Robert

Well here we are again with some better news. The F-16A I will not finish in time but l have completed the F-16B. I did not take pictures of doing the camouflage but l used paper masks copied from the instruction sheet from the decals. The only thing different l did was to paint the red stripe on the fin. The paints used was Mr Hobby Aqueous range for the camouflage and Vallejo Metal Color for the exhaust and I am very pleased how it turned out. Sorry about the quality of the pictures but l have a new camera which I am still getting used to. Regards Robert

From the Tamiya Blog https://tamiyablog.com/2021/09/some-more-upcoming-tamiya-static-kits/

When l apply for my Covid passport it also lasts a couple of days but the one my wife has has no expiry date, weird. Regards Robert

@Gene K Thankfully l have a few of the old Scalemaster sheets with the CVN names. Regards Robert

Can you tell me which seats you used please. Regards Robert

Always liked VMFA-333 from their Nimitz cruise after l saw an article in Airfix magazine a long time ago. Regards Robert

They are reboxed imported kits so they command a high price to keep the Japanese home manufacturers happy. Regards Robert

Are you going to attempt the painting for the air intake covers ? Looking forward to this one. https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/547914 Regards Robert

Just discovered this Simple Minds song which was a cover from King Creosote.

It is on page 12. Another master gone. Regards Robert

The schemes on both kits look really nice. The West German scheme suits the aircraft very well. Regards Robert

Having bought this kit recently it will be good to see how it goes together. Regards Robert

Hi, l am going down to Cambourne for a week and hoping you can give me some recommendations, whether it is hobby shops, museums and food places. My wife has an intolerance to gluten so will have to be careful where we eat. We will be going to Hayle to see some friends as well. Regards Robert

Yes please. Have you seen that if you can get to Japan at the moment you have to make a pledge and cannot travel anywhere ? Hopefully that will change in a couple of years.

Hello everyone, I am still around but it has been a frustrating time doing these 2 kits. I will start off from my last post. I bought these for both kits. These are great kits and very delicate, but in removing the flame holder from the pouring stub l broke both of them and had to order replacement from ResKit. They were superb and replacements arrived quckly. I also bought their resin wheels which l painted. Next were the tailplanes. Hasegawa provide later Block 15 tailplanes so I removed the rear part of the tailplanes and restored the sharp trailing edge. Back to the engines. Hasegawa part on the left, ResKit on the right. The diameter of the Reskit was smaller than the kit so I removed the Hasegawa engine petals away from the rear enging housing. I then had to remove some material from the inside of the engine housing so that the resin engine afterburning tube would fit inside of the engine housing and finally the lovely resin petals. At the front end l was quite pleased how both cockpits turned out. Canopies on and ready for paint. Now the fun (NOT) begins. I sprayed both kits in Tamiya XF-54 and went to apply the white for the F-16A. I had accidentlely picked up Tamiya Lacquer paint LP2, so because you only hear good things about laquer paints l thought I would give it a try. I thinned it and started spraying. For some reason the paint ended up being very rough not smooth as I hoped it would. Even spraying really thinned coats did not help. The only recourse was to remove it which was a real pain. I then left it and started on the F-16B. I attempted something different freehand spraying, but it was a disaster even with thinned paint and low air pressure. I tried it on an old model no problem at all, perhaps just nerves. Therefore I removed that as well. Two lessons learnt, stick with Tamiya Acrylics and use masks for camoulflage schemes. Back to the F-16A l sprayed it with Tamiya X-2 Gloss White, no primer, and no issues at all, it went down really smoothly. Masked it up for the Tamiya X-7 Red nice and lovely. Masked that and painted the Blue, Tamiya X-4. Now part two of the mishaps. On removing the Tamiya masking tape it has left a rough texture (see below) on the red paint the white was fine. Now why this happened I do not know, all colours were left for 24 hours before the next colour. I am frustrated at the moment so will leave this alone, not sure what to do as I do not want to start all over again. The F-16B l have painted the lightest green first and will mask and spray the other two colours but am not in the mood at the moment. Robert

For the one by Sur Air it is ISBN 2-86603-001-X and the Ouest France it is ISBN 2-85882-566-1. The first book also has scale drawings and l would say the better book. The second one is a 'mini monograph'. Regards Robert

The two books that I have both in French are Dassault Etendard IV & Super Standard by Alain Crosnier & Jean-Michel Guhl, Monographic 1 published by Sur Air and AMD Etendard & Super Standard published by Ouest France. I got them in the early 1980s after the Falklands conflict. Regards Robert

I have been down to The Aviation Bookshop in Tunbridge Wells and saw all 3 volumes there, but only a very few. I do not know the price but if you are interested in RAF squadrons and aircraft of the Cold War period they are a must so contact the bookshop. Regards Robert

As long as the consumers are willing to pay for the prices quoted by the importers/retailers and manufacturers, they will keep on doing it. The only time prices will fall is when they (importers /retailers and manufacturers) are in dire straits and they have cash flow issues. Regards Robert

Although not shown on the kit's drawings I hope it includes the scoop for the engine exhaust. It will be interesting how they made it to 150 parts for such a simple design. Regards Robert

@FZ6 do you know if they will fit the older Vulcan kit ? Regards Robert

A new aircraft from Sukhoi will be revealed at MAKS 2021. There are pictures showing a single engine twin tailed aircraft covered with a tarp being wheeled around https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/uac-checkmate.37538/page-3 Regards Robert

'Features fixed depiction of variable sweep wing supported by a single-piece part' Now that sounds interesting, a one piece moulding for the wing ? If anyone can design a part like that Tamiya can. Regards Robert

I have just received a package from Plaza Japan and not paid any extra. I did ask them last year what they were going to do about the VAT situation and they said they would comply. Great company to deal with and you get an extra gift. Regards Robert

Let's go back to the past http://web.archive.org/web/20070827013812/http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/index.html Have not checked it all out to see if it all there. Regards Robert