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Showing content with the highest reputation on 30/09/20 in all areas

  1. I've had this kit for quite some time but never got around to building it. AA kits really need no introduction and suffice to say construction went with no issues apart from me dropping it on a couple of occasions and having to repair the damage! Livery choice was almost no contest as I remember regularly seeing these at Heathrow in the late 70's/early 80's and as, in my opinion, no airliner model collection is complete without at least one PanAm 747 PanAm it was. I was also considering SAA so maybe if I get the upcoming EE kit I'll finish it in the early SAA livery. Decals are from the Welsh models kit printed by Liveries Unlimited, blue cheatlines from 26, cockpit and cabin windows are from AA Decals and there are a few details which I printed myself. Paint is Halfords Appliance White, Humbrol Polished Aluminium Metalcote for the belly, wings and engines. grey areas are Halfords Racking Grey and the coroguard is my own mix. Here are a few pics. Thanks for looking and any comments gratefully received. Cheers, Ian
    38 points
  2. Hi, here goes another bird in 1/72. This time the beautiful Mosquito. Not the best kit from Tamiya, in particular the fit at the back of the engines with the wings and the connection between wings and fuselage, but at the end it looks OK. I've spent sometime with the paint job and trying to do some subtle weathering. At the end I've enjoined the built so much that decided to get the amazing 1/32 scale version from Tamiya that I'm planning to build in the near future. Cheers, Jorge
    37 points
  3. Just completed this 1/48 Italeri/Dragon Ta152H-1. I've been building up to this, so I hope I've done it some justice. Was expecting to have a nightmare with this 'old' kit, after my previous experience with the Italeri/Dragon Fw190A-8 (which I eventually abandoned), but to be fair it went together pretty well. Visibility/optical quality through the canopy is awful - I could have painted the cockpit bright pink and I doubt if it would be visible. Basically an OOB build, but with the addition of some PE harnesses, and using the Montex paint mask set, rather than the kit decals. Painted up to represent 'Yellow 1' of 7/JG301, before all remaining Ta152s got reassigned to JG301's Stab flight and received green numbers (or that's my understanding. anyway). There is photo evidence of Yellow 1 in any case, as well as numerous profiles. Painted using mainly Vallejo RLM76 and 83, and Mig RLM82, which I felt offered a better contrast with the Vallejo 83, rightly or wrongly. Followed by a bit of weathering with Mig panel line wash, some oils and Humbrol weathering powder - not sure how well that will show up in the pics. Whether the colours are accurate or not, I guess we'll never know. Apologies for the outdoor pics, taken under cover, in rain/overcast conditions - it always seems to be raining when I post an RFI..
    21 points
  4. Hello again everyone! This time I bring you the mighty Skyraider! This is a kit I finished in 2018, and was built with the idea of trying new techniques, tools and paints, to see how far my skills would go. It's the venerable, but still good Monogram kit. This are the things I did during the built: 1.- First time using Acrylics and Lacquer paints (long time enamel painter). 2.- I completely rescribed the kit. 3.- I modified the nose to be able to fit the cowling, engine, and lower chin from a dead Tamiya kit. (Monogram is undersized). 4.- Modify a little bit the front fuselage in order to accept the windscreen and canopy from the same Tamiya kit (looks better than Monogram's canopy and windscreen). 5.- I scratchbuilt the landing year, as they didn't come in the box. 6.- The wing cannons were replaced by modified needles. 7.- Tail antenna same as above. 8.- Added a True Details seat. 9.- Quickboost wing and fuselage pylons. 10.- Fuel tank from the Tamiya kit. 11.- True Details wheels. 12.- First time using oils and watercolor pencils for weathering. Cammo was airbrushed freehand. Also the kit decals were used. And I think that's all! Maybe not perfect, but I like the result. Some in-progress photos: And the finished model: Hope you like it. Tato
    20 points
  5. Finished last month alongside the Yak 28 here is my Kamov A7 This little aircraft was built in the thirties and was used in Russian flying clubs and for light liaison. When war started the military acquired a number of these machines for observation duties where it was used in anger during the battle at Smolensk. The aircraft carried bombs and rockets with one pair of rockets pointed aft for rearward firing. (an idea used by 007 quite effectively a few years later!) It is quoted as being the only autogyro to see active service. The kit went together well after cleaning up the parts which is a must for this type of kit. I did some surgery to reposition the flying surfaces and added control wires to the rotor and elevator. I also made my own windscreens from clear plastic from a choc box and put some longerons in the cockpit because it was a bit bare. The gun is a Mini World Degtyaryov DA gun and mount which nearly had as many parts as the kit. Its finished with Humbrol and Xtracolour paints and Xtracolour varnish. Hope you like it. Pete As I was setting it up for photos I knocked the foresight off the gun! Stuck it on again Thanks for looking Cheers Pete
    19 points
  6. The Supermarine Spitfire requires no introduction. In my opinion, together with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", is probably the most famous and recognisable plane of WW2, and certainly the most beloved one. I'm presenting the Mk. IXe variant. The Kit from Eduard is fantastic with great fit and detail for the scale probably one of the best I've done and I totally recommend it!. As you can see in some photos the canopy is broken on the starboard but I have already contacted Eduard and they've organised a replacement which is on its way. I'll take that opportunity to replace the antena which looks a bit out of scale. PL124, No. 312 Squadron RAF, B-10 Airfield Plumetôt, France, June 1944 Czechoslovak pilots flew the Spitfire Mk.IXe for the first time during the Normandy landings. Czechoslovak RAF squadrons were re-armed with low-altitude Merlin 66 Spitfires because these had underwing bomb racks and were more suitable for operations over the Normandy beachhead. The first unit to get the new Spitfires within No. 134 Wing was No. 312 Squadron, which received the aircraft on June 11th, 1944. The E-type wing Spitfires served with the wing till July 3rd, 1944 when the F and HF.IXc machines arrived and the LF Mk.IXe were passed on to other units. Photos of PL124 show that the quick identification black & white bands were not fully painted on the fuselage. The black stripes are missing. Note the dark, probably blue, rudder tip.
