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First one off the bench for 2024. This is the first of 2 Gladiators I am building Simply a very enjoyable kit to put together Ive added a Yahu Instrument panel and Master Detail gun barrels. Flaps are from an AIMS PE set. The markings are painted on using a mask set from 1 Man Army out of Belgium Rigging is from EZ line. There's nothing easy about it!! Probably the most frustrating part of the build for me. Thanks for looking Bruce

Hi All, Here is my effort on the ICM kit but Revell boxing of the Gloster Gladiator an absolute joy to put together even if the instructions would have you put the lower instrument panel on the rear bulkhead! Only aftermarket used is the seat belts although a decal is supplied in the boxing. I have rigged this one in "stretchy beading thread" bought of off ebay and very cheap compared to the "modelling" alternatives. The lower upper wing had the holes drilled and the treads were super glued into them and left to fully harden . The inner fuselage strut holes were drilled right through the top mainplane and those wires glued into the fuselage. The lower wing holes were drilled right through and once the upper wing was attached I pulled the wires through, tensioned them and held in position with tape. when all were secured I then glued each wire to the wing and trimmed the excess off. I found this method worked very well using this 0.4 mm beading thread. paints used were from Mr Hobby Aqueous , Revell Aqua and Tamiya acrylics first time I've used the Pledge alternative to Klear as a decal setting solution and found it works fine but is not so aggressive to the decals as Klear. I can fully recommend this ICM kit only downside I missed getting another for £25 in the Jadlam spring sale they are now out of stock! Looks like I need to trim that aerial wire! MODeller

Airfix 1:72 Mosquito in the kit scheme of No. 571 Squadron from the Pathfinders. Airbrushed with Vallejo Model Air, weathered with Abteilung 502 oil paints and varnished with Tamiya matt and gloss varnish from a rattle can. Overall the kit went together well. I used a masking set from ASK for the transparencies and CMK resin flaps and elevators. I did a fair bit of scratch building of parts in the interior (such as new radio set replacing the unit supplied with the kit; new bombsight, seat belts with tape and wiring and various gubbins. I also corrected the bomb bay doors, redrilled the red, green and amber lamps and added brake lines to the wheel hubs. I also modified the tailwheel to the anti-shimmy version and added ice guards to the Merlin second stage intakes (though they are a bit out of scale). i also drilled out the wingtip lights to add the green and red bulbs. What went well? Canopy transparencies and masking, learning how to fit aftermarket resin control surfaces (though in retrospect I didnt thin the trailing edges enough); redoing the bulged bomb bay. What could be improved? Interior painting was too thick, my scratch built radio set was not accurate for the airframe in the end (despite spending weeks pontificating on reference drawings in Richard Franks Modellers Datafile); the paintjob could be improved e.g. brush painting the u/c legs was a disaster; i was too heavy handed using the spray can and had to redo the camo template several times resulting in a poor paint finish with dust and hair all over the place. also over did it on the weathering underneath. anyhow thanks for looking Neil

I’ve been focusing on small scale armour for the last while, so thought it was time to do an aircraft for a change. This is Airfix’s 1/72 Jet Provost. I added some missing details like the scoops on the upper fuselage and nose, as well as the landing, navigation and anti collision lights, and the Eduard PE interior detail set. This particular aircraft seemed to be kept quite clean, so weathering was kept to a minimum, and was largely washed out anyway by the lightning when taking the photos. Hope you like. Wayne

Hello.I have just finished this one.The cheap and good old HB f-5e.I have upgraded the kit with homemade seatbelts and gunsight and the rest is oob.Gunze acrylics and AK metalics were used to paint this one.

Hi all, my latest build is this Miniart P-47D-25RE in 1:48 (basic kit). Add the Eduard PE´s, Brassin wheels and Space Cockpit details. 3

Good day, dear colleagues! I present to you the next model from the Azerbaijan Air Force series.

