (thus also linking with my Malta Air War project). The kit is clearly a product of its era. It has the high mould engineering quality one would expect of FROG, but lacks detail and e.g. has a see-through fuselage from astern, but blanked intakes and no underwing armament (which calls into question whether it is actually an FB.4). Mrs T can't understand why I'm so pleased with this model, but it fills an important gap in my collection and is a bit of rare FROG history. Because it was only issued once, I can say with some certainty that it is 70 years old this year, and quite possibly, the model was originally built before Suez actually took place!