    17 points
  7. Well at the risk of some light flack I present my interpretation of this well known Mustang. I built the Matchbox kit when it came out and have always been comfortable with the idea that she was blue as with nineteen`s chequers. I appreciate the current idea of the yellow and still believe he jury is still out. the kit went together really well with nothing to fuss about. Me being me I fitted the fin after joining the fuselage which I found easier to deal with. All paints were Humbrol enamel administered with a brush. Hope you like it. Hope you like it. Keith
    17 points
  8. Hi guys, to continue the tradition of British campaigns my next one is the Malayan - Indonesian confrontation from mid 60's, also known as Konfrontasi. Unlike during Malayan emergency in this one the brits faced serious opposition in Indonesian Air Force equipped with most modern soviet machines. Not much air combat took place though. So let's start with choppers Westland Wessex HU.5, Matchbox kit: Bristol Belvedere, unfortunately this one is scarce as saffron and the only one I could get my hands on is the venerable Airfix kit, which I had to modify a bit to represent the machine that served with 66th squadron:
    16 points
  9. My Third and last of Hasegawa 1/48 Bf109 that I finished this summer. Originally a K-4 model, I modified it back to G-10 and used decals from Eduard Bf109G-10 WNF-Diana kit. Nanond
    14 points
  10. The Blohm and Voss 138 Sea Dragon AKA the 'Flying Clog' entered Luftwaffe service in the early '40s in a maritime patrol and reconnaissance role. I was surprised to see it was powered by Jumo diesel engines. I don't know how common it was to use this type of engine and wonder what life was like for the exposed upper gunner behind three of them. This is a Revell boxing, but from Scalemates time line it appears to be a reboxed Supermodel from 1977 and did present some challenges.
    14 points
  11. 1/72 Academy F-100D Super Sabre, "Pretty Penny", 481 TFS, Tan Son Nhut AFB, Vietnam, 1965 This was another build that was sitting on the SOD waiting for some inspiration to finish it. The poor fitting insert in the belly for the cannon led to its stay at the SOD Hotel.... Flown by Lt Lt Peter Vanderhoef and Lt Jerry Sloame, Pretty Penny was named after Sloames Wife. Other than the cannon insert, the kit goes together very well. Not many parts to throw glue at and you have a decent Super Sabre for your collection. Airbrushed using Tamiya paints and a Flory wash for the panel lines. We all know that the standard Academy decals are rubbish so I was not expecting any different from these (I had aftermarket standing by) - I was pleasantly surprised in how well they behaved. Very nice indeed. Cheers all, Phil
    13 points
  12. Hello all; Here's my just completed Helldiver. There's a story to the paint scheme which is too long to relate here; there's a WIP thread which has most of the story and the rest can be found on my site if you're interested. The short version is that I reckon this to be a repaint of an airframe that was originally finished in the four-colour scheme. I must admit, the WIP itself is a bit light on detail, I need to up my game in that department! I added a fair bit of aftermarket on this one, most notably of course the wing fold. Almost all of it was a waste of money however, either because it wasn't much of an improvement on the kit parts or it really can't be seen. The wing fold was excellent though, and I would recommend it. Overall it was a fun build, but the extras aren't usually my thing and this one reminded me why 🙂 Anyway, the pics; Cheers; Mark.
    13 points
  13. Hi Folks, I’ve not posted my work(on here)for some time but would like to share my latest build with you. It’s Revells 1/48 fat face Skyraider. Picked it up for £10 from The Works website(uk) as I’ve always liked Skyraider’s but not been willing to part with Hasegawa prices. It’s the old Matchbox kit I believe and is lacking in detail with raised panel lines(which I re-scribed). Really enjoyed the build and fairly pleased with the result, the wing joints were a pain as was the ‘blue rinse’ for the rear glazing. Main paints are hataka lacquer for LGG and Tamiya white. I thought the hataka white was too dark. Quite pleased with the result but feel free to comment.