My build rate has been abysmal of late, but I've really been looking forward to this STGB, and have been un-packing my stash after a recent house move revealing my enthusiasm for the 1/72 Arma Mustang: Now, I knew I had ordered two of the F-6C sets based on the lovely box art alone, and the MkIII has already been built, but upon inspection, it had full sprues inside! Wow, three high back Mustangs when I thought there were two! What a day. Further rummaging revealed two more sets of sprues swaddled in bubble wrap - five?!? Well, what to do with such a bounty? I'm going to try and build them all. I'll almost certainly fail, but who could say no to such an adventure? Spent Sunday evening pre-painting some parts on the sprues: I think I'll try for "My Buddy" of the 332nd FG, and an attempt at the French subject on the box art of the F-6C, and then we'll go from there.

Here is my General Aircraft ST-25 Monospar 1/72 Special Hobby. This plane was in Estonian service. ES-AXY "Vahur", in the service of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Markings is paint using masks which is cut with a vinyl cutter.

G'day Pals, it's been a while since i posted a Model in the Aircraft section, i started this build already in 2021 and for some reasons i completely lost interest after i started with the engine and cowling section.... After a complete break in 2022 i exclusively built Tanks in 2023... I went on with Kate this year but to be honest when i looked at the parts i realized that i also had started to rivet the model which didn't really increase my motivation... After a while i brought myself into a ZEN mood and took the riveting marathon as a lesson in humility...and once started it surprisingly went on quite fast. I build the model OOB except for the engine which was a donation from Vector Models, which by the way was significantly larger than the kit engine, so a good amount of work was necessary to make it fit into the cowling..... Thanks for watching & comments! Cheers Hans Kate's Belly....

It's finally ready for filth Cheers Mick

I applied Tamiya Panel Accent Line Color Grey (an enamel-based panel highlighter), first time I’ve used this stuff on a black plane. I went through a lot of paper towels and Q-Tips in removing the excess with mineral spirits. I think next time I’ll use the gloss version of the Vallejo acrylic clear coat before decals and panel line highlighting. Once this fully dries out, hopefully by tomorrow, I’ll start mildly sponge chipping the leading edges and maybe add a few moderate smoke trails streaming back from the nacelles. Then a final clear coat to seal it and then I can remove the canopy masking and proceed with final assembly. Not sure how realistic these grey panels lines are but I think they really help add some visual interest to this all black aircraft.

This build concerns not really a ship, but a ship-like fortress that was built to provide a defence of the Manilla harbor in the Philipines. Fort Drum was a heavily fortified island at the mouth of the Manilla Bay in the Philipines. Construction was started in 1909,( after the American Captured Manilla from the Spanish, and decided all key harbors needed some defence), and ended 5years later) The Island El Fraile was leveled and a large ship-like concrete bunker was constructed, armed with 2 dual 14" ship guns, 2 casemates with 2x6" guns and 2 3" air defence guns. Later a 3" gun was added to protect the rear of the fort. The forward turret had a traverse of 230°, the upper turret had a 360° traverse (except when some temporary barracks were constructed). Rhe roof was 6m reinforced concrete, and the walls varried in thickness between 7 and 11m thickness, which made it almost impregnable in case of an attack from sea. Outer dimensions were 110m in length, 44m wide, a top deck 12m above sea-level, a 16m high latice tower for searchlights and areals. There was a complement of 240 officers and personel garrissoned inside, though some temporary barracks were erected on top of the fort. During the Japanese conquest in 1941 the Barracks were removed to provide an unobstructed view. January second 1942 the fort was attacked the first time by an aerial bombardment. January 13th the fort was the first to counterfire when the Japanese wanted too scout the weaker rear of the fort. From february on the fort was continuously shelled by 150mm guns and 240mm heavy mortars, which destroyed an air defence gun and 1 of the 6" guns. On may 6th the fort eventually surrendered. The 14" main guns were never out of action, but were destroyed shortly before surrendering. With the tides of war changing in 1944, the fortress was the last fort occupied by the Japanese. The top was easy taken, but the Japanese remained inside. The Americans pumped 9500l gasoline and diesel mixture in a vent and ignited it. The blast was so powerfull that large parts of the out wall were destroyed and a 1 tonne hatch was lifted some 300m into the sky. The was such that it took five days to cool before it could be entered. The Japanese garrisson never had a chance. The fortress was essentialy completely destroyed in this way. more can be found here on the internet. The kit from OKB Grigorov: and I've started with the hardest part in my eyes: The mast A lot to add like the arms for the antenna's etc, but I was allready glad with this result so far...

