Uncle Dick

I like the 3 different sprue colours - reminds me of the classic Matchbox kits, interesting to see the tyres are fully rounded, on their Hercs in 1/72 they have weighted tyres, would have liked a tree of OFAB 100s and pilot figure without cancer (always irritates me when they leave a big hole in the back of pilot figure) but these are easily fixed. Rivets are a nice change remenbering they are easier to remove than add - will leave it to rivet counters on accuracy and exact number of rivets...

I am staying away from HB scooters, Hobby 2000 1/72 (Fujimi repops) are far superior in price and accuracy for me anyway!

I did email Tanmodel last year to make one in 1/72 scale... no response thus far... If only European Union would fund a sizable batch for the nation currently under seige (direct purchase of TB2 already in Tukish service would be quickest provided they agreed of course)... Looking forward to a model of naval variant TB.3 when that flies this year and the Akinci... though we might be waiting a long time for a model in any scale to eventuate.

Not only Ukraine manufacturers and shipping will be effected as a result of this invasion: 1. Russian model kit manufacturers like Zvezda will also be greaty affected with the sanctions - banning trade/payments in Euro and USD and other currencies, Russian banks being blocked, the Russian currency the Ruble has plummeted in value as well which wil affect their production costs - Zvezda for example may not be able to sell their product under the sanctions or future sanctions to nations that have imposed those sanctions; 2. Fuel prices are going through the roof - so shipping costs will skyrocket worlwide; 3. Inflation will spike upwards as a knock on effect from the cost of rising fuel and energy prices so the kit manufacturers worldwide will increase prices. ICM and other Ukrainian manufacteres were coming out with some excellent new tool kits as well as the Russian maunufacturer Zvezda. Who knows what will happen with these companies, whether they will go broke or cease to exist in future, not to mention the rise in costs for other kit models such as Airfix and Revell which will surely follow... Absolute disaster, and such a waste of human life on all sides, Ukrainians, Russians and anyone caught in the crossfire. For modellers worldwide - buy thsoe kits on your list now as prices will only increase and some models will no longer be available at all, unless you want to pay extorsion prices on Evilbay etc...

Thanks All, appologies for link not working. Dmitriy1967 cracking images and most informative - excellent identification of the two types as well. WARDOG you were on the money as well with marine markers from the Gunston reference. From Wiki: OMAB-25-12D (Russian: ОМАБ-25-12Д) - Soviet naval orientation and signaling bomb. The bomb has a thin-walled body filled with liquid dye. After dropping on the water, the dye spreads, creating a stain with a diameter of 30-40 m and a lifetime of about an hour. The OMAB-25-12D bomb is used during the day. OMAB-25-8N (Russian: ОМАБ-25-8Н) - Soviet naval orientation and signaling bomb. The bomb has a thin-walled body filled with a mixture of carbide and calcium phosphide. After the fall, the reaction produces phosphine and acetylene, which self-ignite, and the light of the burning gases creates a landmark. So the OMAB-25-12D looks more like a small traditional bomb with narrowing towards rear leading to the circular tail fin apperature whereas the OMAB-25-8N looks like a cylinder with a parachute or bag protruding from the rear. Now for the obvious question - have not seen such marker devices as external loads on Western Naval helicopters (Westland Wasp, Sea King and Wessex probably carried something externally - anyone have any links to images and types would be helpful) but more modern types such as Merlin, MH-60R etc...all I have seen is smaller air dropped marine markers either hand dropped or from chutes, sounoboy racks. Do western types still carry air dropped marine markers as external loads? Mk 58 hand dropped from H60 type (Mk58 is about 5.9kg) Mk58 through chute on P-8 Poseidon An interesting image showing how effective dye marine markers can be during daytime.

I remember even my old Airfix Ka -25 kit had a similar twin cylinder device attached to fuselage, never worked out what it was, surprisingly still evident on KA-27 see image below (two thin small cylinders fitted one above the other seen behind the rear wheel on fuselage - but what are they? https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/1/6/9/6725961.jpg?v=v49f1f5d5452

Not an expert on Aiirfix 1/24 kits so please excuse if I have misidentified the model kits in the below photo Stanford Tuck and Adolf Galland are holding - time frame fits anyway... what do you think? Markings on the Hurricane to best my knowledge were not produced by Airfix in their 1/24 kit unless I have missed some release, so probably custom ? image via twitter

My first guess was RNAS Portland but could not find any reference of a runway 04 at Portland? Second guess RNAS Sembawang in Singapore had runway 04 and 22 but could not find any photos of runways being so close to beach or water...modern photos of former RNAS Sembawang show surrounded by land but that could have been reclaimed ....as to year am guessing 1970 to 1976... In any case thats 18 Wasps on approach + 1 Wessex on the deck! Merry Christmas https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154756577104?hash=item240835f750:g:KwIAAOSwnVlhGS0i Safe to say disregard the seller's photo description "Royal Navy Photo Wasp Helicopters landing HMS Ark Royal"

If you look at the ordnance on the starboard wing outer most store in the image below - you will see what appears to me at least, to be a BL-755 Cluster Bomb? Image resolution is poor so am not sure as I have never seen an image of an Aardvark with British BL-755 and American types to my knowledge did not have the 4 distinctinctive white partial ring marks seen on the item's underside in the image. I read some time ago that BL-755 was available to USAFE in times of emergency but have not seen any pictures of USAFE aircraft with BL-755. Anyone able to identify the said item? Image from aircraftslides.com Caption reads "F-111E 68-0052/UH. 70s" this aircarft crashed in Sep 1992 with loss of both crew.