    13 points
  14. Hey. A little more on this tiny wonder. The tank got fitted. And the main shaft thingy got popped on too. I added the decals to the panels. They will get dulled down with a wash don’t worry. 😇 I added a bit of a flory wash (again) to the new and some of the old parts. Must forget to make the stretchers. 🤩 That’s your lot. Short and hopefully sweet. Hope you’re having a lovely week so far. Happy Modelling. Johnny
    12 points
  15. Hi guys. Want to show you my second Viggen. Early this year I built the Sk 37 from the Special Hobby Duo Pack, now the AJ 37 followed. Some extras were a pilot from PJ Production, pitot tubes from Master and the m/70 rocket pods from Maestro. I used the nice vinyl masks from DN Models for the paint scheme. Cheers Daniel
    10 points
  16. WESTLAND WYVERN S4 VZ749 272/E 813 Squadron HMS EAGLE circa 1958 I have got to the point with this build where I think I can call it done so here is my RFI - link to WIP below http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235021066-trumpeter-wyvern/&tab=comments#comment-2716271 Kit 1/48 Trumpeter Westland Wyvern late model Cockpit by Wolfpack Design CMR main wheels Wing fold break detail scratch built using kit aerofoil parts D14 -D17 Decals a mixture of kit, Xtradecal roundels and home made serials/codes Camouflage colours Humbrol enamel 123EDSG and 90SKY Flightpath etched Royal Navy chocks Base a bit of grey painted MDF Photos taken on an iPhone and colours have varied under different lighting conditions The first three photos reproduce the colours accurately Below - Wyvern next to the dainty Sea Hawk - both from 1/48 Trumpeter kits CJP
    10 points
  17. 1/72 Airfix EE Lightning F.6, XR761, 56 Squadron, RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, 1975 Flown by Wing Commander A L Blakely. The Airfix Lightning and indeed the Lightning itself need no introduction. Here is my representation using Tamiya paints and decals by Xtradecal. A Flory dark grey wash was used to highlight the panel lines and you can imagine that a Wing Commanders aircraft would be kept pristine! I have added etch ejector handles and also the twin whip aerials using sprue. With so many lovely schemes available for the Lightning you could keep yourself busy for many a year. Cheers all, Phil
    9 points
  18. Here is the Roden Boeing 720B finished as G-BCBA, a former American Airlines aircraft operated by Invicta International in the summer of 1974. G-BCBA seems to have been the only jet to carry Invicta’s full red and black livery. The model was inspired by reading “Take Off to Touchdown” by Malcolm Finnis, a fascinating book highly recommended to anyone with an interest in second-level British airlines and the lives of those who worked for them. To digress for a moment, the book also contains a thorough debunking of the official report into the 1973 Basel Vanguard crash which blamed Invicta’s pilots. The author argues a persuasive case that the accident happened because of problems with the airport’s navigation aids rather than errors by the crew. Since the pilots died and the aircraft had no CVR they were convenient scapegoats. Well worth a read for anyone interested in that tragic event. Getting back to G-BCBA, this was my first build of the Roden kit and it didn’t give me any major problems although I was surprised by the amount of filling at the wing roots. I knew the fit of the engine pylons to the wings was poor so I attached these before painting and managed to achieve decent joints but at the expense of fiddly and awkward masking complicated by G-BCBA having unusual grey pylons. I replaced the over-sized and inaccurate nose wheels with a pair found in the spares box, possibly from a Revell B767. I also added plastic rod pegs to strengthen the rather precarious joint between the tailplanes and the fuselage. Otherwise the build was OOB. White paint is Halfords. The lower fuselage was noticeably darker than normal Boeing Gray and I used Halfords Ford Polar Grey because I had a can handy. Natural metal is mainly AK Interactive Aluminium plus some rattle can silvers, a little Rub’n’Buff and a touch of MiG Polished Metal. Coroguard is a home brew of Humbrol 11 and 128 mixed by eye (probably about 1:5). The grey forward sections on the upper wings (which don’t show up well in the photos) is Revell 374 sprayed on to clear decal film. Some aluminium decal completed the ensemble. Decals are by 26 with an Authentic Airliners windscreen. Although the decals are accurate and a good fit on the model I found considerable care was needed with the red ink which was very “fragile” - easily scratched and prone to flaking if I looked at it the wrong way. It didn’t help that the red is a difficult colour to touch up and a few areas of G-BCBA don’t really bear close inspection, particularly around the fin. If I was building the model again I would spray the fin with a circle masked for the logo. Thanks for looking and as always constructive criticism is welcome. Dave G
    9 points
  19. My tribute to “The Few” 1/72 Airfix Defiant. Weathered to look well used. Winston Churchill once said about the Royal Air Force airmen, ”Every Morn Brought Forth A Noble Chance, And Every Chance Brought Forth A Noble Knight” Most importantly, the Aircrew, undaunted by the odds
    9 points
  20. Hey guys. Thanks for all the lovely comments. 🥰 I simply couldn’t leave the office looking so plain so more PE a gloss coat, some Flory (dark dirt) and a matte coat. walls. Instrument panel. And the main seat. That feels better. 🤗 I still need to add all the belts and do a few highlights and such. Looking forward to bringing this little office together now. Then the fun really starts. 🤩 Thanks for popping in. Hope you’re all having a splendid week so far. Johnny
    9 points
  21. My Airfix fabric winged 615 Sqn Hurricane. With Squadron vacform canopy, Quickboost gunsight and Yahu harness. Largely scratch built trolley acc and wire cable. Will hopefully be based in an Amera blast pen in time for the end of this fab GB.