Cheers lads, it`s not so complex as the "Goose" . Thanks @ModelingEdmontonian, @psdavidson, @CH-53D, @cobraleader and @ruudster. Well easy is it? A calamity to start with. The left hand I.P. panel went to the great carpet monster after pinging off never to be seen again. Luckily the kit comes with decal options for the panel. I also added the right hand decal to the console. Canopies masked up ready. Engine together awaiting the ignition harness and reduction gear. Cockpit completed apart from a splash of matt varnish. Oh, I forgot, I am doing this version. With shark mouth... I may be able to get some more done tomorrow afternoon, depends on life. Simon.

Railings on. The masts will be next and then the rigging. I've not forgotten the propellers and very last, because they are so very delicate, I'll be adding the propeller guards (I think that is what they called) Part #69 below

I just thought I'd share a pic of our sooty now he's reached 7 months old And rarely stands still long enough to get a pic. So here he is complete with a rather fluffy tail

I've not been completely idle. AFV provides a length of string for the tow cables along with an incorrect recommendation for length. I cut it to the suggested length and promptly found it to be too short. Not to mention I've no idea how they thought you'd get a soft length of string into the tiny hole on the cable end provided. However, in the depths of the random spares department I found a coil of twined metal cable of a similar diameter to the string. After annealing the wire, not enough as I'd discover, I trimmed the wire back to a couple of lengths standing proud that would fit into the hole in the cable end. This was then superglued together creating a strong enough bond to allow for my ham-fistedness. Resulting in..... Slightly off topic but massively distressed to discover my Humbrol Clear fix appears to have dried up! Sure this can't be that old and it cost me £1.99! Finally mustn't forget the highlight, a finished masterpiece!...... All glazed and fired! TTFN

I hope this is better, the MAD bird is in situ and some of the rotor trestle marks too and the tail rotor stripes on as well The additional nylon strapping to hold the front of the torpedo in place as emergency first aid until safe removal could be arranged. The hydraulically controlled hoist can be seen inside the door of the cabin That is enough for the damaged Lynx Effect I reckon. Now to build a ship Ish...

Just a short post, picture-wise. I have been working on the gun mounts --the two pounder with its bandstand aft and the four inch mount up forward. I reached a point where I could not resist something I have been looking forward to: placing the Donald Duck decal on the four inch shield. Good Lord, the little things that please us so. The shield is Micro Master 3D and the decal is from Above and Below of Canada, about which I have spoken. All extant photos of the Snowberry I have garnered show a a blast bag on the four incher. Every one. Is that the right term or does blast bag only pertain to larger gun mounts. Anyway, Pontos provides a resin one that will require some surgery to make it fit the Micro Master shield. I'll work that and then weather the mount in the usual way Also, the photos do not make it clear if the Western Approaches blue extended to the forward face of the shield. Damn black and white. Perhaps it did, but then there is the question of whether the blast bag and barrel of the gun were blue. I think I will just keep the forward face of the shield rendered in white. But, that Donald Duck just tickles me. Small pleasures . . . Best, Jeff

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:

This one is finished too. Build log is here_ https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235137029-stalinetz-s-60/ Cheers! Kristjan

The model is not at the level of the new Eduard kit, but with the help of the Aires set for the interior and some small modifications an honorable reproduction of the 'Friedrich' can be obtained. The aircraft chosen is that of the Oltn. Bauer, of the 9./JG 3, operating from Frolov in August 1941. Characteristic of the aircraft of this squadron was the camouflage, obtained by modifying the scheme in RLM 78/79 with the addition of green 70 and gray 75. This modification it was carried out in Germany, so much so that the factory stencils were re-applied on the various surfaces. The colors used for the model are Gloy, slightly modified, while the decals come from the Eduard kit. Small note: even in reality the yellow of the codes (RLM 27 ?) appears lighter than that of the band on the fuselage (RLM 04). As always the kit is entirely brushpainted. The undersurfaces. Hope you like it. Thanks for your interest Giampiero Piva

