Nocoolname

They only got it right if you're limiting your builds to when it is closed

Not so fast! We haven't had the upgrades yet! So lets see... 'possibly/hopefully'... Eduard PE and Resin with the possibility of a 'LooK' set. 'Possibly/hopefully' something from CMK and/or BlackDog and 'possibly/hopefully' one of those 3D printed cockpit sets from Quinta Studios. So for now, they'll be providing a very small amount of new home insulation compared to the huge amount that I have let go and continue to let go.

I'm a little baffled/grumped that the LRMTS does not have a clear part at the front so it'll be another raid of the 'spares' bag then!

Now available to buy. I just ordered three sets, though only one will go to a ZM kit with the others being shoe-horned into a Hasegawa and Academy respectively. Now just hoping they'll do the Tornados, Harriers and Super Hornets!

I started 3D printing over 7 years ago when I developed a more 'accurate' model of a Space 1999 Eagle Transporter using Tinkercad and Shapeways' FUD resin. I still have the model with all of its parts and aside from a persisting 'coconut' smell (which I believe related to the resin support wax) the parts have retained their shape and are no less brittle than when delivered. At that time the detail was very good and the level of striation depended as much on the resolution of the models (which for me depended on what I could wring out of Tinkercard at the time). I almost jumped into getting what was at the time one of the first consumer SLA printers (Form Labs Form1) but was put off by the £2000+ price tag. But like most technologies things have come on in leaps and bounds while the prices continue to drop. The new materials seem to be of far better quality than those I had to play with and the resolution is superb. I bought an Elegoo Mars a few months ago and look forward to filling in the gaps that the current AM manufacturer's don't, starting with a complete interior for the new Round 2 14" Eagle. That said, it'll never offer the capabilities that I, and I'm sure many others would want, which would be a home injected styrene system. But I guess we can dream...

Good call on the cockpit PE choice. I've been working on an IDS build and found the foot pedals to be particularly bothersome, especially the 'rails'. The next kit is likely to be built around one of the Aires cockpits but if I had to use the plastic part again the furthest I would go would be to remove just the pedals and 'slot' the PE pedals into the existing rails. I also have the 'LooK' GR.1 sets and I remain undecided as to whether these are any better than the PE parts. They seem a little 'toyish' especially when compared with the offerings now coming out from Quinta Studios. Good look with the build!

Just ordered F-14A, F-15A, D, C and F-16C for the remainder of my 1/48 kits.

I'm just about to sell on a factory sealed version of this detail set so it will be nice to see what's in the box and how well it goes down.

First scale furry dice wins my money.

They are the absolute business! I have sets for Mig-29 and 31 and will be picking up sets for the F-14, F-15, F-16 (Tamiya) and hopefully F/A-18F for the few 1/48 kits I'm keeping.

Biggy birthday presents for family, a first proper holiday for myself in 7 years and the last 1/48 kit I'm likely to get (Eduard Spitfire Story) since I'm moving all my stash save for a handful of exceptions.

The new Vulcan looks amazesome! Hope I can get one!

This is why I'm glad I'm checking with folks who've first hand knowledge. Could have easily blown £350 for no reason

Ahaaa!! Lightbulb moment! Thank you!!

I didn't like the look and shape of the AMT Space 1999 Eagle so I designed and fabricated my own model. I didn't engage in a diatribe about it or have a go at Round 2, I just got on with it. And most importantly I didn't go online and suggest that what 'I' was doing was the 'right' way. It was what 'I' wanted that's all. And despite the considerable sum I invested in the project, when R2 released their updated version I was delighted. I had loads of fun designing my own and learnt so much as to allow me to enhance the new kits. I certainly didn't send a shopping list of things they could have done to R2. This is a hobby not a mission, its meant to be fun. Please lets all keep it that way 'for each other'!

Thanks Colin You're right, 'Full Frame', seems the sun has frazzled my brain today. As for the lens, Astrophotography is a 'specialist' area, hence the justification for the lens and its recommendation by those that do Astrophotography. The primary purpose of this camera is to connect to my brother's high-powered telescope with the 'all-rounder' bits being a useful add-on. Cheers.

If I were buying for myself, definitely and in fact I want to get into photography myself so will be looking at this route after checking that my brother has settled with his. But being a special birthday gift I feel in this instance I have to go new or go home.

I could find the 7500 but not the 7200. Liked most of what I saw except for the DX rather than FX sensor. I'm aiming for higher not just because of the benefits for specialist work (so I've been told by others) but also (hopefully) to give the purchase a bit of longevity. I'd rather spend the extra on something that if he does get truly hooked he won't have to go for upgrades for a while and if he doesn't get hooked on it, I'll nab it myself since I'd love to get into photography

Yep, another category I'm following up cheers!

Thanks Paul That's where I first picked up the idea of an EOS 6D. Cheers

Thanks Dave Oh to visit a real camera shop in these times. (Oh to be able to speak to real people in these times!). I'm stuck out in the wilds so my options on that front are sadly limited but I'm constantly on the lookout. Canon was my initial go to, with the EOS 77D and 6D being forefront in my mind though only the latter of the two is Frameless so (I've been told) might be better for Astrophotography? Thanks for the link below. As per usual my powers of observation can match most other things on my 'spikey profile' (both amazing and dreadful in equal measure - like the time 15 years ago when I was on the hunt for a scuba club and went with one 10 miles away on the other side of the city following a web search only to later discover there was one over the road from where I lived in the covered arcade!). I'll check it out. Many thanks!

Thanks Colin In terms of budget, not really but anything above £1500 would be pushing it beyond what I have saved for. In terms of experience, not expert per se but some I believe and certainly way beyond mine. The lens bit is something others have commented on and I'm currently fixed on a Samyang 14 mm, though I've also been told that for Astrophotography in particular a Frameless camera is ideal and that pushes things into the £1300+ range. In terms of 2nd hand vs new, I'm going for new. It's a special b/day present and it just feels right for me. Thanks for your thoughts. NC

Sorry, just not getting the above at all. Do you want a Spitfire model or an actual Spitfire? That will actually have the all of the bits you're after and they'll even do them in 1:1 scale for you? I received my boxing a couple of days ago. I'm selling off almost all of my aircraft kits with the main exception being a few I can make a BoB setup from. The new Eduard kit goes down a treat. It looks like a Spitfire, feels like a Spitfire, even smells like a Spitfire and is riddled with detail. Evidently nowhere near the quality of the 1977 Airfix Spitfire but hey, I guess I'll just have to cope without all that flash and those lovely raised details and that crystal clear scale canopy and just live with what Eduard have lumped on me. In the meantime, tonight's radio broadcast will be the following compendium....

Hi Folks! I was wondering if anyone on the site had any experience with cameras, especially DSLR's? I'm hoping to by my brother a DSLR for his upcoming 50th and want one that would work for Astrophotography while also being a decent all-rounder. Unfortunately I know nothing about cameras let alone DSLR's beyond what Google keeps 'sponsoring' so would welcome thought from any here who have hands-on experience with such things. Thanks in advance!