    9 points
  22. I'm having a right old bonanza with smaller multi-engined planes at the moment, and Airfix are on a roll supplying me with their Vintage Classics reissue programme! Throw in a Twin Otter from Revell and happiness ensues 😍 And all at no great expense. They've all been opened and rummaged through, amidst a little cloud of nostalgia that comes free with every box. Top of the pile, for no particular reason, is this one, First issued in 1969 and totally contemporary with the aircraft itself. I think Airfix were trying to stay ahead of the game by choosing the USAF version that was being made. Fitted with a pair of Garrett turboprops to please or to suit the US, it looks like it was destined to be used in a medical evacuation role, with an extra wide entrance. The Airfix plan fell on its face though, simultaneously with the USAF order being cancelled and Handley Page going bust. Production the plane was taken over by Scottish Aviation and ultimately by BAe, and the Jetstream succeeded for many years. But not with American Garrett engines! I'm not sure if ANY airframes were built in the style of the Airfix kit, but you'll never find a picture of one! I suppose the after market guys may come up with a viable option now that the kit is reissued....... Or maybe not. My challenge, in the meantime, is to have a go at scratch conversion and see if I can make a real Jetstream. The issue is this..... And I'm in the process of something quite different! The actual build is progressing with a few mods that I'll detail, but hassle-free and no big drama. It's just those engines. I'm sort of thinking that it was an opportunity for Airfix to make good on their error of judgement, and tool up a little sprue with the right turbine fit. Oh, and throw in a small selection of civil schemes on the decal sheet. How nice would that be?? 😎
    8 points
  23. Here's a build I finished recently for a JDM themed build-off on Instagram. I had only recently added this kit to my stash so the timing was pretty good. This was the stock Tamiya Honda NSX kit that I added a few modifications to. The base kit is pretty good, my only complaints being that the body was a bit wavy, and the A-pillars, which need to be the thickness they are to be in scale but that makes them incredibly fragile - fortunately I only broke one of them. I swapped the kit wheels to a set of Aoshima 19" Volk TE37s, added a front splitter and side skirts made from sheet styrene and modified the rear wing into a NSX-R style one. The colour was a mix of Metallic Blue, Black and Silver which was then clearcoated with Mr Color GX100. Exhaust tips are aluminum tube - same size as the one I put on my BMW 2002 but it looks a lot more in proportion here to my eye. Since the kit comes with moveable pop-up lights, I thought I would add some micro LEDs to them to light them up. I didn't do any of the other lights as the full width rear light panel would be tricky and I didn't want to miss the 4 week build timeline. The interior is box stock with the exception of adding a clear plastic cover for the gauges for a bit more realism, embossing powder for carpet, and a gold shift knob to match the wheels. Most of the engine is hidden once assembled, but I added some wires and tubing, bare metal foil for hose clamps and a shiny red for the valve covers and intake cover. One of the requirements of the build-off was that the photos had to be on a solid background but that wasn't going to stop me from shooting some extra shots in a more dramatic studio style: And then some with a photo backdrop: Thanks for looking! Martin.
    8 points
  24. I've finally finished re-purposed Monogram B-26 Marauder That I originally built decades ago. After striping down the old paint and disassembling as carefully as possible. I reassembled the B-26 as an XB-26H which was a "Proof of Concept" for Bicycle landing gear. This configuration was adapted for the B-48, B-51, and operationally for the B-47. Some of the parts didn't survive disassembly so I had to manufacture my own props, engines, outrigger wheels and redesigned rear gunners position. Also printed my own nose art decals You can see my work in progress here. This was a fun build of an unusual subject. I hope you will enjoy this finished work. Thank for stopping by and if you have ant comments critiques or suggestions, they are always welcome.
    8 points
  25. Let's get those National markings done. I applied my freshly cut masks and first painted the white ensuing not too much white at the mask edge to prevent leaving a potential ridge or a nasty visible white line when the masks are removed. Everything was thinned with Mr Color Levelling Thinner. Just normal paint thinning - not too thin to limit bleed under the masks. I did go for 40" roundels towards the wing tip per the Ducimus reference. Left it about an hour and then masked over the white areas and sprayed the yellow (Tamiya XF-4 Yellow with a touch of XF-7 Red. I could of added the slightest amount more) and the Dull Red (Tamiya 75% XF-7 Red and 25% XF-68 NATO Brown). Left it another hour and then masked and sprayed the Dull Blue. Here I did change from the published mix values and went for 90% XF-8 Blue and 10% XF-1 Flat Black. Peeled off the masks and the job is done. Standard Battle of Britain 7" wide colour bands in the fin flash. Need to fix that centre red dot on the port fuselage side. Starboard side finished nicely. The 40" outboard roundels do add a little interest. I am so glad I decided to go for the painted finish. Here is a comparison with DK Decals on the left and Eduard kit supply on the right. More decals now - squadron codes and other paraphernalia. Wish me luck! Should I paint the wing walk stripes? 🤔Maybe! Ray
    8 points
  26. Coronavirus: at last, something made in China that lasts longer than five minutes.
    8 points
  27. Hi guys saw photos of this full size conversion and could not resist building it, the 251conversion needed three kits ,half track ,pack 40 .and a Sherman for calliope and then a lot of work cutting body and fitting it all in almost forgot the Stuart tank. hope you like. Several AFV wrecks with at least one 251 without its right track are used by the American 743td Tank Battalion, 30th Inf.Div.7th armoured group in the area of Muchen-Gladbach (south of Germany near Holland) in February 1945 to serve as a mount of the Calliope rocket launcher (60 tubes of 6.4”). The calliope is placed queer in the vehicle. The levitation of the rockets normal on a tank turret and gun) is done by a Pak 40. Michel Eastes posted a message on George Bradford’s AFV board: My father was a member of the 7th group. A breakout was anticipated and captured German track, all of which had to be towed into position, were modified. When completed these vehicles were, still towed, in company of a Calliope unit, to a place across the river Ruhr, where a suspected German buildup was developing. On command, all rockets were fired and the Americans skeedaddled. The German halftracks were abandoned in place.