Only my 2nd build in the last 40 years, still learning, my airbrush is to big a nozzle for fine detail (Iwata Neo 3.5 nozzle) its great for getting lots of paint on, have obtained a 2nd smaller nozzle airbrush (Harder & Steenbeck size 2 nozzle) dabbing on the mottled camo dont work for me, taken more pics than last time, kit built up ok, decals difficult, tended to disintegrate, had to paint on red/yellow bands in the end. Amma hobby Hurricane 1/48th Mark IIc next, thinking I will do the all black one👍 FW TA152.4 by Mark Handley, on Flickr FW TA152.3 by Mark Handley, on Flickr Fw TA152.2 by Mark Handley, on Flickr Fw TA152 . 1 by Mark Handley, on Flickr

Please read and comply - It’s not optional.

Indeed Terry. Thanks for the praise. Everything primed with my go to Halfords grey auto primer followed by AK Light Stone. Need to dig out a commander to stick in the top. Stuart

The wings were a classic combination of lovely super-fine engraved detailing, and sprue attachments that extended halfway up the leading edges. To keep everything neat, I decided to refine the wings up to the primer stage before attaching them to the fuselage. There were a couple of chunks missing from the leading edge and no locating lugs, but I worked slowly and the fit was still really nice. To repair the join, I made my first batch of sprue gloop with a nearly-finished jar of Tamiya Extra Thin. I then scraped away the mess from the leading edges with a sharp blade once dry. Next I added the strakes, which had locating channels but needed quite a bit of fettling to sit correctly. Finally with very careful sanding the wings are looking pretty reasonable now, under a light verification coat of primer. I’m very conscious that there’s nowhere to hide with the Tunnan’s natural metal finish.

Well, progress is chugging along .... and I've managed to get the chassis finished and the tub mounted .... As always, comments welcome! 😬 Keith 😁

Continuing on with my Hasegawa Japanese planes, but this time a newer kit. My previous two builds were from the mid-70s but this (and the next one to come) is from 2008, one of the rare models I bought brand new. The quality of the plastic and fit were exactly as I had expected and this was a joy to build. I completed this in March of 2023. Painting the Shoki was also quite easy. At this time I had been painting many of my models with a silver primer (I no longer do this) and I just left the primer without a coat of paint. I would likely opt for silver lacquer now, but at the time this was quick and looked the part. The aotake wheel wells were painted in Vallejo Aotake; the anti-glare on the nose is AK Real Colors' SCC 14 Blue Black. The white and yellow parts are also using AK Real Colors, and the red on the tail is Tamiya. The spinner and propellers are AK's 3rd Generation Acrylic Mahogany Brown. I think at the time of making this, this was one of the best finished products I had made up to that point. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ki-44 Shoki, codenamed 'Tojo' by the Allies after the Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, was created as a high-speed interceptor aircraft. It was somewhat of a departure from earlier Japanese planes that favoured manoeuverability over all other aspects in that the Shoki stressed speed and rate of climb, as well as having heavier armaments. The Shoki took a mostly air defense role, defending their occupied territories and home islands from Allied bombing runs. Production on the aircraft didn't last long; the Japanese stopped making the Shoki in 1944 in favour of the Ki-84 "Frank". However, captured Shokis continued to be used by the Chinese in their Civil War, as well as the by the Indonesians during the Indonesian National Revolution. No Ki-44s survive today except for a single wing section at a museum in China.

This was a problem child of mine. Not because the kit is bad ... it is actually a pretty well made kit with a huge potential for detailing. I got it on sale to add to my already too high stack of racing cars. When I finally started it about 5 years ago, I ran into a lot of troubles, mostly of my own making. I had bad luck with a few race carkits over the last years, someone must have put some bad voodoo on me. So, the car went half build into the closet (together with a few others). As I always was feeling bad for not having finished it whenever I saw the box (always), I manned up and finished it as a quick "weekend build" without any details or attention to parts you anyhow hardly see. So, not my best work, but finally complete and out of the closet and out of my mind 🏁 Thanks for looking, any comments welcome. Cheers here are my other racing models: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3R7EApxULTfrgsPu6

