Overkiller

....pitchforks at dawn? ....just don't get me started on the canberra though....now that is "functional looking" at best.... Wadding duly applied Duncan

Aye, it's a reet ugly little sucker, just like the Victor is.....right Andy? Thanks Andy! Coming from you that means a lot to me. I agree the whole design looks rather Gerry Andersonesque, and you do have to wonder how she would have handled, or how the engines would have dealt with taking off from a wet runway being so close to the ground. Thanks! Cheers Bex, but I fear the warning is wasted, rather like Herr General I am already infected with the dreaded bug scratchitis, I'm doomed I tell ya, doooooomed! Well if you like this little sucker, just hang around for the next one, I'm getting the bits together to build Avro's tender to the same specification, the aesthetically pleasing Avro 721 Duncan

Hi Folks, Like resident Russian Beasty Maestro General Melchett (Hiya Andy!) I am a bit of a "Secret Projects" fanboy and have taken the plunge and started scratchbuilding the weird and wonderful stuff that is catalogued in Tony Buttler's magnificent tomes.... Just completed, the Handley Page HP-99..... The HP-99 was submitted to the MOS in 1952 against specification B.126T for a low altitude bomber to operate alongside the V-bombers. B.126T (OR.314) required a 10,000lb bombload, range 2,500 miles at an average flight altitude of 500ft @ 0.85 Mach with a 10 minute burst at 0.95 in the target area. Four firms tendered: Avro = Avro Type 721 Bristol = Bristol 186 Handley Page = HP-99 Shorts = Shorts P.D.9 Ultimately B.126T foundered on the fact that engine and navigation technology had yet to progress to the point of allowing a practical low altitude bomber, all the submissions were virtually flying fuel tanks, often taking off near empty of fuel and needing air refueling shortly after take off. As for the navigation no TFR or any such gizmology, navigation was to be by dead reckoning and moving map displays (fun at night or in bad weather!) The obligatory three view: Span=70ft 6in Length = 104ft 4in Wing Area = 1100 sq ft AUW = 260,000lb Powerplant = 4 x Rolls Royce Avons Anyways, the model.... Build thread here HP-99 on What-If Forum Comments, brickbats and general booing and hissing welcome. Thanks for looking, Duncan

Aaaargh My Eyes!!!!! That is just FUGLY! I'll take one! Don't you do pretty airplanes Andy? Seriously though, lovely work on the Freehand Andy. Duncan

Transport Models in Preston are good too....Drat Rob beat me to it! Transport Models I can also vouch for Halifax Modellers World, very good If you don't mind going slightly further afield and visiting the third world (Yorkshire), Pennine Models in Haworth is a little gem just like the old model shops I remember as a kid with stuff packed to the ceiling and the owner is very accommodating. Pennine Models Duncan

It must be a stealth Tupolev....as it sure ain't showing up in any photo's.....

Now I'm just jealous! The Aurora Orion is one of my dream kits. In 2011 Bolton IPMS show theme will be "At the Movies" so I am kicking about ideas, "2001" being a possibility (as is "Aliens"), I have some ideas for displaying an Orion, but I am not so keen on the Airfix version (oh well, here's hoping) and I have seen some really nice accurate resin and vac versions, but at wallet busting prices Duncan

Nice, very nice.... ...but if they were to re-issue the Aurora version of the Orion.... Duncan

I like it! Very nice work, looks like a "should have been", rather than a "what-if" Duncan

YEAH BABY! Very cool Andy, very cool! I must admit, I rather like the black and white shot of this beasty, looks as if it's taken from the pages of the Dennis Jenkins Valkyrie tome. Duncan

Oh very nice

Swedish Tigershark now why didn't I think of that? Very nice! Duncan

Nice one Andy, it is a nice kit, I've got mine on the go at the moment. The intakes are rather featureless so I'm debating whether to cheat and just fashion some FOD covers or to go mental and try fashioning some intake compression ramps and diffuser to add a littel detail. Also there is absolutely no positive locating for the wings, leading to an enormous butt joint (oh err! ), so some delicate work to drill and pin this is going to be required. I'm planning on doing mine as an Edwards test aircraft, inspired by the profile in the Jenkins Valkyrie book. Duncan

Fantastic Plastic do one in 1/144 scale... Clicky Linky Thingy A few of us what-if crowd have bandied about possible ways of scratch-bashing one in 1/72 scale, could well be a future project if we can figure out how. Duncan

Watching with interest General Sah! I'm sorely tempted to get one of these re-issued Valk's, despite the sheer size of the finished kit and all the horror stories you hear about it, scratch that - tempted to get two of these beasties! I could be tempted to do one as one of the SST testbed versions North American pitched to the FAA back in the 60's. Yes it would look nice alongside a Rapier, and by strange co-incidence I've just started work on my Anigrand Rapier, got something special planned for this beauty. Looking good so far Andy. Duncan