    7 points
  28. Here is my finished Revell Airbus A320-251N(SL) in the livery of British Airways registration G-TTNH. This has been my first build for nearly 5 months due to personal reasons, and my skills were a bit rusty. The build was a simple OOB although I had to change the engines as BA use the Leap 1A engines and luckily I had previously built the Revell A321 Neo kit which had both engines with it. I do like the new Revell airbus kit, it is well detailed and the only thing I don’t like is the fact that the A320 Neo kit doesn’t come with the landing gear. However, this wasn’t a problem for me as I was building this as a desktop model for myself. This is the first time I’ve built a kit without the gear extended. The decals are another great example from RichW Decals and fit the model seamlessly. The photo real windows and cockpit are from Authentic Airline Decals The paints I used were Halfords Appliance Gloss white, Halfords Fiat Capri Blue which is a good out of the can choice for British Airways blue. The wings are Holts Grey with authentic airlines A320 decal for the coroguard sections. The greys and metals are a variety of Revell Aqua Colours. As this was going to be a desktop model, I wanted to try and find a ‘creative’ way to display it for the presentation photos. I opted to use cotton wool balls to create an ‘in-flight’ effect. As always thank you for looking and any feedback/comments are always greatly received. Regards, Alistair
    7 points
  29. Hiya Folks, As many of you will know I am an ex paratrooper and as such I have a long lasting love of the C-130 Hercules,.....especially the stretched Hercules C.3 from which 90 of us used to jump plus equipment, 45 from each side door. I have wanted to model the C.3 variant for a long time and I eventually bit the bullet by using the Italeri 1/72nd C-130H kit plus the resin fuselage inserts from Flightpath, to which I added the the new resin engine nacelles and propellers from Attack Model/Arma Hobby. Here is my WIP if anybody is interested, it also includes lots of reference info, photos and also stories from myself and other Britmodellers who love the Herk,...... especially the RAF ones. For my subject I wanted to choose an aircraft that I have jumped from and I chose Hercules C.3, XV294, a photo of which can be seen here,.... from my collection; XV294 was traded back to Lockheed Martin on 4th Sep 2001 and sadly was ultimately scrapped. Photos of this aircraft appear to be quite thin on the ground. Here is the model,... however I realised after taking the pics that I missed a set of antenna from the sides of the fin, which will b added later! I have left off the wire antenna to allow it to fit into the cabinet; Cheers, Tony
    7 points
  30. Completed recently in the Helicopter/STOVL GB. Let me introduce Wing Commander Badminton-Squash DFC, most magnificent moustache, his faithful hound Baskerville & his one seat Harrier Taxi. And here alongside a Mark1 models 1/144 Harrier GR3 All brush painted using Humbrol enamels. C&C’s welcomed.
    7 points
  31. Very little else was done, as I was engaged in obtaining those green paper souvenirs one uses to pay for supplies, kits, jewelry for the Yorkshire wife and such.
    7 points
  32. This is my Mirage 3E in 1/48 scale. This is a rebox of the quite old ESCI kit, but it captures the general shape of the Mirage 3 quite well I think. It has raised panel lines, which I accented by slightly polishing the paint off the panel lines with a very fine nailbuffer. I am not completely happy about the way the NMF turned out, but it was a good project to learn from. Most of the paints are Vallejo and Mig acrylics. Kind regards, Gerben
    7 points
  33. Bit more progress since. The wings are finished except for a run over with the riveting tool and of course the engines that Andy is sending over. Work has recommended on the fuselage interior. It's a low job but one side progressing well. I'll get the basic detail in then it's over to making the moulds for the clear parts which I'm not looking forwards to.
    7 points
  34. Hello gentlemen, the Deuce was intensively masked for the future application of Steel color on an engine inlets and for painting the wing fences in Orange: Additionally, I finished the gear bay doors (the Silver overspray looks like a moderate weathering) and the speed brake: On some pictures the wing fences coloured from the red to an orange, so I decided to go in-between. Later application of the clear coat darkens the color a bit. Also I promised @rob Lyttle to notice him when the build starts again... Sorry Rob! But it’s not finished yet. 😉 Thanks for looking! 😎
    7 points
  35. Good morning everybody... I was able to lay down the Nocciola Chiaro today. Once done with that I faded it a little in some areas. Its stands out more obvious in the flash than in real life. Please feel free to ask questions, post comments, and or add thoughts. Dennis
    7 points
  36. Links as below. All .pdf format. print at 100%. Drawings, part of an article from Flight magazine, and the original article by Harry Woodman. Left click on the 3 dots on the bottom of the menu to the right right hand side and choose download then save. https://www.dropbox.com/s/a6rnud7p1mc06k1/Mactaggart Scott Shipboard Catapult article.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8iyx0w6t6yjl2g/guq7bSz.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/rcenjmh2t055t99/LOnif4m.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zy15bnut1mrhld/c6Sscz7.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/lgus7sr3s8weovd/bzDqGh2.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/sv95oju2yks6htx/1931 - 0186.pdf?dl=0 Cheers, Pete M.
