Graham T

All done. For those who haven't seen my in-progress report, you can go here: http://www.britmodeler.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11053 I knew very little about FAF aircraft before starting this & thanks to a couple of French members on this board for their input! Anyway, neither the kit nor the way I built it are perfect. Most importantly, the kit & the instructions are biased towards the "N" version with a couple of mods required to build a "D". Firstly, Eduard provide the spine mounted chaff/flare dispenser as an etched part but it is very wrong. I fabricated mine from card stock & milliput, working from photos - not perfect but it works for me. A resin part would have been a better idea for Eduard. A small cowled vent also had to be added here. Secondly, the "D" lacks the nose pitot tube that Eduard would have you add. Add the part, cut off the "needle" & sand back to shape. The PDL-CT pod, GBU22 bombs & their twin launch adaptor are from Skyraider Models & very good although the position of the former is a little speculative being "guestimated" from photos. Some resin wheel bays would have been nice to busy the kit ones up a bit but you can't have everything can you! Foreplanes, aerials etc remanufactured from card stock for a scale thickness. Main scheme is Extra Dark Sea Grey & Dark Green RAF colours but close enough I'm told to FAF colours. All in all, I enjoyed building this!

Did a Berlin version a few years ago. Wish I'd kept pictures!

Greg....my clear parts were quite good although as I mention above the bridge section is too wide. My problems with them stemmed from leaving the maskol on for too long! However, watch the masks, especially those for the bridge section they are the wrong size - look at my close up pic above & see what I mean. Next time I'll cut my own! There will be a next time as I've another D/N & couple of C's in the pile. It's now finished & I just have to take the pics for posting tomorrow.

Thanks Gary.....actually I just found mine, having remembered that I stored them separately from the kit but I may try & track this set down in case the kit decals are pants.

Just got my example out of the loft with a view to building next but it has no decals! It was an ebay purchase a few months back so can't get back to the seller. I should have checked on receipt but does anyone know of aftermarket decals for this a/c, or maybe have spare decals?

Sounds like a very useful tool. I tried years ago to cut the tape on the model for a camo finish but almost always found that in doing so, it cut through the base coat too & that when you pulled the tape off, it lifted this base coat. Have you been cutting tape on the model or, as I do, apply it to a flat, clean surace, cut to shape & then apply to the model?

Well I thought that was it for "WIP" pics but there's always something else! Here, I've fabricated & added a couple of actuating rams for the canopies. Just small dia brass tube with rod inserts. I've had to respray the satin coat in a couple of places as over-eagerness caused me to handle before it had gone of completely. I'm still kicking myself for neglecting to add the mask for the small "flip out" spot lamp on the starboard intake, just above the start of the l/e of the wing !

Avoid his inside leg. If you're bagging Kylie, can I have first dibs on Martha Jones

You're in E Anglia - anywhere near Lowestoft & Hannants? Failing that I always use Humbrol varnishes (gloss, satin, matt as required) which should be available from most arts'n'crafts type shops.

The only kit with a different scale INSIDE to that OUTSIDE

Pretty well whatever shade of green you have handy. They weathered pretty badly & ranged from dark olive to light green & anything inbetween. Congtrats on getting those resin wheelbays to fit!!

Undercarriage is a nightmare! Look at head on shots of the M2000 & the main legs have a pronounced "toe-in" with the doors hanging vertically & pretty well no clearance between them & the underwing tanks. You have to replicate this or else you will not be able to hang the tanks. I fitted the legs last night to allow plenty of drying time before cracking on this morning but I've just had to break them off & re-attach using brass rod inserts for strength. In addition, the wheel stubs are far too long & need trimming back. All in all, I'm not having a good morning!!

Nice work so far, keep at it. Have you tried fitting the seat in the tub yet?.........It doesn't!!

There's a small build review of this kit in the new SAM where the builder has used colours that are way too light - more like the C/B colours. Can't think where he got his references! Anyway, should have it finished today with pics later in the "ready for inspection" forum!

Yes, the MRA4 will have Stormshadow capability.

Just pulled the masking off the windscreen & looks like I left the Mascol on for too long - :shithappens: I used Xtracolour Extra Dark Sea Grey & Dark Green. These are of course British colours but I'm told FAF colours are very close!

OK pics. From these & my other pics you can see that I have THE UNTIDIEST MODELLING DESK IN THE WORLD!!!!!

Here you go: http://www.smds.ws/index.php Or try searching "Skyraider Model Designs". I believe that they are in the process of moving premises at the moment, so if the item you're after is showing "out of stock" it may not be back in stock for a few weeks. I've asked them about their Rafale B corrective parts & this is the response I've been getting. Generally their service is very good. Got their Rafale B decal sheet in the post this morning & it looks superb. Highly recommended all round!!

That thing is U-G-L-Y but looks like you're making a good job of it!

Decals are on & they're really very good. Just assembled, painted & decalled the Skyraider ordnance (designator pod & 2 x GBU on twin underfuselage adaptor). Next up is a wash, followed by a satin coat, attachement of all the sores & undercarriage. Next pics should be the finished article!

Yes to a Canberra, but "NO" to masking out that scheme!!

Main scheme on & detailed painting in progress. The pod & pylon mounted on the clothes peg is the Skyraider Designs PDL-CT targeting pod which, along with a couple of GBU22's on a twin adaptor will be slung underneath. Decals hopefull over the weekend

I have two, none of you can't have neither!!

Looking good Den. Must have built that kit myself eons ago! I concur wth the idea of masking off the colour pattern & have just done so on my Mirage 2000; about 2 hours work to mask but it makes spraying a sinch!

Got the Extra Dark Sea Grey on & then spent a couple of hours yesterday applying the masking for the wrap around dark green scheme. Incredibly tedious but worth doing as it makes the next spray session so much easier. Problem though with the three-view painting plan provided by Eduard; the patterns do not tie up between the plan view & the starboard profile (anyone else got this kit have a look to see what I mean). I followed the plan view which I don't think is right. Also a small mod to be made to the underside pattern but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes before getting the next colour in, hopefully later today!