lasermonkey

Did you actually go to the HR Hobbies website? I just checked and the Mil Spec paints are listed, which, iirc, is exactly what you were asking for. I dunno, you try to help people….

I honestly can’t see any reason for Humbrol No. 30 to exist. 116 is a demonstrably far more useful colour, so yeah , let’s drop that one. Hornby seems absolutely determined to not take my money. Still, their loss is Sovereign Hobbies’s gain.

There was that time when, during a late night modelling session, the jeweller’s loupe that I put to my eye turned out to be the lid of a tub of Lifecolor paint. I’ll never forget the squishy feeling of the paint making contact with my eyelid.

We have only paid a couple of hundred pounds up front (for searches and document copying, etc). They have said they will pass on the copies and searches to the next solicitor and refund anything outstanding. If they’d told us back when they realised they were overwhelmed, I wouldn’t have minded, but to drag it our for eight weeks with no responses to our calls and emails, is pretty shoddy. I’m not often surprised by ineptitude, as I see it every day (I mean, just watch the news!) but I’m flabbergasted.

It certainly is! To say I’m on edge is putting it mildly.

A new solicitor for our house sale/purchase, as the one we were using has done precisely naff-all for the last two months. After asking whether they could actually do the work, they have just admitted that they can’t. Their lack of professionalism is staggering. It couldn’t come at a worse time.

There’s been a few Tiger Moths around today. Currently, G-AHIZ is overhead. edit: also G-BLUZ and G-AEOI.

Just checked my eBay watch list and came across an MPM 1/72 Blenheim V for twenty quid. I remember when i bought my last MPM Mk V from a Shuttleworth display around fifteen years ago for the same price and thinking I’d got a bargain. These things almost never come up for sale and when they do, are considerably more expensive. It’s mine now.

Not over my house, but I was at Fowlmere yesterday and I saw what I presume was N3200 (but definitely a Mk I) flying around. Just beautiful.

Thanks Rob. I appreciate your candour. In my case, the projects in question are the registration letters for a Tiger Moth (G-EMSY) in 1/32 and 1/72 and involves white, Service Brown and pale blue. The other project is for the "bort" numbers as used by the 527th AS and will need yellow, red, black and pale blue grey. The artwork would be done by Mrs Lasermonkey using Adobe Illustrator, so it's just the printing I need.

There’s a couple of projects I will need custom decals for. The one thing I have no idea about is costs. If it’s not considered rude to ask, I’d appreciate some hints as to what to expect. Cheers, Mark.

I bloomin’ hope not, with their prices!

Piper Aztec G-BBIF just flew over, quite low. Shortly before that was a Chinook, making the customary racket.

Annoyingly, they have done some sheets in 1/72. Just not the ones I want! I do find it baffling that no one else has seen fit to do any Alconbury decals.

I don’t think they are available in the correct size. IIRC the 527th used 18” codes. None of the attempts at doing their codes in 1/72 thus far (Airfix, Heller and Microscale) have got them right. It’s frustrating, as I really want to do one of each scheme used by the 527th. If only Two Bobs had delivered on their plan to release the Alconbury Gomers sheets in The Only Scale That Matters.

The main thing Humbrol had going for it was the wide range of colours. I feel they have just dropped their USP. More and more I wish that Humbrol (and Airfix) were freed from the shackles of Hornby. To me, it seems like they’re run solely to prop up a vanity project.

As far as vintage classics go, I’d love to see the Rotodyne and Cessna O-2 reissued. I know the Cessna is a bit of a challenge, but I’d rather that than no kit at all.

Generally, I’d say earlier versions. For me, there’s nothing made by humankind that is more beautiful than a Spitfire Mk I. I also think the Hurricane Mk I is the best looking. The Mosquito is another aeroplane that I think has better looking earlier versions, especially the B.IV. As for the Beaufighter, the Mk I is also my favourite in terms of looks. Where my argument falls down is with a couple of German types. To me, the best looking Fw 190 is the D series and with the Bf 109, I think the G-10 and K-4 look better. I find the E somewhat agricultural looking. And as for Mustangs, it has to be the Merlin engined variants.

Winner of the internet for today.

Ok, now we’re intrigued!

I don’t suppose there’s any indication of the price yet?

I put the airbrake wells on my AIrfix TSR-2 the wrong way round. It stalled the kit and I never did go back to it. Not a huge job to fit the airbrakes closed, fill and rescribe, but my heart just wasn't in it.

For those of you who use the Galleria varnish, is it durable and does it stand up to things such as decal solvents, water and the like?

I noticed that the HR Hobbies website is up and running now. The paints look like they come in new bottles. Anyway, the website is www.hrhobbies.co.uk if you’re interested.

A UAE AF C-130 just flew over. It seems to be a semi-regular thing to have A Hercules from a random country go overhead now. At 20,000ft, there wasn’t much to be seen. Theres also a Cessna 180 nearby which I hope will fly over.