Hi all, my latest project! Trumpeter's Su-24 in 1:72 scale, in the colours of the Soviet Air Force. Build mainly out of box with exception of canopy mask by Eduard and decals from the always fabulous Begemot. Brush painted in Vallejo acrylics. The aircraft represented belonged to the 4th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment of the VVS, Chernyakhovsk airfield, 1989. As I built this at my usual snail's pace, I can barely remember the construction phase but I think it was all pretty straightforward 😅 I always enjoy building Trumpeter kits and this was no exception. The Su-24 is a truly striking aircraft and the scheme is very nice. However it was quite hard to get good photographs against my white backdrop. Apologies!

Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities" was originally serialised in a couple of local newspapers... It was the Bicester Times and it was the Worcester Times....

Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIC, 227 Squadron, RAF Idku, Egypt, 1943 Once again all, many thanks for looking and here's to the next build 🍻 Many regards Matt

People at work call me a grammar Nazi. I remind them that good grammar is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse....

technically, yes. they do seem similar to the colours I used for this Guatemalan pony that I built previously though. My fidelity to specific colours is suspect anyway, so we'll see what I end up doing. you bet tri-colour camo and a shark mouth! 😁

I masked the RLM 75 and made a marble layer with the C036… …and then blended with marble layer with highly thinned C036. The remaining mottle was added with both C036 RLM74 and C037 RLM75. Next I’ll be adding the insignia, aircraft codes and fuselage band. until next time as always, any suggestions, criticisms or comments will be gratefully received. rgds John(shortCummins)

The Watanabe E9W was a two-seat single-engine floatplane designed to be easily dismantled for hangar stowage on a submarine. It was standard equipment on the large IJN aircraft-carrying submarines of the B3 and other classes until replaced by the E14Y. The aircraft from submarine I-25 made several flights in late March 1942 over Sydney and Melbourne and then more flights over New Zealand. Then in late May 1942 I-21’s floatplane flew over Auckland and then over Sydney, reporting a ‘battleship’ in the harbour, which was actually the cruiser USS Chicago. Interestingly reports of these flights identify the plane as an E14Y. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_naval_activity_in_Australian_waters#:~:text=In addition%2C I-25 conducted,and Hobart (1 March). https://www.ozatwar.com/japrecce/recce02.htm https://www.pmhps.org.au/2022/02/february-1942-war-comes-close-to-home/ Subsequent research by historian Michael Claringbould in Japanese archives has shown that these flights were carried out by E9W floatplanes. This work was published in Avonmore Books Pacific Profiles #8. This comprehensive review article was written after the book appeared and would seem to be as definitive as we can currently get, except maybe for the colours! https://www.mhhv.org.au/the-confused-identity-of-the-japanese-submarine-aircraft-that-overflew-sydney/ The profile of the E9W reproduced from the book does not appear to be in any recognisable IJN colour scheme. Conversations with the very helpful Nick Millman have led me to believe it would have been in the same colours as the later E14Y – N1 Black Green over Light Grey. Ab unopened tin of Humbrol Authentic paint was used for the N1. It was found to be in excellent condition despite its age. There is good information about the Humbrol IJN colours here. http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2010/06/humbrol-authentics-japanese-air-force.html The Choroszy 1/72 E9W was picked up in Krakow, assisted by @JWM and @KRK4m. It is a very nice all resin kit – not for beginners but not of great difficulty by resin kit standards. The resin is clean and well moulded. Duplicates are supplied for the more delicate parts. The fit is very good. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/choroszy-modelbud-a71-watanabe-navy-type-96-reconnaissance-seaplane-e9w1-slim--1090757 Biplane floatplanes are an alignment challenge. The lower wings were attached to the fuselage using pins in a jig. The floats were joined with brass replacement struts, again in a jig. Not having Hemp 168 or anything like it, the lower surfaces were painted with a Humbrol mix aiming for a warm, near mid-grey, with yellowish undertone like RLM 02. The floats were attached with the plane in a cradle and temporary braces put in to keep them level. One strut on each side was replaced with brass. In pictures all the struts appear to be black or dark green. The upper wing required a more sophisticated jig than Lego, although the latter is much easier to set up. The upper surfaces were painted with Humbrol Authentic Colour N1. There is an unpainted panel on the forward fuselage, the cowl was a mix of black with a bit of purple and the propeller metal front and black rear. The rigging was fine wire and stretched sprue. The markings are an unknown but it would seem reasonable for it to carry I-21 markings as they are present in other E9W pictures. The data panel on the rear fuselage is too tiny to read! The trestle and warning markings appear universal on all E9Ws. The ground handling trolley comes with the kit, as do the trestles. Every E9W picture on a trolley seems to have some IJN types standing around so these were included. They were press-ganged from Airfix Japanese army soldiers with a bit of surgery and cement (quite difficult on these polyethylene figures) and painted mostly white to match the pictures.

