AdrianMF

The scheme and roundels do seem to be an odd mix, but this is the FROG Squad, so building with OOB paintwork seems (one version of) the right thing to do. I wonder if it would have gone through overwing C type roundels first? Not to say that it wouldn’t look fab with a couple of B type roundels... Regards, Adrian

After a gap of 6(!) years I finally finished a Frog Westland Wyvern, started in the Obselete Kits GB 2013, shelved because of a bad case of scribingophobia, and finished for the FROG Squad GB 2019. I scratched some cockpit and seat details, scribed it and used a Falcon vac canopy because I have that set and the kit was missing a canopy when I got it from Ebay. "Proper" pictures: And some phone camera pics after I remembered to paint on the wingtip nav lights! It's missing a whole lot of minor air scoops,and the tiny aerials on the fin and tailplane, but I will leave those to the Trumpeter and CMR kit builders, I have to say I prefer the WWII TSS scheme to the post war EDSG/Sky, but this one grew on me during the paint phase. Thanks for looking, Adrian

Looks like it's going to be a cracker! The turnbuckles look really neat. Regards, Adrian

Have a good hol. Rest your eyes after doing all those push rods... Regards, Adrian

Well I was born in a galaxy far, far earlier than 1977, so for my (cough) 1959 entry (# 53 on your list) I will be entering the X-15, which also emerged for the first time that year. I have just ordered the Revell 1/72 kit from the folks at KingKit. Regards, Adrian

This build is an education. Anigrand kits sure look a bit rough! Regards, Adrian

Looks good despite your travails with it. I’m mildly surprised that a low-cost point defence fighter would need a DF loop... Regards, Adrian

They are just too big to look out for all in one go. Mind you, now you've had your glue disaster for the build, you can relax... Regards, Adrian

B-17 in splinter camo? Regards, Adrian

Lovely paint job. I guess the way the grey wraps around, grey first is the only way to go. Regards, Adrian

Don’t know how I missed the finish! Gorgeous. Regards, Adrian

You have my sympathies! Eight blades with just yellow tips wore me out... Regards, Adrian

I actually have that kit. I think I've opened it once, shuddered and put it all back again. Nice box though! Somewhere down the line I'm thinking there could be a FROGfix mashup between the later FROG kit and the Airfix bubble cockpit one with the funny nose. I saw one flying at a Southampton air show in about 1997 and thought it was the coolest jet I ever saw... Regards, Adrian

Now you're just winding him up... Regards, Adrian (I've had hols like that)

Looking good! That does look very Canberra-like! your improvements have transformed it. Now if only they did it with a domed canopy... Regards, Adrian

Nah, that was all strips of plastic card - much quicker! Here it is in raw form (the blocks) and making some Milliput wheel hubs and mouldings for a mirror restoration job I had recently: So it's better for big bits and I don't think I would be able to get it to work for a propeller, for example. I think it's aimed at some Japanese hobby market for moulding key ring items or similar, so you get it in crazy colours, including glitter (my favourite, obvs). There will be an attempt at copying a Frog Blenheim Mercury engine on my Miles Masters thread shortly, but only after I've finished work for the day and then done some 1:1 scale Tetrion moulding work for Mrs MF! Regards, Adrian

Looks great! Certainly a very different scheme. Regards, Adrian

Cockpit time: Thanks for looking, Adrian

I like the castings! Like you, I’ve dabbled with the real thing but now I use Oyumaru, a rubbery plastic that softens in hot water, as a mould material and fill the moulds with leftover Milliput. The cockpit looks great. Regards, Adrian

Rigging on a model has the same effect as rigging on a full size aeroplane. It adds rigidity but it also affects the trim. I’ve had the same problem on some of my builds. It is probably caused by a mismatch in tension in one of more of the fore and aft “X”s. If the string from front top to back bottom is tighter it will bend the struts slightly and pull the top wing to the rear, and vice-versa. So if you can bear, look for strings in your fore-and-aft “X”s that seem tighter than the others and replace them, or re-do the other string in the pair to be just as tight (risky because you don’t want things to break!). Pushing them gently with a cocktail stick will tell you how tight they are. Doing this will allow you to get back to parallel wings, but in the process may make some of your other rigging sag, because the geometry of the bays will change. Or just carry on and don’t take photos from above! Good luck and looking forward to seeing it finished. If there are no overhead shots I won’t ask! Regards, Adrian

I can see where you put in the coffee and steam the milk, but I can’t find where you hang the towels...

Well found! It's a glaring omission from the line-up so far, I would say. Regards, Adrian

The Wyvern is done and so rather than get more boxes out I thought I’d crack on with these. I don’t know if I need a separate thread for each kit in the long term, or whether I can have a single thread called “Miles Master - three ways” like some fancy restaurant dish, but I thought I would get some industrial production started for the cockpit details: Parts for three front cockpits and two rear - in the Martinet the back has a stool and the winch gear. Having bought a Revell Blenheim to get the Mercury cowlings for the II and the Martinet, I decided I didn’t want to waste the rest of it so I sprung for some SBS Mercury cowlings as well, which are dearer than the kit! Regards, Adrian

When I built the Airfix one I was surprised how nicely it turned out, given how basic it was. The FROG kit looks much better on the sprues so hopefully you will have a nice time of it. Regards, Adrian

Like the carriages and the plan for the canopy! I love the brass handles by the carriage doors - I guess I remember the real things from going on steam preservation lines rather than from being a nipper - nice chunky complex organic shapes. Regards, Adrian