Uncle Dick

That is very nice - good attention to detail, the pilot figures are great but I don't think they fly with oxygen masks in helicopters

Right chaps - any updates on the release date? If it slips into 2015 it will be one historic year for RN helicopter kit releases in 1/72 the likes of which we have not seen for many a year! Freightdog Wasp and Airfix Junglie!

Bugger, just read that Airfix are cancelling altogether their release of the following (I had understood quite a bit of new tool figures and guns were going to be included in these) 1. WWI The First Assault Gift Set 2. WWI Artillery Barrage Gift Set 3. WWI Western Front (Trench Warfare) Gift Set see: http://www.airfix.com/news/airfix-sea-day-2014/

Chaps if my memory does not fail me - there is good colour footage of the bomb bay passenger set up and other seating options depicted in the classic War Film "Purple Plain" - Burma WWII theatre ops starring Gregory Peck available on DVD

I wonder if the MOD will permit Airfix to scan the F-35B with LIDAR - might be some nooks and crannies they don't want illuminated/scanned I also take it Airfix only do the exterior with LIDAR so internals such as cargo bays, bomb bays, cockpits will not get the treatment? I did not see any rotor blades on that HC4 in the photo with the Airfix LIDAR set up either.... Would not mind a new tool 1/72 HS 780 Andover with internals or a JU-52?

I sent Airfix an email requesting they put out a new tool Jungly in 1/72 back in 2011, very happy they will give it the treatment - excellent choice as all the manufacturers had neglected it (Cyberhobby is not a HC.4 in my books) and after all the HC.4 is British - brilliant, love it, and whats more Airfix might spin off a few more Seaking variants in future) first helicopter to be given new tool treatment and a welcome change from the staple diet of fixed wing releases (heres hoping they do a nice job with various crewmen included and pintle mounted MG) NOW PLEASE, PLEASE, MR AIRFIX GIVE US A NEW TOOL WASP helicopter in 1/72. Defiant is also very welcome, HE-111 is good but Hasegawa already do a nice one... I congratulate Airfix for their LIDAR innovation and new releases and look forward to the Christmas news... Well done Airfix!

Nothing better than seeing those Bristols "run up" wot Said it before and I'll say it again...Tooby's art work is very nice - and getting better - only thing he needs to brush up on is depicting armament loads

C'ommon chaps Belize does have it charms for modellers - that classic Merc Movie "Dogs of War" circa 1980 has many wonderful location scenes in it (made to look like Africa) even an AAC Gazelle from memory makes an appearance, and lets not forget the RAF Harrier detachment which sadly did not feature in the flick...

Now that is an interesting question how many kits does Airfix produce in one of their new tool first release runs?

I would like to do one in an exotic camo, apart from the Indian Navy (black & white photo) can anyone point me to some other exotic multi colour camo schemes if there were any? What colors is the Indian boat in (and are there any images of the port side and stern)? see pic below from www.bharat-rakshak.com

I really would like to see Airfix apply their wonderful CAD skills to a few helicopters (instead of the everything has to be in the fixed wing basket) all in 1/72 Squirell Alouette II with and without floats Wasp/Scout Proper Huey family Proper Blackhawk/Seahawk including latest variants Proper HC.4 Jungly not this monstrous Cyberhobby joke How about a V-22 Osprey with full interior and open ramp + winch (Hasegawa really did let us down there ) I could go on but .... yes I will go on in fact ... new tool Gazelle in a couple of variants (all those Arab jobbies say with big dessert filters for example) new tool CH-46 variants to name a few!

2 images of the Jag that may be of interest both in Indian service 8 x 1,000lb (would say these are retarded? as the leading edge fins are angled) special? overwing loading device (not too much imagination needed to adapt to bombs on a Frightning)

Gorgio dear chap, yes we are quite aware that mounting bombs above the wing is not a good idea, but this thread is more to do with "oddities" hence my interest in it, as I was not previously aware of any aircraft having been able to mount bombs above the wing. A no brainer that it was not adopted in service - but non-the-less a very interesting historic fact that it was tested No? I would be interested as I said before whether it was considered for the Jag or any other aircraft for that matter - simply out of curiosity for such armament oddities! Cheers

