Mainly28s

Wow! That's brilliant information! I know absolutely nothing about Italian aircraft, so this is an absolute godsend. I'll make a point of posting some pictures when I eventually get it built. Thank you very much!

Hi Giorgio, thank you- that seems a very good deduction. Unfortunately I don't have anything beyond the fact that it was around the 6th of October, and at or near Turin. The reference in his book "Luftwaffe Test Pilot" by Hans-Werner Lerche unfortunately doesn't give me more information, nor does the German version of the book. What he states is that he was performing a set of comparison tests on the G.55, as it has a German engine, to see if it offered any improvements over the standard German aircraft of the period (which it did not, according to his report). The Italian throttle system was back-to-front when compared to the German system, so it would have required extra training, or re-training of pilots to use it confidently.

I'm planning to build a model of a Fiat G.55, and need a little help with colour schemes. I'm looking for an aeroplane based at Turin in October 1943, as a specific pilot who's career I follow would have flown a G.55 from there as part of a series of test flights. Could anyone help with this?

I used to use enamels, but switched to acrylics just after 2000. I find the ease of cleaning fantastic, so don't really want to go back to enamels. Yes, I know, I'm being difficult 😉 Determination? I don't know- I'm just too stubborn to quit. I wouldn't want to upset my guardian angel, who has preserved me from bites, bullets, blades, bombs and assorted other harm by not at least trying to get back to the hobby I love.

Thank you for the comments- I'm not really that much into the whole 100% right thing. I'm building as therapy, so will progress at a definitely slow pace. Believe me, I have done my share of trying to perfect models, but know I won't get to that in a hurry. However, I want to improve, and each one I do will be slightly better. Please feel free to make suggestions; I might not immediately incorporate them, but eventually, as I retrain my hand, they will be used. No worries- nothing bothers me regarding that. The stroke was caused by high cholesterol and stress, and has caused a fairly hefty loss of dexterity in my right hand, along with a nasty case of the shakes whenever I try to do fine work, aggravated by a repeat of most of the warning symptoms last year. There's also a degree of memory loss, and a bit of speech impediment when I get stressed. Oddly enough, the model looks better in real life. I think my photos don't do it justice. However, that said- point taken on the thickness- that's three thin-ish layers, followed by a layer of gloss for the decals, and a layer of matt to tone it down. I think the flat coat is what's caused the streaky look in the pictures. Flat brushes? I may have to try that for the next one (a Spitfire I'm busy with). Yes please on the guides- I'll take any help you have for brushing, as I'm not planning to invest in an airbrush (with my hand control it would be a disaster). Regarding the IPMS- I used to be a member, but I struggle a little with groups, and it causes me anxiety to be in groups of people I don't know, so I prefer not to participate. Thank you, and I'll try that with the next one.

Jumping in a little late- here is my take on the HobbyCraft 1/48 FW 190 D-11. I found it to be a pleasant kit to assemble, but as I'm not counting rivets, I won't speak about accuracy. It looks like a long-nose 190 to me, so I'm happy.

Hi all, I'm looking for some help in locating appropriate decals. I plan to do a B-24D ("Blonde Bomber II") in Regia Aeronautica colours. I'm still debating whether to do her in the desert-sand or olive green uppers, but don't have a clue where i can find the decals I need- the fasces for the wings. Would anyone here be able to tell me where I can find some? Thanks Olaf

1:48? No way- that's 1:24th. You're just telling us it's 1:48th, right? Absolutely amazing work.

Apologies- I don't usually post much, but I think I've fixed it.

Straight from the box, brush-painted using Lifecolor paints. It's the first one I've completed in a long time, and maybe the fifth since getting back into model-building after a stroke a few years back. I'm quite pleased with it, although I think my RLM83 is perhaps a little off.

No progress this weekend, as I've been doing 1:1 modelling on our new house (we only moved in 5 weeks ago), and my fingers are just not up to fine work. Monday, perhaps!

I'll chip in too- any news on the 1/48th '86?

Not a huge update today- I've added the landing gear, puttied the joins and assembled the engine cowl. As an aside, I have received a few in-progress pictures from the youngster that I have my little challenge with. I'd given him an 1/48th ICM P-51K, and he seems to be enjoying it. He has already completed assembly of all the major bits. I think I may have added new blood to the hobby!

So a little more background- the Henschel Hs 123 was an interim dive bomber, used as a stop-gap measure before the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka was introduced. It was used in the Spanish Civil War, mainly as close support rather than as a dive-bomber, and continued to be used until mid-1944 on the Eastern Front, where its ease of maintenance and ruggedness was very handy on the rough fields used by the pilots. It was roughly equivalent to the Aichi D1A, Curtiss SBC, Hawker Hart and Polikarpov R-5. Last night and today's progress consists of getting the cockpit done, assembling the engine (it still needs a little paint), and adding the lower wings to the fuselage. I will be puttying the seams tonight, and hopefully doing some sanding and more assembly tomorrow. As an aside, I'm using this kit as a mojo-builder. After a second confirmed TIA a month ago, and being told that I have suffered damage to my heart as a result of a mild heart attack at some point recently, I've been a little down and anxious, so this is a little therapy. It also means that I don't plan to go as full-on as some of the highly talented chaps here- I know my limits. To be honest, I'd considered building in the order the aircraft appear in the book, but I can't face doing a Lancaster at the moment (a little too big and complicated), and when the little challenge with my friend's son came up, I grabbed one of my kits near the top of the pile. The Henschel has always been a fairly attractive plane in my eyes, and as it has no external rigging, it seemed like a good pick. The kit itself, although old, is not bad. I've had reasonably small amounts of flash, and the fit is not bad, so it's sort of falling together quite easily- perfect for my current skill level!

So I've finally decided to bite the bullet and post a WIP here. I've challenged a friend's son to a model build (we have a month), and I've decided to incorporate this aeroplane into my ongoing (so far not published) build. A while back (OK, a few years ago), I read a book by Hans-Werner Lerche (1914-1994). He was a Luftwaffe Test Pilot during WW2, and flew over 125 different aircraft types, including evaluation flights of many allied aircraft, most of them after only visual examinations of the aeroplane (so no training or handbooks!). He was the principal pilot of the Luftwaffe test site at Mecklenburg Rechlin 1945. In his book he describes his career, and lists the aircraft he flew, quite a few with enough detail to be able to depict a reasonable model. I have spent the last few years putting together as much detail as I can, and purchasing as many of the aircraft as I can in 1/48th scale. I plan to use this thread to document the builds. Rivet-counters- please close this thread now, as I don't plan to do perfect- near enough is good enough for me, especially after having had a minor stroke 9 years ago, three shoulder surgeries in the last two years, and an ulnar nerve surgery last year. My eye-hand co-ordination is not close too what it should be, but I'm doing this as therapy. I should also add that I'm old-school- brush only. So, to kick this off, here is the start of my 1st documented build in this long-term project- a 1/48th Henschel Hs 123 A-1. Unfortunately there is not much beyond the fact that he flew the Hs 123 in the book, and I have not been able to firmly identify a colour scheme, so I will be going with a generic 70/71/65 machine as per the instructions. The box cover for the 1/48th Henschel Hs-123 A-1- I picked it up at a reasonable price not long ago. The sprues of the 1/48th Henschel Hs-123 A-1.