First time I have noticed - the kit has 2 pilot figures, one wearing goggles over eyes other with goggles on forehead cap, some other differences as well between the figures... The figures could be separate styled British and Soviet pilots / uniform flying suite and garb as kit gives decals for both nations? Hard to tell as I do not have the kit in my hands...

Yes nose proportions in images do not look right - either distortion from camera lens (fisheye like effect/or image stretch in photo edit) or worse case nose really is Pinocchio!

Anyone know where to buy the models of the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci seen in these video clips from the Teknofest Aviation event held recently in Turkey, the TB2 looks to be 1/48 scale (give or take) which works out to a wingspan of 25cm, the Akiinci looks to be 1/72 scale (give or take) which works out to be 27.8cm ? https://twitter.com/Baykar_Savunma/status/1440712300386684933 https://twitter.com/Baykar_Savunma/status/1441084241715027968

Makes for an interesting oddity - unfortunately could not find an image of whole aircraft. Post your links or images of similar Double Stars & Bars to see the variety of aircraft this type of quirk appeared on! Below image from http://www.aircraftslides.com/Auction/AuctionDetail.aspx?ID=2067954

I saw the below cockpit image recently on a prowler model which indicates the rear seats were offset on the Prowler as well? Now to ask the obvious questions - why was the seating offset in the Intruder? For better pilot visibility? or because the bombardier navigator had instrument panel set deeper? ejection seat firing clearances or sequences? or some other reasons altogether? F-111 for example from memory had no offset seats (granted looks to be a much roomier space in the F-111 also served as escape pod, no ejection seats). And why would they carry over the offset seats in the rear seats of the Prowler?

Selwyn I find your comments hilarious also, you just demonstrated that you were knit picking! And for what purpose do most people like you knit pick? Well of course, here we have it - to boast of course: I would still venture you could not differentiate a Hasegawa 1/72 Sea Eagle under the wing of a Buc from a 1/72 Martel without looking closely (I take it you did know that the air intake on the Hasegawa Sea Eagle model is a separate part and can easily not be attached to the model - of course you did) because wait for it: Carry on...

Bettymoo don't be dissuaded by the knit pickers, I intended to stir them up with some humour and true to form they took the bait ... (there are in fact a lot more differences than mentioned above, so that is a Fail Grade to the knit pickers on the differences) nothing wrong with lugging Martels on your Bucc in fact it is a very impressive load out, even the Hasegawa Sea Eagles from the Sea Harrier kit can be modified to look like Martels and I bet you even the knit pickers will find it nigh impossible to tell the difference without resort to their Mr Bean Micron Tape Measure or any side by side reference on hand - as if you listen to the knit pickers every model kit has inaccuracies and you might as well give up on modelling altogether! I say put the Sea Eagles on your Bucc if you want to! It would be one impressive looking model

Don't despair you can mount Martels instead! Barely notice the difference Martel is slightly smaller compare the pair!

From memory neither my Hasegawa nor my Fujimi 1/72 intruder kits had offset seats! Be interesting to do a survey to see whether any kits in 1/72 and 1/48 of the Intruder & Prowler have the correct seating and which ones don't !

No ramp open option or interior cargo area just like the SH Casa 212 and the Hasegawa V-22 ... Otherwise very nice

Thank you Patrik - that is an outstanding camo and extremely appealing! Most impressed with the Czech kit - dobře česky I would like to see Dream Model include an Intrepid Tiger pod / fit out as an option in the kit - as it looks very menacing almost like a ruddy exocet missile... Also noticed the Dream Model Artist for the Box Art has "borrowed" the use of the following image - for lack of a better word the "inspiration" for the box art - or is this just a flyer promo for their facebook page as they typically like to give a side profile depiction on their box art...? This would make a cracking "spot the difference" quiz! What do think chaps is this a perfect match or what? Mind you I am not complaining... Spot the difference - there are some differences if you look closely !

Right - the box art has sold me already!

Very Tasty Treat That - will have to appropriate funds from the budget, am still running behind with acquisition of the Zulu model, only wish some more operators had the type with some exotic schemes as the USMC greys are not that appealing, wot will the Czech jobbies look like?

It cannot be accurate as it does not contain a "Gary Powers" pilot figure

Blimey - and here I was thinking they will surprise us with a 1/72 Bayraktar TB2 drone, can't be right... when it will likely be another WWII era job!

Looks very nice - I don't want to think about the price though ... 40 quid ? 50 quid ?