    7 points
  37. OK making a space for a long term build (Yes another one) but with a difference a sort of WHIF or WTF if you prefer. I,ll be using the Trumpeter 1/350 PETER STRASSER Aircraft carrier kit but going to bling it up with the INFINI detail upset for the Graf Zeppelin hence the title now Zeppelin was launched and used as target practice and evaluation by the Russians after the end of WW2 So this will just be my imagination going wild for some reason while doing a bit of research on this I found a build by Hyun Soo Kim based on the world of warships game and camouflage scheme bit like the dazzle scheme that Tirpitz wore at some point So it will be a slow one and a learning one for me but if anyone wants to join in with some help or just entertainment please do so. here we go with some box and bits shots the detail set is quite full 😱 Even has a flying saucer kit too 🤔 can you guess where I got these from Like I said it will be slow Stay Safe beefy
    6 points
  38. Part two of my little gunship builds, and I'm doing the Hercules AC-130A ,the minicraft kit, its a simple construction, I've dry built it and there's nothing to report in the way of fit horror stories, even the wings will plug in after painting to make this far less stressfull while painting , theres a short shot on the underside of the port wing that'll need sorting first off , and you get a stand in the box too, so choosing the scheme, i was going to do "azrael angel of death", but the full wrap around sea scheme (surprise package) has seduced me ,I'm even tempted to do the early roman nose version of the prototype, also wrap around , it did see service apparently Short shot Schemes I like this one And this Next to its stable mate, dry built The wings do fit better than the photo suggests ,and although not shown, the clear section looks to fit quite well too Cheers all I'm off to do some glueing
    6 points
  39. I don’t venture in here very often, mainly because I don’t build many AFVs. I do, however, like to build various vehicles to help create a scene or small temporary diorama when I’m photographing aircraft models. Airfix have reissued this kit under their Classics branding, but I’ve had a pair of boxes in storage for a few years. One Morris is slated for a bit of kit bashing to a GS truck. The other, with the remaining guns, have been built up as intended. They’re not going to win any prizes, but they amused me for a day or two. My thing is 1940. After the evacuation of Dunkirk, the British Army was desperately being reformed and re-armed to counter the expected invasion. RAF airfields across the south east of England found themselves in the front line, and the anti-aircraft units of the Royal Artillery came under RAF control. Bofors units were drafted in for airfield defence, as well as supporting the larger AA batteries around towns and cities. It’s a field of research I’m still finding my way through, so the Morris shows no unit markings at this point. I also spent a pleasant afternoon over the weekend trying to work out if any form of revetments or semi-permanent standing would have been common during the Battle of Britain. I came to the conclusion most guns were not given much protection at first, and only later would see sandbags and concrete emplacements. If I manage to get round to a 3.7in AA gun I will make a proper emplacement diorama for it.
    6 points
  40. Might as well jump right into the deep end! I'm still pretty new to modeling. Like many, I'm sure, I started building models with my dad when I was a kid, maybe around 10-12 years old. And then I set it aside for over 25 years. I don't know what pushed me to get back into it, but now I've got loads of kits and supplies, and all the time in the world. What I don't quite have yet is ability, at least not enough to meet up to my high standards. So far I've started eleven kits, aborted five to disastrous mistakes, and completed two. So I'm going to try to use this thread as a form of accountability and see if I can't push another one through to completion. The first completed one was the same kit I'm going to try again here: Hasegawa's 1/72 F-16C Fighting Falcon. This build is going to be mostly OOB. I was going to go with AIM-9X / AIM-120 / AGM-88 for the loadout, but the HARMs from the Hasegawa Weapons Sets are pretty lacking. This seems like a good chance to try out the GBU-39 SDB set I picked up from Eduard. And since I like the new scheme so much, I'll be going with the Have Glass V dark gray scheme, with markings from South Dakota ANG. It's still likely going to be a bit of a mess, but it's a learning experience. Things that burned me the first time around: Filling seams. I got some ugly fits from the air intake around the nose gear bay, and around the canopy which I didn't notice until I'd pulled the masks off. Also got a poor fit from the exhaust nozzle as I had done this separate from the rest of the model and fit it on after everything was painted, without test fetting. Watching where my fingers are when using thin cement. Capillary action works great with fingerprints. Making sure the wings are level when cementing them. The other things were frustrating, but this one right as I put the finishing touches on the model, and it just completely killed all those good feelings of accomplishment. Putting on way too much paint with the airbrush. I have to remember that it doesn't have to look like a wet coat. I'll consider it a success if I finish it and cut down on some of those aforementioned mistakes. This is not a thread to follow if you're looking for a super detailed model with great weathering (or any weathering at all, for that matter.) At most, if everything goes swimmingly, I'll try panel line accenting at the end.
