The_Lancaster

Ah interesting bit of info, I’ll bear it in mind if I ever build another one

Hi Andrés! So Tamiya Lacquer is separate from Acrylics or Enamels, I don’t pretend to know the exact difference but Lacquers result in a very hard finish which accepts weathering well. Tamiya’s Lacquers range additionally has a lot of metal shades. I really like them as you don’t need to really prime underneath, and the finish really gives a good metal feel, not just a gloss grey colour with some metal flecks in them. All you need is either cellulose thinner or Tamiya’s own lacquer thinner to thin them down for spraying, and they go on really well. The models matte finish was for myself up to debate as ground crews often looked after the fighters really well and kept them really clean. However a lot of Kodachrome pictures of the era show as many matte finish NMF aircraft as they do glossy ones, and I prefer a matte finish on my models mainly. I find it gives good scale effect whereby I feel they look less toy-like and a bit more realistic. That’s not to say that a gloss finish doesn’t have a place in aircraft finishes, far from it, but it’s my personal preference. I used Mr. Color 189 Flat Base Smooth, which when thinned with their own self-levelling thinner creates an awesome flat coat that I’m super happy with.

Hey all, I assume we've all heard of the former RAF Duxford, now the IWM and its history with the 78th Fighter Group of the USAAF's 8th Air Force. However, what may be less well known is that just ten minutes up the road is another airfield, RAF Fowlmere, a satellite airfield of Duxford. Originally, it was the other way around, during WWI Fowlmere had permenant hangars like those at Duxford and in fact Duxford was the neglected, dusty satellite field. However, after the armistice Fowlmere closed and all operations went to Duxford. It wasn't until the build up to the Second World War that the RAF returned to Fowlmere, albeit all the buildings, hangars etc. had already been demolished. In use throughout the war, possibly most famously during the Battle of Britain, the airfield transferred over to the USAAF and with it the 339th FG, flying the P-51. The airfield went out of use again after the Second World War, but today within a quanset hut resides the RAF Fowlmere museum, chronicling the history of the airfield, which is open to all one Sunday a month and holds some fascinating history within. Naturally, being a fan of the 8th, what with it being on my doorstep, I visited the museum and was totally amazed. My main take away was that I must get round to building an aircraft based there, cue Tamiya's 1/48 P-51B. The kit, coincidentally comes with an aircraft of the 339th based there OOB. However the markings and finish are for the aircraft earlier on in its career, whereas I was able to find images of it post D-Day, with the newer malcolm hood and cut back invasion stripes. With this info in mind I set out to build mine still out of the box, but with the idea to use the malcolm hood included in the kit, and with a set of invasion stripes to be painted on. The kit was painted using Tamiya Lacquer metal paints, which I find are smooth, of good pigment density, and give a finish akin to alclad or similar, but without the fuss and with the paint being a lot harder wearing as well. The decals were all the kits ones. Capt. Lee D Eisenhart didn't manage to advance his number of victories past three so even the kill score down the side would be accurate. The model was weathered with oils. Thanks for looking, Sam

Hey all, This is Revell's 1/35 M48A2CG as modified and used by the Bundeswehr from the late sixties to the mid eighties. The kit was built out of the box with the exception of the power cable for the searchlight. This was provided as a chunky, rough-looking vinyl part which I replaced with a finer gauge wire. The kit is from 2014 and utilises the majority of parts from Revell's M48A2GA2 released earlier in the year. Overall, the kit is good with decent amount of detail and a good fit. This is one of Revell's early ventures into bringing their armour selection up to date with cast textures, finer details and overall a more refined piece. The vehicle was painted with Mr. Color's C51 Bronzgrun which is accurate for the time as it was before the NATO three colour camouflage was adopted. I used the kit decals which were cartograf in origin I believe, so a guarantee of good registration, opacity and detail. I weathered the model with AK interactive dust and mud splatter washes as I wanted to replicate a vehicle on exercise more or less during the summer with a dusty, gritty look. The stowage is a mix of Tamiya's modern stowage set as well as left overs from Tamiya's Marder 1A2. Thanks, Sam

Before the madness starts…. I would just like to say that I think it’s a good idea 😂

Thanks for all your comments guys! Greatly appreciated Funnily enough I found another booklet from the 1988 reunion recently on eBay, It’s a really good read! The line up for the air show was definitely looking pretty impressive. I manage to make it to the memorial quite often, and it’s nicely kept. I recently built a 1/48 P-51B and took some pictures of it up at Steeple Morden on the old perimeter track. It’s a nice area round there, steeped in history.

Very nice! The nose looks especially good!

