vildebeest

As Paul says, Xtracolor doped natural fabric is a good colour but has been out of stock at Hannants for at least six months now. I too feel H74 is too yellow, I have seen H103 suggested as a better alternative. I have not tried it yet, but if the Xtracolor does not come back into stock soon, I will give it a go. Paul

I brush Humbrol matt coat too. My experience is that the key is that it needs a lot of mixing to get a flat surface, you will get a sheen if you do not mix sufficiently. If you do mix, one coat may be enough, two coats will give a very matt finish, though you have to give the first coat plenty of time to dry properly if brushing. Paul

Not directly relevant to the VAT issue, but recently sent a parcel to our son who is student in Germany. Pre-31 December, these took about a week to arrive. There should be no VAT issue as all second hand goods for personal use. Arrived at customs in Germany on 3 February, cleared customs 20 March, so over six weeks in customs, still waiting for delivery. Paul

Modeldecal 108, available from Hannants will sort you out for Demons and other Hart variants, squadron markings at least. MD107 has the underwing serials. Paul

If you are looking at Indian ones, in Scale Aircraft Modelling February 1994, there is a photo of K3163, 31 Sqn ,formerly 216 Sqn. It is described as being in dark earth and light sand with aluminium undersides. No code letters. The text says that other Valentias in the squadron remained aluminium overall. Paul

Hi That's the one. The caption in Dust Clouds in the Middle East gives it as SH-Y. Paul

Hi How is the model coming on? Have you seen this site - http://www.70squadron.roselake.co.uk/walkerjohngeorge.htm. It has your first photo, together with other photos of the same plane and other Valentia photos. Also, it confirms it is 70 Squadron stationed in Iraq. Also, photos appear on ebay from time to time. At the moment, there is a photo of a 216 Sqn Valentia in Iraq. It is a standard press photo which also appears in Dust Clouds in the Middle East, but the photo on ebay is much clearer than the one in the book. Unfortunately it is only of the centre section so no serial number is visible, but it is clearly dated to May 1941. Paul

One slight difference is, as shown in the plans, on I think all MkII s, there is a tear-drop shaped fairing immediately behind the guns on both sides. That is not present on early Gauntlets. I do not know whether that is a distinguishing feature between Is and IIs or whether it was a modification introduced on later Is, but worth checking if you have a photo of the particular one you are modelling. Paul

There is indeed a drawing in Interceptor, page 62. Paul

I'll have a couple if you still have them Paul

In the MMP book Peter refers to there are a couple of decent pictures of the prototype which show the propeller quite well - blunt tip but whether the same as on production versions I have no idea. Paul

The instructions with the Airfix VC set referred to above have a slightly different pattern, in particular, wavy rather than straight line on the nacelle/cowling. Paul

Hi Keith, drop me a PM and we will see what we can do. Paul

Thanks. Troy. VY-H and the hexagon were cut out of solid decal sheet. This is where I am beginning to have doubts. Did I actually see a photo of VY-H as I described, or did I see a photo of another Hurricane which was not H. but then decided that there must have been an H (with serials painted out) on the entirely reasonable grounds that H is a lot easier to cut out of solid decal sheet than, say, B is? Paul

I wonder if anybody can help me with a nostalgia question. Thirty odd years ago I built the then relatively new Airfix Hurricane 1. Somewhere along the way, I messed up the propeller. So, new plan, I got an Aeroclub Watts two-blader and built from a photo in a book (unaware in those innocent pre-internet days of things like fabric wings and unarmoured canopies). The result was an 85sqn Hurricane in France. No serial number, coded VY-H. No fin/rudder stripes (but hexagon on fin), no yellow outline to the fuselage roundel and, as I say, Watts. The model, slightly battered sits before me now and for nostalgia, I am thinking of building the new Airfix Hurricane in the same markings (on the assumption it had a fabric wing.) My problem, nowhere can I find the photo on which this was based. It is not in any of the books I or my father had then so it was probably a library book. I cannot find it on the internet, can find VY-H in later guise with 3 blade prop and yellow outline. So my question is, does anybody have a photo and what book around in the 1980's might I have seen it in? many thanks Paul