Nickthebrief

Thanks everyone for your replies - the feedback is really appreciated. Cheers, Nick.

Thanks Troy - your comments are very helpful and, as I'm sure it won't be too long before I build another Airfix Hurri (hopefully one of the "falls together" ones) I will bear your observations in mind... And I definitely agree with you about trying to blend the decals in - it's becoming obvious on a number of my more recent builds that they look much too stark and "fresh". I have thought about masks/paint and might give them a go one day - my main difficulty is that by the time I'm ready to put the markings on I'm desperate to move onto the next kit, and decals are relatively quick... I will try and be patient with the Special Hobby Barracuda I'm working on at the moment - as I really do want to try and capture that "worn but not completely knackered" look... Cheers, Nick.

Thank you for the feedback, fellas. Graham, I suspect I should have mentioned your name alongside Troy's in my original post - some expert Hurricane knowledge there too... Cheers, Nick.

After years of browsing this site, and enjoying other people's work, I have finally (I think...) worked out how to post pictures and can share a little of my own model making... So I thought I'd kick things off with this Hurricane - with some trepidation as there are some serious Hurricane experts out there (yes Troy, I am thinking of you...!) The possible "bones of contention" (amongst many, I suspect) are: is this a Hurricane or a Sea Hurricane? As it has no hook I'm saying Hurricane - but in service with the Fleet Air Arm. Secondly, the scheme. I am aware that there is some debate about the lower surface colours and whether these might have been Sky Grey, or Sky. All I'm going to say is that there is a photo in "Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm" (Sturtivant) showing this aircraft, and although the picture is black and white, it just looks like Sky Grey to me - so that's what I have gone with. The reference to Jekyll and Hyde is simply that the reviews of this recent Airfix kit seem to fall into two distinctly different groups - those that say that the kit almost fell together and was a pleasure to build and others who found serious fit issues - in particular getting the fuselage to sit down over the cockpit framing, and also joining the upper wings to the lower over the gun bays and spars. To find out which mine was, there is a short build review at www.ipmssalisbury.co.uk under "club stuff/build articles"... So on to the photos - just iPhone but hopefully worth a look? Any comments, suggestions or (gentle!) criticism welcome. Cheers, Nick.

Thanks for that Tony - very interesting. For the aircraft used primarily at night - like the Malta based Albacores that I'm sure you know much more about than I do - I'd have thought the white ring out there on the nose of an oncoming attacker would be an almost perfect aiming point for a ship's anti-aircraft gunners...?! If, by some miracle, I have succeeded in finally working out how to post a photo, then an image of my model should have appeared above... Very much inspired by your magazine article. Despite being kept in a cabinet there seems to be dust accumulating on it and in it - I'm sure the cockpit glazing was clearer than that last time I looked... You might also spy the tail of another of Fairey's finest currently under construction. Keep up the good (great) work... Nick.

You're continuing to make a lovely job of a not so lovely kit, Tony - and yes, it does look like an Albacore and good luck with the rigging... Lots of photos show the white ring around the front of the cowling - and in some it almost looks like an extra layer of sheet metal or similar. When I built my SH kit I couldn't find any reference to what this was, or why it was white... As the "go to" man on FAA colours and markings, can you shed any light - just to satisfy my curiosity? Cheers, Nick.

Tony, Good to see you shedding some more light on the Applecore - I'd been wondering what the Trumpeter kit was like. I have to agree with Jeff that there is something about the glazing/nose proportions that just doesn't look right... I'm thinking that I'm of the view that the Special Hobby kit, especially with the benefit of your magazine article, is the way to go for anyone wanting to add one of these characterful biplanes to their collection - it certainly worked for me! Despite it's shortcomings, I'm sure you will make a really top notch job of the Trumpy offering... Nick. P.S. their Sea Hawk was ok, I think?

Oooo - another Fleet Air Arm project in the offing - exciting! (Not that this Spitfire thread isn't, of course) Are you going to give us any clues? Nick.

To get rid of dust on the inside, how about a ditching? By which I mean, of course, gently submerging it in the bath and then letting it dry? Either I'm a genius or an idiot - you need not confirm which... Nick.

My thanks to both of you - great Britmodellers! Looks like I might have to get one of these myself soon... Meanwhile, back to you Iain... Cheers, Nick.

