Graham Boak

I disagree, People do have some odd ideas about history, and can get more from what they can see on some models. A modeller that produced a Spitfire with DB on the fuselage and said it belonged to Bob Tuck would soon be corrected. One modeller produced a Shiden in light green, badly peeling, and said it was in the Solomons. These and many other examples can be seen and do influence the ill-informed, On the other hand late war Luftwaffe modellers consult in detail on precise shades of colour. It is incredible engineering that makes all these aircraft possible. I don't see why it should be downrated compared with other aspects. Someone wants to play with dayglo toys go ahead; but making a lot of effort to create something wrong, thinking it right because other people have done the same before you, calls for education rather than patronising.

Two possible answers. The first is that the pilot is likely to be an officer and the other not. However the likelier is that the pilot has to be stuck sitting down for the whole of the flight whereas the rear seat guy has to be able to move around.

There are few if any nations that have not invaded another, so you are in something of a quandary.

Thanks Toby, I have the tips, it is an aircraft with the particular combination that I am looking for.

No, but I did see them when they came out and they were pretty good. I think that they will still look good today.

See FAQ. Direct linking isn't allowed.

By how many thousands of an inch? That's how these things are measured. No, you can't get perfectly smooth (although it has to be approachable on stealthy aircraft) . But by the surface of a small scale model? Any opening doors are going to have gaps that are visible, but steps are draggier and highly controlled. There are acceptable values and those exceeding this are treated e.g. by chamfering. If really poor they just have to be accepted, but these cases will be few on any single aircraft and not on every one off the line. They are not all the way round every panel. OK that's delivery standard. Once in the hands of the maintainers it can be argued, by the more cynical, that all bets are off. But if widespread on a high performance aircraft this would soon be noticed by the poorer performance. Yes, a 1945 Bf.109 isn't gong to be built to this standard. But a P-51 wing was. Most WW2 aircraft would be somewhere in between.

Mistel predates the kamikaze. They were intended for, and grouped ready for, an attack on the British fleet at Scapa Flow. However the Normandy landing came first, so hey were used against this. However this was well defended and few got through. As they were not actually noted by the invasion fleet it is thought that they either all missed or were wasted on the blockships. I've seen it suggested hat the old battleship Centurion was a target: it certainly seems possible but I don't know if true.

My view is that some people have a fantasy aesthetic, and fair enough. I like fantasy and science fiction as genres. However, others who see this will think it they way things were, and perpetrate distorted history and engineering.

But why bother in the first place? Stressed skin aircraft structures are not Victorian boilerplate.

Most likely Sky, but not bare metal.

There was a color photo of one Jumo variant in a training unit on the cover of Kookaburra's replacement first volume. Remember that these did fight in both the Polish campaign and the Phoney War, and served as early night fighters. How many of these were Cs is another matter. I agree they were well kept, but a satin varnish is perhaps superior to a gloss. For the finicky touch you could leave the actual markings as gloss. There is a clear difference between surface and markings in many photos.

Such black patterning was to cover exhaust stains. The one back wing was not a permanent fixture as it seems to make no difference.

Light blue grey. Lighter and greyer than 65 with no greenish tint. Taken from many references including the paint chips in Merrick obtained by the original manufacturer using original recipes. Try Colourcoats or Xtrscolour or Phoenix Precision. Other paints are available...

There was a lot of discussion on this board, and I think that Paul Lucas covered this in his Colour Conundrum series. I guess there is a possible confusion with 1940, but this would seem to be too early for the introduction of Middle Stone.