Eureka! Needed to do it on the laptop rather than my phone!

Thanks! I gave the Hawk some Sky Type S on the underside, sides and fuel/radar pods last night. I'll mask that later today and add the Extra Dark Sea Grey topside... --John

Hi all, The Beaufighter has had its panel lines done with AK Paneliner Sand and Desert Camouflage, and have now finished the Wash using Ultimate's Sand wash, it was my first time using both products and have to say I think I like the way its come out. The Beau has had its aerial wire installed and I'm going to call it done. Just need to take some photos for the Gallery 🙂 Thanks for looking and for all the help and input for all 3 models Many regards Matt

Chocolate Hobnobs!!!, my word we are going to live it up .. Right folks, on with this show. I primed a lot of bits this morning and laid down some Cockpit Green and Semi Gloss Grey. Wheels primed. And prop. Engine given a coat of XF 16 Flat Aluminum. Before detail painting and adding P.E. Lap straps added, the shoulder ones will go on later. And wings glued together. I am happy with the progress so far. Simon.

Ok, last brass component for a while, the forward mooring rope fairlead. I bit like the rear fairleads, this one also has a secondary purpose, it provides an anchor for the bow jackstaff stay Once again these were filed from brass, worked OK. (note my cleaned up anvil, I was shocked how rusty it looked in earlier pictures so cleaned it up, ashamed...) The reason this came before painting, is I wanted it fixed to the bow before painting, this meant making the whole assembly and gluing it in place with the actual jackstaff and stays being removable This might help explain, very fine... I love the fact that in a model just under 4 feet long, I still need to make the jackstaff finial, 2mm dia and 0.8mm thick, finishes it nicely.... Anyway, painting The boat didn't fit in my primer bay First coat of red primer. This just showed up all the flaws in the hull plating, so two rounds of fine surface filler, wet&dry and primer, got me close to acceptable Next I applied grey primer above the waterline, which showed all the flaws in the deck plating, sigh... Note the scuttles are all covered with liquid mask As I write, its awaiting its second coat of grey primer, hopefully with most of those flaws ameliorated, you can see some of this tidy-up in the image below I was about to draw the draft marks for printing when I remembered that 20 years ago, I had etched a brass mask for this style of draft marks. A quick rummage discovered the mask, so I had to give it a try. Not bad for straight primer, this will work with fine brush clean-up, happy with that, no decals needed... I've been debating with myself about colours. Obviously, black features a lot, but the cover image on Lyons book (First Destroyers) features a vessel with pale grey turtledeck, a feature I really like So, back to staring at Havock images and I've convinced myself she also (at least at some point) had the same pale turtledeck. See the distinct tonal difference between the turtleback and the forward bridge extension. Also, even through the illustration I have shows a white sheer line, I can find no such line on any of the 10 pictures I have so its not going on. Lastly, the perennial debate over the colour of the iron deck. The Corticine company did exist, it was founded around 1890 (random fact discovered looking into this. However, I actually think certain sections of the deck, forward of the funnels and after of the boat station probably had some canvas covering as can be seen on this excellent image I just discovered This is certainly an early TBD, it may even be Havock. Further proof comes from the not very reliable evidence of builders models all of which consistently show brown decks with black or dark grey edges, some with actual panels that look like canvas, see last image So, I think this is the direction I will go, I like the idea of canvas panels, will see how I can reproduce the texture Cheers Steve

Gday Chums,here's my attempt at the Mistercraft Me 262 B1a.The build thread is here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235134876-mistercraft-me-262-b-1a-in-172nd-scalefinished/ My thanks to VP and James for doing their bit,Enzo for doing his and to all who looked in and encouraged.