    6 points
  41. Small update ....so close to finished i can taste it....... gun cleaning rods done just the brackets to finish on them ......ground work is done and things like the tarps have been made but need to set before i can paint them. I can't recommend this putty enough it's the mutz nutz for tarps and for sculpting your own kit bags and other soft equipment. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Modelling-Stuff-Hobby-Sculpt-Kneadatite-Blue-Yellow-36-inches-Makes-Green-Putty/390938693328?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
    6 points
  42. I've come up with a set of rules for the GB for when the Subject is decided. I'm going to list these below. * GB will run for six weeks from the 31st of October to the 14th of December. * This GB will be based on the (Kit once chosen) * After marker parts and decals are all permitted * With the aim of the GB being creative we will allow "what Ifs" The reason for this is to allow the builder some creative licence. Something we didn't permit in the last GB but want to add to this one. * The GB is going to be sponsored by Jadlam Racing Models who will be providing a prize of which is TBC. * Anyone that requires the kit that we are building can order the kit directly from Jadlam at a discounted price * The voting system will not be in place and instead the sponsor will be choosing the winning build/s This is a rough set up but provisional and subject to change
    6 points
  43. Hi all, I am finally able to get the second member of the Sarcife trio rolled out and RFI for your delectation 😊. It follows my earlier AD-4N, The link being the French pilot, Jacques Borne. Jacques had 663 hours on the Magister. The Groupment Aerient Presidentiel de Gabon (GAP) received four of these machines, while the Gabon Air Force is reported to have also received three (to be confirmed). While their role was formally to protect the head of state in practical terms it was ceremonial to a very great extent. These aircraft came from Austrian stock and, following Gabonese service, this machine – TR-KFJ/368 – went to the Congolese Air Force as 9Q-CPC. It was previously 4D-YQ in Austrian service. https://fougastribute.forumgratuit.org/t192-le-fouga-au-gabon-entre-1975-et-1990 The kit used here is the exceptionally fine Special Hobby offering. It is super-detailed, and I’d venture to suggest that it is the best in scale for this machine. There are a few fit issues but essentially it is a nicely engineered kit. My main area of angst was the upper nose gun section – which is slightly narrower than the lower section. To correct that I inserted a small shim after halving the section vertically (thanks for the encouragement @Wez). For anyone contemplating a similar build be aware that there are many minute parts! Also, the French liking for complex canopy mechanisms did not help, either. Having said that I managed to corral them and get them in the intended locations. Note also that the nose guns do not fit too well. I replaced them with Plastruct rod. For the markings I used the Max Decals set Fouga Magisters Part 1 (7205). The decals settle beautifully but I quickly discovered that they are not accurate in dimensions. The wing roundels are too small, the side pennants are too big, for example. In fairness it was a set that was designed before the SH kit came along. Anyhow, as it is the only option (to my knowledge) I soldiered on and got a nearly decent representation of the aircraft early in its Gabonese career. What did I use? 1. Kit – Special Hobby Fouga CM.170 Magister (72284) 1/72 2. Aftermarket – none 3. Decals – Max Decals (7205) See above, some kit stencilling and warning marks, 4. Paints – Humbrol Polished Aluminium (27002), Matt Black, Steel (27003), Gunmetal. Model Masters Fluorescent Orange-Red undercoated with white and yellow. Various other Humbrols. All enamel. Finished with Humbrol Satincote. 5. Other – broom bristle for the dorsal aerial. 6. Weathering etc – Flory Dark dirt to accentuate the numerous hatches etc, kept to a minimum plus a few wipes with Tamiya Weathering Powders here and there. I hope you like her. Now on with the third part of the trio 😊 Martin PS: now to get the Harvard III done
    6 points
  44. I have a massive problem with the idea that "30 years ago" means 1990. In my head "30 years ago" means like 1978.
    6 points
  45. Finally made some progress on the Breda. The fuselage went together surprisingly well. The cockpit was also a good fit despite the unusual shape. The engine is painted and I'll use the great detailed diagrams provided by Giorgio to check which way up it should be . I'm not going to make the mistake I made a while back and put 3 engines in a B17 one way up and the other upside down 😕
    6 points
  46. Thanks Lee, surprising what you can get done when off work for a few days, I really want to get this at least ready for paint before the Panther job kicks off. Thanks Ed, I'm classing this is a holiday build so no messing around with extra minutiae of detail, not that I'm familiar enough with the M4 unlike John @Bullbasket or some of the many Sherman aficionados on BM who could really go to town on it. But I am going to try a winter scheme.... As for detail it's really good, I'd say like a Tamiya for fit and engineering but with lots more detail. If it wasn't for the tracks it would be a breeze but given patience they do work and with the sprung suspension, I suppose gently running along the carpet....but why??? Hi John, it has two of the five drain holes shown in your pics: But there is a gap in the weld bead to position the missing ones... It's a really clever kit, the more I look at the more detail becomes apparent. If you need any more info or detail feel free, more than happy to oblige. Pics are a bit dark I'm afraid, miserable day here today... Watching a YouTube video of a build and that kit came with pre cut pins for the track. Unfortunately his problem was he managed to glue the track runs to the jig which, tbh, is avoidable if you glue the two halves of the pad together before placing in the jig! Anyway another track run must be completed..... Cheers Darryl
    6 points
  47. Hi All, A short update. Once I had masked the glazing I gave it all a shot of interior green: I also sprayed the mount for the gunsight - very fiddly! Here it is part way through fitting - you can just see that the far edge is not yet sitting down properly: And here's a shot after the canopy had been fitted - the gunsight was cut from a length of 1.5mm plastic rod as specified, and the clear lens cut from the film supplied in the kit: Now the side glazing had completely dried I could shim the considerable gaps at the rear of the glazing with Evergreen square section: Finally here's a shot with the top canopy added. There is obviously a misalignment somewhere because I had to remove approximately 1mm from the front end end allow it to locate properly: I think I'll let that all dry off before any further work, Thanks for looking, Roger
