Massimo Tessitori

I think to see a still readable cyrillic stencil on the darker blue. I see also that the number 25 looks painted over the same darker blue layer but under the light blue one. There is an interesting movie on the plane of Bouget where the left side was left of the colors of the postwar restoration, and the right side was stripped to show the original paint. https://www.museeairespace.fr/aller-plus-haut/collections/yakovlev-yak-3/ Anyway I was in contat with the chief of the restoring team ten years ago, I have to look for his email and ask for details.

Great page indeed. But, who is the author? So, not exactly 34102 as written by Orlov

I don't know if the question is for me, but I can answer that the method of Kari is good: once seen the scan of the chip of Humbrol 150 aside the AMT-4, one can start to find the Humbrol can and choose if use it as it is, correct it or make a mix of other paints resembling it. In this case Humbrol 150 is out of stock, this can give difficulty. It would be good to have another photo of the nakrasok chip aside a page of a FS-595a with the most similar shades. In absence of a close green match, any colour image that is commonly known to other people (let's say the cover of SAFFC or of a Squadron Signal monograph) could be included into the scan aside the AMT-4 chip and would be of help to calibrate the digital image and deduct the right shade of AMT-4.

Thank you Kari, i was thinking to these images: Regards Massimo

Although it is true that monitor calibration could differ, this is not the major problem in color visualization. I see that the colors shown on profiles and chips of the present site of EP are forthemost consistent with those of his old site of 15-20 years ago, and with the profiles printed on his SAFFCof 2003. So, the vividness of some colors is not a matter of graphic board. It is fully true that it is very hard to compare a chip shown on the screen with a material painted chip because it is impossible to see them both under the same light. Anyway, it is possible to take photos where a chip of paint is compared to another chip of paint that is supposed known. Some examples: Here we see Orlov and Akanihin with the Nakrasok alboom and Kartoteka. I remember some good photos, probably of Kari Lumppio, showing a comparison with a page of Nakrasok Alboom and chips of Humbrol, Revell and WEM paints, but now I don't find them. I hope that someone could help . The chips of the page gave a very different impression of the Nakrasok colors that one can have looking at this page. http://www.redbanner.co.uk/History/1948/1948_DOA.html http://www.redbanner.co.uk/History/1948/amt-colours.png To be honest, I've found this photo that seems consistent with the colors of EP. But look at the fabric... it certainly wasn't so when the plane was flying, so how about the colors?

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Psy was thinking to EP. Apart for the Nakrasok alboom, there are other Soviet sources describing the colors in use on planes of the 1941-45 timeframe. This postwar booklet makes reference to a Kartoteka, TU 6-10-1449-XX (XX is the year of update), a collection of chips that , for what I understand, is hardly available to the public. Here you see credible scans of the chips matching AMT-7 as can be read on the above document. I must write that these scans are from Andrey Averin, I haven't the chips. Who has seen them in real says that they are similar to the Nakrasok, with some exceptions, the most noticeable is the A-28m. I suppose that those people were amongst those that Psy meant.

Really interesting, and it has an impact on the look of the plane. Anyway I suppose that putty was sanded off, so unsing 100 kg putty wouldn't turn into an increase of weight of 100 kg.

Maybe you could make an attempt to find photos of the choosen tank on the web or books, but if it is unconclusive, feel free. For example, I found photos of the tank I choose, and found that it had the cross painted on the hull, differently from the drawing on the sheet.

I have the same kit to build and i researched a bit on the zimmeritt. The fact is that the type of zimmeritt is unrecognizable on the most part of the photos, as the camo pattern. I wonder how they were able to trace those color drawings. besides I read bad reviews on the Meng zimmeritt delals sheets (for the king tiger). They said that the result was thin, flat and with a tendency to peel off. If you use it, I would recommand some glue under the decal. My kit is stopped for now, I think to buy a roller tool for the tiny lines. I have the 'saw' of Tamiya, butI had not obained the expected results till now.

Hi, thank you for the link.

Thank you for the link, I've passed it to my friend. Massimo

Hi all, a friend would need some images of Wellingtons of 311Sq. for his project. Could anyone be of help? Thanks for anyone that will share images of these planes.

I don't remember to have had this problem when I built it. One has to add some thickness to the base of the underwing coolers, else they sit too deeply in their recesses.

This could allow to make darker shadows on panel lines maybe.

The work has started. I've scratchbuilt the intake and seems reasonably good, perhaps a bit wide. I've assembled the wings, but it was a bit painful work, particularly for the bits of the leading edge with the guns fairings which are a bit thinner than the wing thickness. I'm working to save the panel lines on them, I've not used filler till now. I hope to make the inside of the fuselage tomorrow.

According to the type of T-54, the support of the front wheel, the shape of the welding line on the front plate, the extension of the hull for the turret ring could be different. If you have both kits, you're in the best position to compare these pieces.

Hi, Photos show tanks of different colors in Angolan use. The one on the right is clearly dark green, while the one on the left seems brown. Nothing suggests that it is burnt or completely rusty, and they are likely lying there for the same time. Besides, yellow tanks don't show variations in shade according to the sun exposure of different surfaces.

Hi Andy, thank you very much. Now I'm working on the Hurricane, but I think that it will be a fast work and the Spitfire will follow.

Hi Andy, your offer is highly welcome. Thank you very much. I've sent a PM with my home address for mailing. I hope to have a way to reciprocate some day. Best regards Massimo

Hi, I can't exclude, but I don't think it is so. On this photo, the difference of shade between the green wheels and the yellow armour is well evident. If it was due only to weathering, one would see gradual change between yellow and green depending on the angulation of the surfaces. Beside that shadow is visible only on Angolan tanks, not on old Afghan or other wrecks.

Hi, I'm scratchbuilding it. I prefer so instead of modifying the existing piece because it is not that easy to cut it, widen it and reshape: the intake of the mk-1 has tapered sides, those of the Mk II are broadly parallel. I preferred to avoid a method that could ruin the original piece in case of failure. Thank you for the excellent images.

I had a look to some 3 views drawings of Hurricane mk II on the web, but they forthemost show the carburettor intake as Mk.I. Is this right? Can Hurricane Mk II have this type of intake?

Thank you for the photos. The piece of the kit can't be corrected, a full scratchbuilding is needed. I hope to find some piece to start in the spare pieces box. The frame with the mesh is the most difficult thing, I fear that it can be properly done only with a photoetched part.

The thing of the carburettor intake looks difficult to ignore. I'll have to modify it.

Hi all, thank you for your suggestions. I see that the part behind the headrest is not nice, perhaps it can't be made much better because of the canopy thickness. I'll make some tests to see if the step can be reduced without giving fit difficulties. A vacuform canopy would help a lot. Yes, the kit is that one. I am surprised to see that this plane is so well documented. I see a lot of extractor traces, something on detailed surfaces. Not nice thing. I wonder if paint the model with normal black, or use something lighter (ex. nato black) and make some shadows in panels and recesses. What is the color of the tail wheel leg supposed to be? The photo seems to show some dark grey, I wonder if if was a mix or black and silver or what else. The rough repainting as intruder is surprising. Are the colors supposed to be green and grey?