Here is my first build for this GB. It is LNER A4 No 4468 Mallard. On 3 July 1938, this engine set a world speed record for steam locomotives of 126 mph. This record still stands. Wikipedia has a very informative article on the loco and the record setting run. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4468_Mallard There are white metal kits of the Gresley A4 available but I'm not going to use one. I have numerous A4 components in the spares box which I will chuck together to produce a static display model. I intend to represent Mallard as it looked during the speed run. The first component is a Hornby bodyshell. This is of Mallard in British Railway colours and so will need some modification. The good thing is that it already has the double chimney. The first batch of A4s were built with single chimneys which caused the exhaust to hug the top of the casing, obscurng the view from the cab. The commemorative plaques were fitted in 1948 and so will need to be removed. The valances covering the valve gear and cylinders were removed durng the second world war to ease maintenance. These will have to be added. Components for the chassis. The driving wheels are from a Gresley A3 but were identical to the A4 wheels. I believe the chassis block is also from an A3.

At the start of this GB I was thinking of building perhaps 5 kits, 4 of which were biplanes. So far I have built the PV.6/Wallace and am hopefully close to finishing the Vimy but now I feel the need for a change from planes that need rigging so I thought I would build a monoplane. When I was but a lad there were perhaps 4 places in Bradford where I bought models - initially Woolworths for Airfix, and later WH Smith and the "Sooty Shop" opened by Harry Corbett but there was also a shop called Carters where I spent many happy hours, particularly in the 1960's when I had to pass it on my way to and from school. Carters had 4 floors - as I recall the ground floor and basement were for sporting goods such as my school rugby and cricket kit, whilst the first floor was mainly for model railways so I spent some time there over the years. However my main interest was up a narrow flight of stairs to the third floor where they sold plastic kits. At the side of the stairs was a small glass display case which at various times held an "O" Gauge Flying Scotsman loco, a rather nice post war RAF rescue launch about 18" long, and the box of a Frog Mitchell kit, which I rather fancied but for some reason never bought, though I did buy the B-26 Marauder kit from there. Some 30 or so years ago I came across an inexpensive Chematic re-boxing and now may well be the time to build it in parallel with the more recent Airfix B-25C/D in another GB, as that should give me some ideas on how to improve the old Frog version. , The original box art was for a plane in Dark Earth and Dark Green over Sky I believe though I think that may not have been a common scheme - I will have to check! The OD over grey scheme on the Chematic box was probably more typical The interior of the fuselage and wheel wells will no doubt need a fair bit of work, and I expect the guns and turrets will be the usual somewhat crude Frog renditions though I may be able to improve them a bit. Sprue shots etc to follow in due course when the Vimy is finished. Pete

Right tried the acrylic paint pen white backgrounds. Masking up. Closeups are cruel And paint - looks about as smooth as Tipex! Honestly not that bad And decals on Think that’s a win. Will be fine for the other side of the nose, squadron colours either side of the roundels and any other little decals. Might even work for the tail 60 but we will see

After looking at the mottle(s) I decided that I didn’t like how they looked, so they were over sprayed and re-done… Although I’m not using a scheme from the Tamiya offerings this scheme… …is close to what I want to achieve, and I’ve noticed the mottle(s) is nowhere near as large as my previous attempt. Here’s what I achieved. These mottles are nearer to what I want however I don’t think without a lot more practice I’ll get them closer to what I had “in my head” so I’ll get back to the insignia and markings. until next time as always, any suggestions, criticisms or comments will be gratefully received. rgds John(shortCummins)

Bit more progress today: And if you’re wondering where this is going:

1/72 Academy PBY-5A Catalina 'Black Eagle' VPB-71, Manus Island 1944 Build thread Cheers Dave