71chally

You would think they would issue it as A1212251 and get it out for the Platinum Jubilee, has to be a good sales gimmick.

Looks great, and confirms answers to earlier questions, both types of intakes, canopies and alternative nose option. All poseable flying surfaces and airbrakes are a nice touch aswel. At this price I can only get one, but looks fine for the money.

Correct, and their export derivatives. It does look look like the same wings as the T.17 as you can make out the scribing for that types extra intakes fitted to the wing undersurfaces, good news though as they are accurate for B.2 and associated marks, bring on a TT.18!

They are indeed the brake lines, clever init! Scimitar XD317 port undercarriage by James Thomas, on Flickr

Great news, I would buy a couple of these!

I think I can easily remove those fuselage/intakes fairings to make an early Navy S.2. Sprues look superb.

Lovely looking components and nice prices aswel, are there UK stockists for these at all?

I am a 1:72 modeller and I would be happy using the cowlings for a basis for conversion. I'm surprised by your post to be honest, our modelling skills and expectations maybe very different from each other, I would admit mine are very basic, but I'm not an ignorant nor a condescending person and I am saddened that I have come across that way.

The cowlings look a lot more similar to each other than a Spiteful does to a Spitfire to my eyes. The Shack cowling front details need modifying ideally but I would say the overall shapes are a good basis for a DIY Lincoln conversion.

I was asking the same earlier, is it because they are not well regarded, or because they were AMT originated? It is great to see this popularity with Matchbox models, they were a huge influence on me and would always get loads of them for presents as a kid. This is my first ever group build and I feel my progress is positively glacial when I see how quickly the gallery is filling up! One thing that has been a pleasant surprise is seeing how good the little AFV and military kits and builds appear to be, I've never seen these in the plastic before now. My main Tyrrell build is 3/4s complete. second one just started. Phantom about 1/2 way. Canberra being prepared. Puma and G91Y are sat staring at me and awaiting appropriate decals.

Maybe because this is the 'Modern 1969 onwards' era section.

the annular radiator style cowlings are very similar though, certainly for 1:72nd work.

Luckily there are a lot of images of '977, and it didn't have that fairing while in that scheme. However, i'm still wondering if Airfix will have that as a separate optional part, and I'm guessing if not that it would be fairly easy to remove and make good.

That's looking sweet!

Sounds like you've had a bit more on your plate to worry about to be honest Dave!

@Rabbit Leader just in case this was missed, don't forget to add these to the master list for me

Used by the KLM technical training school, they keep it active so it's great to see an option for it in the kit.

Yes definitely, not sure if it's down to poor repetitive reproduction, or a badly colourised picture. The images almost look like they come from old film footage. I tried looking for my book (one of the CEB Camera Above The Clouds volumes) last night, but couldn't find it, might still be boxed after a house move. It's a superb looking build @CliffB and great to see so much attention to detail going into it. The HP80 Victor prototypes just looked so futuristic, if they hadn't have gone into production I think they would have been viewed today like one of those daring weird prototypes that never made it. It's very hard to find any real hard info or reference of the HP80s under construction or during testing, unlike the Avro 698s which were really well documented

This is an interesting shot, I think it's taken from the same sortie as the earlier side on shot, unfortunately of the same quality

Yes, in the exposed (non insulated) areas which is from the galley bulkhead/door aft to the tailcone. The nose to the cockpit bulkhead is black, the crew stations from the cockpit bulkhead through to the galley is fully insulated and is a cream colour finish. I have got some pics somewhere, but my model of an AEW.2 illustrates what I mean, Revell Shackleton AEW.2 kit by James Thomas, on Flickr @Admiral Puff just seen your question, if you PM me your email address I can send you some pics, I don't think I've got too many more though.

@Rob S I thought about that, and doing it the Tyrrell way with the extension pieces, but to me the P34 looked their best in the early 1977 season and how Matchbox have modelled them. Basically I will do P34/2 as Patrick Depaillers' ELF #4 fully clothed, and the second one will be partially naked P34/5 Ronnie Petersons' ELF #3, South Africa 1977. Though the cars were very similar it's surprising the difference in component colours. I love building this kit and would like to a super detailed build, but that one will have to wait until I've honed my brass rod skills! Thanks for all the kind comments.

Great work, likewise lovin the cockpit work!

I'm gradually getting somewhere with the two halves of this kit, the monocoque body and the engine/gearbox/rear suspension group. The parts are going together very well and I've finally found a couple of good reference shots of P34/2 in the period that I'm modelling it (#4 Depailler, South Africa 1977), which has helped so much for the suspension components colours. The oil coolers joined to the radiators and locating rods Matchbox PK-309 Tyrrell P34/2 by James Thomas, on Flickr The monocoque structure and front suspension Matchbox PK-309 Tyrrell P34/2 by James Thomas, on Flickr The engine and rear suspension parts Matchbox PK-309 Tyrrell P34/2 by James Thomas, on Flickr Matchbox PK-309 Tyrrell P34/2 by James Thomas, on Flickr The next stage now should be joining these sub-assemblies together.

Could be, but Charles E Brown did take a set of colour images of WB771 which I believe are held at the RAFM, one of which is in the book I mention. Personally I don't think the stripe went under the wing aswel, as it would have to wrap right around and come up the upper surfaces of trailing edge which it doesn't look like it does to me - but could be wrong - oh for a set of HP painting diagrams!

Superb work and what a cracking result!