chuckb1

my mistake, I forgot to upload the sprue with the nacelles from the camera to photobucket

I now want one of these. Damn you Airfix DAMN YOOOOOOU! Mind you its going to be the price of a lunch. So bowl of cereal and fruit for lunch one day again this week. I perk of being a consultant Lecturer I get subsistence allowance. Faculty pay for my obsessive return to the hobby!

Ok had a good rummage through all the parts and it looks like all the parts are there for the standard BIII version. Everything apart form the payload by the look of it.

Rob it is really nice, the panel lines in my opinion are not trench deep there seems to be a wealth of detail internally even down to the bomb sight, (not the triangle of wood with two nails) but the actual aircraft one. I have to say I am impressed. flex the card people, flex that plastic

Evening all gash joke sorry!! Enjoy everyone and get yer plastic out !! Well I guess this is the start of the WIP! P40 and Fortress are now on the "To do shelf" Lancaster into first place now going rummaging in the loft for the old Airfix Dambuster to see how they match up

Will be, family fed and watered shortly. Camera charging be up in about 10 - 15 mins. I have just been told by Mrs B that I am to quote "A sad git" with a smile luckily!!

A man can only write REFER to achieve Merit and Distinction you need to Blah, Blah, Blah Blah so many times a day. I am glad at least it is the Warfare Studies module. At least I know what I am talking about on this one so they cannot whinge and whine at the grade and say that my assessment was unfair. I usually reply, "Well nearly 30 years warfare experience in various theaters of operation kind of indicates that this is my field of expertise" Silence usually occurs after this.

I will get the box brownie out later and post up the sprue shots. I may now teach for a living for the day job, however the words and review are all yours. All I have done today is write feedback on course work and I am all typed out. No comments please on how easy Lecturers have it and we have mega long holidays

Mike you still want me to post pictures? Or let you guys write a top review as per normal. i do not want to steal any thunder!

Well, Brown wrapped box has arrived at Berry towers, Time not to tap but unwrap. Will try and get sprue shots up later if I am not beaten to it my penance is to make a spag bol first and pick up sprog before I can open it. SWMBO has spoken via text!

The B17 MK1 and the P40 Pearl Harbour will be going on the "To do shelf" when this turns up. Quite excited, may have to watch my box set of Pathfinders and the Dambusters movie on DVD to get in the mood for the build

Very small voice, Shhhhhh Lancaster purchased ;-)

Purchased! Oh I am such a sucker for grey plastic! Then the wife will find out and i am a dead man but who cares!

True, the Buccaneer kit is not that bad, I have seen some amazing builds from this kit, its just not a easy long weekend build. I saw the £55 pound one on ebay, Hence my rant, that is just greed in my humble opinion. The seller would be gutted if Airfix re release at £24.99 or similar price!

Please, please and a mega grovel Mr Arifix men can you re release the piggay awful but build-able with the patience of a saint 1/48 HS Buccaneer for 2014. I am fed up with bidding on over priced kits on auction sites. Please, Please, Please, Please, Please ! (Sheldon moment over!)

I will get one of these and do a conversion as well, as my dad was on HMS Bermuda during the war on Med and Arctic Convoy duties, I have built models of his other ships Grafton, Shikari, Jackal, and the Cruiser London in smaller scales. Shikari was nearly all scratch built apart from a heavily converted V and W hull. all these were built 30 odd years ago mum still has them in a display case that holds mine and my dads models. Before he passed away he did three of my ships in return Glamorgan, Diomede and Fearless. Funnily enough Bermuda and Sheffield covered the same operations in the Med according to dad, They carried out distant bombardment it was called the "Bonna Barrage" Dad had a picture of it with both ships engaging with 6" guns a series of shore targets. Must see if I can find it at mums and post up

Now that's an idea have AJ-G minus its Upkeep ,mine flying ahead and to either port or stbd. I have the dam representation as well be interesting to see if it is dooable.

Money burning hole in pocket BIG TIME!! I have the old Dambuster kit in the stash, when the time comes I am going to build them consecutively OOB to see how they differ.

Fit wise Sea Cat on the Exocet Leanders we had one fwd two aft. The TA ships only had the after fit to reduce weight. the Exocet and Sea Wolf Leanders only had one launcher fwd. All had WW2 Vintage Oerlikons. I remember Avenger had the Oerlikons from Ardent retro fitted. They were salvaged as on one of the gun shields was written "Ardents Avengers. After the Falklands we could not get enough close in AA cover. Hard lessons learnt from San Carlos water. Standard fits were Sea Cat in Quad mounting with the Director Aft of the Mountings Single 40mm Bofors Port and Stbd Single 20mm Oerlikons LMG's mounted on a pedestal on the bridge wings GPMG's Single mounted on pedestals fwd and aft (Especially after the Falklands war. We had them also on the waist by the hanger door on one of the leanders I served on. Glamorgan had 20mm Twin Oerlikons fitted to the half deck on the waists. This was due to her Sea Cat being removed after the Falklands again they were WW2 vintage. The Stbd pair were my action station I was the Quarters Rating / Aimer. Sea Slug was only fitted to the County Class DDG's as the Slug lanes ran the full length of two deck fwd to aft. The Slugs came out through NBCD proof hatches on the AX Deck. This was above the Marines Messdeck and the Laundry. When they went off they burnt the paint of the AX and the mounting. A Buffers night mare and the AX part of ships ratings eternal job to clean up and re paint the AX Deck Sea Dart was only fitted to the CVH's at build, Type 82 (Bristol) fitted aft and Type 45 fitted fwd . On the 45's and the others the magazine was below the mounting it was a vertical loading system. Chaff dispensers were the six barrel variety trained inboard to load and traversed outboard to dispense. If your going big gun you could look at the twin 3" mounting as fitted to Blake and Tiger. the 4.5 Mk8 was HA/LA capable as was its predecessor the MK6 as fitted DDG And Frigates. Mk 7 were never produced as they were intended for the next generation of carriers that were never produced. The Single MK 5 Mod 1 mounting open back was a single 4.5" mounting originally designed to replace the aged 4.7 although lower calibre it actually was heavier and packed more of a punch. Fitted to the Tribal Class Frigates open backed mounting Big gun wise the 6" twin mountings from Blake and Tiger would suffice. If your going big gun then maybe look at Vanguards fit.She carried 15" main armament with QF 5.25 inch Mark 1 gun mountings. Any Questions on weapon fits from the 70's and 80's I can help a wee bit.

The colour is called top coat grey, I served on County, Leanders and a Tribal, The Colour today is still the same apparently but it does look slightly more of a blueish colour because its fresh. When it weathers It flattens out and gets a white powdery colour to it. It also goes from a sheen to very dull and flat. Especially when upper deck hands go at it with a piece of scotch pad and some pussers detergent with a fresh water wash down.The humbrol colour is close when its weather worn