...and I'll follow along if I may. My mum nearly came to grief in one of these in March 1965 - VR-AAA of Aden Airways. I don't suppose anyone out there would be able to help me with producing some decals for this airframe? I have photos, and would be happy to pay... Apologies if I'm hijacking the thread - please feel free to move elsewhere if I'm in the wrong. Enjoying your build and following with interest. Cheers, Nick.

I'm going to have to beg to differ John, and offer my view that the Albacore isn't that bad looking an aeroplane - no worse than, say, the Swordfish, and no one seems to think they're ugly! I think the Applecore has a certain antiquated charm....no? What is beyond dispute is that you have done an exceptional job with building the kit Russ - a real beauty of a model whatever one thinks of the looks of the real thing. I finished one last year and generally enjoyed it - you see very few built, so it's great to see yours - thanks for sharing. How did you reproduce the "gaiters" around the flying wires where they emerge from the wings - I couldn't think of a way of doing these...? Cheers, Nick.

A little less vac formy? You've made them look like top quality resin castings! What a beautiful job you're doing - not just on the tail but the whole (clearly very challenging) kit! Bravo. Nick.

If you want a silk purse from a sow's ear, then Moa's your man! The usual impeccable modelling skills on display, and great inspiration for those of us who dare to become frustrated with a "mainstream" kit... Thank you for sharing. Nick.

These are looking really good Tony - I especially like the CC scheme... I think the Fleet Air Arm even had a few in this scheme, although of a later mark? Looking forward to the next instalment... Cheers, Nick.

Not my favourite kind of aircraft, and not my favourite scale, but your skills as a modeller and as author of an entertaining and instructive build thread meant I loved following this all the way. You are a master of the craft Bill and I am looking forward to the next one, whatever it may be! Cheers, Nick.

Great to see this one up and running again Tom. You are a master at precision plasticard modelling. I seem to struggle to cut a simple straight edge... Looking forward to the next update (no pressure....!) Nick.

More photos of another ship? Yes please! Great work on this one - thanks for sharing. Don't blame you for slowing down in this heat either... Nick.

You've chosen a very good looking scheme to apply to what is, I think, the best looking Seafire/Spitfire of them all... Exactly as you say, the Hobbycraft kit goes together well, but is rather basic in certain areas. In particular I seem to remember the undercarriage being very crude (and a bit too long?) and there were very few panel lines forward of the bulkhead between cockpit and engine? I'd say it is an excellent kit to hone a few new skills on, like scribing and some scratch detailing - which makes the finished result all the more satisfying... Enjoy - I'm sure you will make a great job of it. Nick.

If only someone would do one of these in 1:48 scale - I think it's a lovely aeroplane... I shall enjoy following your progress. I have built a Magna Sea Balliol which wasn't too bad. I shall keep my fingers crossed for you! Nick.

Superb Chris - what a lovely result. I'm especially impressed with the paint finish - spot on. Nick.

You're right Neil - all the interior bulkheads, the instrument panel etc that run across the fuselage need sanding down a bit so that the cockpit opening is made a bit narrower and fits the glazing - it's certainly not difficult if you know to do it in advance! I found the two innermost struts between the wings were a bit short, but otherwise I enjoyed building it. As biplanes go it's not a bad one to do as there is the solid attachment of the upper wing onto the top of the glasshouse - no fiddling about with cabane struts (I think that's the right word) and only six interplane struts... i added a spar to strengthen the attachment of the lower wings too. Nick.

Now a Barracuda would be interesting... I've got three Special Hobby ones in the stash, at least one of which I'm about to start on. The Special Hobby Fulmar is fine - it builds into a very nice model and there were no major vices that I can recall. Will I be able to resist a Trumpeter Firefly? I've built the Grand Phoenix one, which was challenging in places. The thought of one that goes together easily is tempting... Nick.

I'm not an expert or a rivet counter, but I think there are threads out there that raise a few issues with their Supermarine Attacker and De Havilland Sea Hornet... The real reason Trumpeter are releasing an Albacore is, of course, because I've recently finished the Special Hobby one... It's not a bad kit - but I'm glad I had Tony O'Toole's magazine article to help me along the way and point out a few of the problems in advance. Nick.