    6 points
  48. Hi Charlie, yes I was pleasantly surprised that they functioned so well and it's a shame they are no longer trading as they did some interesting subjects. The quality of the transfers was always good, though the research sometimes a bit less so, which earned them the rather cruel nickname 'Errormaster' in some quarters. I was pleased with them and the results they gave, anyway. @Troy Smith some very interesting points raised there, thank you. With regards to 32 Squadron, from the pictures taken by Fox News on the 'Press Day' in July it is clear from the four or five aircraft pictured showing the starboard side that the squadron codes are forward of the roundel on the right-hand side, but equally GZ-Z shows that not all of them were - so the possibility exists that more than one aircraft carries the codes the other way round. As I mentioned, I don't know what Kagero's reference for this was; because I have never seen a starboard-side picture of GZ-B doesn't mean one doesn't exist, and I'm prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt... and I think it's fair to note that the aircraft pictured from the starboard side in the Fox News shots amount to less than half of the squadron so the possibility is not entirely remote. Regarding 'Widge' Gleed's 'A', the red nose 'flashes' are clear in the second picture you posted and I believe they are present in the first and probably the third too (judging from the shadows from the tailplanes possibly the first and third were even taken on the same flight?) Aviaeology suggest that the flashes may have been added when Gleed got command of the squadron and had his Squadron Leader's pennant painted on. That would have been in December 1940 and the chap in just his shirtsleeves in the second picture would seem to contradict that - however the sun is very low and he may be Scottish (it seems to be a thing up here for young men to go around in a tee-shirt in anything less than blizzard conditions ) In any case the picture of 'A' without the flashes that I was thinking of was a ground-shot from the forward starboard quarter, but as I said I have not since found it in any of my books or on the internet so that will have to remain unproven at best and as evidence of a fevered mind at worst. As you note, I was attempting a representation of 'A' in July 1940 before the underwing roundels were re-applied in the second half of August. As for the kits, yes I know what you mean about the wing-to-fuselage join; a certain amount of what my father would refer to as "Brute force and ignorance" was required on my part - next time I will follow @lasermonkey's advice and remove some of the sides of the rear bulkhead where they join the side tubing Oh yes, forgot to mention - Widge's Hurricane is finished, pics to come when it gets light Cheers, Stew
    6 points
  49. Thanks......after I posted the earlier piece I did some searching and found similar details, so some RBF flags are next on the shopping list. Ok I was meant to be working on the Blackhawk today but got distracted…maybe tomorrow. Got quite a bit done today and even had another (well 2 if you count the 1/32nd F-16I…go see the F-16 STGB page for more ) pressie arrive! Ok pressie first….the new resin wheels from Armory arrived, gosh they are so much nicer than to kit ones and are not so anaemic and thin looking either! The main gear.......well the fit on a couple of bit are a bit iffy!!! It's going to take some work to get them all sorted. The Metal legs while nice and strong are just a bit rough in finish and sort of not as nice as the plastic kit ones.....which i suspect have the same fit issues! There's a lot of cleaning up required here. I played around with the pylons and some of the stores, fit was a bit so so in places, plus there are some nasty gaps where the Sidewinder pylons attach to the main pylon that I’ll have to sort out. I also started working on the cans! 😊 They are sooooooo nice…I almost had a special moment with them, they are definitely worth the money and fit perfectly. Next all the resiny bits were given a good wash ready for painting…..and no I didn’t take them into the bath with me either! 😊 For painting I’m trying something different, instead of using a light grey as a primer I’m using black……and I must say I’m quite pleased with the results. The engine bits are primed, not sure on how I’m going to do them yet, my try something different…will look at more photos for ideas. The wheel wells have been started as well, the instructions say white but the experts say it was a grey colour and very dirty inside. Looks a bit dark at the moment, but highlighting and detailing will help bring it to life…..even though most of it will not be seen. The cockpit bits though came out very nice!!! The detail in these is amazing so now it’ll all be careful painting to help bring it to life. The base colours are all MRP paints so I have a really tough base to work on (did the same with the Skyraider). Oddly (well it is a Revell model) they’d have you paint the cockpit floors a green colour. According to those that know and worked on them the floors were black rubber like mats. It looks even better when sitting altogether. …and the biggest surprise for all is that it’ll actually fit without any major surgery required!!!!! I had to keep check to make sure it was an Aires cockpit set I was using! But it’s ok they made up for the fitting cockpit on most of their other releases! Ok I’m umming and ahhing over whether to continue on her today or jump back on to the Blackhawk……time is ticking on that build……guess next update you’ll know what I chose!
    6 points
  50. Cheers folks for the feed back and the likes. Slow progress again I'm afraid, just sorted the Browning out tonight, was going to use the Tasca version but decided to use the kit body with the RBM barrel set, this comes with nice turned grips and a cocking handle along with the sights. The mount is a little wobbly at the moment and its nose heavy so it doesn't sit level, again its one of those items that will be added last. Cocking handle and the spade grips were soldered just to made them a bit more robust. Cheers for looking in Dan
    6 points
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