Very, very nice B-17. The whole composition from the build to the paint and weathering has created a truly awesome model

Hey all, This is Tamiya's P-47D 'Razorback', an instant classic from the early 2000s. Like many others, I've had a strong affinity towards this aircraft for a long time. Somehow, the brutal look of the aircraft is met with some amazing lines, to create what in my eyes is a true thoroughbred aircraft. I've always had an interest in the Eighth Air Force during the Second World War as I live in East Anglia and have a number of former airbases right on my doorstep. Additionally, with my job I'm constantly all over the six traditional counties that make up the East of England. To be able to step out of my door and be right in the history has always driven an obsession interest with the 'Mighty Eighth'. The aircraft I've depicted is from the 355th Fighter Group, based at RAF Steeple Morden, which is just on the outskirts of Royston, sort of close to the borders of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire but in fact in Cambridgeshire. The air base was originally a satellite for RAF Bassingbourne before being handed over the the USAAC in mid-1943. The kit fell together, as do Tamiya kits, so no need to cover already well documented ground. The only thing i did add was an Eduard LooK set which includes a drop in resin instrument panel and seatbelts, the only two additions really needed IMO. I painted the aircraft with Mr. Colour Acrylics, and weathered with oils. The decals are from Furball Aero-design, of which their 'Colors and Markings of P-47s Part 1' includes 20 different schemes for the P-47 in the ETO and MTO, and though the stencils are included, I used the kits stencils and national insignia. This means I can use the decals again for later projects! Thanks for looking, Sam

Fantastic Panther, some really good photos too

So Eduard’s Facebook page has just shared photos of their design team working on potential schemes. So far I can see two schemes for the 352nd FG, including one OD and one NMF. Both have full length invasion stripes. Then there’s ‘Margie Maru’ a 354th FG aircraft in OD with full length invasion stripes. Knowing Eduard though this is probably just the tip of the iceberg

Is there any info on potential schemes yet? I’ve seen there’s the potential of ‘Lou III’ from the 361st FG, but I was wondering if any other info has been released? I’d personally love to see a 339th FG airframe or even 353rd. Of course, that’s me being biased towards the 8th but when you live in East Anglia… 😂

Fantastic conversion! It’s interesting to see in Uruguayan markings

Very nice looking Cat! A truly inspirational build

Excellent comet! You’ve done a really good job there, I especially like your stowage

Nice one Francis! I love the colour modulation that you’ve been able to achieve on the dunkelgelb!

Nice one! An original take on a classic tank and kit

Looks good to me Andy! The figure gives a great sense of scale and is nicely finished too. The weathering looks spot on too.

Great work, I really like your dry-brushing. A lot of people tend to think the technique archaic but this goes to show it still is a very effective finish on a model.

Nice little Vignette Andy! I especially like your stowage and figures, you’ve achieved great and realistic highlights on both. The tree gives a nice bit of atmosphere and really proves that less is sometimes more in a small display

Lovely bit of work, you’ve really brought that kit up to date in its finish. I’d be proud of that if mine looked like that in 35th! A great overall collection you should be proud of! 🙌🏼

This looks really interesting, I’m looking forward to seeing the full release. What I’m hoping for is that one day they’ll do a late F with the bulged cheek guns, as seen deleted then later reinstated on the G. Ultimately though, there’s so many sub-types available HK will be kept busy for years! Though I’m holding out for a G with the Cheyenne tail position 🤞🏼

Nice build! I really like your camo work and your choice of colours!

I really like that! Looks really menacing. Great work

Hey all, Benefitting from my first Christmas off in six years, I managed to sneak one last build past the goal post before the new year. This is Trumpeter's BTR-50PK from 2011, which followed on from their release of the PT-76 amphibious light tank, of which both vehicles share a common hull. This kit comes with decal options for either Russian or East German vehicles. The decals contain set numbers for vehicles depicted on the colour schemes as well as a set of numbers 0-9 to make up your own vehicles. I painted the vehicle using the suggested body colour as per the instructions, which was Mr. Hobby's 303 Light Green. I feel it might be a little too light, and for future builds I might shop around for a darker shade prior to painting. Departing from the colour scheme, I recently purchased Tankograd Publishing's book on NVA T-34s, and one image of interest I found was that of a T-34 ARV towing a disabled BTR whilst on winter exercises. The image shows both vehicles in a field applied winter scheme with daubs of white paint applied hap-hazardly over the vehicle. I was inspired by the look to replicate this on my vehicle. Ultimately I used a somewhat frayed old, square brush I had and with Humbrol 34, I took the excess off the brush and applied the rest in a random pattern over the vehicle. The weathering was achieved with oil paints, thinned down Tamiya Acrylics to make filters as well as AK Interactive's Acrylic Mud. I also used Tamiya snow effect. In a departure from recent builds, I decided to have a go at a vignette, which is a first for me. Using a cheaply sourced canvas, I glued down polystyrene sheet and shaped it to create a sunken road. I then applied the same acrylic mud that I had used on the vehicle. I blended some Tamiya snow into the mud to create a slushy, snowy, muddy look. The rest of the snow was applied to make it look like recent snowfall. I added grass tufts that I bought off of a wargaming vendor at a recent Tankfest, and then I drybrushed the tufts white to make them look suitably wintery. My final addition to the vehicle was a commander figure, which was spare from a recent Tamiya T-55 Enigma that I had built. Thanks for looking! Sam