Graham T

Giorgio, I've got Richard Ward's book "Lightning Squadrons of the Royal Air Force" & I'd say it's pretty good. Soft back, 80 pages, full colour, quite authorative text, covers all front line squadrons plus second line/test units etc. Foreword is by ex Lightning pilot Tony Paxton. Can't say I recall how much it cost but I'd say, yes, if you're into Lightnings, buy it. HTH Graham

Thanks Stephen. I actually bought the kit in Hannants today! Very nice too & I've emailed Skyraider asking when they expect this set to be available again & I'll also pick up a set of their decals.

Look, I'm sorry about this but I seem to be on a bit of a Francophilic kick at the moment! The Mirage 2000D is coming along with a C, an N, various Etendards & Super Etendards rising to the top of the "to do" pile. I'm even seriously considering a crack at that FM Alize . In MZ the other day, I picked up the Hobby Boss Rafale B, I didn't open the box but I was a bit put off by the box art which appears to show a pre-production example judging from the markings. Does it contain parts & markings for an operational machine?

Yep I'll keep an eye! The wing joints have dried & after some rubbing down (which has caused the loss of some detail), Im optimistic I'll get away with just a smear of pva to fill the gaps.

The AMRAAM seat I mentioned above is very nice. The only problem is that the casting block is attached to the spine of the seat meaning that you loose all detail in removing it. Doesn't matter in most cases because the rear of the seat would be hidden but annoying none the less! http://amraamline.50megs.com/line.htm

Firstly, yes the Revell GR7/9 is a repop of the Hasegawa kit. Decals are different though. They build up quite nicely but the insides of the intakes have gaping gaps which are hard (read "impossible") to fill. Also, the seat is wrong for a British machine being the Stencil (?) seat rather than the MB; the only suppliers of the correct seat in resin AFAIK are AMRAAM.

Stone me.......£77!!!!!!!!!!!

...about the upcoming Hasegawa kit!! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-48-Saab-Draken_W0Q...1QQcmdZViewItem Also, this is interesting but not sure about wnting a 20mm cannon round dropping through my letter box! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ULTRA-RARE-BUILT-HAW...1QQcmdZViewItem

I've built the F8, F4 & NF13 & on the whole they're not bad. Main problems are getting the roofs of the main u/c bays thinned down enough to fit in the wings. The intake are also a sod but nothing that sanding won't sort out. However the FR9 is the one that stumped me & it never got finished due to problems joining the fuselage halves. Can't think how it (or I) went wrong.

I'd vote for painted aluminium!

According to "Swift Justice" by Nigel Walpole (great book for Swift fans), the 3 x nose cameras were fitted with shuttered anti-mist & anti-ice windows.

Don't worry, found it at Ian Allen publishing.

Looking to get hold of this but can only find it on a mainland European website where they want £12 to send it to the UK! Anyone know of a UK source?

Got hold of the PDL-CT pod & a 1000kg BGL LGB from Skyraider models & very nice they are too. Looks like the D can carry this weapon on the centre pylon &/or the inner wing pylons but would an assymetric load be feasible, i.e., a tank under one with and a BGL under the other? Anyone have pics that show the BGL slung under the 2000D in any position as I need to know how & where it attaches relative to the pylon.

Oh Blimey, Eurofighter colours again! I believe the accepted wisdom is that the random is the same colour as the rest of the airframe but the different material makes it appear a different colour. Could be wrong.....probably am.....others may know more......

Wow!

Cockpit itself isn't too bad but a pair of seats would set it off quite nicely. I tried fitting seamless intakes once......never again. If it worries you it would be a simple job to knock up a couple of intake guards from thin card & reference to photos.

Got mine from Wilkinsons a couple of years ago but I should have thought that any supermarket would stock it??

Jon's recommendation of the Buccaneer site is seconded & this page should show what you need & what I was trying to explain (I think!): http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/Pages...ling_Index.html

Buccs can be confusing. IIRC, the 2B was the Martel capable RAF version whereas the 2 was the non Martel capable RN machine. On Martel capable a/c, the inner wing pylons were positioned slightly further outboard on each wing to allow extra clearance for the large missile so if you're building a 2B kit as a 2, you'll need to move them in a tad. Got several Bucc kits in the stash but can't get to them to check, however I wouldn't mind betting that you'll find the necessary pylon mounting holes flashed over on the kit parts. I believe the pylons should be inline with where the c/l of the slipper tank would be. .

Right, I'm hoping this will look better under a lick of paint. The etched part that Eduard provide for the chaff/flare dispenser on the 2000D spine is wrong. In particlar, the rear end on each side is a small aperture, presumably for the ejection of the flare/chaff. So, I knocked up something out of plasticard & Milliput. There's also a small vent present which I have yet to make.

And I though St Mawgan had closed! That first Reds shot is absolutely BONKERS!! Shows what a long lens will do!

Dyvavector Vacform. I've built it so it can't be that tough! Crops up on ebay from time to time.

Brilliant pics, thanks for posting!!

Resin seats received from AMRAAM so I can crack on and hopefully finish this soon!