That's what I love about it "Classic British Boffinry" at its best! When the Yanks were buying "Made in Britain" Harriers! Thank you all for your responses chaps, very informative indeed - if anyone has a photo source of a 'bomb over wing' on the Frightning that would be superb and pure gold! Just imagine the look on the faces of your local ill-informed Model Club members if you make a Frightning tooled up with 2 over wing retarded bombs, 2 under wing retarded bombs or twin SNEB packs, fuselage rocket packs or a pair of AAM's (Who's this RUDDY IDIOT putting bombs on the wing! they will say!) Saudi (in dessert camo), Kuwaiti, or an EE all silver test bird would be my pick of the bunch - but an RAF bird is not out of the question with a bit of artistic license (or perhaps a Boscombe tester!) As Billy Connolly says "I Luv it" or even an In flight Frigtning low level, with one retarded bomb just released with parachute type retard device deployed and one bomb still on the over wing while the air brakes are deployed! JagRigger thought you would like it - wonder if it was ever considered or tested on the Jag?????? After all, Sidewinders and Magics were adopted so not much of a stretch for bombs then ....as it is more the Jags trade as it were...! Cheers

The following pages of Flight International circa 1968, show some interesting loads, but what really knocked me for "six" is that one could load 1,000lb retarded bombs on the over wing pylons - how do they drop those? is it the case that they would fly off over the wing once released and not hit anything such as the tail planes (of course we know that was not a problem on the Airfix F.6 as it had no tail planes ) but jokes aside, mounting bombs over wing?????? and yes I did consider that James Bond types could simply go inverted and release... amazing what you can find in the archives of Flight International! Also check out that fuselage rocket pack... http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201765.html http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201766.html http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201772.html lastly and slightly off topic, did you ever know the RR Avon engines were offset to such a degree in the fuselage? see below page at bottom right (and to think I thought they fit snuggly next to each other vertically aligned below the tail ) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201769.html

Very nice work there - love the subject and great collection of RAN aircraft! PS I was going to say the light grey on the A-4G looks a bit off to me - but thankfully I see it was just the lighting conditions in the photo - as the light grey looks spot on in the link to the build! So well done!

Belgian F-16

In 1/72 (a couple of variants of each type with some classic box art errors ): Stuka, Beaufighter, Sea Fury, Wessex

Yes agree - the GR 3 Harrier could have done with BL755 and 1000lb loads, would like to see Airfix come out with a separate armament set with these and variants + some other goodies (new tool) with a touch more detail, BTW noticed their Dam busters Tornado special edition still has the old set of 8 x BL755

I just posted this on the Aussiemodeller International Forum and thought I would share it here as well: Before my email to Airfix (All you first edition box top owners can thank me later for creating a true collectors item and appreciation in price!) and now after my email, this from the official Airfix site - don't know when the box top reprint kicks in, so grab the old ones while you can! In case you need glasses or cannot spot the difference they "omitted" the tail planes in the first edition box top of the new tool 1/72 F.6

And a SEAC Spit no less, image from IWM caption reads: The fuselage of Supermarine Spitfire Mark VIII, JG199, destined for No. 67 Squadron RAF, awaits loading into a Douglas Dakota of No. 177 Wing RAF for transportation.

Quick chaps - these Lightning box tops are real collectors items with the tail plane mistake - Airfix might correct it in the next run so all the more reason to grab them while you can Looks like the Moggie swallowed them! But to be fair I don't see Tooby's signature on the box art - anyone see a signature?

Woody - I think you have solved it - good show! My apologies to everyone who wishes to build the new release SEAC Airfix Dak straight out of the box, the door hinge is not correct on Airix's KG 459 as the photo shows!

Yes - saw Tony's build and complemented him on it - excellent build that, good reference. Dave, It does look as though they detached the rear door (looking at other pics) am only guessing for payload clearance? as for example this Bofors load in New Guinea (never knew they could load a Bofors into a Dak, another interesting load for a diorama...) but there are images I have seen where the rear door is still attached when loading/off loading Willys Jeeps so not sure on the real reasons for this practice (following images all from Australian War Memorial) amazing what they could fit into a Dak (mules were quite common loads in Burma as well) and BTW Airfix make all the loads seen below including the Bofors, Auster and perhaps a mule or two from their figure sets...

Lovely work on this kit - I like the weathering and that you have installed the vickers - this is good reference build for the upcoming Airfix Dak (SEAC) + Jeep release in September! I found this image of the gun layout which you have depicted very well from http://chindits.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/the-chindits-in-photographs/